Compare the2023 Toyota SequoiaVS 2023 Tesla Model X

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Sequoia are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model X doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Sequoia has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Model X doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Sequoia has standard Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Model X doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Sequoia 4x4’s optional Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The Model X doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

The Sequoia has a standard Panoramic View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model X only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Sequoia’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Model X doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The Sequoia has standard Safety Connect™, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model X doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Sequoia and the Model X have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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 and available four-wheel drive.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Sequoia for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Tesla doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Model X.

There are over 8 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Sequoia’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Sequoia’s reliability 20 points higher than the Model X.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 54 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Tesla is ranked 19th.

For better traction, the Sequoia TRD Pro’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model X (285/65R18 vs. 265/35R22).

The Toyota Sequoia’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Tesla Model X only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Sequoia has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Model X; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sequoia’s wheelbase is 5.3 inches longer than on the Model X (122 inches vs. 116.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sequoia is 2 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Model X.

For better maneuverability, the Sequoia’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Model X’s (40.2 feet vs. 40.8 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Sequoia has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Model X (8.6 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Sequoia to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Sequoia TRD Pro’s minimum ground clearance is 1 inch higher than on the Model X (9.1 vs. 8.1 inches).

The Sequoia has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Model X can only carry up to 7.

The Sequoia has .1 inches more front legroom, 6.9 inches more front hip room, 4.3 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear legroom, 1.9 inches more rear hip room, 4.9 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.9 inches more third row legroom, 12.2 inches more third row hip room and 21.9 inches more third row shoulder room than the Model X.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Sequoia’s middle and third row seats recline. The Model X’s third row seats don’t recline.

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

The Sequoia’s available rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Model X 6-Passenger doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers or raises the Sequoia’s optional third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Model X doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Sequoia’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Model X’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Sequoia’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model X doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Sequoia’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Model X’s (9120 vs. 5000 pounds).

The Sequoia’s entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency. The Model X has a small, single button on the steering wheel spoke that can be hard to find quickly in an emergency.

The Sequoia (except SR5/Limited/TRD Pro) offers an available heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Model X doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Sequoia’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model X doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Sequoia to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Model X doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Sequoia Limited/TRD Pro/Platinum/Capstone has standard front air conditioned seats and the Sequoia Platinum/Capstone also has them in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Model X doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Sequoia has a standard center folding armrest for the middle row passengers. A center armrest helps make middle row passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Model X doesn’t offer a middle row seat center armrest.

The Sequoia offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Model X doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Sequoia is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Model X doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.