10 Biggest News Stories of the Week: Toyota Sequoia Felled by Toyota Crown

If you sawed the previous-generation Toyota Sequoia in half and counted the rings, you’d find that it was as old as … well, a tree! The full-size SUV went some 14 years between redesigns, with its outgoing iteration getting only modest updates since debuting all the way back in 2008. For the 2023 model year, the Sequoia, at last, is branching out and showing new growth — and in some ways, the behemoth family hauler reaches the heights to which it aspires, while in others it leaves something to be desired.

Related: 2023 Toyota Sequoia Vs. 2022 Ford Expedition: How Do the Big SUVs Compare?

In one of Cars.com’s most popular news articles of the past week — a rapid-fire rundown of the redesigned Sequoia’s pros and cons — we present both sides and let you, the shopper, decide. Giving a good first impression are the Sequoia’s robust 437-horsepower, twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 hybrid powertrain paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission; impressively improved interior appointments; abundant comfort and space for passengers in the first two rows; road-trip-ready ride and handling calibrated to fight off highway fatigue; and a well-worth-the-upgrade 14-inch touchscreen multimedia unit. On the other hand, no vehicle this big should have such stingy third-row and cargo room; don’t let that “hybrid” in the powertrain description fool you into thinking gas mileage is good; infotainment user friendliness could be better; and, as for the 2023 price hike, it might not seem quite as bad if you spread it out over the decade and a half since the last redesign.

For the full details on things we loved and the things we loathed about the 2023 Toyota Sequoia, follow the link below to the No. 2 news story on this week’s countdown.

Despite the Sequoia’s success, it’s Cars.com reviewer Aaron Bragman’s comprehensive critique of the all-new-for-2023 Toyota Crown that takes the throne this week. Bragman describes the full-size sedan as a somewhat confounding amalgam of attributes from both cars and SUVs that ultimately is neither fish nor fowl. Bragman appreciates the Crown’s gaping-grilled, high-riding exterior design as well as the eager acceleration from both hybrid-boosted powertrain offerings. Still, the Crown lacks the sportiness relative to the automaker’s performance promises, while that raked-back roofline hampers headroom and passenger room for taller occupants is worthy of neither sedan nor SUV.

Coining the term “crownfused” to describe his overall feelings toward the big sedan, Bragman summarized: “The new Toyota Crown is stylish, smooth-riding and quasi-sporty — but ultimately a confusing new offering from Toyota that’s sure to appeal to someone. Who that might be remains a mystery.”

For our full review of the 2023 Toyota Crown, follow the link below to the No. 1 article of the week.

Beyond that, we’ve got headlines on the Nissan Ariya, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Honda Accord, Maserati GranTurismo, Dodge Challenger, Ford Super Duty and much more — so don’t stop reading till the digits double. Here are the top 10 news stories Cars.com readers couldn’t get enough of in the past week:

1. 2023 Toyota Crown Review: Slick New Flagship Sedan Leaves Us a Bit Crownfused

2. Is the Redesigned 2023 Toyota Sequoia a Good SUV? 5 Pros and 4 Cons

3. 2023 Nissan Ariya Review: An EV Pioneer Follows Up With Solid Second Act

4. 2023 Honda CR-V Review: Doing Its Civic Duty

5. What’s the Best New-Car Deal for October 2022?

6. 2023 Ford Escape Up Close: More of What Escapists Want

7. Honda Teases New Accord for 2023

8. 2024 Maserati GranTurismo: Amore, Now With Fewer Cylinders

9. 2023 Dodge Challenger, Charger Orders Open, Prices Start From Low $30,000s

10. 2023 Ford Super Duty Horsepower, Torque Figures Make It Even More Super

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