2023 Toyota Sequoia vs 2024 MINI Countryman

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 "manta ray on wheels" look. Inside, the Sequoia shared an industrial theme with the Tundra, highlighted by leather, wood, and metallic finishes in the upscale Capstone trim. A 14-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system dominated the dashboard, while the interior's cream white-over-black two-tone color scheme added a touch of luxury. However, some materials reminded occupants 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 equip the SR5 and Limited trims with a TRD Off-Road Package for enhanced capability.

The 2024 MINI Countryman embraced its playful and classic Mini styling, featuring an erect wraparound windshield, a floating roof, and Union Jack tail lights. It offered a range of paint, roof, and mirror cap treatments, along with multiple wheel designs. The Countryman lineup included Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper SE, and John Cooper Works models, each with distinct drivetrains. The Cooper S and John Cooper Works versions boasted turbocharged four-cylinder engines, while the Cooper SE was a plug-in hybrid. Our test vehicle, a Cooper S with Iconic trim, featured dark-tinted privacy glass, an adaptive damping suspension, and 19-inch wheels. The interior offered premium leather, power-adjustable front seats, a head-up display, and wireless smartphone charging. The Countryman's retro design and compact dimensions made it a unique and easily recognizable choice among small SUVs.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was equipped with 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 hybrid powertrain delivered 437 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 583 pound-feet of torque at 2,400 rpm. While it lacked the V8's rumble, the new V6 offered improved towing and payload capacities, with a maximum tow rating of 9,520 pounds and a payload capacity of 1,730 pounds. The Sequoia's fuel efficiency also improved, with EPA ratings of 20 mpg with 4WD and 22 mpg with RWD. Our test vehicle averaged 17.8 mpg on a mountainous evaluation loop. 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.

The 2024 MINI Countryman offered a range of powertrains, with the John Cooper Works model standing out for its performance. It featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 301 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed sport automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The JCW accelerated to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. The Cooper S model, with a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, delivered 189 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque. It offered a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with FWD or an eight-speed sport automatic with AWD. The Cooper S reached 60 mph in 7.2 seconds (7.1 seconds with AWD). The Countryman excelled in daily driving, with a zippy and athletic feel. However, it wasn't ideal for off-roading, and our test vehicle averaged 25.4 mpg on a mountainous loop, slightly below its EPA rating of 28 mpg.

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 automatic climate control system. The front seats were comfortable, and the wide, flat, padded upper door panel shelf provided a convenient resting place for long trips. 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 legroom. The third-row seat, mounted above the battery pack, offered limited comfort and legroom. Cargo space was compromised by the hybrid powertrain, with only 11.5 cubic feet behind the third row, expandable to 22.3 cubic feet. Folding the third-row seats increased capacity to 49 cubic feet, while folding the second-row seats provided 86.9 cubic feet. The Sequoia's cargo space was smaller than its rivals, and the lack of a power liftgate window was a notable change.

The 2024 MINI Countryman accommodated four adults comfortably, with enough luggage space for a week-long road trip. Our test vehicle featured dual-zone automatic climate control, premium leather upholstery, power-adjustable heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The Countryman's compact dimensions and excellent outward visibility made it easy to park. However, it lacked a surround-view camera and rear cross-traffic alert. Interior storage was reasonable, though the smartphone charging pad blocked access to the tray beneath it. Cargo space was limited, with 17.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expandable to 47.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The 40/20/40-split folding back seat allowed for longer items without sacrificing passenger space. The Cooper SE PHEV model had slightly smaller cargo measurements.

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 included user accounts and an Intelligent Assistant for directions. However, the system had some quirks, such as glare on the display and issues with phone pairing. The Capstone trim included a 10-inch head-up display, though it was difficult to see with polarized sunglasses. The Sequoia also had a surround-view camera system and a digital rearview mirror. The parking sensors and automatic rear braking system effectively prevented accidents.

The 2024 MINI Countryman offered practical technology features. It had a small digital instrumentation display and a head-up display projecting information on a small screen. The 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, housed in a round housing reminiscent of classic Mini models, used BMW's iDrive technology. It provided multiple interaction methods, including touchscreen, steering wheel controls, and voice recognition. The system lacked Android Auto but offered Apple CarPlay. The Iconic trim included a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system, delivering excellent audio quality.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia came equipped with a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance features, all standard. The Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 (TSS 2.5) package 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. The Sequoia's adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist made highway driving easier, though the lane-departure warning system's beeping was slightly irritating. While crash tests were not available for the Sequoia, the Tundra, on which it is based, received high ratings from the IIHS.

The 2024 MINI Countryman had limited advanced driving assistance systems. It featured Active Driving Assistant, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. Rear parking sensors and an emergency SOS call button were also standard. Adaptive cruise control was available on higher trims. The Countryman lacked blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, and a surround-view camera system. The lane-departure warning system provided a subtle vibration through the steering wheel. The IIHS rated the Countryman highly in crashworthiness evaluations, though some testing procedures were incomplete.