Sport-utility wagons and minivans made by Toyota in 2007 include truck-based and car-based vehicles sorted into eight models. Toyota's largest truck-based SUV is the Sequoia, but Land Cruiser is a full-size wagon and 4Runner fits in the mid-size class. Car-based Toyota wagons include the mid-size Highlander or gas-electric Highlander Hybrid, a compact-size RAV-4 and Sienna the minivan. Then comes the retro-styled FJ Cruiser, a rugged off-road SUV designed for serious work on dirt or pavement.

Super-size Sequoia features vast cabin space organized with three rows of seats for up to eight passengers plus a cargo bay in the rear accessible through a liftgate. For power Sequoia employs Toyota's 4.7-liter i-Force V8 rated at 273 hp. Either conventional rear two-wheel-drive (2WD) or four-wheel-drive (4WD) traction works for Sequoia's two trim designations of SR5 and Limited. Fresh paints apply in 2007 like Super White, and the list of standard equipment for safety grows with items like curtain-style air bags.

Toyota's full-size Land Cruiser SUV also receives curtain-style air bags for 2007 models. The wagon's torque-heavy V8 engine musters 275 hp through a five-speed automatic transmission. A full-time 4WD traction mechanism employs an electronic control unit called Active TRAC which automatically transfers engine torque to wheels that maintain the best grip. There's a tire pressure monitor system (TPMS) aboard, plus options like Active Height Control (AHC-4) for wheel height control and the Toyota Electronic Modulated Suspension (TEMS). A cushy passenger compartment accommodates seven on three tiers of seats.

Toyota's mid-size SUV is a truck-tough vehicle. Powertrain choices include a standard V6 or optional V8. Top version packs the 4.7-liter i-Force V8 for 260 hp and a full-time 4WD system borrowed from Land Cruiser. The base 4.0-liter V6 in 4Runner hits 236 hp. Both 2WD and 4WD versions of 4Runner are available. For the V6 a multi-mode 4WD system with limited-slip center differential can switch between 4WD and 2WD modes. In the cabin the choices include a third-row bench and a navigation system with reverse-view camera.

A retro-styled SUV called FJ Cruiser carves a parking spot in Toyota's 2007 line. The name pays homage to Toyota's legendary Land Cruiser FJ40 from the 1960s. This modern Cruiser is a rugged off-road vehicle where most issues stock 4WD traction, under-chassis protective skid plates and a powerful V6. The aluminum-block 4.0-liter six-pack achieves 239 hp and connects to a six-speed manual shifter or optional five-speed automatic. It also has sophisticated electronic controls like active traction (A-TRAC) and vehicle skid control (VSC) devices. Cruiser's cool cockpit makes seats for five plus cargo space for gear.

Toyota restructured RAV4 in 2006 and returns it for 2007 with standard seat-mounted side air bags up front and curtain-style air bags for outboard seats on two rows. RAV4 has three trim grades and shows a four-cylinder or V6 engine as well as an optional third row of seats tucked into the expanded passenger compartment. Trims include a base RAV4, the tautly-tuned Sport and premium Limited -- and each may be outfitted with the four-cylinder or V6 engine and either 2WD or 4WD traction.

New headlamps dress Toyota's mid-size SUV, which wraps the luxurious ride quality and plush comforts of a refined front-wheel-drive (FWD) sedan in the package of a sleek wagon with four doors and flexible seating on three rows plus cargo space in the back bay. Powertrains range from a 2.4-liter four-pack pushing 155 hp to a 3.3-liter V6 cranked to 215 hp. To increase tire traction, Highlander has an optional all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. Seat-mounted side air bags and roof-mounted curtain air bags are new stock items in Highlander for 2007.

Toyota's seven-passenger hybrid SUV scoots like a V8 vehicle but burns fuel like a four-cylinder compact. It employs the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) powertrain which combines a 3.3-liter V6 with two high-torque electric motors. One turns the front wheels and the other cranks the V6, runs power accessories and recharges batteries. The HSD controls all energy produced by these plants and applies it to the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission (CVT). And for the AWD version, a third electric motor drives the rear wheels. A five-passenger version is also available for 2007.

Toyota's minivan for 2007 earns a new 3.5-liter V6 engine with VVT-i (variable valve timing with intelligence) to produce 268 hp. Sienna trims as CE, LE, XLE and Limited. Each features FWD traction, although the latter three offer optional AWD. In Sienna's cabin, a third-row bench seat is standard, while seats on the second row come in two formats -- buckets or bench. Sienna's third-row seat splits in unequal sections and each side folds into a deep well to fashion a flat floor.