LC200, Sequoia, GX460, Tundra?

[jrho]

Hi gang,
First time post, looking for some help. Have been driving a 2WD '07 DC Tundra 5.7 TRD-pkg Limited for the past 10 years, ready for something new. Not a typical IH8Mudder as I don't off-road, but google searches kept bringing me back here, indicating this place probably has the best experience on the internet surrounding the situation.

My use case: 90% of days it's normal stuff - 11 mile roundtrip commute, weekend 3-person family (kid in car seat for a few more years) runabout in the city. A few weeks each year I spend solo, towing an enclosed trailer with a race car in it. Some of these trips are long - like San Diego to Lincoln Nebraska (1600mi one-way).

I recently got a new lightweight aluminum enclosed (Montrose) which at 2k lbs empty, is about as small and light as an enclosed car trailer can get. With car and goodies it's between 5500-6000lb. loaded with 650lb-ish tongue weight. Mileage is 11-12mpg (<10 with old Pace enclosed) and it rarely goes below 4th gear, lots more 6th.

Oh, and 5-6x/year it needs to fit 8 big (27" diameter, 13" wide) race car tires inside to/from the local tire shop with the car seat in place but no passengers.

I *love* how the Tundra has been essentially perfect for 10 years and 150k miles of hard use, it still functions just like new. I'm already pre-sold on a new Toyota product. Still, the Tundra has some shortcomings I'd like to shore up with the new vehicle:
Uncomfortable for family
Big/difficult to park
Outdated tech
No sunroof/open air feeling
Fuel range sucks

I'd love to hear anecdotes from anyone that's used these vehicles for similar purposes and how it's gone. For instance:
I'm confident the 5.7 has the muscle for my towing use - but would the 4.6 in the GX?
Is the GX's mileage any better than its 5.7 siblings?
Is any of them more "fun" to drive on the street than the others? The Sequoia with its roll-down rear window might be nice in San Diego's weather.
Are the newer Tundras more comfortable than the early years?
How's interior storage? I'd probably unbolt the third row from the LC if that's the way forward.
What else am I missing? With 2 race cars keeping the truck as a dedicated tow vehicle isn't an option, new ride must be double duty.

 

[chilibit]

I think, based on my wheel sets and experience. that you will find eight tough. Tires only--maybe. Mounted --- maybe not.

 

[jrho]

They'd usually be 4 mounted, 4 unmounted. In the Tundra I can fit one on the front passenger seat, 2 in back seat area. Of course it's got the bed though...

 

[40Man]

The LC has a quieter cabin, is more comfortable, and has a better fit and finish than the Tundra, but there is a large cost premium. The GX mileage won't be much better as it is heavy and the 4.6 is a bit underpowered. GX rated at 15/18 and LC at 13/18. Both good powertrains, but the 5.7 will serve you better for towing. Sounds like you may enjoy a new Crewmax Tundra with sunroof and the larger 38 gallon tank that is now available. I had a crewmax, and we found it pretty comfortable, much more so than the DC. I like my LC more, but I also use it off-road. My Tundra did great off-road for it's size, but it wasn't very nimble. I'd happily drive another Tundra though. Great trucks. Good luck!

 

[TonyP]

If you're set on staying with Toyota, I would look into a newer crewmax Tundra. That seems to tick most of your boxes. Mileage still sucks though.

 

[SWUtah]

Get a new tundra double cab 4 x 4 Limited check out and see if the interior is more comfortable now. Land Cruiser could do the job but it’s going to cost you more . The sequoias dated you won’t like it. the forerunner or GX 460 won’t be able to pull your trailer. Do a search on toying with the 200 sherries lotta guys on here till a lot should give you all the info you need

 

[bjowett]

The Sequoia is my recommendation. The all in one 2WD/AWD/4WD transfer case gives the truck a drive type for any situation. The boxed frame and massive HD multilink independent rear suspension will hold the road. While still based on the gen 2 body style, it received an update for 2018. The dash and tech look much nicer. The only downside from your list is the fuel tank.

 

[jrho]

Yeah, the smaller tanks in the others is a bummer, though for normal driving 300 miles is ok range (I get exactly 13.5mpg in regular driving with spooky consistency) - and with the new trailer I can go 200+ miles comfortably now, whereas before I might be looking for gas by 160-170. Wish all the vehicles with the bigger V8 had the Tundra's bigger tank.

Sounds like I need to do some test drives, and as I'm not so interested in the LX570 (not so much because of price as because of appearances) - can skip the Lexus dealer.

 

[Atwalz]

Land Cruiser rides the best in the listed selection. Storage choices are limited in the LC when coming from a Tundra. No space for sunglasses storage. Tundra guys are spoiled in terms of storage space in the cabin. Fuel range is a common problem in all model listed. If the cruiser meets your towing needs, then go with LC otherwise crew max would be the way to go. LC200 does not have a tow haul mode instead it has a power ECT option. Newer 200 series are an 8-speed tranny. I never liked Sequoia or own it. I do have 2007 Tundra DC 4x4 Limited (137K) and LC200.

 

[5ForFighting]

Look at the yellow payload stickers inside the door. Each vehicle will have it's own. Subtract your weight, your wife's weight, anticipate for your kid's weight as s/he is growing, multiply fuel tank capacity by 8.3 and subtract that...that's what you've got for tongue weight. The Tundra has a very disappointing payload capacity. The LC is not much better, but it's not a truck.

 

[5ForFighting]

Towing a travel trailer weighing about 6,500 lbs I was averaging 9 mpg on a trip to Moab in November. That's sticking to 62 mph. I had to stop for gas every 160 miles or so, not knowing when the next gas station was going to be.

 

[M1911]

Keep that Tundra as your tow vehicle. Buy a new Camry as your daily driver. Get the V6 if you want power. Get the hybrid if you want fuel economy. Drive the Tundra when towing your race car, and on weekend Costco/Home Depot runs.

I like my LC 200, but it is a pain to park in tight parking garages, and it likely won't tow as well as your Tundra. Fuel economy and range will suck as well.

I've had a sunroof in my last three cars. I hardly ever use it. I usually keep the cover closed on the moonroof.

 

[JS22STL]

D

Keep that Tundra as your tow vehicle. Buy a new Camry as your daily driver. Get the V6 if you want power. Get the hybrid if you want fuel economy. Drive the Tundra when towing your race car, and on weekend Costco/Home Depot runs.

I like my LC 200, but it is a pain to park in tight parking garages, and it likely won't tow as well as your Tundra. Fuel economy and range will suck as well.

I've had a sunroof in my last three cars. I hardly ever use it. I usually keep the cover closed on the moonroof.

I'd second this thought process. depending on your budget - i'd look to keep the Tundra. Even if you have to put a little money in it. it's a great truck and one that you know the background on. I'm not a fan of the sequoia, it's been in desperate need of a re-design for a significant amount of time. If budget isn't a concern then jump on the LC. It's an amazing vehicle (I have a 2016). Great for road trips, can tow, and easy to maneuver in parking/traffic.

 

[LouisianaFJ]

I think based on your towing needs, you need to stay with the 5.7 platforms. Your comments about interior fit and finish lead me to rule out the sequoia as many have said its very dated.

Either a new double cab tundra (which personally i think is quite comfy and like the interior) or look at a used LC. There are some very nice ones out there, take your time and search and you will be surprised with what pops up. Then add some bags to the rear suspension on it and you can achieve a comfy daily vehicle that can tow your setup reasonably well, but also have added benefits of AWD all the time. also some of the creature comforts that the LC has which a tundra will not.

 

[jrho]

Thanks for the replies fellas. I’ve tried to make the Tundra more comfy - have put in adjustable rear shocks (no real help) and put on some nice new Michelins (slight improvement over the e-range Michelins on it previously). It has rear airbags but they’re kept around 5psi when unladen. I could drive around with 500 pounds of sand in back or something but parking and tech would still suck, and the weight probably wouldn’t help mileage either.
If I didn’t have two race cars, keeping the Tundra as dedicated tow vehicle might be possible but where I am space is what’s most precious, it’s just not an option.
My heart is set on the LC, part of the hope is the wife is comfy driving it, such that it could become her daily at some point, freeing up a spot in the rotation for a fun car daily driver. With as little depreciation the Toyota products suffer and an expected 10-15+ year ownership horizon, the LC’s price isn’t a problem.
Outside of Toyota are there any great choices I’m overlooking? Scared of Europeans for reliability reasons, and the Americans because of wife’s perceptions and because the interiors all seem to fall apart after 8-10 years. Might be outdated thinking, dunno. Might be amenable to an Armada/QX80 though.

 

[Markuson]

...Scared of Europeans for reliability reasons, and the Americans because of wife’s perceptions and because the interiors all seem to fall apart after 8-10 years. Might be outdated thinking, dunno. Might be amenable to an Armada/QX80 though.

I don't think your logic is outdated at all. Longevity on the LC is solid as can be.
My LC is a decade old now & I think it's held up nicely including the interior.

Only weakness from age= The upward-facing paint was becoming strained...so I added vinyl to quit thinking about it.
It won't fit in my garage, though, so it gets pummeled with Southern California sun. I'm sure that's a major factor on paint, and makes its interior durability even more impressive.

The interior is holding up **incredibly** well & I expect it will still look nice through decade #2.

 

[TeCKis300]

Hi gang,
First time post, looking for some help. Have been driving a 2WD '07 DC Tundra 5.7 TRD-pkg Limited for the past 10 years, ready for something new. Not a typical IH8Mudder as I don't off-road, but google searches kept bringing me back here, indicating this place probably has the best experience on the internet surrounding the situation.

My use case: 90% of days it's normal stuff - 11 mile roundtrip commute, weekend 3-person family (kid in car seat for a few more years) runabout in the city. A few weeks each year I spend solo, towing an enclosed trailer with a race car in it. Some of these trips are long - like San Diego to Lincoln Nebraska (1600mi one-way).

I recently got a new lightweight aluminum enclosed (Montrose) which at 2k lbs empty, is about as small and light as an enclosed car trailer can get. With car and goodies it's between 5500-6000lb. loaded with 650lb-ish tongue weight. Mileage is 11-12mpg (<10 with old Pace enclosed) and it rarely goes below 4th gear, lots more 6th.

Oh, and 5-6x/year it needs to fit 8 big (27" diameter, 13" wide) race car tires inside to/from the local tire shop with the car seat in place but no passengers.

I *love* how the Tundra has been essentially perfect for 10 years and 150k miles of hard use, it still functions just like new. I'm already pre-sold on a new Toyota product. Still, the Tundra has some shortcomings I'd like to shore up with the new vehicle:
Uncomfortable for family
Big/difficult to park
Outdated tech
No sunroof/open air feeling
Fuel range sucks

I'd love to hear anecdotes from anyone that's used these vehicles for similar purposes and how it's gone. For instance:
I'm confident the 5.7 has the muscle for my towing use - but would the 4.6 in the GX?
Is the GX's mileage any better than its 5.7 siblings?
Is any of them more "fun" to drive on the street than the others? The Sequoia with its roll-down rear window might be nice in San Diego's weather.
Are the newer Tundras more comfortable than the early years?
How's interior storage? I'd probably unbolt the third row from the LC if that's the way forward.
What else am I missing? With 2 race cars keeping the truck as a dedicated tow vehicle isn't an option, new ride must be double duty.

I've got some experiences doing similar things to your proposed use cases, so perhaps can give you some useful insight.
1) Towing my 7500lb Airstream travel trailer between 55-65 mph, typically gives me ~10-11 mpg. The range-o-meter on this model is super conservative so I'm not afraid to run it down to practically zero (with typically 40+ miles range in reserve left). So I am fully comfortable squeaking 210-230 miles range on a tank when under tow. Not great range, but livable. Would love an aux tank or the 38gallon on the newer Tundra.
2) Having towed a 6500lb travel trailer with my previous LX470 that had the previous gen 4.7L V8, I believe the newer GX 4.6 would be adequate at best, and strained on hills. Especially for you having come from the 5.7L Tundra. Not sure it would be a great long term solution.
3) I likewise have several wheelsets that I often run to the tire store. You'll need to fold the second row and get creative lining them up, but doable. I much prefer to use a hitch carrier to carry at least one set externally.
4) Tech is no big deal in cars IMO, so long as it has solid audio quality, bluetooth, and heated seats. For everything else, I lean on smartphones as it surpassed any smarts that could be installed in a car.
5) Note that the 5.7L in the LC may not feel as burly as it does installed in your 2WD Tundra, as the LC weighs upwards of 600lbs more in curb weight with more rotating drivetrain.

My opinion, but I think you may be better served by a new Tundra 1794 Crewmax 38gallon. 2WD if you value efficiency over bad weather traction as the 4WD is not full time.

 

[jrho]

Took the family to the auto show this past weekend. Was the first time seeing a Land Cruiser up close, was very impressed. Perhaps most importantly of all, the wife was pleased with its dimensions.

There was a bit of a “that much for a Toyota?” Vibe though. She liked the LX better, and their display unit was a two row, with an MSRP right at LC prices.

Needle swinging towards the Lexus....

 

[TeCKis300]

Hah, I was down at the SD auto show this weekend too and exploring the new LC and LX for curiosities sake.

Unless you're the most hardcore of off-road enthusiast, AHC will work nicely to your advantage for towing and loading/unloading. Adjustable hitch height to ease hitching up the trailer. Also, my sports cars tend to be low, so getting them on/off the car trailers ramp is always interesting. AHC really helps in this regard to get the hitch of the trailer way up to help the ramp angles. Though your Montrose might not need too much help.

Curious which Montrose trailer you got?

 

[I6turbo]

Might be amenable to an Armada/QX80 though.

From what I've seen by test driving and driving/riding in others over the past 20 years or more, most Nissan/Infiniti interiors, including the QX, age in dog years. They look like they have about 5 x the use on them that they actually do. And long-term body integrity is lacking as well.