What is one of the big reasons for buying a full-sized truck? Our host, from The Fast Lane Truck YouTube channel, begins his video by asking this question while gesturing to his 2023 Toyota Sequoia. To tow, of course. Whether it's to tow a camper, utility trailer, or boat, towing capability is an important factor when purchasing a vehicle for many Americans who already own one or more of these.
Pre-Stresses Of Towing
Even before the sometimes stressful drive when towing, there is much that needs verification. For example, you need to know the towing capacity of your car, the trailer weight, the tongue weight, ride heights, connector fittings, adjusting brake boosters, and the list goes on.
As our host shows us at the one-minute mark, his Airstream camper trailer has a gross vehicle weight rating of, 5,000 lbs. This is a dry 5,000 lbs meaning the trailer is not loaded up with any of the comforts you may need while camping such as clothes, food, cutlery and utensils, mattresses, sheets, full propane tanks, etc. He tells us the old model Sequoia could tow 7,000 lbs, which means you would actually need to do some math to make sure you are within weights. The new Sequoia tows, 9,520 lbs, which relieves that stress.
Using The Toyota Sequoia To Tow On The Road
Powering our host's road train is a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine which mates to an electric motor and 10-speed automatic transmission. This power plant produces a combined 437 horsepower and an astonishing 570 ft-lbs of torque. Of course, more torque means more towing capability. He also tells us that the old Sequoia may have been a little sluggish while towing a camper like this, but with the new truck, it barely feels like he has anything hitched on.
So for the sake of science, our host hooks up a 7,500 lb luxury boat. He does change Sequoia at this point, but it does have the same power plant as the previous one. He tests the towing by coming to a stop at a gentle hill and testing the acceleration with the boat attached. Although he says he can feel more weight, it is doing very well and towing without any issues.
The Verdict On This SUV's Pulling Power
Our presenter believes that the Toyota Sequoia is now a top contender in the category in terms of towing. It is less than 500 lbs shy of being at the 10,000 lb mark, and this is very impressive for a truck with a V6 engine.
Starting at $58,300 that may be the deal of the century for those who perhaps don't like to spend $150,000 on a truck like the Cadillac Escalade, but still want something that you can just hook up and drive without having to worry about numbers and math.