Last fall — after leaving its successor around to the point of being rather stale — Toyota finally unveiled the all-new Tundra full-size pickup. Now, we're getting its SUV counterpart: the all-new 2023 Sequoia. With
the Land Cruiser no longer sold on American soil, the Sequoia is currently the only full-size Toyota-branded SUV on offer.
The Sequoia won't have that coveted Land Cruiser name, and it will be built in America rather than Japan. But it will run on the same platform as
the J300-gen Land Crusher. On paper, the Sequoia package looks compelling enough that Toyota truck enthusiasts will be more than satisfied. And it probably won't have a four-year wait, either.
The 2023 Toyota Sequoia gets a twin-turbo hybrid engine…standard
We knew the Sequoia would use the same TNGA-F truck platform as the Tundra, and ditch the trusty but inefficient 5.7-liter V8. We presumed the Sequoia would receive the new iForce Max twin-turbo 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 hybrid with 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. But, surprisingly, that hybrid — the upgrade option on the Tundra — is the only Sequoia engine at launch.
Like the Tundra, that engine pairs with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Buyers can choose between two-wheel drive and part-time four-wheel drive Sequoias. The TRD Pro trim will be 4x4 only.
Wait, hold up: Toyota's full-size SUV has a better engine than the Lexus LX?
Incredibly, yes. Lexus just debuted the swanky new LX 600, a J300 Land Cruiser wearing formal wear. That vehicle only offers the strictly internal combustion version of the twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 with 409 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. So, oddly enough, the less-premium Sequoia now has a better engine.
The Sequoia comes in five trims, plus a TRD Off-Road package
Toyota offers the Sequoia in five grades: SR5, Limited, Platinum, the new high-lux Capstone and the off-road high-performance TRD Pro. SR5 and Limited grade SUVs can be fitted with the TRD Off-Road package, including a selectable locking rear differential, Multi-Terrain Select, Downhill Assist Control, Crawl Control, and TRD-tuned Bilstein monotube shocks and 18-inch alloy wheels.
TRD Pro adds those goodies from the TRD Off-Road with a skid plate and upgrades to FOX internal bypass shocks. Capstone will be similar to the Tundra with exclusive black and white leather seating, open-pore wood and 22-inch chrome wheels.
The 2023 Sequoia has a flexible third row
Many SUVs claim to have third-row flexibility, but the Sequoia offers a flexible third row. The seats will fold flat, recline and travel six inches forward to backward as needed. The seats also work in tandem with a new, adjustable cargo shelf system, which is also removable if so inclined.
The Toyota Sequoia will be one of the best SUVs for towing you can buy
With the iForce Max hybrid, the Toyota Sequoia can tow up to 9,000 lbs. That places the Sequoia just short of the Ford Expedition for best towing SUV, but ahead of vehicles like the Dodge Durango and Lincoln Navigator.
The Sequoia can come with a 14.0-inch touchscreen
The new Sequoia uses the new Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system [essentially Lexus Interface with a less fancy name]. Sequoia buyers can upgrade to the new 14.0-inch touchscreen.
When will the Toyota Sequoia be available?
Toyota projects that the all-new Sequoia hits the market in Summer 2022 as a 2023 model year vehicle. No word yet on pricing.
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- Toyota Says Don't Rule Out Land Cruiser Coming To America
Jan. 26, 2022 3:17 PM ET Scoop
Customers have spoken. Toyota is listening.
Big things are happening in the world of large Toyota vehicles. The 2023 Toyota Sequoia just dropped, replacing a 15-year-old model that desperately needed an update. This new Sequoia rides on the same TNGA-F architecture that underpins the Tundra pickup truck, as well as the 2022 Lexus LX and Toyota Land Cruiser [the latter of which will not be sold in the US market]. Or will it?
CarBuzz recently attended the drive event for the new LX and a reveal event for the Sequoia; in both instances, the topic of discussion kept being directed towards the Land Cruiser's absence from the US market. Though Toyota quickly came out to confirm the 300 Series Land Cruiser won't come to the US, that stance could already be wavering.
Speaking anonymously at the event, a Toyota spokesperson told us, "don't be so quick to rule out the Land Cruiser. We obviously haven't made any announcements yet [regarding Land Cruiser], but we are listening strongly to customer feedback."
Lexus' attitude towards the Land Cruiser felt like a stark contrast. At the LX drive event in New Mexico, Lexus spokespeople told CarBuzz they expect "Land Cruiser orphans" to migrate towards the LX 600 Premium trim level. This model starts at $96,345 and offers a $1,295 appearance package that enables buyers to select no-cost 18-inch wheels. With smaller wheels and more sidewall, the LX is theoretically a better off-roader, like the Land Cruiser.
If you can live with the base LX, the $88,245 starting price isn't much higher than the outgoing Land Cruiser's $85,665 MSRP, so we can see why Toyota didn't feel the need to offer both in the US, where volumes for both models are low.
Having just revealed the new Sequoia with a rugged TRD Pro trim, most of the Toyota spokespeople felt confident this model would appeal to former and current Land Cruiser customers. But while the TRD Pro Sequoia looks like a fine off-roader for families, the approach and departure angles are still lacking compared to the Land Cruiser [we will have to wait for official specs]. Even if Toyota wouldn't sell many Land Cruisers in the US market, we've seen stranger things happen based on customer demand.
The Sequoia may not be the perfect Land Cruiser replacement, but between it and the new LX, there's a lot to get excited about from Toyota and Lexus. If Toyota does ultimately decide to bring the Land Cruiser stateside, it shouldn't be too complicated since it shares a platform and engine with the LX. Just some badging changes are necessary.
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Jared Rosenholtz
Editor-at-Large
After graduating with an MBA, Jared pursued his love of cars by becoming an automotive journalist. An internship with CarBuzz grew into his current position as Editor At Large. Jared now spends most of his time evaluating new vehicles and chasing the latest news stories in the automotive industry. When he’s not attending Cars & Coffee events on the weekend, Jared loves to watch NFL football and cruise around with the top down in his German convertible.