Road Test: Chevrolet Tahoe LT vs. Dodge Durango vs. Ford Expedition vs. Nissan Armada vs. Toyota Sequoia
Ford recognizes that of the 180K-plus-per-year Expeditions it sells, only a fraction will encounter anything worse than a poorly graded dirt path. With its four-wheel independent suspension, the Expedition is one of the smoothest SUVs on the road and a competent handler to boot. While it isn't as tossable as the Nissan or Dodge, it holds its own at the track. During our off-road testing, it was fazed only once on the sand dunes when a test driver forgot to deactivate the AdvanceTrac stability control.
We had stability-control flashbacks when we took the Sequoia out on the sand portion of our off-road course. Our 2001 long-termer's nondefeatable Vehicle Stability Control was a godsend on treacherous roads, but on soft sand (where you want momentum and need the wheels to spin freely), our long-term tester could have used a tow rope as an option. Taking the 2004 Sequoia out obliterated our previous experience. Shifting into 4-Hi, our SR5 blazed fresh trails in the sand, climbed slippery outcroppings, and tackled everything we placed in its path.
On the pavement, the Sequoia is a born highway cruiser, easily absorbing any foul road without jolting its occupants. There's a lot of body roll when pushed hard on paved twisties, but the suspension is quick to take a confident set. The SR5's steering rack is an oxymoron: As you turn in, it's tight and precise, but then it goes flat numb, leaving you a bit disconnected with what's happening underfoot.
Dodge Durango Engine
Dodge Durango Interior
Filling the Hold
Who says size doesn't matter? In the case of the Sequoia, the cargo hold is more aircraft carrier than battle cruiser. With a test-topping 127.9 cubic feet of storage space, the Toyota can easily swallow enough gear to keep a family on the go for a couple of weeks. It also carries the best-in-class-low load lift at 30 inches--an inch-and-change lower than its nearest competitor, the Tahoe. And with its optional load-leveling rear suspension, you don't have to worry about it becoming a tail-dragger with heavy loads. The Sequoia's only cargo downside resides in its third row. The individual seats must be removed to take advantage of the full cargo width, and then you have to find a place to store those seats. However, Toyota scored big points with one nuance: utility hooks integrated into the aft section of the cargo hold.
How could the vehicle with the longest wheelbase, the longest overall length, and second-largest width carry the least cargo? It's all in the name of packaging and interior design, but it's true: At 97.1 cubic feet, the Armada carries the least amount of gear. The space has been thoughtfully sculpted, however, with flat-folding second and third rows for six-foot ladders or sheets of plywood.
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