Toyota Sequoia Purchase for Overlanding: 1st Gen vs 2nd Gen?
- Thread starter Carl7309
- Start date
2025 deleted member
Well-known member
I think a 4.7 will last longer all things equal. That being said both should last longer than anyone will ever need them to
2025 deleted member
Well-known member
What was the budget again?
irish44j
Well-known member
Older thread, but will chime in for posterity:
I've owned both, with mild modifications and used for both light overlanding and long-distance towing (rally car). My take:
1st gen (more specifically the later 1st gens with the better transmission):
- Mechanically solid, though cracked exhaust manifolds are pretty common and annoying to fix on trucks that old.
- Frame rust is a real issue. And they rust from the inside out, so it may not be obvious until a hole shows up one day out of the blue.
- The 4.7 has decent power, but high altitute/steep uphills it doesn't feel all that powerful, especially if you're geared up and have larger/heavier tires than stock.
- The brakes are sub-par. Early 1st gen brakes are REALLY sub-par, and later ones with the larger rotors are still so-so at best. They're basically 4-runner brakes, on a truck that weighs half a ton more. Brake feel is also pretty lousy
- Lower balljoints are a weak point, just due to the inverted design. I never had an issue with one (I used OEM Toyota ones) but it was in the back of my mind a lot.
- Otherwise, suspension is fine, with decent aftermarket, and solid rear axle - so it has similar offroad capabilities to a 4Runner, with added size/weight. Turning radius isn't great though.
- With the rear seats removed, totally flat cargo floor great if you want to do a rack or slide-out system or for just car-camping.
- For such a large truck, it has pitiful interior storage compared to other trucks. Small compartments, small center console, etc.
- Very dated interior, if that matters to you.
- Ride quality is so-so (I had Bilstein 5100s with stock springs). No real complaints, but nothing to write home about.
I actually did a 1st gen "buyers guide" on another forum some years ago, if it's of any use to you: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/f...-07-toyota-sequoia-buyers-guide/175653/page1/
2nd gen (I have a 2010, so it's an early one)
- Mine has 190k miles with no significant mechanical issues other than a water pump of unknown age that blew out its bearing.
- Frame rust less of an issue, but the 08 (first year) did have some problems. They seem to have fixed it for the 2010 model (there is no 2009).
- 5.7 has plenty of power for pretty much anything. I tow 5-6k through the west virginia mountains all the time and rarely drop to lower gears. And I'm on +1 load range E tires that weigh a ton, at that. The 5.7 *feels * WAY more powerful than the 4.7, even in a heavier truck.
- Awesome brakes. They're really big, they work really well.
- As noted, suspension is IRS so some limitations there, but perfectly fine for green and many blue trails, depending on the terrain. They'er not rock-crawlers, but mine has 12" of cleareance under the skid so can get over a good amount of stuff. The suspension and steering gear is WAY beefier than on the 1st gen. This is Tundra stuff, for the most part. It's big.
- Steering is light (sometimes a bit too light) and the turning radius is downright awesome. It turns tighter than a lot of smaller 4x4s.
- Lots of space, but the fold-in 3rd row makes a non-flat cargo floor with seats in or removed. I built a platform for mine which is nice and is long enough to sleep on easily (7.6' to the back of the front seats).
- I had 5100s and stock springs (with rear bags) on this one too. Street ride/hanling is better than 1st gen. Offroad, about the same I guess. Both are comfortable on fire roads and stuff like that. Both feel a bit "firm" if you're on really rocky stuff.
I've owned both, with mild modifications and used for both light overlanding and long-distance towing (rally car). My take:
1st gen (more specifically the later 1st gens with the better transmission):
- Mechanically solid, though cracked exhaust manifolds are pretty common and annoying to fix on trucks that old.
- Frame rust is a real issue. And they rust from the inside out, so it may not be obvious until a hole shows up one day out of the blue.
- The 4.7 has decent power, but high altitute/steep uphills it doesn't feel all that powerful, especially if you're geared up and have larger/heavier tires than stock.
- The brakes are sub-par. Early 1st gen brakes are REALLY sub-par, and later ones with the larger rotors are still so-so at best. They're basically 4-runner brakes, on a truck that weighs half a ton more. Brake feel is also pretty lousy
- Lower balljoints are a weak point, just due to the inverted design. I never had an issue with one (I used OEM Toyota ones) but it was in the back of my mind a lot.
- Otherwise, suspension is fine, with decent aftermarket, and solid rear axle - so it has similar offroad capabilities to a 4Runner, with added size/weight. Turning radius isn't great though.
- With the rear seats removed, totally flat cargo floor great if you want to do a rack or slide-out system or for just car-camping.
- For such a large truck, it has pitiful interior storage compared to other trucks. Small compartments, small center console, etc.
- Very dated interior, if that matters to you.
- Ride quality is so-so (I had Bilstein 5100s with stock springs). No real complaints, but nothing to write home about.
I actually did a 1st gen "buyers guide" on another forum some years ago, if it's of any use to you: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/f...-07-toyota-sequoia-buyers-guide/175653/page1/
2nd gen (I have a 2010, so it's an early one)
- Mine has 190k miles with no significant mechanical issues other than a water pump of unknown age that blew out its bearing.
- Frame rust less of an issue, but the 08 (first year) did have some problems. They seem to have fixed it for the 2010 model (there is no 2009).
- 5.7 has plenty of power for pretty much anything. I tow 5-6k through the west virginia mountains all the time and rarely drop to lower gears. And I'm on +1 load range E tires that weigh a ton, at that. The 5.7 *feels * WAY more powerful than the 4.7, even in a heavier truck.
- Awesome brakes. They're really big, they work really well.
- As noted, suspension is IRS so some limitations there, but perfectly fine for green and many blue trails, depending on the terrain. They'er not rock-crawlers, but mine has 12" of cleareance under the skid so can get over a good amount of stuff. The suspension and steering gear is WAY beefier than on the 1st gen. This is Tundra stuff, for the most part. It's big.
- Steering is light (sometimes a bit too light) and the turning radius is downright awesome. It turns tighter than a lot of smaller 4x4s.
- Lots of space, but the fold-in 3rd row makes a non-flat cargo floor with seats in or removed. I built a platform for mine which is nice and is long enough to sleep on easily (7.6' to the back of the front seats).
- I had 5100s and stock springs (with rear bags) on this one too. Street ride/hanling is better than 1st gen. Offroad, about the same I guess. Both are comfortable on fire roads and stuff like that. Both feel a bit "firm" if you're on really rocky stuff.
TLar25
Member
Both of those look really good. Do you have any pictures of your interior setup in the 2nd Gen? And I agree, the 5.7 feels night and day difference in terms of power.Older thread, but will chime in for posterity:
I've owned both, with mild modifications and used for both light overlanding and long-distance towing (rally car). My take:
1st gen (more specifically the later 1st gens with the better transmission):
- Mechanically solid, though cracked exhaust manifolds are pretty common and annoying to fix on trucks that old.
- Frame rust is a real issue. And they rust from the inside out, so it may not be obvious until a hole shows up one day out of the blue.
- The 4.7 has decent power, but high altitute/steep uphills it doesn't feel all that powerful, especially if you're geared up and have larger/heavier tires than stock.
- The brakes are sub-par. Early 1st gen brakes are REALLY sub-par, and later ones with the larger rotors are still so-so at best. They're basically 4-runner brakes, on a truck that weighs half a ton more. Brake feel is also pretty lousy
- Lower balljoints are a weak point, just due to the inverted design. I never had an issue with one (I used OEM Toyota ones) but it was in the back of my mind a lot.
- Otherwise, suspension is fine, with decent aftermarket, and solid rear axle - so it has similar offroad capabilities to a 4Runner, with added size/weight. Turning radius isn't great though.
- With the rear seats removed, totally flat cargo floor great if you want to do a rack or slide-out system or for just car-camping.
- For such a large truck, it has pitiful interior storage compared to other trucks. Small compartments, small center console, etc.
- Very dated interior, if that matters to you.
- Ride quality is so-so (I had Bilstein 5100s with stock springs). No real complaints, but nothing to write home about.
I actually did a 1st gen "buyers guide" on another forum some years ago, if it's of any use to you: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/f...-07-toyota-sequoia-buyers-guide/175653/page1/
2nd gen (I have a 2010, so it's an early one)
- Mine has 190k miles with no significant mechanical issues other than a water pump of unknown age that blew out its bearing.
- Frame rust less of an issue, but the 08 (first year) did have some problems. They seem to have fixed it for the 2010 model (there is no 2009).
- 5.7 has plenty of power for pretty much anything. I tow 5-6k through the west virginia mountains all the time and rarely drop to lower gears. And I'm on +1 load range E tires that weigh a ton, at that. The 5.7 *feels * WAY more powerful than the 4.7, even in a heavier truck.
- Awesome brakes. They're really big, they work really well.
- As noted, suspension is IRS so some limitations there, but perfectly fine for green and many blue trails, depending on the terrain. They'er not rock-crawlers, but mine has 12" of cleareance under the skid so can get over a good amount of stuff. The suspension and steering gear is WAY beefier than on the 1st gen. This is Tundra stuff, for the most part. It's big.
- Steering is light (sometimes a bit too light) and the turning radius is downright awesome. It turns tighter than a lot of smaller 4x4s.
- Lots of space, but the fold-in 3rd row makes a non-flat cargo floor with seats in or removed. I built a platform for mine which is nice and is long enough to sleep on easily (7.6' to the back of the front seats).
- I had 5100s and stock springs (with rear bags) on this one too. Street ride/hanling is better than 1st gen. Offroad, about the same I guess. Both are comfortable on fire roads and stuff like that. Both feel a bit "firm" if you're on really rocky stuff.
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