Toyota Sequoia: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Toyota Sequoia: 13 model years scored from 107 NHTSA owner complaints and 37 recall campaigns. Worst year 2018, best year 2013.
Toyota Sequoia: which years to avoid
Across 10 scored model years the Toyota Sequoia ranges from 62/100 in 2018 to 87/100 in 2020 — a 25-point spread, so which year you buy matters. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Electrical System (7 of them).
Safest years: 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 — scored 70 or better.
Check carefully: 2018.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2013 (score 85). Worst: 2018 (score 62, CAUTION).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,580 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,610 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 86 | BUY | $5,204 | 4 | 2 |
| 2020 | 87 | BUY | $5,342 | 4 | 2 |
| 2019 | 75 | BUY | $5,489 | 7 | 6 |
| 2018 | 62 | CAUTION | $5,658 | 20 | 5 |
| 2017 | 85 | BUY | $5,764 | 7 | 3 |
| 2016 | 84 | BUY | $5,909 | 10 | 3 |
| 2015 | 85 | BUY | $6,045 | 9 | 3 |
| 2014 | 80 | BUY | $6,196 | 17 | 3 |
| 2013 | 85 | BUY | $6,328 | 12 | 3 |
| 2012 | — | DATA PENDING | $6,200 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 77 | BUY | $6,361 | 17 | 7 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the Sequoia, through the years →
Sequoia sub-models & family
Variants & trims on record
Body, powertrain and trim variants of the Sequoia on the federal record. Variants folded into this nameplate are counted in this page's data; the rest have too thin a record for a page of their own yet.
What goes wrong on the Toyota Sequoia
Across every Sequoia model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Unknown Or Other23 complaints across all Sequoia years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Electrical System16 complaints across all Sequoia years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Fuel/Propulsion System11 complaints across all Sequoia years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
- Vehicle Speed Control9 complaints across all Sequoia years · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement$520–$1,150
- Structure8 complaints across all Sequoia years · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair$1,070–$2,920
- Service Brakes8 complaints across all Sequoia years · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles$580–$1,140
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Toyota Sequoia years to buy?
2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020… all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2020 at 87/100, on 4 complaints and 2 recall campaigns.
Which Toyota Sequoia years should I avoid?
The 2018 is the weakest year we score, at 62/100 (CAUTION), on 20 complaints and 5 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Toyota Sequoia problem?
23 of the complaints filed against the Sequoia across all its model years sit in the Unknown Or Other group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04