Yahoo Autos 2023 Toyota Sequoia First Drive Review | New and improved, but not enough
At last year's Toyota HQ Confidential summit, I had a chance to drive basically anything in the Toyota line-up. I took a Sequoia TRD Pro out on a short off-road course, and while capable, it was appalling how cheap, flimsy and old it felt. Not that it should've been a surprise. The Sequoia had been virtually unchanged since its 2008 debut – it had even missed out on the updates made to the Tundra pickup upon which it was based. The full redesign for the 2023 Toyota Sequoia is therefore extremely welcome. It's vastly improved as far as the driving experience, build quality, materials and technology. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it remains well behind the full-size SUV leaders in several key factors.
As before, the new Sequoia is mechanically related to the Tundra, which includes its hybrid twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6. It makes the same 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque, and is mated to the same 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel drive are available, and every Sequoia comes standard with a limited-slip rear differential. An electronic locking rear differential is available.
Unlike the Tundra, though, the hybrid is the only powertrain. Official fuel economy numbers haven't been announced, but Toyota said it should be similar to the hybrid Tundra. That should put it around 20 to 22 mpg combined depending on drivetrain and trim level (the TRD Pro with its lack of air dam and slightly taller ride height doesn't exactly have great aerodynamics). Towing capacity maxes out at 9,500 pounds.
Also, while the platform, including its fully-boxed frame, is derived from the Tundra, the Sequoia gets a multilink independent rear suspension with multiple options to enhance it for specific purposes. A rear load-leveling air suspension is available on fancier trims; the TRD Sport package tunes the suspension for better on-road handling; the TRD Off-Road package gets Bilstein shocks and springs for better off-road capability; and the TRD Pro (pictured above) goes even further with Fox shocks and its own unique springs.
Among those specs are a few highlights. Compared to its key rivals, the Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon, Ford Expedition and Jeep Wagoneer, the Sequoia boasts the most torque, the best fuel economy and the most towing capacity of any of those gas-powered SUVs. The exception being the diesel Tahoe, which can manage 22 to 24 mpg combined, but does take more expensive fuel and makes significantly less power.
There are some highlights on the road, too. The hybrid V6 is superb. It's incredibly smooth and quiet, or at least extremely well insulated from the cabin. The cabin in general is very quiet, particularly higher trims with the additional acoustic glass. Press the throttle, and the electric motor and turbo engine coordinate to provide smooth, effortless torque, which keeps coming all through the rev range. Push it harder, and you get a deep, throaty growl. It's even louder in the TRD Pro, which gets a cat-back exhaust. It thankfully doesn't change the tone, and the volume remains low enough to not annoy yourself or your neighbors. And considering the droney, nasal noises other V6s (looking at you F-150 Raptor and 4Runner TRD Pro, among others), this is quite impressive. Furthermore, the smart, gentle-shifting automatic doesn't bring attention to itself. The only exception is the occasional double-downshift due to its many ratios, but it's still a step above Ford's often out-of-step transmissions.
Ride quality is another excellent aspect of the Sequoia. The chassis in particular feels ultra-solid, and there are hardly any of the wiggles and shimmies found in other body-on-frame full-size SUVs. The suspension tuning is quite soft, but isn't overly floaty, and it remains stable over bumps. Off-road, the regular Sequoia with the TRD Off-Road package is capable, though the softness has trouble dealing with abrupt bumps and higher speeds. That's where the TRD Pro comes in with its stiffer suspension tuning that makes it very fun on faster dirt paths. The TRD Pro's off-road tires, added skid plate and deleted aero spoiler are also helpful off road.
But now we arrive at the list of many Sequoia shortcomings. First of all is handling. Even at the low bar set by full-size SUVs, the Sequoia feels rather barge-like. The steering is light, vague and slow. Frequent corrections are required to go straight as well as maintain a line through corners. The soft suspension results in lots of body roll, and it feels like there's a delay between steering inputs and the SUV's reactions. A Tahoe or Yukon can feel borderline fun to steer; the Sequoia definitely does not.
