Review Of The Big, Burly, Three-Row Hybrid 2023 Toyota Sequoia SUV

In 2023, Toyota will release the Sequoia, a large three-row family transporter designed with the United States in mind. Even though it may sound like every other new automobile being shown today, Toyota and Lexus’ next body-on-frame truck might be the best of the bunch. The Sequoia has a spacious cabin and a hybrid powertrain, making it feel and drive like a much smaller vehicle. After test-driving the new Sequoia, I’m confident that a brand-new 300 Series Land Cruiser isn’t necessary. Having fun with it is a pleasure in and of itself.

After 15 years, a new edition of the Sequoia is much appreciated. It seems like a continuous highlight reel of the most significant features from Toyota’s other recent body-on-frame cars. It’s a bit bigger to accommodate our vast open roads, significantly outperforming vehicles like the Lexus LX 600 and Land Cruiser. The Sequoia’s i-Force Max engine is the truck’s main attraction; it’s also found in the Tundra pickup and has 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque. Unfortunately, you may accelerate recklessly out of turn because of the electric motor’s high torque at low RPM. Which you most certainly will (very often).

Finally, there is a brand new Sequoia after waiting since the 2008 model year. The new TNGA-F body-on-frame platform, also used by the Toyota Tundra, the Toyota Land Cruiser, and the Lexus LX, was adopted simultaneously. The SUV’s front fascia is reminiscent of the Tundra’s, but I like it here. From the comments posted online following Sequoia’s unveiling, it seems I’m not alone in my opinion. The most noticeable change is the new standard hybrid powertrain, which comes with a new rear multi-link design using coil springs and outboard-mounted twin-tube shock absorbers. 

All of these modifications were made to enhance the truck’s ride and handling, and based on my own experience, and I can conclude that their efforts were successful. Since it will be the last of Toyota’s new big cars to hit the market in 2023, the Sequoia will profit from its successes elsewhere. Both its looks and performance live up to the hype; thus, adopting the hybrid as the norm was an intelligent choice. Of course, it’s possible to earn some money from selling a gas-only vehicle, but even Toyota recognises that base models with few features don’t bring in the big bucks.

Driving the 2023 Toyota Sequoia for Work and Play

Though the Sequoia’s ride quality won’t have you thinking it’s your mother’s Sedan de Ville, the ‘Yota still provides a decent level of comfort, especially on cracked concrete streets. Although this is my first time driving a Sequoia, The Drive’s Kristin Shaw, who accompanied me on my test drive, assured me that the new model is an upgrade over the previous generation. The Sequoia’s handling is noteworthy and likely assisted by placing the hybrid system’s battery low and centrally inside the truck.

The Sequoia has a new electronic power steering system installed in the rack, making it more manageable and communicative. Because of how well together everything is, I blasted out corners like I would in my little everyday driving. The smooth and quiet surge of acceleration in the hybrid V6 made me chuckle the whole time.