2023 Toyota Sequoia: What We Know So Far
A new generation of the big Toyota finally arrives with fresh looks, new powertrains, and a range-topping luxury trim.
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Article QuickTakes:
The 2023 Toyota Sequoia—a full-size, three-row SUV that can seat eight—is based on the Toyota Tundra truck platform and replaces the second-generation Sequoia. Here’s what we know so far about the third generation.
2023 Toyota Sequoia Exterior and Interior
The Sequoia retains its body-on-frame construction, like the Lexus LX and the Toyota Land Cruiser. That last model is no longer offered in the U.S., so the Sequoia aims to fulfill the Land Cruiser’s mission as an upscale, three-row SUV. Rear-wheel drive comes standard, but you can opt for four-wheel drive; Toyota also offers a TRD Pro version of the Sequoia with off-road features like Fox dampers, a skid plate, a locking rear differential, and 18-inch wheels with 33-inch tires.
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There’s a new top-of-the-line trim called Capstone, which includes standard power running boards, lots of chrome (like 22-inch chrome wheels), leather-trimmed seats, open-pore wood, LED interior mood lighting, and acoustic-grade glass in the front doors. There are now five different grades of Sequoia available, compared with the previous generation’s four trims.
Inside, the Sequoia gets a variety of bells and whistles to make it more comfortable. Depending on the trim level, second-row passengers either get bench seating or captain’s chairs, both of which recline or fold down for additional cargo space. Third-row passengers get a reclining back seat with available power-folding, plus a sliding feature that can move the seats forward and back up to 6 inches.
Toyota packs its vehicles with accident-avoidance tech, and the Sequoia comes standard with the automaker’s Safety Sense 2.5, including everything from blind-spot warning to lane-keeping assist to adaptive cruise control. There’s a 12.3-inch digital instrument display and an external camera system to help with backing up and parking in tight spots. The SR5 premium package (and above) adds a larger 14-inch infotainment screen.
One omission: there’s no automatic mode for the four-wheel-drive system, so drivers will need to remember to switch between two- and four-wheel-drive for snow or dirt.
2023 Toyota Sequoia Powertrain
The third-gen Sequoia is a hybrid, and gets a 3.4L V6 engine combined with an electric motor for a total of 437 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. The same engine is an option in the Toyota Tundra pickup truck.
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Towing capacity is up by 22% according to Toyota, meaning the new Sequoia can tow up to 9,520 pounds. In comparison, the 2022 model’s maximum load is 7,400 pounds. If you plan to tow with the new Sequoia, you can opt for rear air suspension and auto-leveling features, but the vehicle comes standard with independent front suspension, a new rack-mounted electronic power-steering system, and a modern multilink rear suspension.
When Toyota replaced the previous V8 with a hybrid V6 engine it seemed almost too good to be true that fuel economy would get better when power also went up, but it did. With rear-wheel-drive the Sequoia gets 21 mpg city and 24 mpg highway, for a combined rating of 22 mpg, according to the EPA. Opting for the four-wheel-drive system drops those figures to 19/22/20 mpg city/highway/combined. The previous generation offered fuel economy of 14-15 mpg combined city and highway.
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2023 Toyota Sequoia Pricing
The 2023 Toyota Sequoia will be available to purchase at the end of the summer of 2022. Pricing starts just below $60,000 for the SR5 and climbs to around $77,000 for a RWD Capstone. Adding 4WD is a $3,000 option across the lineup, except for the TRD Pro trim, where it’s a standard feature.
