Professionals: Cool TRD Professional trim stage; potential above-average gasoline economic system; aggressive towing capability
Cons: Poor cargo area; Capstone’s teeth-chattering experience; comparatively cumbersome dealing with; iffy worth
The 2023 Toyota Sequoia represents the primary full redesign of Toyota’s full-size SUV since George W. Bush was president. It ought to subsequently not be stunning that it’s vastly improved within the areas of engine effectivity (it has a twin-turbo hybrid V6), inside high quality and know-how. The design is actually extra trendy, too, whereas the 2023 Sequoia TRD Professional is an much more succesful mountain goat.
Hassle is, the Sequoia has truly fallen backward in key respects. It’s a bit smaller on the skin, which exacerbates the inside packaging points brought on by the hybrid battery and a swap to an old-school strong rear axle versus its predecessors’ impartial rear. The result’s a cramped third-row seat in a section the place full-size adults ought to be capable of comfortably match, and a shrunken, extraordinarily compromised cargo space. That strong rear axle does the Sequoia’s dealing with no favors, both, and when paired with to the Capstone’s monumental 23-inch wheels, leads to a teeth-chattering experience that’s fairly frankly surprising for one thing that prices almost $80,000.
Pricing is one other concern. Despite the fact that the Sequoia is smaller, much less purposeful and customarily much less aggressive than the Ford Expedition, Jeep Wagoneer and GM’s Tahoe and Yukon siblings, it usually prices extra. Perhaps it may very well be argued a hybrid powertrain ought to come at a premium, however its effectivity benefit is negligible, and we positive weren’t getting shut to twenty mpg in our testing. In brief, the brand new Sequoia just isn’t well worth the 15-year wait.
Inside & Expertise | Passenger & Cargo House | Efficiency & Gas Economic system
What it is wish to drive | Pricing & Trim Ranges | Crash Scores & Security Options
What’s new for 2023?
The Sequoia is totally redesigned for the primary time in additional than a decade. You may learn extra about these adjustments in our 2023 Toyota Sequoia first drive evaluation.
What are the Sequoia inside and in-car know-how like?
The Sequoia shares its cabin design with the Tundra full-size truck. It actually doesn’t undergo for that reality by way of aesthetics, nevertheless it maybe explains why you’ll discover a number of extra laborious plastics inside than a Chevy Tahoe or Jeep Wagoneer. Higher trim ranges do spruce issues up, together with the TRD Professional’s uncommon pink camouflage print seats (under proper) or the Capstone’s ritzy mixture of open-pore wooden trim, black seats and white leatherette inside trim (above, under left).
Normal on most trim ranges is a gigantic 14-inch touchscreen (the bottom SR5 will get an 8-inch unit). The working system is the latest Toyota has to supply, that includes vivid, minimalist graphics and pure speech recognition. It is responsive and runs rapidly. The shortcut icons on the facet closest to the motive force are simple to achieve, however they sadly disappear once you use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which means you need to click-click-click to flee the Apple/Android interfaces reasonably than utilizing a easy House button like Toyota used to function. There are different annoyances we found, notably with the radio operation, that may make the brand new system much less user-friendly than what you’d discover in a Tahoe/Yukon, Expedition, Wagoneer and their luxurious variants.
How huge is the Sequoia?
As a full-size SUV, the Sequoia is clearly monumental on the skin in comparison with a crossover just like the Highlander and even an SUV just like the 4Runner. It’s smaller than its American full-size SUV opponents on the skin, nevertheless, and packaging points on the rear make it even smaller inside. Fairly merely, the Sequoia’s third-row seat and cargo space will not be aggressive.
Whereas totally grown teenagers and adults can comfortably match within the third row of a Tahoe/Yukon, Expedition or Wagoneer, the Sequoia is greatest suited to these of smaller stature, and even then for shorter journeys solely. It’s extra akin to what you’d discover in a three-row crossover, albeit with the next step-in top. Now, it does uniquely slide fore and aft, however that’s extra for the sake of cargo area.
Regardless of that function, cargo area is extraordinarily compromised. The largest concern is that the third row doesn’t fold flat into the ground as its opponents’ do, nor can or not it’s eliminated. The result’s principally a stage in your belongings that requires a big elevate and lean in to achieve. With the third-row in use, area shrinks to a level bested by many massive three-row crossovers. And true, you’ll be able to slide that third row ahead to unencumber further area, however you’re simply shrinking the third row even additional and the outcome nonetheless falls wanting what you’ll be able to match within the American opponents. Toyota no less than got here up with a intelligent multi-level cargo ground and partition system, however this largely looks like a workaround for a elementary flaw.
What are the Sequoia gasoline economic system and efficiency specs?
Each Sequoia will get a hybrid powertrain dubbed i-Pressure Max. It consists of a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 and a single electrical motor sandwiched between the engine and a 10-speed computerized transmission. It’s a essentially completely different design than Toyota’s conventional, efficiency-oriented hybrids. Certainly, whereas the Sequoia does obtain above-average EPA gasoline economic system estimates, its efficiency advantages are the larger deal: 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque. Torque specifically betters its gas-powered GM, Ford and Jeep rivals. Its 9,520-pound towing capability additionally eclipses them.
Gas economic system additionally bests them at 21 mpg metropolis, 24 mpg freeway and 22 mpg mixed with customary rear-wheel drive, or 19/22/20 mpg with elective four-wheel drive. In the true world, nevertheless, we didn’t come remotely near that, averaging round 16 mpg in a mixture of freeway and suburban driving.
What is the Sequoia wish to drive?
Though the Sequoia is a hybrid, you’d be laborious pressed to inform whereas driving, so don’t go anticipating a 6,000-pound Prius right here. The dual-turbo V6 is simply as burly as any V8, if not burlier. Press the throttle, and the electrical motor and turbo engine coordinate to supply clean, easy torque, which retains coming all by way of the rev vary. Push it more durable, and also you get a deep, throaty growl. It is even louder within the TRD Professional, which will get a cat-back exhaust. The normal 10-speed computerized additionally means there’s no droning as you’d get from the e-CVT transmissions in different Toyota hybrids.
This is the place the nice bits finish. Dealing with fails to clear even the low bar set by full-size SUVs, because it’s reasonably barge-like with mild, imprecise and sluggish steering. A tender suspension and strong rear axle are by no means a system for chassis poise and driver confidence. The experience high quality is OK in most trims, however we’d strongly urge you to keep away from the range-topping Capstone and its teeth-chattering experience. It makes completely regular, clean pavement really feel like washboard dust roads because it continually shivers and vibrates. The choice so as to add gigantic 22-inch wheels to the mixture of body-on-frame truck chassis and a strong rear axle was not one. That it is available in a virtually $80,000 SUV that supposedly can compete with an entry-level Escalade or Navigator is laughable.
What different Toyota Sequoia critiques can I learn?
2023 Toyota Sequoia First Drive Overview: New and improved, however not sufficient
Learn extra in regards to the many adjustments for 2023, its new engineering and design, and extra in-depth driving impressions of various variations.
Toyota Sequoia Baggage Take a look at
Take a deeper dive into why the Sequoia’s cargo space is so compromised and subsequently uncompetitive.
What’s the 2023 Sequoia value?
Pricing for the 2023 Toyota Sequoia begins at $59,895, together with the $1,595 vacation spot cost. Rear-wheel drive is customary on each Sequoia and four-wheel drive is a $3,000 choice.
Not like the reasonably sparsely geared up SR5 4Runner and Tacoma, the bottom Sequoia SR5 truly comes very properly geared up with LED headlights and fog lights, a sunroof, three-zone local weather management, heated entrance seats, a 60/40-split second row bench seat (captain’s chairs are the one selection on the Platinum, TRD Professional and Capstone), a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a panoramic parking digicam, a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Each different trim will get a 14-inch system working principally the identical interface.
The Restricted might be the place most customers will begin their Sequoia search given its added SofTex simulated leather-based upholstery, ventilated entrance seats, driver reminiscence capabilities, a heated steering wheel and rear sunshades. There are then two ranges of luxurious trim stage accessible: the Platinum or the much more luxurious Capstone, though we’d strongly keep away from the latter on account of its 22-inch wheels and ensuing horrible experience high quality.
The TRD Professional is the rugged selection that provides an off-road suspension with Fox Inner Bypass coilovers and rear remote-reservoir shocks, a entrance stabilizer bar, all-terrain tires, improved clearances and distinctive design thrives. The TRD Off-Highway bundle is on the market on different trim ranges and provides Bilstein shocks and is derived for higher off-road functionality. The TRD Sport bundle goes in the wrong way with a suspension tuned for higher on-road dealing with.
SR5: $59,895Limited: $66,295Platinum: $72,495TRD Professional: $77,595Capstone: $76,895
What are the Sequoia security scores and driver help options?
Each 2023 Sequoia contains as customary ahead collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping help, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning, and adaptive cruise management with stop-and-go performance and lane-centering steering help. Additionally customary are entrance and rear parking sensors, and Security Join emergency communications providers.
The 2023 Sequoia has not been crash examined by a 3rd social gathering.
