Well, no surprise here: the latest version of Toyota’s gargantuan Sequoia is based on the recently released Tundra. Oh, there are three rows of seats in its (expansively hedonistic) cabin rather than a bed for plywood, but, in most regards — certainly the technical ones — the Sequoia is the Tundra’s brother from another brother.
The engine, for instance, is a carbon copy of the series hybrid that serves as the top-of-the-line choice in the pick-me-up. A 3.4-litre V6 — Toyota officially calls it a 3.5L — twin-turbo V6 is mated to a 48-volt motor-generator sandwiched between engine and transmission, fed by a 1.87-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery.
Add it all up and there’s no fewer than 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque on tap, one of the reasons that this third-gen Sequoia can now tow 4,080 kilograms (9,000 pounds). That said, the extra paraphernalia will probably make an already incredible bulk even heavier, the Tundra with the same powertrain weighing in at over 6,000 pounds.
The pickup version of the hybrid consumes about 1 L/100 km less fuel than the exact same motor sans electrification. Oh, and treated with the same delicacy that you’d treat your firstborn’s first diaper change, you might get up to 29 kilometres an hour — Toyota seems overly specific on that count for some reason — on electric power alone, but the real reason you should be excited about the new hybrid powertrain is that it’s fortified with twin-turbo V6 goodness.
It all powers Toyota’s latest TNGA-F body-on-frame platform, similar in construction, if not quite detail, to the Tundra. The Sequoia, for instance, rides on independent double-wishbone front suspension up front, and unlike its predecessor — which grafted an independent rear suspension onto the back of its boxed frame — the 2023 version reverts back to a solid rear axle, albeit a modern multi-link system. There’s also an optional load-levelling air suspension to help keep the Sequoia on an even keel while towing. As I mentioned, the 2023 Sequoia can tow up to 4,080 kilos, an improvement of some 22 per cent over its predecessor.
There’s more. The new Sequoia comes with Toyota’s latest Trailer Backup Guide which, at the toggle of a button, guides your steering so you can maneuver the big SUV and any trailer it’s towing into the tightest of parking spots. the Straight Path Assist is even easier, as it keeps the trailer on a perfectly straight line when reversing all by itself; you just have to work the brakes and gas.
Speaking as one who’s admittedly fearful of trailering anything larger than a bike sled, any technology that takes the frustration out of backing up a five-plus-metre SUV with an even bigger trailer out back is welcome. And, even when you’re not towing, the Sequoia’s plethora of cameras display multiple exterior angles on a large 14-inch touchscreen, or the optional digital-display rearview mirror.
Inside, all 2023 Sequoias will come with three rows of seats, though how they are distributed and clothed differs amongst the five trims available: TRD Off-Road, Limited, Platinum, TRD Pro, and the new top-of-the-line Capstone.
In Canada, the TRD package is the cheapest Sequoia available. But, even if its interior amenities aren’t as luxurious as its siblings, it comes with a shopping-cart-sized list of off-road goodies, including a selectable locking differential, Multi-Terrain Select that helps controls wheel-spin for improved traction, Downhill Assist Control, and a Crawl Control that serves as a sort of off-road cruise control for low-speed trail navigation to minimize the herky-jerkiness of the throttle in 4WD Low. TRD-tuned Bilstein monotube shock absorbers and TRD-tuned springs are standard, and Toyota says the red front-axle driveshaft provides “added flair.” Yes, we have come to a point in the world of automotive fashion that the driveshaft is now styling differentiator. Oh, my.
Moving further up the trim scale adds luxury bits at each grade until we come to the new Capstone. Inside, there’s open-pore American walnut at every turn; semi-aniline leather-trimming the seats; and acoustic glass for a quieter cabin. Speaking of noise, a 14-speaker JBL sound system belts out the tunes, controlled by a gigantic 14-inch infotainment touchscreen.
Naturally, it connects to both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but it also lets you Bluetooth with two iPhones simultaneously. And being a top-of-the-line Toyota, there’s a host Toyota Safety Sense defenses, not the least of which is Dynamic Cruise Control and Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, which can also detect bicyclists, at least in the daytime.
Toyota Canada has yet to finalize the pricing of the 2022 Sequoia, which is due to arrive later this summer.