Compare the2023 BMW X7VS 2023 Toyota Sequoia

The X7’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Sequoia doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the middle seat shoulder belts of the BMW X7 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Toyota Sequoia doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

The X7 has standard Post-Crash Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Sequoia doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Full-time four-wheel drive is standard on the X7. Full-time four-wheel drive gives added traction for safety in all conditions, not just off-road, like the only system available on the Sequoia. Four-wheel drive of any type costs extra on the Sequoia.

The X7’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Sequoia doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the X7 uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Sequoia uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the X7 and the Sequoia have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The X7 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Sequoia’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The X7’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Sequoia’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X7 for 1 year and 11000 miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the Sequoia (3/36,000 vs. 2/25000).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in initial quality. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated lower.

The X7 M60i’s standard 4.4 turbo V8 hybrid produces 86 more horsepower (523 vs. 437) than the Sequoia’s 3.4 turbo V6 hybrid. The Alpina XB7’s standard 4.4 turbo V8 produces 194 more horsepower (631 vs. 437) and 7 lbs.-ft. more torque (590 vs. 583) than the Sequoia’s 3.4 turbo V6 hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the X7 gets better mileage than the Sequoia:

Both the X7 and Sequoia have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The X7 has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The X7’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Sequoia doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the X7 M Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Sequoia:

For better traction, the X7 has larger standard tires than the Sequoia (F:275/40R22 & R:315/35R22 vs. 265/70R18).

The X7’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sequoia’s standard 70 series tires. The X7’s optional 275/35R23 front and 315/30R23 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the Sequoia Capstone’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X7 has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Sequoia. The X7’s optional 23-inch wheels are larger than the 22-inch wheels on the Sequoia Capstone.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the X7 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Sequoia doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The X7 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the X7 flat and controlled during cornering. The Sequoia’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The X7 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Sequoia doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The front and rear suspension of the X7 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the Sequoia, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

For better maneuverability, the X7 xDrive40i’s turning circle is 3.9 feet tighter than the Sequoia TRD Pro’s (40.7 feet vs. 44.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the X7 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Sequoia (8.7 vs. 8.6 inches), allowing the X7 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The BMW X7 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 pounds less than the Toyota Sequoia.

The X7 is 4.5 inches shorter than the Sequoia, making the X7 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Unibody construction lowers the X7’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Sequoia doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

The X7 has 2.7 inches more front headroom, 1.5 inches more rear headroom and 1 inch more third row headroom than the Sequoia.

The X7’s cargo area provides more volume than the Sequoia.

Pressing a button automatically lowers or raises the X7’s second and third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Sequoia doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Toyota. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 18% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 20th.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat in the Sequoia Limited/TRD Pro/Platinum/Capstone, the X7 has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The X7’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Sequoia’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the X7 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Sequoia doesn’t offer cornering lights. The X7 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The X7 has standard heated front and optional heated second and third row seats, which keep the driver and passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Toyota doesn’t offer heated seats in the third row of the Sequoia.

The X7 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Sequoia.

The X7 offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Sequoia.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW X7 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Sequoia and isn’t available on the Sequoia SR5.

The X7’s Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Control will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Sequoia doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Consumer Reports® recommends the BMW X7, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Toyota Sequoia isn't recommended.

The BMW X7 outsold the Toyota Sequoia by almost six to one during 2022.