2024 Toyota Sequoia vs 2024 Subaru Outback

The 2024 Subaru Outback maintained its familiar aesthetic, with the Wilderness trim receiving a slight update featuring a new front fascia and LED fog lights. The dark gray cladding provided a striking contrast to the Autumn Green Metallic color of the Outback Touring XT, which was described as a "green-tinged dark khaki." This color choice was surprisingly appealing, offering a fresh take on the typical champagne-beige hues. The Outback's various trims showcased different levels of black and chrome exterior fittings, with the Touring trim displaying the most chrome, which was tastefully executed. Wheel designs varied by trim, with standard black 17-inch alloy wheels and a matte black version for the Wilderness trim, while the Onyx Edition and higher trims featured larger 18-inch wheels with a machine finish.

Inside, the top-trim Outback Touring XT impressed with its luxurious Java Brown Nappa leather upholstery, which was both attractive and comfortable. The Outback Limited offered standard leather seating, while the Onyx Edition and Wilderness trims featured Subaru's StarTex synthetic leather. Base and Premium trims came with cloth seats. The interior quality exceeded expectations for a brand known more for capability than luxury, providing a pleasant surprise for those seeking a more refined driving experience.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia shared its platform and several design elements with the Tundra pickup, including hexagonal grilles, wheel arches, and strong fender creases. The Sequoia's appearance was notably influenced by its exterior color, with the Capstone model featuring more chrome brightwork and presented in Celestial Silver, giving it a somewhat dated "cop car" look. However, a switch to the vibrant Solar Octane orange with black accents transformed its appearance to a playful "Tonka truck" vibe. Inside, the Sequoia's resemblance to the Tundra was evident, with a blocky, geometric dashboard layout and physical controls for volume and climate settings. The Capstone trim boasted semi-aniline leather upholstery, while other trims offered fabric, SofTex, or leather seating options. The Sequoia's interior was spacious, with power-adjustable front seats across the lineup, and a power-tilt and -slide moonroof standard on higher trims.

The 2024 Subaru Outback was powered by a "Boxer" horizontally opposed engine, with the base model featuring a 2.5-liter flat-four engine producing 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque. The XT trims, including the Wilderness, were equipped with a more powerful 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer four-cylinder engine, delivering 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. This turbo setup increased the towing capacity from 2,700 to 3,500 lbs. Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and a Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) were standard across the lineup. The Touring XT test car, with its turbo engine, provided a more satisfying driving experience compared to the base engine, which felt underpowered. The CVT mimicked the sound and feel of eight distinct gears, enhancing the driving experience. The Outback's suspension and reasonably sized wheels contributed to a comfortable ride, with the Wilderness trim offering 9.2 inches of ground clearance and all-terrain tires for off-road adventures.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia was exclusively offered in a hybrid format, utilizing Toyota's iForce MAX hybrid powertrain, which combined a twin-turbo V6 engine with an electric motor. This setup produced 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque, surpassing its V8-powered predecessor. The Sequoia's fuel economy improved significantly, with a combined rating of 20 mpg for four-wheel drive (4WD) models. The TRD Pro trim was available only with 4WD, featuring a part-time system with selectable 4Hi, 4Lo, and two-wheel drive (2WD) modes. The 10-speed automatic transmission operated smoothly, and the Sequoia's on-road handling was adequate for its class. The TRD Off-Road package, available on select trims, added off-road enhancements such as all-terrain tires, a skid plate, and an off-road suspension with Bilstein shocks. The Sequoia's maximum towing capacity reached 9,520 pounds, with towing-related upgrades available for enhanced capability.

The 2024 Subaru Outback offered impressive interior space despite its sleek proportions. It provided more headroom up front (39.1 inches) compared to competitors like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. The Outback also excelled in front-row legroom and rear-seat legroom compared to the RAV4. The cargo area measured 32.6 cubic feet with all seats in place and 75.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. While the RAV4 and CR-V offered more cargo space with all seats occupied, the Outback surpassed the RAV4 when the rear seats were folded. The Outback featured dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and a power-adjustable driver's seat starting from the Premium trim. Higher trims offered additional features like heated rear seats, ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The hands-free power liftgate and power moonroof were available on higher trims, and the Outback's roof rails with retractable cross bars added practicality.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia provided a maximum of 86.9 cubic feet of cargo space with both second- and third-row seats folded. Behind the second row, it offered 49 cubic feet, and behind the third row, it ranged from 11.5 to 22.3 cubic feet, depending on the position of the third-row seats. The Sequoia's second-row seats did not slide fore and aft but were easy to move for access to the back row. The third-row seats could be folded down at the push of a button, though they did not create a flat load floor due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack. This affected headroom and legroom in the rear, with legroom ranging from 28.1 to 33.7 inches in the third row. The Sequoia's second-row captain's chairs, available on higher trims, were wide but lacked bolstering. The Sequoia's interior space was competitive, though it fell behind some rivals in terms of legroom.

The 2024 Subaru Outback Touring trim featured a CD player, appealing to those who appreciate old-school features. The Outback offered both USB-C and USB-A ports on all but the base trim, which had USB-A only. The top-trim test car boasted an 11.6-inch portrait-oriented infotainment screen, while the base trim retained a dual-7-inch-screen system. The Subaru Starlink multimedia platform, though dated in appearance, included standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, with wireless capability starting from the Premium trim. The climate controls were integrated into the touchscreen, with hard buttons for defoggers and temperature adjustments. Wi-Fi capability was available on all but the base trim, and most trims featured a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia Capstone trim was equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, standard across all trims. The Sequoia SR5 featured an 8-inch touchscreen, while higher trims boasted a 14-inch center touchscreen. The Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system prioritized functionality over flashy design. The Sequoia's driver-information display was a full-color 12.3-inch unit, standard across all trims. The Panoramic View monitor was also standard, aiding in maneuvering the large vehicle. The Capstone trim included a 10-inch color head-up display, and a 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio system was available on higher trims.

The 2024 Subaru Outback earned a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Outback's safety features included the EyeSight suite of advanced driver-assistance technologies, with adaptive cruise control, lane-centering, automatic pre-collision braking, and more. Reverse automatic braking became standard starting with the Onyx trim, and the Touring trim added a wide-angle camera, digital rearview mirror, and driver-attention monitor.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia featured the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.5 suite of safety and driver-assistance features as standard across all trims. This included a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert with steering assist, adaptive cruise control, and road-sign recognition. The Sequoia also had front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and Trailer Merge Warning. The Tow Technology Package, available on select trims, added a digital rearview mirror and trailer backup guide. The Sequoia had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA at the time of writing, but the similar 2024 Toyota Tundra earned a Top Safety Pick+ designation.