Built on the Escape platform but priced like it earned the Bronco badge, this compact crossover delivers more off-road capability than 90% of its rivals while spending its life explaining it's not the cool two-door. The 8-speed transmission shifts like it's announcing each gear change, a systematic complaint that turns commutes into a counting exercise. Early models (2021-2022) suffered water pump failures on the 1.5L three-cylinder and electrical gremlins that required recalls. If you're buying, skip the base engine entirely and get the 2.0L Badlands, which owners actually trust. It's genuinely capable in snow and mud, gets 30+ mpg highway, and has the boxy practicality crossover shoppers claim to want. But at $33k+ you're paying a heritage tax for a vehicle that shares more with a Maverick than a Wrangler. Buy it if you need real capability in a compact package and can stomach the name confusion. Skip it if you want a Forester's reliability without the identity crisis.
Toyota built a reputation on the 2008-2022 Sequoia's unkillable 5.7L V8, owners routinely cruise past 300k miles on oil changes alone, and one just hit 500k before needing spark plugs. The 2023 redesign looks sharp and the 437-hp hybrid hauls hard, but the cargo area is a mess: the battery placement means the third row won't fold flat, leaving you with a stepped floor where the Tahoe gives you actual usable space. The twin-turbo V6 is unproven long-term, fuel economy still hovers around 16 mpg, and you're paying $75k+ for the privilege. If you need three-row towing muscle and don't mind dated tech, hunt down a clean second-gen and enjoy bulletproof engineering. If you want the new one, load it with your actual gear first, that weird tiered trunk might be a dealbreaker, and at this price the American competition suddenly looks reasonable.