Can you rent them? Try each one for a week and see what shakes out?

 

Sounds like from your thread that you would be happier with a Pilot. Just don't get one if you plan on doing any towing because they are basically a raised up Odyssey with a different body style - not a true truck-based SUV. I have heard they are nice vehicles to drive though. Good luck with your decision.

 

I rarely tow and will keep my Land Rover Discovery not that I tow more than once or twice a year. Even if I do its all light stuff under 1500 pounds.
Edmunds TCO put the cost of the two almost the same over 5 years, but insert the purchase price instead of depreciation and the Seq costs $2,000 per year more than the Pilot.
I paid $32 for the LR 10 years pre kids. Think the Seq SR% with leather etc will come out about $39k. Its only when you consider the potential for outgrowing the Pilot and needing to more to Sequoia size that the economics flip in favor if the Toyota.
Wonder what the wife will say when I get her behind the wheel.
But make it a nice sunny day next time

 

I have a 2005 Pilot Ex and love it. It is the baby/family mobile and I cant say enough good about it. Havent driven a sequia so Im a little biased....


Ride...
Most comfortable smooth ride I have driven. Went to Cali from NM when my wife was 6 months preganant and she was comfortable the whole ride. (12 hours straight) The engine is very peppy and has ample HP even at 6000 ft above sea level in NM. At sea level the Pilot gets up and goes! The cornering, braking, passing is awesome for a mid size SUV.

Room...
Front seats are spacious, lots of head room and plenty of adjustability. Back seat has lots of leg room for adults and doors have lots of room for getting a car seat in and out of.

The third room seat folds flat and is very accessable from the back seats. The back seats slide forward and lean forward to gain access.

MPG...
have been getting around 15-17 city and 19-20 highway, and i dont have a light foot in either environment.

Let me know if you want any more info.

 

I think it gets down to your daily use of the vehicle. My wife loves her 04 Sequoia for hauling the kids, school projects, etc, etc ... I like a smaller SUV for my day-to-day use. Currently driving an Explorer and its the perfect size, will probably go to the Pilot or 4 Runner at years end. For long trips, Sequoia wins hands down. It has the largest rear seats of any large SUV. Super smooth and quiet. We just returned from a ski trip (12 hours drive) and never felt tired or worn out. I agree the Sequoia needs a refresh on the interior, but I think its a few years out. Either will have good resale and run forever with minimal maintenance.

We almost went with the Nissan Armada. It has incredible power and I likes the exterior looks, but the interior quality and drive was very poor. Glad we did the Seq...

my $.02

Mike

 

I was considering the Pilot when I bought. I tow a couple times a year with mostly utility stuff but plan to increase with some recreational stuff in the future. I keep my cars for many years so I try to plan way ahead. The Sequoia was the roomiest most comfortable third row and was easy to access. Yeah not having flat folding third row is kinda inconvenient but most of the time having them flipped up gives me plenty of space. Maybe I'm getting too old but I don't see the interior as outdated. To me it's clean and not overly cluttered. I buy vehicles so I can drive them and pay attention to the road not have to try find everything on the dash. When I looked at the Sequoia's all the local dealers had them with the the grey marble, hammered steel, or plastic wood dash overlays. I really didn't care for any of them. When I ordered mine and went to pick it up and SURPRISE, no overlays, just plain grey dash with flat black bezels around everything :tu: . I was like WOO HOO, LOVED it. nice and clean. I get compliments from many people and other Sequoia owners on how they like it also, no shine or glare to contend with.

If the Pilot fits your needs and you don't mind having to buy something larger in 5 years go for it. If your like me and expect 10+ years easily out of vehicle and hate needing to fork another $35k+ out, buy the Sequoia. I've learned over the years, buy it once, do it right the first time even it cost a little more. Everytime I went for the "cheaper, it'll do for now option" I ended up getting the better one in a short time anyway and spending more overall because of the bad decision.

That said I drive my '93 Corolla with 190k on it everyday to work and am still happy driving it which was a great decision when I bought it. My '94 Exploder was a bad decision. Great looking truck at the time and served it's purpose but too many headaches and hassles with less than 100k on it.

 

IMO,

The only reason I didn't take the Pilot was towing/power. I need to tow relatively regularly with a relatively heavy trailer.

If I didn't have that constraint, I would have taken the pilot.

 

Guess I don't understand why you aren't looking at a V8 4runner? Same size as the Pilot but it's a Truck (frame based) SUV versus a (Uni-body) car based SUV like the Pilot and it is a lot less expensive then the Sequoia. Plus the 4runner is built in Japan at Tahara (Toyota's top rated plant).

 

Ok, you guys know I've been trying to figure out if the sequoia is for me. I hope that when I've contributed to threads elsewhere the comments have been useful to the poster. (sometimes
Today in the miserable rain we've had up in the Boston area, I went out to a dealer that has the Seq and honda dealerships side by side.
The Seq at the expensive end of my shortlist and Pilot at the cheap end.
Other expensive car was Volvo xc90 which I've canned. Too dam small.

Both are likeable, Seq badly needs an interior update Lots of space in dash/console but no organization.
Seqs much better to get into, and is much bigger which is needed with a growing family of sports kids, but the oldest is only 8 so theres some time before he hits the typical 6 ft stage like the rest of my family.
Seq steering wheel seems to thin, and rear wiper blade is a cheapo looking device in comparo to Pilot. Pilot quieter and peppier but ride similar.
Liked the Nav on the Pilot. It could be useful. At least as a toy.
I don't feel as much wow as I did with the Seq a year ago when I first tried it and the Pilot is better than expected.
Have to look at wiring things like Ipods and poss aftermarket DVDs then get the wife and kids out. Decision by Month end is on the cards

Sounds like you need to look around at other options. How about the Land Cruiser. I would say Durrango but I've heard nothing but bad remarks and have noticed in MA they are over priced. I have a 99 2D Tahoe which is a little small but the 4D is nice and not small.

 

Guess I don't understand why you aren't looking at a V8 4runner? Same size as the Pilot but it's a Truck (frame based) SUV versus a (Uni-body) car based SUV like the Pilot and it is a lot less expensive then the Sequoia. Plus the 4runner is built in Japan at Tahara (Toyota's top rated plant).

Need the extra row of seats. the 4runner third row looks like a death trap to me

Sequopiasoon, first car I bought (in USA) was a Corolla 155k reliable miles. My LR is 10yrs and thats staying (139k), its a third car thats going as it just doesn't fit our needs and thats 85k young, I'd like to get one car that will last through High school and teenager team bus duties...and whatever else teenagers get up to.
goddamit I'm flipping back to the sequoia now....thought I had it figured out.
Maybe the wife and kids will help me decide

 

Seqs much better to get into, and is much bigger which is needed with a growing family of sports kids, but the oldest is only 8 so theres some time before he hits the typical 6 ft stage like the rest of my family.

I drove both & for me it was all about room & size the Honda just didnt have it & mine has factory navg great tool. Good luck

 

The reason I chose the Sequoia over a 4Runner or similar sized SUVs was the extra room and comfort. The 2nd row of the 4Runner felt more cramped than the back seat of my Camry. The 3rd row is a joke with no space to store things behind it. I have carried 8 people in my Sequoia comfortably with room in the back for a cooler, jackets, and backpacks. You can't beat the Sequoia for long distance road trips.

If you think space may be a future issue then I would not buy a mid-size SUV like the Pilot or 4Runner. Nobody ever complained about having too much room in their vehicle. If the Sequoia is not to your liking, check out other other full-sized SUVs like the Suburban, Denali, Armada, etc.

Sequoiasoon - I completely agree with you about the interior being clean, simple, and functional. My main gripe is not having a console or glovebox with a lock. I also try to keep my vehicles for 10+ years so it's important to me to anticipate my future needs when purchasing it. It is much cheaper to buy the correct vehicle the first time to avoid depreciation on a car you need to trade in because it no longer meets your needs.

 

If size is a factor get a used LX470 or Landcruiser, they will be good for 200K + miles. Get a 2000 or 2001 for around $27K with 60-70K miles on it or you can go to a 2002 with 30-40K miles on it for around $30-35K.

 

Actually the Sequoia is larger than the Landcruiser. Total cargo capacity for the LC is 91 cubic feet and the Sequoia is 128 cubic feet.

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/nvc/edm...2352137?styleid=100413086&styleid=100413102&maxvehicles=5&refid=&op=3&tab=specs

 

Actually the Sequoia is larger than the Landcruiser. Total cargo capacity for the LC is 91 cubic feet and the Sequoia is 128 cubic feet.

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/nvc/edm...2352137?styleid=100413086&styleid=100413102&maxvehicles=5&refid=&op=3&tab=specs

It is between the size of the 4runner and Sequoia. But the LC/LX is made on its own platform and it is built in Japan. I would say it is a step above the Sequoia in quality. Just something to consider.

 

My descision not to Buy the Pilot and Why I Bought the Sequoia

I was considering both the Pilot and Sequoia for a long time. Three years to be precise. I choose the Sequoia. I traded in the Odyssey. Here is why:

1. RUGGED. I go hunting three time a year and I needed a rugged vehical. The Sequoia is REALLY built to go off road. The Pilot is not. For example, I took the Odyssey one time huntin and got stuck with the inner front fender wall that came off. If you look it is all plastic. Yes, there is some plastic on the Sequoia but not to the degree and it is reinforced.

2. TOWING. I tow an RV and a boat all summer long. The Sequoia can handle up to 6500 lbs if it is a two whell drive version. If not two wheel drive, the four whell drive can tow 6200 lbs. The transmission is built beefer than that of the Pilot. The Pilot is some what like the Odyssey - delicate.

3. ROOM. The Sequoia has the room over the Pilot. I have six children and my wife and I like the room. The Pilot will hold eight but it starts to get tight in the rear. Not so in the Sequoia.

4. V8 Power. The Sequoia has a V8. What does that mean. Well power the additional two pistons means to me that the engine is built to be used and not wear out. In other words, you have two more pistons taking up the load. V6 is good for off road. But, if you are towing on a highway for two to four hours - well - I like the V8. PERIOD.

5. Hondas are good vehicals for the road. But Toyota has been hevily involved with off-road durability tests in there off-road race involvements. If you are going to do any off road driving and towing, you will want tested durability. If you are going to be on the road and not towing, then buy the Pilot. It offers much better fuel economy.

 

I would consider the Pilot more comparable to the Highlander, except maybe a tad more room inside. Definitely not comparing apples to apples when you try to compare it to a Sequoia. To completely different vehicles.

 

I would consider the Pilot more comparable to the Highlander, except maybe a tad more room inside. Definitely not comparing apples to apples when you try to compare it to a Sequoia. To completely different vehicles.

Your right, but I set certain needs (eg AWD, 6-7 seats) and the shortlist had Pilot/Freestyle at the "cheap" end Sequoia/XC90 at the expensive end. The Volvo and Freestyle are both off the list.

So I'm left with Pilot and Sequoia. I'm going back to drive those two side by side again. They are worthy competitors. I do need to spend more time getting comfy with the Sequoia seat. I did spend a bunch of time playing with that.
FWIW noticed that SR5s with leather seem to be rare in the Boston area. Looks like a stealer push for the Ltd. Thats not going to work for me.

 

I set certain needs (eg AWD, 6-7 seats) and the shortlist had Pilot/Freestyle at the "cheap" end Sequoia/XC90 at the expensive end. The Volvo and Freestyle are both off the list.

So I'm left with Pilot and Sequoia. I'm going back to drive those two side by side again. They are worthy competitors.

I think you need to look at "Vans" not SUV's. The Sequoia and Pilot don't compare they are as different as night and day. Both good vehicles but very different.

 

The toyota has the 5/60 warranty on the drivetrain. You seem like you'll keep it at least that long (as I would) so that might be better just in case...

 

I do need to spend more time getting comfy with the Sequoia seat. I did spend a bunch of time playing with that.
FWIW noticed that SR5s with leather seem to be rare in the Boston area. Looks like a stealer push for the Ltd. Thats not going to work for me.

I feel the seats are comfortable even after driving for 16 hours in one day - BTW - I am 6' and 190 lbs.

I have an SR5 with leather but they are also hard to come by in SoCal. I found a dealer that special ordered mine from the factory. This works out great if you can wait about 6 weeks or so. It helped to keep the costs down by only ordering the options I wanted and could afford - leather, 17" wheels, tow pkg, side air bags, roof rack, convenience pkg, etc. I didn't get the moonroof, DVD, or CD changer.

The dealer was about 2 hours away from where I live so we did the transaction over the phone and secured it with $100 on my credit card. He called when it arrived and it only took about 45 minutes to complete the deal at the dealership. If you try this, do it thru the fleet manager and/or internet sales dept.

 

I have to say I agree with those that say that Sequoia v Pilot is an "apples-to-oranges" comparison. I was recently in the same boat, needing a 3 seat vehicle that had towing and off-road capability. Honestly, I never even considered the Pilot. While I'm sure it is an excellant vehicle, IMO it cannot hide its minivan roots. Unless you have to have 4WD, I'd buy an Odyssey over a Pilot.

If you shop carefully, and are flexible on your options, you can find pretty good deals on a Sequoia. Mine is a SR5 4x4 with leather, 17" wheel package, convenience pkg, roof rack and JBL. My "out the door" cost was $38,6XX on a sticker of $42,2XX, and that included the $699 "protection package" which I personally think is a complete waste of money and almost pure profit for the dealer.

I think Toyota still has 2.9% on '05 Seq, another thing to consider.

 

For two years, I've owned both a Pilot and a Sequoia. They are very different vehicles.

Here's my 2 cents......I love the Sequoia and I really like my Pilot. I can't explain why, but if I could only own one, it would be the Sequoia.

A good Pilot forum is www.honda-pilot.org.

 

Your right, but I set certain needs (eg AWD, 6-7 seats) and the shortlist had Pilot/Freestyle at the "cheap" end Sequoia/XC90 at the expensive end. The Volvo and Freestyle are both off the list.

So I'm left with Pilot and Sequoia. I'm going back to drive those two side by side again. They are worthy competitors. I do need to spend more time getting comfy with the Sequoia seat. I did spend a bunch of time playing with that.
FWIW noticed that SR5s with leather seem to be rare in the Boston area. Looks like a stealer push for the Ltd. Thats not going to work for me.

Down here in the South almost all the SR5's had leather. I tried to find one without leather, but with side airbags without success (So I ended up with the leather).

Anyway, I am glad I got my SR5 fully loaded at about $3,000 less than a comparable equipped Limited. I spent a year deciding which car to buy and I have no regrets buying the Sequoia except maybe not getting 4wd. The back seat is huge (I am very tall >6') and its a real pleasure sitting back there.

The Pilot is a very nice vehicle, but its not really a real SUV. More like a cross country (Volvo) station wagon. Each has its advantages, but 2 different animals. Good Luck

 

pilot/sequoia

Our family has learned the hard way. We started out with a Sequoia when they first came out. After a few years I made the mistake of trading it in on a Hummer. My wife and I actually liked the Hummer alot but there was just no room behind the seats for anything. Plus the thing got 10mpg or less. We then changed to a new Honda Pilot. Probably after the shock of the gas consumption of the Hummer we looked to a more fuel sipping vehicle. After a year we changed back to the Sequoia. We found the Pilot to be a greatly reliable vehicle with somewhat limited cargo area and a small car feel. My wife missed being in a "big" vehicle. As far as gas mileage is concerned, there is minimal difference between the two for us. I dont quite understand this considering the size of the Seqoia and the larger engine. We feel safer in the Sequoia. We also felt safe in the Hummer. (I miss that vehicle)

Price wise. One can get or order a 2005 Sequioa for invoice most places. We are in Arkansas. I did not want to purchase the extra stuff the gulf states toyota adds to the vehicles so I was allowed to order one with my specific needs. ie. SR5, leather, Nav, sport. This is not much different than the Pilot. We have no regrets.

Doug