Toyota Sequoia vs Ford Explorer

The 2025 Sequoia is Toyota’s full-size SUV, based on the same platform as the Tundra pickup truck and using the same i-Force Max hybrid powertrain. It seats up to eight people, holds up to 86.9 cubic feet of cargo, carries up to 1,730 pounds of payload, and tows up to 9,520 pounds of trailer. The new Sequoia 1794 Edition slots into the lineup as a Texas-themed luxury model, and it certainly is nice. But it cannot mask this SUV’s fundamental flaws.

Verdict: People buy full-size SUVs to carry lots of people, haul lots of cargo, and tow lots of weight. However, due to its packaging requirements, the Sequoia is a rock star only if you’re attaching a trailer to it, and even then, it’s not class-leading in capability.

The Explorer was one of the first truly family-friendly SUVs, and continues in that role today as a midsize three-row crossover competing against the likes of the Chevrolet Traverse, the Honda Pilot, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Nissan Pathfinder, and the Toyota Highlander. The current-generation Explorer has been around since the 2020 model year, and the big news for 2026 is a Tremor model that replaces the Timberline as the most off-road-capable Explorer. The available BlueCruise driver-assist system also gets an update.

Verdict: Ford’s SUV stalwart still gets the job done, but lacks personality unless you go for the ST or Tremor models.