The 2010 Toyota Sequoia is a full-size SUV capable of seating seven or eight, depending on the options selected. There are three trim levels -- SR5, Limited and Platinum -- and all are available with either two- or four-wheel drive. The base SR5 model comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, a roof rack, a sunroof, a 40/20/40-split second-row bench seat, triple-zone automatic climate control, heated side mirrors, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel with audio controls, full power accessories, a power driver seat, Bluetooth (with audio streaming) and an eight-speaker CD stereo with satellite radio, auxiliary audio and USB audio jacks. The Limited adds 20-inch wheels, running boards, leather upholstery, upgraded instrumentation, a back-up camera integrated into the rearview mirror and an upgraded 14-speaker JBL sound system with a six-CD changer.
Optional on the Sequoia SR5 and standard on everything else is a muscular 5.7-liter V8 that produces 381 hp and 401 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed automatic is standard here as well. Thanks in part to its dual variable valve timing, the larger V8 achieves nearly the same fuel economy as the 4.6-liter engine, at 14/19/15 mpg. Properly equipped, a 5.7-liter Sequoia can tow up to 9,100 pounds.
The Sequoia is available in either two-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive versions. Four-wheel-drive models feature low-range gearing. In our testing, a 4WD Sequoia with the 5.7-liter V8 hit 60 mph in an impressive 6.7 seconds.
Standard safety equipment for all 2010 Toyota Sequoias includes antilock disc brakes, stability control, front-seat side airbags, front knee airbags and three-row side curtain airbags. Front and rear parking sensors are standard on the Sequoia Platinum and Limited, as is a back-up camera, but these are unavailable on the SR5. As of this writing, government crash tests have not yet been published for the 2010 model with the new knee airbags, but last year's Sequoia earned five stars (out of five) for the driver and four for the passenger for head-on collision protection.