Today, Toyota is more of a truck and SUV company, not so much a car company. Seriously, look it up—sure, there’s the Corolla, Camry, and Crown, but they sell 12 different crossovers, trucks, and SUVs, and that’s not even separating the hybrid models of each. Toyota has among the most comprehensive lineup of people-movers around, with something for virtually everyone. There’s the newest and smallest Corolla Cross, and then there’s this 2025 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro, a mammoth, body-on-frame, seven-passenger SUV on the completely opposite end.
Here to play with the big boys
This isn’t a crossover; the Sequoia is built on the same TNGA-F body-on-frame chassis as the Tundra workhorse. Make no mistake, this thing is big, falling just three inches short of a Cadillac Escalade. The TRD Pro is the most rugged of the Sequoia lineup, built off the mid-grade Limited trim and adding a boatload of honest-to-goodness, off-road-ready gear. This includes a TRD-branded skid plate, a locking rear diff, front stabilizer bar, all-terrain tires wrapped around 18-inch forged BBS wheels, and a TRD Pro off-road suspension with a 1.1-inch front lift and 2.5-inch FOX internal bypass coilovers and rear remote-reservoir shocks. This is serious stuff.
The looks department isn’t left wanting, either. Those chunky LT265/65/R18 tires and BBS wheels are accompanied by upgraded headlights and a heritage-style TRD grille with an LED light bar and amber marker lights. Monochromatic camo design overfenders are a unique touch to go along with TRD Pro hood badges that sit atop fake, but rugged-looking hood vents. The aptly named Mudbath paint finishes off the look.
Rugged on the outside, rugged on the inside
The TRD Pro trim spruces up the interior with faux leather seats with TRD Pro logos and the same camo pattern as the fenders. There’s a big, blocky Toyota logo on the passenger side dash that goes well with the big physical controls, a solid-feeling TRD shift knob, and a chunky TRD-branded heated steering wheel.
Technology is also abundant, with the Sequoia TRD Pro featuring Toyota’s latest infotainment software displayed on a large 14-inch screen. A 14-speaker JBL audio system features wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to bring the party to life. All the creature comforts you could be looking for are on board, such as heated and cooled front seats, and three-zone climate control. What takes away some comfort is the elevated floor of the third row; it’s less comfortable for adults despite having a fair bit of room back there, although the power recline redeems the space a bit.
Old-school meets new-age
Toyota the truck company is also Toyota the hybrid company, and the two meet in the 6,150-pound Sequoia TRD Pro. The results are mixed, but not unexpected. This is Toyota’s iForce Max system, which pairs a 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 with an electric motor integrated into the transmission, and a small battery pack. It delivers a combined 437 horsepower and a robust 583 lb-ft of torque. This makes for swift-for-a-mammoth acceleration especially in the midrange, as well as a nearly 10,000-pound towing capacity.
What you don’t get is great fuel economy. You don’t even get particularly good fuel economy. In city driving, where hybrids typically excel, I averaged an eye-watering 17.5 L/100 km. It wasn’t until I took a day trip to Niagara Falls, where it dropped to a more palatable 15.6 L/100 km. For context, the last Escalade I reviewed, with its all-gas, tried-and-true 6.2L V8 averaged 14.3 L/100 km combined. To Toyota’s credit, the Sequoia felt significantly more potent and actually sounded pretty good doing so, no doubt aided by some artificial noise pumped into the cabin. Regardless of the inauthenticity, it sounds kind of like a V8 and it certainly moves like one, so I’m not complaining — aside from fuel economy. Yikes, Toyota.
The steering and suspension setup is firmly in big truck country, not doing a great job of masking its weight but nonetheless coming off as a competent on-road cruiser. The Sequoia TRD Pro doesn’t hide the fact it’s big and brawny both in look and feel. It’s entirely by design, but it doesn’t behave offensively on pavement despite having some serious offroad chops.
Outside of the tangible, mechanical off-road bits are software-based enhancements to improve capability. This comes in the form of an improved stability control system which features multi-terrain select for different offroad challenges, downhill assist control, and a crawl mode in case you’re about to do some boulder-hopping.
This is Toyota
The 2025 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro defines the brand in this day and age. It’s a hybrid, it’s built well, it’s good looking, it’s spacious, and it’s a truck. It’s not perfect—the hybrid powertrain does more for performance than it does for fuel economy—but I can’t imagine anyone looking at a 6,000-plus body-on-frame SUV has fuel efficiency on the top of their priority list. The Sequoia does a great job of mimicking and even improving on the large, American SUV formula, right down to being built in good ol’ Texas.
