- Toyota gave the Sequoia a much needed redesign
for the 2023 model year,
boasting a standard i-Force Max hybrid powertrain
with 437 horsepower and 583 pounds feet of torque.
There's a lot we like about the new Sequoia,
but we do have some issues as well.
Let's dig in.
And if we can show some footage of the truck
when it's not so terrible outside, that'd be great.
So let's roll that.
The new Sequoia's interior is much improved,
especially over the aging previous generation's version.
It's thoroughly modern.
Materials quality is very high and price appropriate.
Controls feel great in your hands, very solid.
Lots of physical controls as well.
Roominess up front is fairly good.
The second row is especially roomy.
Lots to like in the interior,
but we'll get to the negatives in a bit.
Another great thing about the Sequoia's interior
is this gigantic 14 inch touchscreen display.
It's a huge improvement
over Toyota's previous generation system.
We really like the graphics.
They're crisp and clear.
It's got wireless Apple CarPlay
and Android Auto connectivity.
Lots to like, very responsive, lots to see,
but there are some complaints as well.
Some of the issues with this touchscreen
include that there's no dedicated home button
either on the screen or anywhere around the cabin.
So if you want to navigate through the menus,
you just have to do it here,
and then it will only display one function at a time.
And then a second complaint
is that this is a cloud-based system.
So say we wanted to use in-car navigation,
well you need a subscription
and you need a data connection as well.
And lastly, for how improved this system is
over Toyota's previous generation multimedia,
it's not up to snuff when compared
with brands like Ford or Jeep.
It's a lot better for Toyota, but it's not class leading.
The biggest issue for the Sequoia is its packaging
and the compromises that it requires.
Because Toyota chose to put the battery pack
behind the third row of seats
and because it chose to use a solid rear axle,
that results in just an uncomfortable third row seating area
that cannot fit adults.
It's unpleasant.
No one who is not a child will be happy back there
for long periods of time or even short periods of time.
I don't recommend doing it.
And really, that sort of turns this
into a three row, four seat vehicle,
which is not what you want.
That's not why you buy a Sequoia, for four seats.
And the problem with the packaging
extends beyond the third row seating into the cargo area.
You don't get a flat load floor.
The seats for the third row don't fold flat either,
so you get another hump in the cargo area
when you're trying to store larger items.
It's just not convenient,
and hauling people and hauling cargo
is what three row full-size SUVs are made to do.
And it's not something that the Sequoia does so badly
that it fails at it it,
but it certainly doesn't excel at it.
Another issue we've had with the Sequoia is fuel economy.
And now this is a hybrid.
It is a very large vehicle,
which tend to be less fuel efficient,
but with a hybrid you do think more
along the lines of fuel efficiency.
And the Sequoia is among the class leaders
in combined MPG ratings
with 22 miles per gallon for rear wheel drive models
and 20 miles per gallon for four wheel drive models.
We haven't observed that in our experience with the Sequoia.
This is currently showing a little over 17 miles per gallon
and we've seen as low as 15 miles per gallon in our testing.
And while that's not necessarily worse
than the previous generation Sequoia, it is disappointing,
especially for a hybrid
and especially for something that's rated so much higher
than what we're actually getting when we drive the vehicle.
An interesting issue that popped up
in this particular test vehicle are its optional
power extending and power folding towing mirrors,
which are great for towing probably.
Towing mirrors are very helpful for that sort of thing,
but in regular city driving,
they are colossal and they do a great job
of getting in the way of forward visibility.
It's something to consider.
If you tow a lot, definitely you're probably
gonna want just the factory towing mirrors.
If you're only gonna do it occasionally,
maybe you want to go with an aftermarket thing
and stick to the factory mirrors for regular driving.
Pricing may also be an issue for some shoppers
with the Sequoia and while it's not the priciest
of its class, it's no longer quite the bargain it was.
Prices for the Sequoia start just a hair
under $60,000 and then easily rise
into the $70,000 or even $80,000 range.
This model that we're driving here is a platinum,
so not the highest capstone or the TRD Pro
but it rings in just under $80,000 with options.
The i-Force Max hybrid powertrain that's standard
in all trim levels of the Sequoia has 437 horsepower
and 583 pounds feet of torque.
And that's more than enough power.
We found it plenty powerful
for things like highway merges, passing maneuvers.
It'll even push you back
into your seat a little bit if you step on it.
And while it's plenty powerful,
it doesn't to me feel particularly quicker
than the Expedition or the Chevy Tahoe
with its 6.2 liter V8,
but we'd have to do measure testing to be sure.
Ride and handling also impress.
This is a very bumpy stretch of Lakeshore Drive
and it's nice and comfortable.
But you still have an impressive amount
of control for things like spirited driving, curvy roads,
that sort of thing.
It's very well damped, very comfortable.
There's a little bit of body roll still.
It is a big three row SUV
and there's maybe a little bit more
than some of the sportier variants of competitors,
but nothing that's objectionable or anything like that.
This is a good composed SUV for its size.
Overall, the new Sequoia is a significant improvement
over its predecessor and has a lot going for it.
But other vehicles in this class can do the same things
as the Sequoia without all the compromises.
If you can live with those compromises,
the Sequoia is a solid choice.
But if you're looking for a full size three row SUV
with adequate cargo space
and a third row that can fit adults comfortably,
you should probably look elsewhere.
For more on the Sequoia and all the latest car news,
be sure to check out cars.com.