2023 Toyota Sequoia First Drive: Powerful Hybrid Engine Shoves It Into the Present
With a new platform, powertrain, and interior, the Sequoia no longer parties like it's 2008.
It's hard to keep track of all the current events that have transpired since the Toyota Sequoia got its last complete makeover, but it's safe to say the world was a different place. George W. Bush was president, the economy was in the middle of the Great Recession, and "corona" was associated with a beer, not a virus. The Sequoia was last fully redesigned in 2008, and despite others in the segment being rejuvenated, the Japanese SUV soldiered on. Until now.
The 2023 Toyota Sequoia gets a new powertrain, a new platform, and a fresh design inside and out. The three-row body-on-frame SUV is now a hybrid-only model, but it's also the most powerful Sequoia to date. We spent some time behind the wheel of this freshened full-sizer, and we can tell you right away—the changes help justify the long wait.
It All Starts With The Base
As in previous years, the new Sequoia is based on the Toyota Tundra pickup truck platform. This time, however, things are a little bit different. That platform, the TNGA-F architecture, was developed by Toyota for use across its body-on-frame trucks and SUVs. It now supports other models like the Lexus LX600 and global Toyota Land Cruiser, and likely will even underpin the next-generation midsize Tacoma pickup and 4Runner SUV. Toyota can lengthen and widen the TNGA-F platform, plus deliver model-specific tuning if it needs to, with the shared hardware helping speed each new TNGA-F vehicle's development time.
The new platform makes the Sequoia a more comfortable SUV while keeping its trucky feeling intact. The outgoing Sequoia was criticized for its old-school ride and handling (and, well, its old everything), but the 2023 model vastly improves all that. With a new independent front suspension and a live rear axle replacing the former Sequoia's independent rear suspension—technically a step backward, especially as more competitors in the full-size SUV space are moving to adopt independent rears—the Sequoia somehow feels more planted and smoother. Despite the Toyota's big body, hard cornering doesn't provoke as much body roll. An optional rear air suspension makes the ride a bit floatier and helps with load leveling when towing (the maximum is 9,000 pounds), while the larger wheel sizes on uplevel trims (especially the 22-inchers on the range-topping Capstone model) compromise ride quality somewhat. You'll feel a juddering sensation on imperfect roads as the suspension contends with those wheels' mass and low-profile tires. We drove a base SR5 model with 20-inch wheels and noted a better ride compared to the top-trim Capstone's 22-inch wheels, and the 18-inchers standard on the SR5 and included with the TRD Off Road package ride better still.
Mechanically, Toyota's hybridized i-Force Max 3.4-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine steals the show. Making 437 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque between the gas V-6 and an electric motor, the Sequoia is more than adequately powered. With peak torque delivered at 2,400 rpm, the Sequoia feels sharp off the start. Just like in the Tundra, the Sequoia's hybrid power helps it off the line, virtually eliminating any turbo lag. More impressively, the Sequoia doesn't really need more power—despite having a big mass to move, the engine does its job to deliver strong and smooth acceleration. The 10-speed automatic plays along just fine, shifting fluidly and holding gears when needed.
All those changes hugely improve the Sequoia experience from the driver's seat, although not hugely. While the ride is comfortable and settled for the most part, the body still gently bobs during directional transitions and when you come to a stop. Also, the steering feels a bit vague and doesn't deliver as much feedback as we'd like, even if most drivers will probably be pleased with its soft feel and effortless weight. These behaviors won't feel out of place to anyone familiar with the current Tacoma or 4Runner, let alone the new Lexus LX. Another improvement we'd like to see is in the ambient noise department. Toyota says the Capstone trim is equipped with an acoustic windshield and front windows, but we still heard a decent amount of wind and tire noise in every trim level we sampled, with a lot of the whooshing emanating from the door mirrors.
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