So the other day I happened to be by a local dealer and they had a 2001 sequoia limited and a 1999 100 series on the lot, so I decided to look both of them over. I poked, prodded and sat in them (front and rear), supprisingly undisturbed by a sales person. My impressions:
1) The sequoia is larger than the cruiser, but not that much.
2) The visibility, front and rear is much better in the 100 series than the Sequoia. The Sequoia almost feels claustraphopic (also feel like a wagon).
3) Step in is lower on the Sequoia and the 100 is lower than the 80.
4) Just from sitting in them, the 80 feels closer to the 100 than the Sequoia.
Now for the interesting part. I have a friend that when the Sequoia came out drove one and ended up buying an Acura MDX instead. I asked him about the Sequoia and he said it felt chinzy. I thought he was nuts. Well sitting in the Sequoia, my impression was, it was Chinzy, it just feels like I am sitting in a Ford or Chevy. Compare that to the 80/100 which has that carved out of one piece of billet feel that a Mercedes or my Wife's BMW has. I have to say after just sitting in them, given the feel and the visability, it is a no brainer, that the replacement for the 80 when the time comes will be the 100 and not a Sequoia. By the same token, I do not believe that the Sequoia can be rebaged as a Lexus and hold up the Lexus image. I would expect that any replacement for the LX 470 will be a substancially revised Sequoia or maybe a Cruiser 120?
Cary
1) The sequoia is larger than the cruiser, but not that much.
2) The visibility, front and rear is much better in the 100 series than the Sequoia. The Sequoia almost feels claustraphopic (also feel like a wagon).
3) Step in is lower on the Sequoia and the 100 is lower than the 80.
4) Just from sitting in them, the 80 feels closer to the 100 than the Sequoia.
Now for the interesting part. I have a friend that when the Sequoia came out drove one and ended up buying an Acura MDX instead. I asked him about the Sequoia and he said it felt chinzy. I thought he was nuts. Well sitting in the Sequoia, my impression was, it was Chinzy, it just feels like I am sitting in a Ford or Chevy. Compare that to the 80/100 which has that carved out of one piece of billet feel that a Mercedes or my Wife's BMW has. I have to say after just sitting in them, given the feel and the visability, it is a no brainer, that the replacement for the 80 when the time comes will be the 100 and not a Sequoia. By the same token, I do not believe that the Sequoia can be rebaged as a Lexus and hold up the Lexus image. I would expect that any replacement for the LX 470 will be a substancially revised Sequoia or maybe a Cruiser 120?
Cary