Execs: Cool TRD Professional trim degree; potential above-average gasoline financial system; aggressive towing capability
Cons: Poor cargo house; iffy worth; Capstone’s teeth-chattering journey; comparatively cumbersome dealing with; irksome tech
For those who’re searching for an SUV that’s huge, highly effective and undoubtedly seems to be huge and highly effective, the 2024 Toyota Sequoia will get the job performed. Its TRD Professional trim degree additionally brings its huge and highly effective sport off-road, the place it may well sort out terrain nothing else within the full-size SUV section is prone to dare. And if you need the promise of longevity and resale worth that Toyota has lengthy provided, nicely, the Sequoia ought to ship that, too.
The difficulty is, should you’re searching for an enormous and highly effective SUV to offer extra folks and cargo-hauling capabilities than an enormous crossover like Toyota’s new Grand Highlander, you’re going to be sorely disenchanted. Redesigned final 12 months, the most recent Sequoia era is definitely smaller than its predecessor with a strong rear axle that robs it additional of inside house and hampers each the dealing with and journey (the outdated Sequoia had an unbiased rear finish just like the Ford, GM and Jeep full-sizers). Put merely, third-row house and cargo capability are uncompetitive. We’ve additionally discovered the dealing with to be cumbersome, even by full-size SUV requirements, and the journey high quality shockingly unhealthy on the range-topping Capstone trim. Decrease trims are higher, however don’t rise to the extent of rivals.
So sure, the Sequoia will work for individuals who actually solely want 5 seats and desire a huge, highly effective rig … however we predict most can do rather a lot higher than that for mainly the identical value.
Inside & Know-how | Passenger & Cargo Area | Efficiency & Gas Financial system
What it is wish to drive | Pricing & Trim Ranges | Crash Scores & Security Options
What’s new for 2024?
A brand new Nightshade package deal arrives for the Restricted trim degree, swapping black exterior trim for the usual alloy and chrome. The TRD Off-Highway package deal also can now be added to the Platinum trim degree, bringing its Bilstein shocks and is derived to a ritzier trim degree. Lastly, the Sequoia is almost $3,000 costlier this 12 months, together with the $1,850 compulsory vacation spot cost that went up by $255. You don’t truly get something extra for that $3,000, both.
What are the Sequoia inside and in-car expertise like?
The Sequoia shares its cabin design with the Tundra full-size truck. It actually doesn’t endure for that truth by way of aesthetics, but it surely maybe explains why you’ll discover a number of extra onerous plastics inside than a Chevy Tahoe or Jeep Wagoneer. Higher trim ranges do spruce issues up, together with the TRD Professional’s uncommon crimson camouflage print seats (beneath) or the Capstone’s ritzy mixture of open-pore wooden trim, black seats and white leatherette inside trim (above).
Normal on most trim ranges is a gigantic 14-inch touchscreen (the bottom SR5 will get an 8-inch unit). The working system is the most recent Toyota has to supply, that includes brilliant, minimalist graphics and pure speech recognition. It is responsive and runs rapidly. The shortcut icons on the facet closest to the motive force are simple to succeed in, however they sadly disappear whenever you use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which means it’s important to click-click-click to flee the Apple/Android interfaces moderately than utilizing a easy Residence button like Toyota used to characteristic. There are different annoyances we found, together with some radio performance and a navigation system that defaults again to point-forward each time you progress off the map display, as if it may well’t presumably ponder somebody desirous to constantly use North UP. All instructed, the system is much less user-friendly than what you’d discover in a Tahoe/Yukon, Expedition, Wagoneer and their luxurious variants.
How huge is the Sequoia?
As a full-size SUV, the Sequoia is clearly monumental on the skin in comparison with a crossover like the Highlander and even an SUV just like the 4Runner. It’s smaller than its American full-size SUV rivals on the skin, nevertheless, and packaging points on the rear make it even smaller inside. Fairly merely, the Sequoia’s third-row seat and cargo space will not be aggressive.
Whereas totally grown teenagers and adults can comfortably match for hours within the third row of a Tahoe/Yukon, Expedition or Wagoneer, the Sequoia is finest suited to these of smaller stature, and even then for shorter journeys solely. It’s extra akin to what you’d discover in a three-row crossover, albeit with a better step-in peak. Now, it does uniquely slide fore and aft, however that’s extra for the sake of cargo house.
Regardless of that characteristic, cargo house is extraordinarily compromised. The largest challenge is that the third row doesn’t fold flat into the ground as its rivals’ do, nor can it’s eliminated. The result’s mainly a stage on your belongings that requires a major raise and lean in to succeed in. With the third-row in use, house shrinks to a level bested by most massive three-row crossovers, together with the brand new Grand Highlander. And true, you’ll be able to slide that third row ahead to liberate further house, however you’re simply shrinking the third row even additional and the consequence nonetheless falls wanting what you’ll be able to match within the American rivals. Toyota no less than got here up with a intelligent multi-level cargo ground and partition system, however this largely looks as if a workaround for a basic flaw.
What are the Sequoia gasoline financial system and efficiency specs?
Each Sequoia will get a hybrid powertrain dubbed i-Drive Max. It consists of a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 and a single electrical motor sandwiched between the engine and a 10-speed automated transmission. It’s a basically totally different design than Toyota’s conventional, efficiency-oriented hybrids. Certainly, whereas the Sequoia does obtain above-average EPA gasoline financial system estimates, its efficiency advantages are the larger deal: 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque. Torque particularly betters its gas-powered GM, Ford and Jeep rivals. Its 9,520-pound towing capability additionally eclipses them.
Gas financial system additionally bests them at 21 mpg metropolis, 24 mpg freeway and 22 mpg mixed with customary rear-wheel drive, or 19/22/20 mpg with optionally available four-wheel drive. In the actual world, nevertheless, we didn’t come remotely near that, averaging round 16 mpg in a mixture of freeway and suburban driving. The GM and Ford SUVs have been thriftier.
What is the Sequoia wish to drive?
Though the Sequoia is a hybrid, you’d be onerous pressed to inform whereas driving, so don’t go anticipating a 6,000-pound Prius right here. The dual-turbo V6 is simply as burly as any V8, if not burlier. Press the throttle, and the electrical motor and turbo engine coordinate to offer clean, easy torque, which retains coming all via the rev vary. Push it tougher, and also you get a deep, throaty growl. It is even louder within the TRD Professional, which will get a cat-back exhaust. The standard 10-speed automated additionally means there’s no droning as you’d get from the e-CVT transmissions in different Toyota hybrids.
There’s additionally the matter of off-roading, which is an space the Sequoia will excel in relative its extra road-oriented rivals (together with the definitely-not-Path-Rated Jeep Wagoneer). Whether or not choosing the TRD Off-Highway package deal and its Bilstein shocks and is derived, or going entire hog with the TRD Professional (pictured above) that will get all-terrain tires, elevated floor clearance, upgraded entrance stabilizer bar, Fox shock and distinctive springs, skid plates and different visible enhancements, the Sequoia can ably get soiled.
That is the place the nice bits finish. Dealing with fails to clear even the low bar set by full-size SUVs, because it’s moderately barge-like with mild, obscure and sluggish steering. A smooth suspension and strong rear axle are by no means a method for chassis poise and driver confidence. The journey high quality is OK in most trims, however we’d strongly urge you to keep away from the range-topping Capstone and its teeth-chattering journey. It makes completely regular, clean pavement really feel like washboard grime roads because it consistently shivers and vibrates. The choice so as to add gigantic 22-inch wheels to the mixture of a body-on-frame truck chassis and a strong rear axle was not a very good one. That it is available in a virtually $80,000 SUV that supposedly can compete with an entry-level Escalade or Navigator is laughable.
What different Toyota Sequoia evaluations can I learn?
2023 Toyota Sequoia First Drive Assessment: New and improved, however not sufficient
Learn extra in regards to the many modifications for 2023, its new engineering and design, and extra in-depth driving impressions of various variations.
2023 Toyota Sequoia TRD Professional Highway Check
Take a deep dive into essentially the most compelling trim degree … though we nonetheless discovered a lot to be desired.
Toyota Sequoia Baggage Check
Take a deeper dive into why the Sequoia’s cargo space is so compromised and subsequently uncompetitive.
What’s the 2024 Sequoia value, and the place is it constructed?
Pricing for the 2024 Toyota Sequoia begins at $62,725, together with the $1,850 vacation spot cost, which is about $3,000 greater than final 12 months. Rear-wheel drive is customary on each Sequoia and four-wheel drive is a $3,000 choice. Not less than that didn’t go up.
In contrast to the moderately sparsely geared up SR5 4Runner and Tacoma, the bottom Sequoia SR5 truly comes very nicely geared up with LED headlights and fog lights, a sunroof, three-zone local weather management, heated entrance seats, a 60/40-split second row bench seat (captain’s chairs are the one selection on the Platinum, TRD Professional and Capstone), a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a panoramic parking digicam, a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Each different trim will get a 14-inch system working mainly the identical interface.
The Restricted might be the place most consumers will begin their Sequoia search given its added SofTex simulated leather-based upholstery, ventilated entrance seats, driver reminiscence capabilities, a heated steering wheel and rear sunshades. There are then two ranges of luxurious trim degree obtainable: the Platinum or the much more luxurious Capstone, though we’d strongly keep away from the latter attributable to its 22-inch wheels and ensuing horrible journey high quality.
The TRD Professional is the rugged selection that provides an off-road suspension with Fox Inside Bypass coilovers and rear remote-reservoir shocks, a entrance stabilizer bar, all-terrain tires, improved clearances and distinctive design prospers. The TRD Off-Highway package deal is accessible on different trim ranges and provides Bilstein shocks and is derived for higher off-road functionality. The TRD Sport package deal goes in the wrong way with a suspension tuned for higher on-road dealing with.
SR5: $62,725Limited: $69,125Platinum: $75,315TRD Professional: $80,560Capstone: $77,865
The Sequoia is inbuilt San Antonio, Texas.
What are the Sequoia security scores and driver help options?
Each 2024 Sequoia contains as customary ahead collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping help, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning, and adaptive cruise management with stop-and-go performance and lane-centering steering help. Additionally customary are entrance and rear parking sensors, and Security Join emergency communications providers.
The 2024 Sequoia has not been crash examined by a 3rd occasion.