2023 Toyota Sequoia vs 2023 Dodge Durango

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia presented a bold and commanding presence, drawing inspiration from the Toyota Tundra pickup truck. Its redesigned exterior featured a traditional grille and front bumper, distinguishing it from the Tundra's more aggressive look. Inside, the Sequoia shared many elements with the Tundra, offering an industrial yet luxurious feel, especially in the upscale Capstone trim. The interior boasted a massive 14-inch infotainment system and a two-tone color scheme, though some materials reminded drivers of its pickup truck origins. The Sequoia lineup included various trims, with prices starting at $59,895 for the base SR5 and reaching $79,895 for the Capstone with 4WD. Off-road enthusiasts could opt for the TRD Pro or add a TRD Off-Road Package to the SR5 and Limited trims for enhanced capability.

The 2023 Dodge Durango, despite its age, maintained an attractive and clean design, avoiding oversized grilles and opting for a car-like appearance. Its slim styling, forward-leaning headlights, and signature "racetrack" taillights gave it a distinctive look. The SRT 392 and SRT Hellcat models featured subtle yet unique styling cues, including a Viper-like hood and unique wheels. The Durango offered various appearance packages, such as the Blacktop and Hemi Orange, allowing for customization. Inside, the Durango provided a comfortable environment with materials suited to each trim level. The Citadel trim added luxury features like Nappa leather upholstery and heated seats, while the SRT Hellcat test car showcased bold red leather upholstery.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was equipped with a hybrid powertrain, combining a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, a 10-speed automatic transmission, a 36-kilowatt electric motor/generator, and a 1.87 kilowatt-hour nickel-metal hydride battery pack. This setup delivered 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque, significantly improving towing and payload capacities compared to the previous model. The Sequoia's maximum tow rating increased to 9,520 pounds, and its payload capacity rose to 1,730 pounds. Fuel efficiency also improved, with EPA ratings of 20 mpg for 4WD and 22 mpg for RWD. The Sequoia offered various driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport+, with a Custom mode for personalized settings. However, the steering was slow, and the regenerative braking system felt unresponsive at times.

The 2023 Dodge Durango offered a range of powertrains, starting with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine, producing 293 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The 5.7-liter Hemi V8, standard on the R/T trim, delivered 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. The SRT 392 model featured a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 with 475 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque, achieving impressive acceleration times. The Durango SRT Hellcat took performance to another level with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8, generating 710 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque, resulting in a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds. Despite its size, the Durango Hellcat provided a thrilling driving experience, with minimal wind and tire noise at highway speeds. The adaptive-damping suspension, Pirelli P Zero tires, and Brembo brakes ensured power was manageable.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia excelled on open roads, offering a comfortable cabin with soft leather upholstery, a JBL premium sound system, and a triple-zone climate control system. The power-deploying running boards aided entry and exit, though taller individuals might find them cumbersome. The Sequoia's second-row captain's chairs lacked sliding functionality, limiting third-row space. The third-row seat, positioned above the battery pack, offered limited comfort and legroom. Cargo space was compromised, with only 11.5 cubic feet behind the third row, expandable to 22.3 cubic feet. The Sequoia's maximum cargo capacity was 86.9 cubic feet, significantly less than its predecessor and competitors.

The 2023 Dodge Durango offered flexible seating configurations, with standard seven-seat or optional six-seat layouts. Interior space was competitive with other midsize SUVs, providing ample headroom and legroom across all rows. The Durango's cargo capacity was 17.2 cubic feet with all seats in place, expanding to 43.3 cubic feet with the third row folded and 85.1 cubic feet behind the first row. Small-item storage was generous, with a large wireless charging pad and well-placed USB ports. The Durango excelled in towing capacity, with V6 models capable of towing 6,200 pounds and V8 models up to 8,700 pounds.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia featured a new Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system, with an 8-inch touchscreen on the base SR5 trim and a 14-inch touchscreen on higher trims. The system was intuitive, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Connected services allowed for user accounts and an Intelligent Assistant for directions. However, glare on the display was an issue, and some features required workarounds. The Capstone trim included a 10-inch head-up display and a surround-view camera system, enhancing safety and convenience.

The 2023 Dodge Durango offered an 8.4-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto on SXT and GT models, while the Citadel and SRT models received a 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless connectivity. The Uconnect 5 system was responsive and user-friendly, with added personality for SRT models. The Performance Pages app provided performance data, and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system was available on the SRT Hellcat model.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlights, and road sign recognition. Additional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safety Connect services. While crash test ratings were not available, the Sequoia's platform shared with the Tundra, which received high ratings from the IIHS.

The 2023 Dodge Durango received mixed results in IIHS crash tests, with top marks in some areas but a "Marginal" score in the driver-side small overlap front test. The NHTSA awarded the Durango a four-star overall safety rating, with five stars in the side crash test. Standard driver-assist features were limited, with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert included on all trims. Forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking were standard only on the Citadel trim.