2008 Toyota Sequoia Fullsize Sport Utility Vehicle

By: Derek Price

Exterior photo of the 2008 Toyota Sequoia Fullsize Sport Utility Vehicle.

2008 Toyota Sequoia

What was tested? 2008 Toyota Sequoia LTD 4x4 ($48,450).

Options: Navigation system ($1,650), daytime running lights ($40), moonroof ($810), floor mats ($290), cargo net ($49).

Price as tested (including $685 delivery charge): $51,974.

Before safe deposit boxes, wealthy people used to keep their valuables hidden in secret compartments in their furniture.

If you've ever seen Antiques Roadshow, you know what I'm talking about. Expert cabinetmakers would sneak these compartments into the design of a desk, for example, in a way that's nearly impossible to tell where it is unless you know what to look for.

Dashboard layout image of the 2008 Toyota Sequoia Fullsize Sport Utility Vehicle.

2008 Toyota Sequoia

Some old desks have one secret drawer; others have a dozen. And the Toyota Sequoia has more than any of them.

This big SUV has so many hidden nooks and crannies that you could hire Homeland Security to spend a week looking for them, and I doubt they'd all be found. This car has two glove boxes -- a big one and a small one -- and so many cupholders that I lost count. It has doors hidden in the doors. It has a center console big enough to store a case of water bottles, and its rear cargo area could hold a palette of them.

But there's another reason the analogy of hidden compartments in an old desk is a perfect fit for the Sequoia. This kind of vehicle is rapidly becoming an antique.

Unless you live under a cave in western Pakistan, you probably know how worldwide gas prices have shot up with ballistic speed. SUV prices have fallen just as fast because fewer people can afford that much dinosaur juice, and some people are even predicting that big, heavy, gas-guzzling SUVs are about to go extinct.

Engine picture of the 2008 Toyota Sequoia Fullsize Sport Utility Vehicle.

2008 Toyota Sequoia

I'm not so sure. I fully expect SUV sales to plummet as buyers get used to the higher gas prices, but I also know some people really, truly need an SUV for what they do. If these people need to tow a heavy trailer, carry bulky cargo or travel with a big family, it's still cheaper to buy a big SUV than it is to buy a small car, a pickup truck and a cargo van.

If you're one of those people, I can't think of too many reasons to avoid the Sequoia.

Aside from the countless storage spaces and big cargo area, this thing drives like a dream. It's smooth and quiet -- almost Lexus-like in its sheer silence -- and feels powerful enough to haul a continent.

Refinement is where the Sequoia shines. Big SUVs are notoriously hard to maneuver, but this one is surprisingly nimble. It handles turns and lane changes with grace, and it's remarkably easy to park considering it mammoth size.

Speaking of which, the Sequoia is big enough to comfortably seat seven or eight adults. Crossover vehicles -- including some with third-row seats -- are becoming more popular because they get better gas mileage than traditional full-size SUVs like this, but none of them offer as much leg and headroom as you get in the back seat of this Toyota. It's really like a limo.

Exterior photo of the 2008 Toyota Sequoia Fullsize Sport Utility Vehicle.

2008 Toyota Sequoia

There are a couple of downsides. For one, the Sequoia I tested was only rated for 13 mpg in town. For another, it just looks bland. The styling is hardly worth mentioning because it's so unoriginal, so lifeless and utilitarian.

Pricing starts around $35,000 for a two-wheel-drive model, which I'd consider a bargain for a vehicle this big and refined. When you start adding options, though, the price quickly reaches luxury territory, as in my $50,000+ tester. For that kind of money, I'd expect a Lexus badge.

Assuming you're well-off enough to afford the gas and you actually need the power and space of a full-size SUV, then it's hard to beat the Sequoia. It's big, powerful and refined.

And it has lots of places for you to hide your valuables.

Pros: It's huge, refined and powerful. If you truly need a big SUV, it's hard to beat this one.