After what seemed like an eternity, 14 years to be specific, Toyota finally decided to overhaul its aging Sequoia from the ground up. In fact, the outgoing model first went on sale all the way back in 2008. The 2023 Toyota Sequoia broke cover earlier this year in January and as anticipated, it shares a lot with the Tundra Pick-up. From the time we first laid eyes on the new Sequoia, it became clear that big, brawny, and brash is what Toyota was going for with their full-size three-row SUV.
The new Toyota Sequoia rides on the TNGA platform shared with the Tundra, the Lexus LX 600, and the Land Cruiser 300 Series which unfortunately isn’t coming State-side. So you'll instead have to settle for the Sequoia. This new platform also brings with it, better structural rigidity that helps reduce mass and weight. The third generation Sequoia brings significant updates to what’s under the hood, beefier styling along with a tech-laden and functional interior.
2023 Toyota Sequoia Performance and Capability
The 2023 Toyota Sequoia is available in five trims:
- SR5
- Limited
- Platinum
- TRD Pro
- Capstone
Engine down-sizing owing to tighter emission norms is the name of the game these days and that's also true for the new Sequoia. The 5.7-liter V-8 has left the building and in its place comes a new V-6, as we saw on the new Tundra, the Land Cruiser 300, and the Lexus LX 600.
A 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 'i-Force Max' with a 48-volt hybrid-assisted engine will power the 2023 Toyota Sequoia. It produces 437 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. The transmission is a 10-speed automatic. The electric motor works up to speeds of 18 MPH before the gas engine kicks in. Toyota hasn't disclosed the gas mileage yet, but you can expect them to be far better than the old V-8's pitiful numbers.
All trims in the Sequoia lineup will feature a two-wheel-drive system out of the box, except for the TRD Pro, which comes standard with a four-wheel-drive. However, an optional part-time four-wheel drive is available across all grades. This system relies on a transfer case and you can switch between two or four-wheel drive by using the lever on the center console. You also get a range of modes that'll alter the driving characteristics of the Sequoia.
The driving modes include:
- Eco
- Normal
- Sport
- Sport +
- Comfort
The new Sequoia has an independent front suspension and a multi-link rear setup for enhanced ride comfort. Adaptive dampers and a load-leveling rear air suspension system will be available as options.
The SUV’s maximum towing capacity has significantly increased over the outgoing model and Toyota’s new rig can now haul up to 9,000 pounds. This is 1,600 pounds more than that of the 7,400-pound towing capacity of the 2022 Sequoia. An optional Tow-Tech Package, which comes standard on TRD Pro and Capstone trims, gives you access to a host of additional features like a Trailer backup guide and Straight path assist.
The TRD Pro, which is the most rugged variant in the 2023 Sequoia range comes with additional cosmetic and hardware upgrades.
It includes:
- Unique aluminum skid plates
- Roofrack
- Mult-terrain select
- Crawl control
- Fox-tuned shocks
- Downhill assist
- 18-inch TRD Exclusive alloy wheels
- TRD accents in the cabin
- TRD Pro Exhaust tips
Exterior Design
The long shelf-life of the old Sequoia meant that it was really starting to show its age and the three-row family SUV genuinely needed a thorough makeover. Its soft and bland design wasn’t really going to win any beauty pageants, was it now? In 2022, people yearn for edgy and outdoorsy styling from their SUVs, and that’s exactly what Toyota has done to this latest generation of the Sequoia.
It comes as no surprise that the new Sequoia borrows a lot from the Tundra. The two vehicles don’t just look similar up front, but they actually share some components and sheet metal including the hood, the fenders, and those LED headlights. The grille and front bumper with LED foglights though, are unique to the Tundra and change slightly depending on the trim you choose. The TRD Pro obviously has the most rugged look, while the Capstone model features the blingiest face of the bunch.
Moving onto the side profile and you’ve got chiseled lines that break up the bodywork over the fenders along with squared-off wheel arches. These fender flares are body-colored or black depending upon the trim you choose.
The Limited and Capstone trims will come with chrome around the windows and the door handles. You have a big glass house, which should be great for letting in an ample amount of light into the cabin.
Each trim gets its own wheel design, with the smallest available size being 18-inches. You can equip the base SR5 trim with the optional TRD Sport package that gets you bigger 20-inch matte black rims, along with TRD-tuned springs and Bilstein Monotube shocks. The Capstone gets the biggest rims at 22-inches finished in chrome and an electric running board.
It's the rear where the Sequoia really distinguishes itself from the Tundra pickup. It has a pair of unique wrap-around Lexus-like tail lights. Despite being very large, Toyota's clever design ensures that it doesn't appear to be a flat wall. Under the license plate, the word "Sequoia", is spelled out so that folks on the road know, exactly what they’re looking at.
Overall, Toyota has done a splendid job with the styling of the new Sequoia. This is a family SUV that is finally interesting to look at. Its modern and contemporary lines mean that the design is now far more cohesive with other SUVs and trucks in Toyota’s portfolio.
The 2023 Sequoia comes in 11 exterior shades. One of them is exclusive to the TRD Pro trim:
- White
- Wind Chill Pearl
- Celestial Silver
- Lunar Rock
- Magnetic Gray Metallic
- Blueprint
- Army Green
- Midnight Black Metallic
- Smoked Mesquite
- Supersonic Red
- Solar Octane (TRD Pro-exclusive)
Interior Quality and Technology
The interior of the 2023 Sequoia is a far cry compared to the old one and once again, there is a lot that's borrowed from the Tundra. Let’s begin with that dashboard, which is straight out of the Tundra, which means you find the same-squared-off design.
Based on the trim you choose, you get soft-touch materials and good use of aluminum, and even real wood accents with LED ambient lighting, which works well against the leather the dash found on higher trims.
To further isolate you from the outside world, the top-spec Capstone trim comes with acoustic glass as well. Lower variants come with cloth seats, while higher trims include leather-appointed upholstery. For real leather, you have to step it up to the top-of-the-line Capstone trim.
As for passenger accommodation, either seven or eight-seater versions are available. The front seats are well-bolstered and are proper full-sized chairs. For the second row, the base trims have a bench seat that reclines, while the higher trims get you captain's chairs.
Toyota has also slightly modified the bench in the third row. You can slide the third row by six inches and open up more room in the cargo area, however, it's not the most spacious third row out there, thanks to the battery pack that lies underneath.
Onto the trunk now and Toyota has included a really functional multi-step parcel shelf that will allow you to maintain a flat surface while hauling stuff. You get 18.9 cubic feet of cargo space, which opens up to 120 cubic feet with all seats down. This is 33 cubic feet more than before.
Household-style 120-volt power outlets are present in the second row and cargo area, while USB A and USB C ports are present in all three rows. While you can no longer roll down the window on the tailgate, Toyota now gives you the ability to open the rear windshield, separate from the hatch, giving you easier access to the trunk.
The technology on the Sequoia is now bang up to date and behind the hefty four-spoke steering wheel lies a 12.3-inch digital driver's instrument panel, that is standard across the range. The base SR5 and Limited trims feature an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, but you’ll find an impressive 14-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen system from the Limited trim and up.
You also get a plethora of cameras that give you a 360-degree view of the outside displayed on this central screen. There’s also support for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android auto. In addition, Toyota offers voice recognition technology that responds to the phrase "Hey Toyota.” Now naturally, features vary from trim to trim, and Toyota has saved certain features for the top-tier trims.
The Platinum trim includes:
- Heated and ventilated seats
- Second-row captain's chairs
- 14-speaker JBL audio system
- Wireless charging
- Panoramic moonroof
- A head-up display
- Rain-sensing wipers
2023 Toyota Sequoia Price and Availability
Prices for the base 2023 Toyota Sequoia SR5 trim with the TRD Package in 4x2 guise, start at an MSRP of $58,300 excluding destination. Now that's just shy of $8,000 more than the outgoing model. For a top-spec Capstone model with some options, you should easily be looking at a number close to $80,000.
So you get a lot more kit with the new Sequoia, but it will cost you a pretty penny, which is its biggest catch. The 2023 Sequoia was due to go on sale in Summer 2022, which means, you should begin to see them show up at a Toyota dealer near you soon.
Safety
The 2023 Toyota Sequoia comes with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 as standard. This suite of safety and driver-assistance features includes:
- Automatic High Beams
- Blind Spot Monitor
- Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
- Emergency Steering Assist
- Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automatic Braking
- Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist
- Lane Tracing Assist
- Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection
- Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Rear Seat Reminder
- Road Sign Assist
Main Competition
The Toyota Sequoia's chief rivals include the Chevrolet Tahoe and the Ford Expedition. In the base trim, the Chevy can't tow as much as the Toyota; 8,200 pounds, but the Ford comes close at 9300 pounds. Also, both American SUVs offer significantly roomier cabins as opposed to the Sequoia and if third-row seating is a priority, there are better options out there. You can also include the aging Nissan Armada and if you're at the top-tier Capstone trim, you can easily get into a Jeep Wagoneer for similar money.
To summarize, the 2023 Toyota Sequoia is now vastly improved compared to before and is worthy of wearing the Sequoia badge. It's no longer the boring, forgettable family hauler that we have come to know of it over the years. Instead, this latest generation brings more power and promises better efficiency compared to its predecessor. It is all set to shake up the full-size three-row SUV space and you'll be lucky if you can get your hands on one, early.