Toyota Sequoia – How Toyota's Flagship SUV Fills The Land Cruiser’s Shoes

And, just like that, the 2023 Sequoia has now become the flagship Toyota SUV in the U.S. How, you ask? Well, the Japanese giant pulled the plug on the Land Cruiser Stateside and decided not to bring the new LC 300. Instead, we got the new Lexus LX, which is essentially an LC 300 in a different skin. However, this left a vacuum at the top of Toyota’s SUV lineup, which meant the Sequoia had to step up and fill the huge boots of the Land Cruiser. The Sequoia has been around for a long time and has loyal fans out there, but does it have in it to sit with the crown and be called the flagship SUV of the world’s most successful brand?

All-New For 2023 Model

Toyota milked the Sequoia to a point where even the automaker got tired of it. At a time when we have new generations of vehicles come in every 5-7 years, Toyota continued with the same Sequoia for 14 years! But, for the 2023 model, the Sequoia is refreshed and redesigned on the inside, outside, and under the skin. The 2023 Toyota Sequoia is based on the same TNGA-F platform as the new Tundra,. The same platform also underpins the new Lexus LX as well as the Land Cruiser 300. The Toyota Sequoia 2023 will be offered in five trims: SR5, Limited, Platinum, TRD Pro, and Capstone.

A Flagship Trim For The New Flagship SUV

Until the 2022 model, the Platinum was the top-spec trim on the Sequoia. This time around, Toyota has introduced a new flagship trim called the Capstone. It is based on the Platinum trim and comes with other specs and creature comforts like:

- 22-inch dark chrome and machine-finished alloy wheels

- Acoustic glass in front doors

- 10-way adjustable front-row seats

- Semi-aniline leather-trimmed upholstery

- 14-inch touchscreen system

- Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

- 14-speaker JBL sound system

- LED mood lighting

- American Walnut with an open-pore finish

- ‘Capstone’ logo on the dash

The V-8 Makes Way For An Efficient V-6

Toyota has been replacing its V-8 mills with V-6 engines that are not just more fuel-efficient, but also more powerful. The automaker has plonked in a 3.5-liter, twin-turbo V-6 ‘i-Force Max’ hybrid-assisted mill under the Sequoia’s hood. It makes 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque and is paired with a 10-speed automatic gearbox. There’s a unique motor generator within the bell housing between the engine and the 10-speed automatic gearbox. This engine will help deliver up to 21 miles in the city and 24 miles on the highway for every gallon of fuel consumed.

To put things into perspective, the 2022 Toyota Sequoia was powered by a 5.7-liter V-8 engine that made 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. It delivered 13 mpg in the city and 17 mpg on the highway; a lot lesser than the new V-6 engine’s figures.

Four-Wheel-Drive System Offered On All Trims

Toyota will offer the 2023 Sequoia TRD Pro with a four-wheel-drive system as standard. All other trims will have four-wheel drive as optional. As for the suspension setup, the three-row SUV comes with an independent suspension at the front and a multi-link setup at the rear. Load-leveling rear air system and adaptive dampers will be available as options.

Spacious, Tech-Heavy Interior

The cabin has gone from utility to upscale with the 2023 model in a bid to assert its place as a flagship SUV. From seven-inch touchscreens on the previous model, the new Sequoia now comes with a 14-inch touchscreen system on the center console on the higher trims and an eight-inch touchscreen on the lower trims. It supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and comes with voice assistance that activates when you say “Hey Toyota”. There’s also a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster placed behind the steering wheel. Opt for the higher trims and you’ll receive things like:

- Panoramic moonroof

- Wireless charging

- Heated and ventilated seats

- 14-inch JBL audio system

- Head-up display

- Rain-sensing wipers

The Toyota Sequoia 2023 can be had either with a seven-seat or an eight-seat arrangement. This is courtesy of the captain’s chairs in the second row on the higher models. Fabric and leather upholstery are also things that differentiate the lower trims from the higher ones. The third-row bench can slide up to six inches this time around, thus making this comfortable for the people you stuff there. The seats can be folded down to fit into an adjustable cargo shelf as well.

Interior Dimensions

Seating Capacity	7 / 8
Headroom (front / 2nd row / 3rd row)	34.8 in / 34.9 in / 34.5 in
Legroom (front / 2nd row / 3rd row)	42.5 in / 40.9 in / 35.3 in
Shoulder room (front / 2nd row)	66.4 in / 65.6 in
Cargo Room	18.9 cu-ft

New Design Philosophy

The Sequoia was one of those SUVs that you wouldn’t give a second look to. But, things have changed now and it looks a lot more aggressive and sharper than the model it replaces. Shrugging off its 14-year-old skin, the 2023 Sequoia is chiseled and an absolute looker. Up front, it comes with a new set of headlights and a wider grille. Overall, it now looks a lot similar to the Tundra.

At the rear, the three-row SUV now features horizontal taillights that stretched and make the entire derriere look sweet. The automaker will offer it in 11 exterior shades:

- White

- Wind Chill Pearl

- Celestial Silver

- Lunar Rock

- Magnetic Gray Metallic

- Blueprint

- Army Green

- Midnight Black Metallic

- Smoked Mesquite

- Supersonic Red

A Solar Octane shade is also offered, but it is exclusive to the TRD Pro trim.

Exterior Dimensions

Length	208.1 in
Width	79.6 in
Height	74.2 in - 77.7 in
Wheelbase	122 in
Ground Clearance	8.7 in - 9.9 in
Curb Weight	5620 - 6185 lbs

Tow 26-Percent More Than Before

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia can tow up to 9,520 pounds. This is a 26-percent increase over the 2022 Sequoia’s maximum towing capacity of up to 7,400 pounds.

Go Off-Roading With The Reinvigorated TRD Pro Trim

The TRD Pro trim continues to highlight the Sequoia’s off-roading prowess. It features:

- Dual TRD Pro exhaust tip

- A 1/4-inch aluminum TRD front skid plate

- TRD-tuned FOX internal bypass shocks

- Standard selectable locking rear differential

- Multi-Terrain Select

- Crawl Control and Downhill Assist Control

Apart from all this, it also comes with certain exterior and interior features. These include:

- An exclusive Heritage-inspired “TOYOTA” grille with an embedded TRD light bar and marker lights

- 18-inch, Pro-specific black TRD alloy wheels

- TRD roof rack

- Captain’s chairs for the second row

- TRD heated steering wheel and TRD accents on the seats and shift knob

Off-Road Packages Are Also Available

If the TRD Pro is a little too off-road-centric for you, you can opt for either of the two TRD-specific packages – the TRD Sport or the TRD Off-road. The TRD Sport is available only on the SR5 trim and it includes:

- TRD sport-tuned Bilstein monotube shocks

- TRD-tuned springs

- 20-inch matte-black TRD wheels

- Aluminum pedals inside the cabin

- Red TRD push-button start

- Starts at $2,195

The TRD Off-Road package, on the other hand, can be had on either the SR5 or the Limited 4x4 trim. This comes with a lot more goodies like:

- Unique 18-inch alloy wheels

- Selectable locking rear differential

- Multi-Terrain Select

- Downhill Assist

- Crawl Control

- Multi-Terrain Monitor

- TRD-tuned Bilstein monotube shock absorbers

- TRD-tuned springs

- Red front axle

- Aluminum pedals

- TRD push-button start button

- Starts at $470

Top-Spec Model For Nearly 80 Grand!

Here’s how the 2023 Toyota Sequoia is priced:

- SR5 - $58,300

- Limited - $64,700

- Platinum - $70,900

- TRD Pro - $76,900

- Capstone - $75,300

This is a steep jump from the prices of the 2022 Sequoia, which shows that Toyota is treating it as a premium, flagship SUV. For your reference, here’s how the 2022 Sequoia was priced:

- SR5 - $50,500

- TRD Sport - $53,215

- Limited - $59,520

- Nightshade Special Edition - $60,605

- TRD Pro - $64,625

- Platinum - $66,550

2023 Toyota Sequoia Specs

Engine Displacement	3.5-Liter V-6
Horsepower	437 hp
Torque	583 lb-ft
Transmission	10-Speed Automatic
Drive	RWD / AWD
Towing Capacity	9,520 pounds

FAQ

Q: Is Toyota discontinuing the Sequoia?

No, Toyota is not discontinuing the Sequoia. In fact, we got an all-new 2023 model that comes with loads of changes on the outside, inside, and under the skin. It is now the flagship model in Toyota’s lineup, too.