The Toyota Sequoia is a full-size SUV that has been based on the same platform as the Toyota Tundra pickup truck. With the launch of this all-new third generation of the Sequoia, Toyota manages to move away from the aging design and all the other issues that the previous generation of the Sequoia had, all of which can be associated with its decade-old platform. The 2023 Toyota Sequoia has been launched for a base MSRP of $59,795 and comes in five trim configurations.
This new generation of the Sequoia comes with a masculine exterior design due to the body on frame architecture. This SUV shares the underpinnings with the new Tundra, Land Cruiser, and LX 600, and that could be seen from its impressive off-road capability. The iForce Max hybrid powertrain is very capable too. Along with that, the 2023 Sequoia also comes loaded with all the modern amenities. Competing with the likes of the Chevrolet Tahoe, Jeep Wagoneer, and Nissan Armada, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the 2023 Toyota Sequoia.
10 Imposing Exterior Design
This all-new third generation of the Toyota Sequoia comes with a fully revamped exterior design. Look from the front, and you would be impressed with the butch design and the impressive height and ground clearance. The massive grille wrapped in chrome coupled with LED headlights with LED DRLs, silver skid plate, and functional air vents ups the premium factor.
The side profile also looks stunning due to the sharp character lines, cool-looking alloy wheel design, and blacked-out pillars. The Capstone trim gets a whole lot of chrome treatment and the macho TRD Pro trim gives the Sequoia a more purposeful flavor. The rear end is comparatively simple with LED taillights, a silver accent, and an integrated rear spoiler.
9 Punchy Powertrain
The iForce Max powertrain that comes as standard with the 2023 Toyota Sequoia is going to impress all prospective buyers with its punchy power delivery and excellent initial torque output. This 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, together with the electric motor produce a combined output of 437 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque.
The 10-speed torque converter automatic transmission and the RWD drivetrain come as standard. You could also get the 4WD drivetrain as an option with most of the trims. The 0-60 mph time of 5.6 seconds turned out to be faster than many of the rivals, and it has a maximum towing capacity of 9,520 lbs.
8 Not As Value For Money As The Rivals
The all-new 2023 Toyota Sequoia is quite a lot more expensive than all the immediate rivals of the full-size SUV segment. In comparison, the 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe and 2022 Ford Expedition can be had for around $51,000, and both of their base trims also do not miss out on any features offered by the base SR5 trim of the Sequoia.
The pricing has seen a major rise from the outgoing generation of the Sequoia, too. However, many features do come in as standard with even the base trim and hence you wouldn't need to look for them in the optional features and packages list.
7 Rear-Seat Space Isn't The Best
When it comes to the cabin space offered by the 2023 Toyota Sequoia, it is not going to impress everyone out there. The front row seats offer more than enough headroom, legroom, and shoulder room, making it a very comfortable proposition for road trips. The leather upholstery, sunroof, and multiple storage spaces are great to have too.
However, when it comes to the second row and third-row space, the rivals turned out to be a tad bit better. The headroom isn't the best for the second row and getting in and out is not going to be very easy for the older folks due to the height and ground clearance. The third row is best suited for kids due to limited all-around space. However, the cargo capacity is adequate and both the second and third row can be folded down too.
6 Loaded With Safety Features
Coming with Toyota Safety System 2.5+ as standard for all the five trim configurations, it comes with all the driver-assistance features. The standard features include forward collision warning, automated emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control.
All the basic safety features are on board the 2023 Toyota Sequoia as well. This full-size SUV is constructed entirely with high tensile steel and that is going to be a plus point in terms of the build quality. However, it hasn't been crash-tested by both the NHTSA and IIHS yet.
5 Intuitive Infotainment System
Bradley Hasemeyer
The 14" touchscreen infotainment system that comes with the new 2023 Sequoia is a massive departure from the archaic 7" infotainment that came with the older second-generation offering. However, the base SR5 trim of the Sequoia comes with a smaller 8" touchscreen unit.
The standard connectivity and entertainment features such as Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM radio, navigation, Bluetooth, wi-fi hotspot, and aux connectivity are onboard. The audio duties are handled by a 14-speaker JBL audio system.
4 Interior Looks And Feels Much More Opulent
Unlike the previous generation of the Toyota Sequoia that came with hard plastics and old-school interior design, the 2023 Toyota Sequoia is going to be a perfect departure. Step into the cabin, and you would be greeted with leather upholstery, leather inserts, and wooden accents.
The cabin is going to offer a much more opulent feel due to the high-quality materials used for the construction. The white design elements that are neatly integrated into the dashboard and door cards make the cabin feel very premium and quite different from all the other rivals. The sunroof and ambient lighting are also offered for the higher trims.
3 TRD Pro Trim Is Offered
The legendary TRD Pro trim that has made the Sequoia a favorite amongst the folks who want a comfortable daily driver without hampering the off-road potential hasn't been discontinued in this new generation of the Sequoia lineup. The 2023 Sequoia TRD Pro is offered for a base MSRP of $78,395 and comes with all the bells and whistles in terms of off-road features as standard.
The exterior features such as the TRD roof rack, 1/4" aluminum TRD front skid plate, and the grille with integrated light bar do make it more off-road worthy than the segment rivals. Meanwhile, the TRD steering wheel and other TRD accents give it more sportiness. All the performance features such as TRD-tuned FOX bypass shocks and selectable locking rear differential are onboard too.
2 Precise Braking
The braking performance of the older generation Sequoia wasn't something many would appreciate. However, the braking hardware of the 2023 Toyota Sequoia has been completely revamped with larger front and rear brake rotors and more standard braking features.
The braking features such as four-wheel disc brakes, ABS with EBD, automated emergency braking, hill hold control, hill descent control, and brake assist are standard for all the five trims of the 2023 Sequoia. The ventilated front and rear rotors are going to be a boon too since they will have better heat dissipation under prolonged braking.
1 Limited Trim Is The One To Get
Even though we found the base SR5 trim as a pretty decent offering for the price, step up to the Limited trim, and you would be offered many more techs and features. With an MSRP of $64,700, the Sequoia Limited is about $5,000 more than the SR5 trim, which is not very steep.
In comparison to the SR5, the Limited trim comes with the massive 20" gray painted and machine-finished alloy wheels instead of the 18" alloys. Other important features included are SofTex-trimmed seats with 8-way power-adjustability for the driver and passenger, an impressive 14" Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen infotainment, and an 8-speaker audio system.