MM Review....2008 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4WD
02-09-08, 11:44 AM
#31
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wait for it.....
they're NOT passenger vehicles! At least not according to the government.
02-09-08, 11:48 AM
#32
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That's going to change, at least to some extent, when the new round of CAFE rules just passed takes effect. They won't be limited just to passenger cars.
02-09-08, 12:03 PM
#33
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I guess when I say the second-gen system is "a little more sophisticated", it is a just a matter of how each of us views it. I haven't actually tested or revied the new GM hybrid......I'm going by how it was described and displayed at the auto shows and how the GM product people described it.
02-09-08, 02:54 PM
#34
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You would be surprised at how much politics there actually is in car design......Every single model offered for sale has to be DOT/NHTSA-approved, and certified by EPA and/or CARB (California Air Resources Board).
Long gone are the days when auto manufacturers made most of their own decisions....many of the rules today come from Washington and California, and the companies have to work within those rules.
But back to the GM hybrid system. I know the second-gen system is more complex than the first....we agree, and don't have to keep discussing that point.
I myself would like to see more diesels come out...I've said, many times, that they offer, in many instances, comparable mileage to hybrids with less complexity. In fact, a diesel, with the typical diesel high towing limit, would make a good powerplant for the vehicle I reviewed.....the Sequoia. And it would certainly do better than the 5.7L V8's dismal 13/18 MPG ratings.
Last edited by mmarshall; 02-09-08 at 03:15 PM.
02-10-08, 03:25 AM
#36
You would be surprised at how much politics there actually is in car design......Every single model offered for sale has to be DOT/NHTSA-approved, and certified by EPA and/or CARB (California Air Resources Board).
Long gone are the days when auto manufacturers made most of their own decisions....many of the rules today come from Washington and California, and the companies have to work within those rules.
But back to the GM hybrid system. I know the second-gen system is more complex than the first....we agree, and don't have to keep discussing that point.
I myself would like to see more diesels come out...I've said, many times, that they offer, in many instances, comparable mileage to hybrids with less complexity. In fact, a diesel, with the typical diesel high towing limit, would make a good powerplant for the vehicle I reviewed.....the Sequoia. And it would certainly do better than the 5.7L V8's dismal 13/18 MPG ratings.
Long gone are the days when auto manufacturers made most of their own decisions....many of the rules today come from Washington and California, and the companies have to work within those rules.
But back to the GM hybrid system. I know the second-gen system is more complex than the first....we agree, and don't have to keep discussing that point.
I myself would like to see more diesels come out...I've said, many times, that they offer, in many instances, comparable mileage to hybrids with less complexity. In fact, a diesel, with the typical diesel high towing limit, would make a good powerplant for the vehicle I reviewed.....the Sequoia. And it would certainly do better than the 5.7L V8's dismal 13/18 MPG ratings.
are you willing to deal with the noise and increased complexity though? Diesel engines are actually a lot less reliable than petrol these days. And hybrid Toyotas are currently most reliable Toyotas.
Obviously perfomance wise, it is a lot closer to 4.7 than 5.7.
02-10-08, 04:11 PM
#37
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Diesel engines from other manufacturers may or may not share that unreliability....and I'm aware that many diesels curently sold in Europe are not offered in the U.S.
02-10-08, 04:32 PM
#38
But are you sure that the unreliability is because of the engine itself? Don't forget, in the American market, most of the currently available car diesels are either VW or Mercedes-sourced...two brands noted for their overall unreliability (a real shame, too, because 1980's vintage Mercedes and Peugeot diesels, here in America, were then the best on the market).
Diesel engines from other manufacturers may or may not share that unreliability....and I'm aware that many diesels curently sold in Europe are not offered in the U.S.
Diesel engines from other manufacturers may or may not share that unreliability....and I'm aware that many diesels curently sold in Europe are not offered in the U.S.
1) Older diesel engines suffer from the new low-sulfur diesel fuel, as it doesn't have some sort of lubricant.
2) The new diesels are over complicated with a system of filters, sensors, high pressure hoses, complex EGR, and are high maintenance and unlikely to be reliable. Also, the fuel mileage seems to suffer in the new clean diesels.
Although I have to admit, the exaust of his F350 does not smell at all. The older E350 stinks badly.
02-11-08, 04:15 AM
#39
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Interesting point. And, when the new urea-injection systems become more widespread, diesels will probably become even more complex....and require urea refills. Still, it won't be as complex as hybrids with a gas engine and one or more electric motors (some Toyota/Lexus hybrids have a gas engine and THREE electric motors...that's why they cost so much).
08-01-09, 11:57 PM
#40
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MINUSES:
No underhood insulation pad.
Jumpy throttle from rest.
Ungainly handling.
Numb steering.
Generally poorly-finished interior.
Unpleasant seat leather.
Hard-to-use ignition switch.
Tinny-sounding doors.
Thick A-pillars/grab handles impede forward vision.
More orange peel in the paint than other Toyota/Lexus products.
Funeral-home paint colors.
Dash Gauges set too deeply in tunnels.
Somewhat spongy, ineffective brakes.
Pricey with options.
No protective side body mouldings for parking-lot dings.
Marginal headroom for very tall people, even with the high roofline.
Flimsy, cheap grille.
Poor gas mileage (but, of course, you will have that with any large V8 SUV).
No underhood insulation pad.
Jumpy throttle from rest.
Ungainly handling.
Numb steering.
Generally poorly-finished interior.
Unpleasant seat leather.
Hard-to-use ignition switch.
Tinny-sounding doors.
Thick A-pillars/grab handles impede forward vision.
More orange peel in the paint than other Toyota/Lexus products.
Funeral-home paint colors.
Dash Gauges set too deeply in tunnels.
Somewhat spongy, ineffective brakes.
Pricey with options.
No protective side body mouldings for parking-lot dings.
Marginal headroom for very tall people, even with the high roofline.
Flimsy, cheap grille.
Poor gas mileage (but, of course, you will have that with any large V8 SUV).
you will have to put up with a conventional key and a small, hard-to-see and hard-to-use ignition switch on the side of the steering column.
Even worse.....How does the Corolla come equipped with a dash mounted push button start yet the $55k Sequioa use the column mounted key....but wait it is possible to get a power telescoping steering column.
08-02-09, 12:02 AM
#41
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08-02-09, 03:22 AM
#42
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In this passage, I was talking about the Land Cruiser, not the Sequoia (I later, on request, reviewed a Land Cruiser). The Sequoia, though with a large, heavy-duty frame, is premarily an on-pavement vehicle, designed to haul people, cargo, and/or tow a heavy trailer. The Land Cruiser, in contrast, is one of the world's finest off-road vehicles.....hence its popularity in Third World conditions, which include, yes, mountains. Of course, its large size, as compared to smaller, more agile, and more manuverable off-roaders like the Jeep Wrangler and Suzuki Vitara, prevents it from being as much of a true mountain goat in narrow spaces as they are.....there, you have a point.
) Lexus LX570? 
08-02-09, 01:26 PM
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