The new Toyota Sequoiais are noticeably more contemporary than the second-generation Sequoia it replaces, which has been on the market for more than a decade. The new Sequoia is powered by the Tundra iForce MAX hybrid engine, which combines a 3.4-litre V6 engine with an electric motor to produce 437 horsepower. Internally, it has a massive touchscreen with the latest software and a three-row interior with seating for eight. Although the Sequoia’s newness allows it to compete with competitors such as the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition, the Toyota’s interior capacity and cargo area limit its use.
Versus the competition: It’s as big as rivals Ford and General Motors. However, the Sequoia’s hybrid powertrain threatens the two main reasons for owning a full-size SUV, resulting in a truck with less third-row comfort and less cargo space.
The 2023 Toyota Sequoia is an all-new car—a full-size SUV that’s bigger, brighter, and more sophisticated than the one it replaces. It shares its fat parts with the Toyota Tundra, the Lexus LX luxury full-size SUV, and the newer yet-to-be Toyota Land Cruiser. It is available in the United States. That means the Sequoia benefits from all the significant improvements made over the Tundra and LX models, such as new, more efficient engines and a more luxurious interior. It sounds sure, but how does Toyota’s new large SUV perform in practice?
Stand out in the crowd.
With its close resemblance to the new Tundra family, there’s no doubt that the new Sequoia is anything but Toyota. It’s massive, bold, and just what most full-size SUV buyers want and expect from a vehicle this size. Inside and out, it’s tank-like—the beltline is high, with squat windows all around and a low roof paired with massive fenders and a massive grille.
The Sequoia comes in five trim levels, starting with the base SR5 model and progressing to the Limited, Platinum, TRD Pro, and top-of-the-line luxury trim levels.
The appearance will appeal to you or not, but it will not go unnoticed. I find it appealing from a futuristic off-road perspective—something new to the market that hasn’t seen much new design. The most prominent participants in this category come from General Motors, where the Chevrolet Tahoe / Suburban and GMC Yukon 2017 are distinguished by a streamlined and elegant design. The Ford Expedition looks the same, except for aerodynamic tweaks to its grille and headlights.
performance, engine, and transmission
The Sequoia comes standard with the iForce MAX hybrid engine, available as an option on the Tundra. This powertrain combines a 3.4-litre twin-turbo V-6 with an electric motor to deliver 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. The Sequoia SUV has the same 10-speed automatic gearbox as the Tundra. Rear-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive available on most models and standard on the off-road-focused TRD Pro.
The Sequoia Capstone sprints to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and reaches the quarter mile in 14.3 seconds at 94 mph. That’s faster than the GMC Yukon Denali Off-road features include updated Fox dampers, a front skid plate, a locking rear differential, and 18-inch wheels with 33-inch tires.
Fuel economy and MPG
The setup makes the new Sequoia Hybrid more fuel-efficient than the old model. The EPA says rear-wheel-drive cars get 21 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 22 mpg overall. If you opt for all-wheel drive, the numbers drop to 19 mpg city, 22 mpg highway, and 20 mpg altogether. When we get a sequoia,
Cargo, interior, and comfort
This new generation Sequoia still has a large interior, with a third row of seats as standard equipment. An eight-passenger second-row seating setup is standard. Second-row captain’s chairs can be added to reduce the number of seats to seven. There isn’t much room in either of the rear rows, especially when the optional panoramic sunroof is added. There are several different trim levels, and as you move up the price ladder, you can choose from cloth to leather upholstery and different levels of wood and chrome trim. Higher trim levels include second-row seats that can be heated or cooled, a panoramic sunroof, and a high-end stereo system. Sequoia’s chest is not as large as its competitors. When the back seat is in use, there are only 12 cubic feet of luggage space, and folding down the third row doesn’t provide a flat floor for cargo.
TRD Sequoia Package
Sequoia gets TRD off-road package for the first time in its history. The optional package should not be confused with the TRD Pro trim level, which has most off-road features, or the SR5’s TRD Sport Sequoia package, a suite of on-road performance upgrades.
The TRD Off-Road package adds a selectable rear differential, Terrain Mode Selector, Descent Control, and Crawl Control, which control the vehicle’s acceleration over rough, low-speed terrain so the driver can focus on steering. It also adds a Terrain Mode Selector to the SR5 and Limited 4WD models. The package has TRD-tuned Bilstein shocks, springs, and a Multi-Terrain Monitor cam system. The red front axle and 18-inch wheels with the box add to the elegance. The TRD package also has aluminium gas, brake pedals, and a red push button to start the engine.
Active Amat features
Toyota’s active safety features are built into the 2023 Sequoia. These features are called Safety Sense 2.5. Standard features of the system include automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, lane centring, and traffic sign recognition. Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic monitoring, and parking sensors are standard on the new Sequoia but are not part of TSS 2.5.
technology
The 2023 Sequoia comes with an 8.0-inch or 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also built-in and work wirelessly. Users can see views from the SUV’s many cameras on the larger screen or the optional digital rearview mirror, such as a top-down view, split rear sight, and trailer hitch view. Toyota is also putting mirrors on the new Sequoia that can fold, extend and retract automatically for the first time. You can pay for a subscription to get built-in navigation.
What’s new?
- Turbo V-6 hybrid powertrain
- Rack-mounted electronic power steering
- Shared platform with new Tundra and global-market Land Cruiser
- Design inside and out
- Drive mode select
- Sliding third row and rear cargo shelf system
- Audio multimedia system
- Range-topping Capstone trim level
- Available rear load-levelling airbag suspension
- Available TRD Off-Road package
- Available power-folding, extending and retracting two mirror
The 2023 Sequoia has five trims this year: SR5, Limited, Platinum, TRD Pro, and the new Capstone model. Check out our complete trim guide right here.
2023 Toyota Sequoia SR5
- Exterior: Moonroof, 18-inch wheels
- Interior: Heated seats, 12.3-inch instrument cluster display
- Performance/Convenience: Turbocharged V-6 hybrid powertrain, 10-speed automatic transmission
2023 Toyota Sequoia Limited
- Exterior: Hands-free power liftgate
- Interior: 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, power-folding third-row, second and third-row manual sunshades
- Performance/Convenience: Heated/ventilated front seats with memory settings, heated steering wheel
2023 Toyota Sequoia Platinum
- Exterior: LED headlights and taillights, rain-sensing wipers
- Interior: Second-row captain’s chairs, 14-speaker JBL premium audio system,
- Performance/Convenience: Heated and ventilated second row, head-up display, wireless charging
2023 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro
- Exterior: TRD roof rack, 1/4-inch aluminium TRD front skid plate, grille with embedded light bar
- Interior: TRD steering wheel, TRD accents on seats, and shift knob
- performance/Convenience: TRD-tuned FOX internal bypass shocks, selectable locking rear differential
2023 Toyota Sequoia Capstone
- Exterior: 22-inch wheels, chrome accents
- Interior: Perforated semi-aniline leather-trimmed seats, open-pore wood accents
- Performance/Convenience: Power running boards, acoustic glass in the front doors
