If you’re in the market for a large SUV and you’re a Toyota fan, the two obvious choices are the Land Cruiser and the Sequoia. Both are great off-road vehicles, and are dependable, but the Sequoia is a better choice for growing families. Here’s what we found out that led us to this opinion.

Toyota Land Cruiser

The Land Cruiser has a dedicated fan base with the off-road community, but others may not find it that appealing. Car and Driver thinks that the Toyota Land Cruiser is worthy of consideration, but there are a few points that drivers should consider before purchasing.

While Toyota is more known for competing with the likes of Ford and Dodge, especially in the truck division, the Land Cruiser is designed to go toe to toe with Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover. Not convinced?  The Land Cruiser starts at $86,740, and the Heritage Edition costs $88,970. With prices like that, many drivers may skip Toyota to go to Mercedes-Benz.

The Land Cruiser does have some excellent points, such as a 5.7-liter V8 engine that has been paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It also comes with some amazing standard features like a power sunroof, perforated leather upholstery, and power-adjustable heated and cooled front seats.

The fuel economy and passenger room are where the Toyota Land Cruiser falls apart. It only gets 13/17 mpg city/highway, meaning that it’s not exactly idle for daily driving. And while passengers will be comfortable enough on the second row, only kids will feel at home on the third row. 

Toyota Sequoia

The Sequoia is a large SUV that can seat 7-8 passengers. ,U.S. News wasn’t exactly crazy about it and rated the Sequoia as number 5 in its division. 

Some of the good points that U.S. News liked was the fact that the Toyota Sequoia has a powerful 5.7-liter V8 engine and 381 hp. It can hold a lot of cargo, and even adult passengers sitting on the third row don’t feel cramped. 

On the flip side, it has a weak fuel economy. In the city, drivers can expect to get 13 mpg. The highway mileage is only slightly better at 17 mpg. The other part that U.S. News hates about the Sequoia is that the cabin and infotainment system feels a little outdated.

It’s not all bad, however. Even though Consumer Reports isn’t a huge fan of the Sequoia, the review site still gave it a 5 out of 5 in predicted reliability, and 4 out of 5 in owner satisfaction. Consumer Reports stated,

“Based on Toyota’s Tundra pickup, the Sequoia is a big brute of a truck-based SUV, but a good one. Its main attributes are an impressively smooth, punchy powertrain; a vast, comfortable interior; and impressive towing and off-road capability.”

The Sequoia may be out of many families’ budgets since it starts at $49,980 and tops out at $69,245 for higher trim levels. That being said, used Toyota Sequoias are still very dependable, so if you can’t afford one new, consider buying a pre-owned one. 

Which should you buy?

If you’re looking for a dependable family vehicle, then the Sequoia is your best choice, hands down. It holds more passengers, is designed for daily driving, and is cheaper. 

That’s not to say that the Land Cruiser is inferior, because it isn’t. It’s simply more appropriate for the off-road community who have some extra money to splurge. 

For someone who wants one vehicle for running their family to school and work, and another for taking a well-deserved weekend in the mountains, the Sequoia is more than adequate to fulfill both roles.