I have  always had a special place in my heart for Toyota. Of the four cars that my mother has owned in her lifetime, three of them were from the Japanese automaker’s family. To me, Toyota’s have always been cute, reliable, a to a degree, fun.

And I could use those three words (cute, reliable, and fun) to describe the 2016 Toyota Sequoia. Except those aren’t the three best words to describe the car. Because it is a monster.

Yes. A Monster. A sexy monster, a user-friendly monster, a well-equipped monster, but a monster because of its size and command of the road. I feared nothing while driving this car, and even felt that other drivers were cautious when the Sequoia was on the road.

This car did not disappoint. The ride is clearly that of a luxury vehicle with smooth turns and soft glides when coming in contact with bumps on the road. With seating for 8, there was more than enough room for my family of four. And with one USB port, and four additional charging ports, it passed the test of the tween and teens in my life.

The 2016 Toyota Sequoia passed the test of the tween and teens in my life.

So, what about the gas mileage? The Sequoia gets about 13 miles per gallon in the city and 17 on the highway. That is pretty standard for large SUVs. The Buick Enclave does boast a slightly better gas mileage but  with a smaller engine. This is after all, a V8. The benefit to driving a vehicle with a V8 engine is the smoother driving performance.

V8 equals power on this machine

As a mommy mobile, this car works. The center console next to the driver allows for 8″x11″ hanging file folders. The middle seat on the second row can fold down, giving the look and space of bucket seats to passengers. And my favorite was a small, pop down rear view mirror that allowed me to keep an eye on the kids while we were riding. (By keep an eye on, I actually mean look at them while trying to gain their attention above the music playing on their headphones.

The kids and I did feel a little strange at first climbing into the car. We did have to step up and mount the seat as if we entering an 18-wheeler. While that was different from the everyday feel of my Mazda minivan, it was not a nuisance. By Day 3 of our time with the car, we were jumping in and out with no problem.

And cargo space? There is enough room to accommodate luggage and extra travel bags with the third row intact while maintaining clear vision for the driver.

After closing the hatch and slightly adjusting some of the bags, I was able to see clearly while driving.

For the month of November, Toyota is giving $1,000 cash back on the purchase of a new 2016 Sequoia Special Edition.This offer may be regional and could vary by dealerships. For more information, and to find the closest participating dealer near you, visit www.toyota.com/sequoia or access the e-brochure here.

Disclosure: I was asked to drive this vehicle in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own.