Though not the biggest full-size SUV on the market, or the cheapest, the 2010 Toyota Sequoia certainly is one well-equipped vehicle. Essentially unchanged from 2009, the five-door, seven-or-eight-passenger 2010 Sequoia is available in three trim levels, the base SR5, mid-level Limited, and top-shelf Platinum. Two V8 engines and two transmissions are offered for the base SR5, while all three trims are available with either rear-wheel drive (RWD) or on-demand four-wheel drive (4WD). Performance and room (121 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the rear seats folded) are abundant in the 2010 Sequoia, as are interior features and safety, though there are some who claim the Sequoia sacrifices quality for quantity with respect to some of its interior gadgets and conveniences.

The base 2010 Toyota Sequoia SR5 is delivered with either the standard 4.6-liter variable-valve-timed V8 and five-speed auto-manual transmission, or with a pavement-pounding 5.7-liter VVT V8 and six-speed auto-manual tranny. All 2010 Sequoia trims offer the 5.7-liter V8 in an E85-burning Flex Fuel version, as well. The 4.6-liter V8 is new for 2010 and, though a touch smaller than the ’09 4.7-liter V8, it offers some 34 extra hp, boosting engine power to 310 ponies, and 13 extra lb-ft of torque, for 327 lb-ft, good enough to tow 7,800 pounds with the optional towing package at 14/17 mpg in RWD trims or 13/16 with the 4WD configuration.

Both the 2010 Toyota Sequoia Limited and Platinum trim levels offer the 5.7-liter VVT V8 engine as standard equipment, which, when managed by its standard six-speed auto-manual transmission, churns out 381 hp and 401 lb-ft of torque for a maximum towing capacity of 9,500 pounds at 14/19 mpg – better than the 4.6-liter. Additionally, the available 5.7-liter Flex Fuel V8 (FFV) engine is capable of the identical hp and torque as the regular-fuel 5.7-liter powerplant.

Standard appearance, comfort, and convenience features for the 2010 Toyota Sequoia SR5 include 18-inch alloy wheels, step running boards, a rear spoiler, skid plates, power-adjustable front captain’s chairs, cruise, tri-zone climate control, power windows, doors, and mirrors, a power-tilt moonroof, a Class IV trailer hitch with seven-pin wiring, a single-CD player with eight speakers, and Bluetooth hands-free communications technology.

Additional standard features for the 2010 Sequoia Limited include 20-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery and trim, heated, power-retractable exterior mirrors, a universal remote garage door opener, and a premium JBL audio system with 440 watts of power, a 6-CD changer, and 14 speakers. The top-of-the-heap 2010 Sequoia Platinum adds such standard features as a self-leveling suspension, a power-folding third-row seat, memory settings, rear-seat DVD entertainment, and a touch-screen DVD navigation system with real-time traffic updates via satellite radio. Both the rear-seat entertainment and the DVD navigation systems are optional for the SR5 and Limited trims.

Safety-wise, the 2010 Toyota Sequoia is well-endowed, with standard four-wheel disc ABS, traction and stability control, dual front-mounted side airbags, three-row side curtain head airbags, a remote anti-theft alarm, and front fog/driving lights standard across the line, while the Sequoia Limited and Platinum trims add integrated mirror-mounted turn signals, dusk-sensing headlights, and front and rear parking sensors into the safety mix.

Owners of the 2009 Toyota Sequoia cite mileage and uncomfortable front seats as matters of concern, as well as the lack of quality and convenience in some of the Sequoia’s various doodads. Otherwise, performance, roominess, ride comfort, styling, and the JBL premium audio system have won the vast majority of owners over to the latest-generation Toyota Sequoia.