Standing Tall! The all-new 2023 Toyota Sequoia

Last year, the big news surrounding Toyota was the introduction of the all-new Tundra full-size pickup truck. This year, the buzz around the Japanese automaker is the all-new Sequoia, a vehicle that has hardly changed in the past 15 years and has been one of the oldest vehicle designs on the market. But that all changes this year. Let’s take a look at the all-new from the ground up Toyota Sequoia.

As it has been since day-one, the Sequoia is a full-size, three-row SUV that uses the same body-on-frame architecture and platform as the Tundra pickup. And unlike the previous design which was quite dated, this third-generation Sequoia’s design and features are thoroughly modernized.

Like the Tundra, the Sequoia looks tough. Named after some of the tallest trees in the world and built in Texas, the new Sequoia benefits from a new frame, a new rear suspension, new powertrains, and a more modern interior.

On the outside, the new Sequoia features a huge front grille that paves the way to a bulky, but sculptured body. There are lots of interesting angles and curves, and my particular favorite are the strong creases on the fenders. The new Sequoia is attractive and has a bold presence. When it comes to size, the new Sequoia rides on the same 122.0-inch wheelbase as the old model, but the new model is three inches longer overall.

Underneath, the new Sequoia gives up the independent rear suspension that the previous model had, and has gone back to a more traditional solid rear axle. This change means slightly less interior room, but does increase the Sequoia’s towing capacity from 7400 pounds to 9520 pounds.

Inside, the Sequoia’s new interior features three rows of seats as standard equipment. A second-row bench setup with eight-passenger capacity is standard, with optional second-row captain’s chairs reducing the number of seats to seven. With a wide range of trim levels available, the interior trimmings range from cloth to leather upholstery and varying levels of wood and chrome trim as you move up the price ladder.

The cabin looks durable and rugged with rock-hard plastics used quite a bit. While it doesn’t have an expensive or luxurious look to it, the inside of the Sequoia is very functional and purposeful. The base model (SR5) uses a standard 8-inch touchscreen while all other trim levels get a 14-inch horizontal touchscreen.

There is only one engine available in the new Sequoia, but it’s a stout one – a turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 hybrid that makes 437 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque and comes backed by a 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard on all trims except the TRD Pro, which is four-wheel-drive only. All others offer four-wheel-drive as an option. The new Sequoia with four-wheel drive is rated at 19 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway.

The Sequoia is available in 5 different trim levels. The base SR5 is nicely done with 18-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, three-zone climate control, moonroof and digital instrumentation. Step up to the Limited and wheels become 20-inchers, interior goes from cloth to leather-like, and there is a heated steering wheel. The Platinum gets real leather, power adjustable steering wheel, heated and cooled second row seats, a panaramic sunroof and ambient lighting. For the serious off-roader, the TRD Pro fits the Sequoia with special 18-inch off-road wheels, and a ton of off-road goodies like electronic locking rear differentia, Fox front coilovers, front skid plate and a front stabilizer bar. For the luxury minded, there is the top-of-the-line Capstone model. It gets 22-inch wheels, premium leather upholstery with wood trim, a heads-up display and better sound insulation.

The tester arrived as a TRD-Pro with a Solar Octane (orange) exterior and black interior. It has an MSRP of $80,591.

As I noted when I first drove the new Tundra a few months back, with the turbocharged V6, a V8 isn’t missed one bit. The new powertrain has gobs of power. Plant your foot at any speed, and the transmission wastes no time kicking down a gear or two and propelling the Sequoia forward. And those that like the rumble of a V8 will be pleasantly surprised that the sounds emitted by the exhaust is so throaty you’d be hard-pressed to identify it as anything but a V8.

On the road, the Sequoia drives and rides just like it looks. It’s a big tough SUV and it rides like one – meaning you are going to feel bumps and road imperfections inside. This isn’t some car-based SUV and it doesn’t try to be one.

The all-new Sequoia has been a long time coming – but it has been worth the wait. The old Sequoia wasn’t much competition for other full-size SUVs like the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition. That certainly changes with the new Sequoia. Whether the new Sequoia is better than those, it’s hard to say, but there is no doubt Toyota die-hards will find plenty to enjoy in the 2023 Toyota Sequoia.
– Christopher A. Randazzo

By The Numbers:

2023 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro Hybrid

Base Price: $76,000.00
Price as Tested: $80,591.00
Layout: front-engine / four-wheel drive
Engine: 3.4 liter twin turbocharged V6 with electric motor Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Horsepower: 437 horsepower
Torque: 538 ft/lbs
EPA Fuel Economy: 19 city / 22 highway

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