​​Towing Challenge – 2025 Chevy Tahoe Z71 vs Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro​

When buying a full-size SUV, there are many things to take into consideration. If you have a family, you’ll obviously want to look at vehicles with enough interior space for everyone plus luggage. If you do any traveling, you’ll want something that’s a good highway cruiser. And if you are into camping and towing, you’ll need to find an SUV that allows you to take it off the beaten path while still being usable every day on regular roads. Both Chevrolet and Toyota make such vehicles with the Tahoe and Sequoia. But which one is right for you?  

A Fresh Towing Review 

YouTuber Truck King recently had the pleasure of testing both the Sequioa TRD Pro and Tahoe Z71 against one another in a real-world towing and livability challenge to see which one is better for consumers who need a great all-around SUV that tows a ton.  

Engine Choices 

The Toyota Sequoia features a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 with a hybrid system that produces a total output of 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. All power is routed through a 10-speed automatic. The Chevy Tahoe, on the other hand, is available with three different engines: a 5.3-liter V8 that makes 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque, a 6.2-liter V8 that puts out 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, and finally a 3.0-liter Duramax inline-6 turbo-diesel that has 305 horsepower and 495 lb-ft of torque.  

Towing and Payload Capacities 

Right off the bat, the Toyota scores a slight win by being able to tow up to 9,020 lbs and with a max payload of 1,195 lbs. The Chevy with its Z71 package tows 8,000 lbs but has a higher payload of 1,492 lbs. This means the Toyota may be the better fit for you if you tow heavy things, like cars, boats, horses, and the like. However, if you need to haul a lot of stuff in your vehicle while towing, the Tahoe will probably work out better for you in the long run.  

What’s The Chevy Like in the Rear Seats? 

Turning his attention to rear passenger space, the Truck King, standing at 6’2” tall and being a bit husky, found the second-row space to be ample, with headroom being excellent even with a panoramic roof, as sunroofs typically cause a roof to be about an inch lower. He also showed how easily the rear seats slide forward and back to give extra legroom, and then they will pop up with just one hand to allow easier access to the third row of seats. Sitting back there, his knees were elevated, but he had plenty of legroom and a very comfortable amount of headroom. Second row passengers will get up to 42 inches of legroom, with the last row occupants getting up to 34.9 inches. All seats get their own charging ports and cupholders as well.  

What’s The Toyota Like for Rear Passengers? 

Hopping into the back of the Sequoia, he found the rear legroom to be just a tad less at 39.2 inches, but he didn’t feel like he was really losing any comfort when sitting back there. Headroom, though, was a tad shorter than the Tahoe’s. The second-row seats were just as easy to tumble forward to allow easy access to the farthest seats. With 33.7 inches of legroom, it is just a touch less than the Chevy, but still perfectly reasonable. However, headroom was not enough for his taller frame. The Toyota model’s rear rows get manual sunshades, and the third-row passengers can recline their seats back, something the Chevy can’t do.  

What About the Cargo Area of the Sequoia? 

The Sequoia smartly uses its space behind the third row to maximize cargo capacity in various ways. The floor can become a shelf that slides into different heights and reveals extra space underneath. The rear seats slide independently forward to allow for a little extra space, too, for a total of 11.5 cubic feet.  

How About the Cargo Space of the Tahoe? 

On the other hand, the Chevrolet has a total cargo capacity of 25.5 cu.ft. behind the third row, with a little extra space under the rear floor. This gives the Tahoe a decisive point, even though the third-row seats do not slide like they do in the Toyota.  

Both Are Great for Camping 

Each vehicle also has a 400-watt power outlet in the rear cargo area, which makes camping that much easier. 

How Well Does the Toyota Sequoia Tow? 

Now, how well does each vehicle tow? Each SUV got to tow a 5,000 lb trailer that shouldn’t make them sweat too much while still allowing the driver to feel any good or bad driving habits. Starting with the Toyota, backing it up to the trailer, you’ll notice a beautiful and easy-to-see image from the 12.3-inch infotainment display. You can change the camera angles to aid in getting your tow hitch exactly where you need it to be with different trailer guidelines, including a specific hitch guide. Because of the combination of the hybrid and twin-turbos, the Toyota has a lot of power in the lower end of the rev range that aids in power and torque response when adding speed. The Fox shocks are made for off-road use, but are still plenty soft for road use, even when towing. Truck King said that the Sequoia handled everything perfectly.  

How Well Does the Chevy Tahoe Tow? 

The 17.7-inch infotainment display in the Tahoe was just as nice to use, albeit a little bigger, but with the same camera angles and views. However, it was noted that the Toyota’s backup camera was a little bit nicer than the Tahoe’s. Towing the same trailer, the Tahoe seemed a little better, partly because the air suspension was tuned better for towing. However, Truck King noted that he preferred the brakes in the Sequoia over those in the Chevy.  

Similarities of Both SUVs 

Both vehicles have integrated trailer sway control, which is a must when towing anything, especially at highway speeds. Multiple trailer profiles make it easier and quicker to apply the vehicle’s automatic settings for the specific thing you’re towing, whether it’s a boat, a camper, a vehicle, or anything else. The Chevy also has an integrated Gross Combined Weight Rating Alert feature that will warn you if it thinks you may be over the vehicle’s weight limit with what you’re towing plus any cargo in the vehicle.  

Which One Should You Choose? 

So, in the end, which vehicle is better for you? It really depends on what your intended use of the vehicle is. If you don’t tow a lot, it comes down to whether or not the interior size and space of the Toyota or Chevy is best for you. But if you are towing a lot, the Chevy may have a slight edge with its towing capacity and higher payload capacity.  

Sharp Automotive Can Help You Make the Best Decision 

No matter which vehicle you’re looking to buy, Sharp Automotive can help by providing you with excellent salespeople to make sure you’re getting the best deal for your new vehicle. The best thing to do is to stop by and test both vehicles to see which one feels better to you.  

Why Choose Sharp Automotive  

At Sharp Automotive, we offer our customers some of the best prices and services around. With dozens of new and used vehicles to choose from, our excellent sales team and finance department will work hard to ensure you drive away happily. Our fantastic service department will take care of your new-to-you vehicle as if it were their own. 

We look forward to serving you soon.