2011 Toyota Sequoia Limited: Review notes: Surprising refinement for this mondo SUV

EXECUTIVE EDITOR BOB GRITZINGER: Unless your tastes run to domestics, this 2011 Toyota Sequoia Limited is a handsome and near-perfect full-size family hauler, capable of hauling people, gear and trailers with equal competency.

It's big but still trim enough to fit into my cluttered garage space with room to spare, and the big mirrors, backup camera and warning sensors all help minimize the blind spots. It's tall enough to remind you that you're getting aboard a big 'un, but the wide sidesteps ease the ingress and egress.

Ease of use is a big selling feature with this highly equipped Limited model. We particularly appreciated the power liftgate and power-split-folding third row. Those two features are among the handiest options we've found on big SUVs.

Once you climb up behind the wheel, everything inside seems huge, from the double cupholders and center-console storage locker to the oversized temperature-control knobs. It's a healthy reach to the far side of the center console, so thankfully there are redundant steering-wheel controls for many of the key functions such as audio volume and presets and temperature control. It didn't take long to get used to the steering wheel controls as primary managers of the systems. We didn't even bother dealing with the voice-control system, though that would obviously further augment the steering-wheel controls.

Though the vehicle and its appointments are all oversized, the drive is not. Sure, there's some top-heavy roll in the corners but overall the Sequoia drives steady and true, with little correction required to keep in the lane, and it stops with authority. The engine is more than ample for the size and weight, even with a full load of passengers. The general impression is one of surprising refinement for a truck, but we did note that road noise makes it darn hard to communicate between rows at freeway speeds. If you're one who needs to carry on a constant conversation with your back-seat passengers/kids, keep that in mind when you take a test drive.

Overall, the Sequoia provides Toyota with a perfect pitch against all of the other big hitters in the large-utility segment. It's not too huge to handle, but it's plenty huge to handle whatever you might throw at it.

2011 Toyota Sequoia Limited

Base Price: $53,890

As-Tested Price: $57,426


Output: 381 hp @ 5,600 rpm, 401 lb-ft @ 3,600 rpm

Curb Weight: 5,985 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 14/14.6 mpg

Options: Rear-seat DVD entertainment system including eight-inch display, two wireless headphones, wireless remote and rear audio system with AC power outlet and RCA jacks ($1,670); voice-activated touch-screen DVD navigation system with integrated backup camera, JBL Synthesis AM/FM four-disc CD changer and XM satellite radio with NavTraffic ($1,460); glass-breakage sensor ($165); two wireless headphones ($82); wheel locks ($81); Cargo net ($49) first aid kit ($29)

For more information: Check out the 2011 Toyota Sequoia Limited at shopautoweek.com

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