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2011 Toyota Sequoia

 

Overview

The full-sized Sequoia was recently launched by Toyota. It is a vehicle that competes with the Chevrolet Tahoe, the Ford Expedition, and the GMC Yukon. It is akin to the Land Cruiser, also in the same vehicle segment, and the Sequoia has a third row of seating. No side-folding jump seats are offered however. It's off road functions aren't a priority and it's a vehicle with a comfort orientation.

The Sequoia for 2008 entered its second generation; the SUV is bigger than the Land Cruiser by 10-inches. It has a wheelbase that is also larger by 9.8-inches. The Sequoia has entered the SUV market at a bad time though, since the desire for SUV crossovers is higher and gas prices are on the rise.

SUV seekers looking for a big vehicle with room for eight-passengers will appreciate the Sequoia. The vehicle sports one of two V-8 motors. It comes with a 5.7-Liter V-8, 381 hp offering or a 4.6-Liter, 310 hp offering in the SR5. The engine is joined to a six-speed automatic tranny. It comes with rear-wheel and 4WD....

The Range

Body styles: SUV
Engines: 4.6L V-8, 5.7L V-8
Transmissions: 6-speed automatic
Models: SR5, Limited, Platinum

What's New

Last year, Toyota added the company's new 4.6-liter, 310-horsepower V-8 to the Sequoia option list, which has better fuel economy than the 4.7-liter it replaces, and more power, too. More equipment was made standard as well. For the 2011 Toyota Sequoia, a brake override system was added, there is a new wood grain on the Platinum grade, and Dark Gray replaces Slate, while Nautical Blue and Spruce were dropped.

Exterior

The Toyota Sequoia is an attractive full-size SUV with a more rounded look than the first-gen had. The Platinum trim gives the Sequoia Diamond finish 20-inch wheels and chrome power, power-folding, auto-dimming heated side mirrors with puddle lamps.

Interior

The Sequoia's spacious cabin can seat up to eight, and has features such as three-zone climate control, power windows and doors, Bluetooth, and eight-way-adjustable power seat are standard for the Sequoia; leather, rear-seat entertainment, and heated second-row seats are available.

Performance & Handling

As you would expect, the 5.7-liter, 381-horsepower V-8 and six-speed automatic make quick work of getting this 6100-pound Sequoia SUV to speed. The Sequoia's 0-to-60 time is an impressive 6.7 seconds; the Sequoia runs through the quarter mile in 15.2 seconds at 91.7 mph. It stops from 60 mph in 135 feet, provides a comfortable ride, and does an admirable job on twisting roads.

Safety

Driver and front passenger airbags, dual front seat-mounted side airbags, dual front knee airbags, and three-row side curtain airbags are standard on the Toyota Sequoia. Also standard are disc brakes with ABS, brake assist, and electronic brake-force distribution; brake override; stability control; and traction control.

EPA Fuel Economy

SR5, Limited, Platinum: 13-14 mpg city/18-19 mpg highway

You'll Like

• Quiet cabin
• Terrific power
• Comfortable ride
• Power-folding third row

You Won't Like

• Light steering
• High price for Platinum
• No automatic 4WD mode
• Cluttered dash

2011 Toyota Land Cruiser

 

Overview

The Land Cruiser sports the oldest nameplate in the United States car market, that of Toyota. The Land Cruiser entered the car market in the 1950s. The carmaker was a international leader when it entered the US market. They had a mission of making durable, tough, competent vehicles well known for their reliability. The carmaker still has a great image and is viewed as a responsible car manufacturer today.

The Land Cruiser was, at one time, called the F640. It was an international success and it sold well between 1961 and 1965. In all, the carmaker sold one million Land Cruisers in 1981, and in just shy of a decade, they sold two million in all.

The Toyota Land Cruiser has been changed so that it can keep up with the times and ever changing technologies. At one time akin the Jeep, the Land Cruiser is now more like a large, luxury SUV. The 2011 configurations are big and heavy; they sport a 5.7 Liter V-8, 381 hp engine with spectacular off roading capabilities. Definitely a desirable SUV even today....

The Range

Body styles: SUV
Engines: 5.7L V-8
Transmissions: 6-speed automatic
Models: Land Cruiser

What's New

The Land Cruiser is a low-volume luxury model, a combination that almost guarantees it doesn't receive changes all that often. That's the case here: the Land Cruiser was all-new for the 2008 model year, when it was restyled and given a 381-horsepower, 5.7-liter V-8 engine. The only change for 2011 is that the Land Cruiser gets Toyota's brake override system.

Exterior

The Land Cruiser was redesigned a few years ago, making the large body-on-frame SUV look more modern, but no less rugged. It rides on standard 18-inch wheels and comes with foglights, runningboards, and a moonroof standard.

Interior

The Land Cruiser luxury off-roader comes in one trim level, with 10-way heated power driver seat and eight-way heated power front passenger seats standard. Fourteen-speaker audio is standard; navigation, rear-seat entertainment system, and backup camera are optional.

Performance & Handling

The Land Cruiser seems to defy the laws of physics. It's big, and heavy (the one we tested weighed 5920 pounds), yet it is surprisingly capable off-road. Crawl Control makes things even easier out on the trails, controlling throttle and brake when the going gets rough. The Land Cruiser is just as surprising at the track, where it goes from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 6.5 seconds.

Safety

The Land Cruiser features driver and front passenger airbags, two rows of seat-mounted side airbags, three-row side curtain airbags, and dual front passenger knee airbags are standard. It also comes with traction control, stability control, and ABS with brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution.

EPA Fuel Economy

Land Cruiser: 13 mpg city/18 mpg highway

You'll Like

• Off-road capability
• Roomy cabin
• Luxury features

You Won't Like

• Gargantuan size
• Poor fuel economy
• High price
• Navigation not standard

2011 Toyota Highlander

Overview

The Toyota Highlander has always been a honored ute. It entered the market in 2001, and still remains popular. The Highlander is a vehicle for families and it sports qualities that are car like. This midsize ute has off road abilities, it is based on the 4Runner theme, and three years after the first model, the carmaker offered a hybrid. The 2008 second generation of the Highlander is a five seater with a second row of stowable seats or the consumer can get a seven seat offering too.

The Toyota Highlander is offered with three engine options, one of which is the 2.7-Liter four cylinder 187 hp engine joined to a six speed automatic tranny. The vehicle is offered with all wheel drive. Additional powertrain options include the 3.5 Liter V-6 270 hp joined to the 5 speed auto tranny; this comes with AWD or front drive. The Hybrid Synergy System is in the Highlander hybrid sporting a 3.5 Liter V-6 209 hp motor coupled with a dual electric motor offering 270 hp combined. It is married to a CVT....

The Range

Body styles: Sport/utility vehicle

Engines: 2.7L I-4, 3.3L V-6, 3.5L V-6

Transmissions: 5-speed automatic, 6-speed automatic, continuously variable transmission

Models: Base, Sport, Limited, Hybrid, Hybrid Limited

What's New

Toyota has not revealed much about the 2011, except to announce that it will receive a "significant minor change." We are guessing that may include a slight redesign of the front end -- a more Venza- and Sienna-like grille, for example -- updates to the interior, and possibly making the six-speed automatic standard for the V-6, which could also improve fuel economy.

Exterior

This generation Highlander is more rounded than the last generation, looking much more like a crossover than a traditional sport/utility. Seventeen-inch wheels are standard; 19-inch alloys, foldable power heated side-view mirrors, and chrome accents are optional.

Interior

The Highlander can seat as many as seven, but five seats come standard. Second row is removable, and leather seats plus 10-way power driver seat are available. Six-speaker audio is also available.

Performance & Handling

When Motor Trend last tested the Toyota Highlander, it was with the 3.5-liter V-6 in a seven-seat all-wheel drive Sport. It accelerated briskly, reaching 60 mph in 7.3 seconds and running the quarter mile in 15.7 seconds at 87.7 mph. Handling is decent, but tires seem to howl during hard cornering. The Highlander stopped from 60 mph in 123 feet.

Safety

Driver and front passenger airbags, driver and front passenger seat-mounted side airbags, three-row side curtain airbags, and a driver knee airbag are standard. Antilock brakes with brake assist, electronic brake-force distribution, stability control, and traction control are standard on Highlander and Hybrid.

EPA Fuel Economy

Base: 17-20 mpg city/23-27 mpg highway

Sport, Limited: 17-18 mpg city/23-24 mpg highway

Hybrid: 27 mpg city/25 mpg highway

You'll Like

• Standard rearview camera on all but I-4 Base
• Versatile, spacious interior
• Excellent power
• Family-friendly features

You Won't Like

• Coarse engine noise at speed
• Pricey Limited and Hybrid
• Third row doesn't fold flat

2011 Toyota Avalon

 

Overview

The Avalon is Toyota's biggest sedan . The Avalon is a car offering superior comfort, a spacious interior cabin, and it can be directly compared to the luxury of a Lexus. The Toyota Avalon is much like an older Buick with its soft and slow ride. Yet, no matter what the public perception of the Avalon, the 2011 model is offered as a stylish option sporting the best Avalon Class. A consumer desiring a comfortable, elegant offering can do well with the Avalon.

The Avalon is a full-sized offering and it handles like a cruiser. The interior is quiet and comfortable. It does not have a lot of sport, but its acceleration rate is excellent thanks to the inclusion of a 3.5-Liter V-6 under the hood churning out 268 hp. The Avalon has a refreshed interior and exterior and a new front grille as well. It also has newer foglights/headlights/wheels/taillights. The Toyota Avalon comes with a single motor option joined to a six-speed auto tranny. It is a 5 seater vehicle with 14.4 cubic feet of space in the trunk....

The Range

Body styles: Sedan
Engines: 3.5L V-6
Transmissions: 6-speed automatic
Models: Avalon, Limited

What's New

For 2011 the Toyota Avalon gets minor but significant revisions. Dimensions are essentially the same externally, but a new nose, tail, and wheel styles freshen up the look of the large sedan. Trim levels have been reduced to two, Avalon and Limited, with plenty of standard creature comforts including reclining rear seats. Fuel economy has improved and emissions reduced, without affecting horsepower and torque.

Exterior

The Avalon looks somewhat different than it did last year, thanks to the refresh it gets for 2011. New light treatments front and rear, new styling on the trunk, new grille, and new wheels give it a more upscale appearance.

Interior

There are softer touch points in the Avalon's quiet cabin, plus eight-way power driver seat, reclining rear seats, dual-zone climate control, and backup camera are standard. Heated seats, JBL audio, and navigation are optional.

Performance & Handling

The Avalon is not a car made for canyon carving, and is proud of it. This is a straight-line cruiser, the sedan you'd want for a cross-country drive, with a whisper-quiet cabin, plenty of comfort, and lots of luxury features. Only minor changes structurally for the Avalon mean ride quality continues to be excellent, while its weakness is when it's pushed hard in turns.

Safety

Dual front airbags are standard, as are front side-mounted airbags, front and rear side curtains, and a driver knee airbag. Stability control, traction control, and four-wheel discs with ABS are also standard, with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist.

EPA Fuel Economy

Avalon, Limited: 20 mpg city/29 mpg highway

You'll Like

• Quiet cabin
• Comfortable ride
• Luxury interior
• Large trunk

You Won't Like

• Getting pricy
• Still resembles Camry
• Cruiser, not canyon-carver
• Geriatric sterotype

2011 Toyota Tacoma

Overview

In 1964, the Stout was the vehicle known as the Tacoma today. In 1969, the Tacoma was called the Hi-Lux. It wasn't until the mid 1990s that the Tacoma took on its present identity. The names have changed and so has the vehicle. This small truck is now offered with a Double, Access, Xtra or regular cab and a variety of truck bed sizes.

In modern Tacoma's the consumer will get a 2.7-Liter inline four, 159 engine joined to a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual tranny or a 4.5-Liter V-6, 236 hp motor married to a five-speed automatic or six-speed manual tranny. It is offered with rear-wheel and four wheel drive in all trims, including the XRunner and PreRunner. This truck even has a supercharged TRD configuration for those that demand off road capabilities.

The XRunner has an Access cab, a V-6 motor and a six-speed manual gearbox. Its suspension is lowered and it sports a reinforced frame that improves trosional rigidness. The standard safety features are included in all trims, and it comes with hill start/downhill assist too....

The Range

Body styles: Truck
Engines: 2.7L I-4, 4.0L V-6
Transmissions: 6-speed manual, 5-speed manual, 5-speed automatic, 4-speed automatic
Models: Regular Cab, Access Cab, X-Runner, PreRunner, Double Cab

What's New

All regular-cab 2011 Toyota Tacoma models now come with air conditioning. There is also an available Convenience Extra Value Package for Tacoma Double Cab models, with cruise control, sliding rear window, keyless entry, and audio controls on the steering wheel. There are also new grilles -- a metallic surround with gray bar on standard models, chrome surround with black bar for SR5 and Off-Road, and body color surround with matching bar for Tacoma X-Runner.

Exterior

The current Toyota Tacoma's body has the most curves and angles ever. It's offered with a higher ground clearance and more off-road capability, regular height, or with a lowered street truck look. Largest wheel size for the Tacoma is 18 inches.

Interior

Regular Cab Tacoma models seat three people, Access Cab models seat four, and Double Cab models seat five. Cabs are standard with tilt/telescoping steering wheel, air conditioning, and power ports. Tacoma options include cruise control, rear heater ducts, and sport seats.

Performance & Handling

When it comes to handling, the sporty Tacoma X-Runner pulled a 0.89 g on the skidpad and went through the slalom at 65 mph. The Tacoma Double Cab went from 0 to 60 in 8.7 seconds; the PreRunner did it in 6.8. The Double Cab stopped from 60 mph in 126 feet and the PreRunner needed only 122.

Safety

Driver and front-passenger airbags are standard on the Tacoma, with an advanced airbag system (on Access Cab and Double Cab models). Also standard on the Tacoma are disc/drum brakes, ABS, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, stability control, and traction control.

EPA Fuel Economy

Regular Cab: 17-20 mpg city/22-26 mpg highway
Access Cab: 14-20 mpg city/18-26 mpg highway
X-Runner: 17 mpg city/21 mpg highway
Double Cab: 14-16 mpg city/18-20 mpg highway

You'll Like

• Cab/bed options
• X-Runner handling
• Rugged durability
• Capability

You Won't Like

• X-Runner ride quality
• Overdone styling
• Not enough standard

2011 Toyota RAV4

Overview

The Toyota RAV4 was launched in the late 1990s. The vehicle has been changed several times. This is a compact SUV with two and four door variants. Formerly, the Toyota RAV4 was offered as a convertible too. Now, this vehicle is in its third generation. It has a 6.7 inch longer wheel base than the 2008 offerings and a body length equaling 181.8 inches in all.

The RAV4 sports a third row of passenger seats. Under the hood, the consumer gets a four or a six cylinder engine and it comes with all wheel drive or 2WD. The extra row of seats is offered in all grades including the base, limited and sport levels.

The RAV4 base mode hosts a DOHC 2.5 Liter Inline four, 179 engine. It has variable value timing and a four speed auto tranny. Consumers can upgrade to a more power option too. It is offered with the same motor delivering 259 hp and 246 ft-lbs of torque and a 5-speed automatic tranny. The latter will achieve zero to sixty in a little over six seconds....

The Range

Body styles: Crossover SUV
Engines: 2.5L I-4, 3.5L V-6
Transmissions: 4-speed automatic, 5-speed automatic
Models: Base, Sport, Limited

What's New

In 2009, the Toyota RAV4 received its most recent powertrain upgrade – Toyota added a more powerful 2.5-liter four with better fuel economy as the RAV4's base engine. For 2011, the RAV4 gains a brake override system. Also, there is a new Base Plus Extra Value Package, with moonroof, steering wheel audio controls, roof rails, and 17-inch wheels. There are also some minor changes to other RAV4 option packages.

Exterior

The current generation Toyota RAV4 tones down some of the overly cute lines of the previous generation. The RAV4's most unique styling cue is the triangular D-pillar, which works with rear side windows that angle toward the back.

Interior

The RAV4's 104.7-inch wheelbase makes room for an optional third row. Air conditioning, cruise control, and tilt/telescoping wheel are standard; dual-zone climate control, leather accents, and upgraded six-speaker, six-CD audio with XM Satellite Radio are available.

Performance & Handling

The ride quality of the Toyota RAV4 is a little rough. However, the up side is that the RAV4's on-road handling benefits from the stiff suspension. And the star of the show is the RAV4's super-fast 3.5-liter V-6 engine. Its 269 horsepower gets the RAV4 to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds and through the quarter mile in 15.0 seconds at 92.4 mph. The RAV4 brakes from 60 mph in 130 feet.

Safety

Driver and front passenger airbags, dual front seat-mounted side airbags, and two-row roll-sensing side curtain airbags are standard on the 2011 Toyota RAV4; so are antilock brakes with brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution, stability control, and traction control.

EPA Fuel Economy

Base, Sport, Limited: 19-22 mpg city/26-28 mpg highway

You'll Like

• Large interior
• Impressive handling
• Good fuel economy
• Excellent V-6 power

You Won't Like

• Dull interior design
• Stiff suspension
• Upscale models are pricey