The Toyota Sequoia has grown bigger and more refined, with greatly improved fuel economy and increased driver-assistance and technology features as part of a sweeping makeover that sees the SUV migrate to the automaker’s new F1 global light-truck platform.
The big SUV’s first major redesign in more than a decade should allow the Sequoia to better compete against large body-on-frame SUVs such as the GMC Yukon, Jeep Wagoneer and Ford Expedition.
The 2023 Toyota Sequoia goes on sale late this summer priced from $59,795, including shipping. The three-row, body-on-frame SUV comes standard with Toyota’s new iForce Max hybridized powertrain that debuted on the 2022 Tundra full-size pickup. It was designed and engineered specifically to improve power and torque instead of just fuel economy.
The iForce Max powertrain produces a maximum 437 hp and 583 pound-feet of torque from a twin-turbo V-6 engine and 10-speed automatic transmission, giving the Sequoia an improved maximum towing rating of 9,000 pounds, up 22 percent from the outgoing model.
Fuel economy is expected to be similar to the two-wheel-drive hybrid Tundra’s 20 city/24 highway/22 combined mpg.
The Sequoia is produced alongside the Tundra in San Antonio and will be available in five trim packages — SR5, Limited, Platinum, TRD Pro and Capstone. It rides on 18-, 20- or 22-inch wheels, depending on trim level.
The interior underwent a major revamp, highlighted by a standard 8-inch or optional 14-inch infotainment touch screen featuring Toyota’s latest audio multimedia system, developed in-house in Texas and rolling out on other models over the next several years.
Toyota recently invited journalists to get behind the wheel of the Sequoia in Texas and we’ve collected some early reviews.
“The iForce Max is an impressive drivetrain offering plenty of grunt, especially when trying to keep up with fast-moving Texas freeway traffic. It’s more than capable of making an easy 90-mile-per-hour pass, the hybrid V-6 issuing a menacing exhaust rumble. At cruising speeds you might forget you’re in a high-riding SUV, especially in the Capstone which adds acoustic noise-reducing glass.
“Out in cattle country I had the chance to hitch a 2023 Toyota Sequoia Limited up to a 5,000-pound Airstream trailer. The hybrid drivetrain had no trouble keeping up with traffic. But the Sequoia suffered from a surprising amount of trailer sway, despite its anti-sway feature. It proved the only serious complaint I had all day.
“On the plus side, the Sequoia I drove featured multiple cameras and other features that made it easier to hitch up and back up a trailer as big as the Airstream.
“My day wrapped up with a run on the track’s back 40, set up with a moderately challenging off-road course. There, a TRD Pro made child’s play of uneven surfaces, as well as a rock climb and a water hazard. I was particularly impressed with the way the e-LSD and suspension kept the SUV pointed in the right direction, even when flogging it on a tight, high-speed dirt trail.”
— Paul Eisenstein, The Detroit Bureau
” The new Sequoia feels only moderately accomplished on the road. The hybrid powertrain and its attendant 10-speed automatic transmission are plenty smooth and powerful when you mash the accelerator, but the rest of the Sequoia’s driving behavior makes it feel every bit like the shipping-container-sized SUV that it is — in other words, unwieldy. It feels extra wide, making it harder to place in a lane than we’d like, a trait that’s worsened by steering that’s rather light in effort. Its brake pedal also feels squishy on initial application, which isn’t a boon for driver confidence.
“Rivals from General Motors are the current benchmark for large-SUV dynamics, what with their firm brake pedals, relatively communicative steering, and greater sense of what passes for agility in this segment. The Sequoia, on the other hand, seems to lean on ride quality as its strength over its Chevrolet and GMC analogues. Cruising in the Toyota’s Platinum and Limited trims, we were impressed with their isolation from the road, and save for some minor wind whistling around the large exterior mirrors, their cabins remained quiet and peaceful. Rear air springs and adaptive dampers, as opposed to coil springs and passive dampers, are optional on Platinum and Capstone models, though they mostly serve a load-leveling function. On the open road, we couldn’t detect any significant difference between the two setups.”
— Drew Dorian, Car and Driver
“Compared to its key rivals, the Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon, Ford Expedition and Jeep Wagoneer, the Sequoia boasts the most torque, the best fuel economy and the most towing capacity of any of those gas-powered SUVs. The exception being the diesel Tahoe, which can manage 22 to 24 mpg combined, but does take more expensive fuel and makes significantly less power.
“There are some highlights on the road, too. The hybrid V-6 is superb. It’s incredibly smooth and quiet, or at least extremely well insulated from the cabin. The cabin in general is very quiet, particularly higher trims with the additional acoustic glass. Press the throttle, and the electric motor and turbo engine coordinate to provide smooth, effortless torque, which keeps coming all through the rev range. Push it harder, and you get a deep, throaty growl. It’s even louder in the TRD Pro, which gets a cat-back exhaust. It thankfully doesn’t change the tone, and the volume remains low enough to not annoy yourself or your neighbors. And considering the droney, nasal noises other V-6s (looking at you F-150 Raptor and 4Runner TRD Pro, among others), this is quite impressive. Furthermore, the smart, gentle-shifting automatic doesn’t bring attention to itself. The only exception is the occasional double-downshift due to its many ratios, but it’s still a step above Ford’s often out-of-step transmissions.”
— Joel Stocksdale, Autoblog
“The 2023 Sequoia’s 9,520-pound towing capacity is a whopping 2,100 more than the old model, and more than competing SUVs offer.
“I towed a boat that weighed about 7,500 pounds about 15 miles through rolling countryside on a two-lane road. Acceleration was outstanding, but trailer sway was very noticeable, despite the largely straight route and smooth surface. My experience with the competitors suggests they’ll be less nerve-wracking over a long day’s haul.
“The Sequoia handled on a short off-road course that included several short steep hills, piles of dirt and fording water up to around the bottom of the doors. The drivetrain requires you to stop and shift into neutral before shifting from rear-drive to four-wheel high, and then again from four high to low. Most competitors allow you to shift from rear- to four-wheel drive on the fly. They all have to come to a stop before accessing the low range.”
— Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press
“The new platform makes the Sequoia a more comfortable SUV while keeping its trucky feeling intact. The outgoing Sequoia was criticized for its old-school ride and handling (and, well, its old everything), but the 2023 model vastly improves all that. With a new independent front suspension and a live rear axle replacing the former Sequoia’s independent rear suspension — technically a step backward, especially as more competitors in the full-size SUV space are moving to adopt independent rears — the Sequoia somehow feels more planted and smoother.
“Despite the Toyota’s big body, hard cornering doesn’t provoke as much body roll. An optional rear air suspension makes the ride a bit floatier and helps with load leveling when towing (the maximum is 9,000 pounds), while the larger wheel sizes on uplevel trims (especially the 22-inchers on the range-topping Capstone model) compromise ride quality somewhat. You’ll feel a juddering sensation on imperfect roads as the suspension contends with those wheels’ mass and low-profile tires. We drove a base SR5 model with 20-inch wheels and noted a better ride compared to the top-trim Capstone’s 22-inch wheels, and the 18-inchers standard on the SR5 and included with the TRD Off Road package ride better still.”
— Miguel Cortina, MotorTrend
“Like the Tundra, the new Sequoia drives very well. The twin-turbo V-6 is smooth and powerful, paired with a seamless-shifting, linear-feeling 10-speed automatic transmission. While it does at least theoretically improve fuel economy, the electric motor is tuned for torque delivery. The new TNGA platform brings a fully-boxed frame for better rigidity and a standard rear multi-link coil suspension for improved ride quality.
“The result is a composed and competent highway cruiser. With all that torque, overtakes are effortless. And though it’s not a Lexus, the Sequoia is quiet at high speeds with standard acoustic windshield glass (the Capstone grade throws that on the front side windows, too). You do get the customary array of drive modes — the number varies by trim — but there’s not much reason to shift out of normal mode.
“Don’t worry about losing that big SUV feel with the Sequoia because it’s not dainty. The TRD Pro and Capstone 4×4 Sequoias check in north of 6,100 lbs. That’s around 500 pounds heavier than the Tundra. And it’s 300 pounds more than the outgoing J200 Land Cruiser, affectionately nicknamed the Land Crusher. You’ll feel that weight if you enter a corner too hot or exceed its comfort zones.
“Toyota does not have EPA fuel economy figures for the Sequoia yet. They expect the EPA numbers to be around the Tundra hybrid’s 19 mpg city and 22 mpg highway rating. I saw about 15 mpg and 19 mpg in each scenario, which is about what I achieved in the Tundra.”
— Tyler Duffy, Gear Patrol
“Gone is the pedestrian, mid-2000s design language in favor of a more modern, tougher look. With headlights and a hood shared with the Tundra, the Sequoia’s style is handsome and has the truck-like vibes that people love on their SUVs. The rear three-quarter angle is a bit too lifted-Sienna for my taste, but that’s nothing more than a personal qualm. This SUV looks better than ever.
“It’s bigger, too. The Sequoia is longer by 3.0 inches, despite having the same wheelbase as before. However, the Toyota is still slightly smaller than both the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition, so if either of those can fit in your garage, so can this. But even with a larger footprint, Sequoia’s interior doesn’t benefit.
“The look and feel of this interior is a huge step up, with materials that feel on par with and as durable as its American rivals. But quality is not the problem — space is.
“Because of the hybrid system that sits beneath the second and third rows, Toyota was at a disadvantage with packaging. The middle chairs don’t slide backward or forward, so passengers are limited to just 39.2 inches of legroom, three inches less than in a Tahoe. Additionally, the panoramic sunroof’s blind sits in a bump in the ceiling right above your head, so headroom feels super tight.”
— Clint Simone, motor1.com
“The 2023 Toyota Sequoia is better in just about every way. It has a much improved powertrain that promises to be far more fuel-efficient. The engine is stronger and the driving experience more refined. Technology now matches what a buyer expects in a new vehicle. And the cabin is comfortable and quiet.
“A first drive of the new Sequoia found that it is planted on the road and has plenty of acceleration for a big vehicle.
“Despite the upgrades, there are still a few kinks. A tall person, for example, might not be comfortable in the second row of seats because the moonroof mechanism intrudes too far into the headroom.
“Cargo space is limited by the placement of the battery used for the hybrid powertrain. And most won’t find the third row useful for seating when in the most forward position to provide the most cargo space.”
— Jerry Hirsch, Trucks.com