Seeing the success of Toyota’s truck lineup as a whole, it has always been a mystery as to why the Sequoia has not made a bigger splash in Canada. So, to put a jolt into its full-size, body-on-frame SUV, Toyota recently unveiled an all-new, third-generation Sequoia. We grabbed the keys to the most badass version — the 2024 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro — to see whether it can finally hit it off with Canadian buyers.
First of all, the new Sequoia looks great. Gone is the outdated and pedestrian styling, freshened from tip to tail in a distinctive and commanding new look. There is a lot to love with the new Sequoia, especially in the TRD Pro dress-up that adds the heritage TOYOTA badge right up front, a factory-installed LED light bar, sporty matte black details, and various mechanical bits like the dual TRD Pro exhaust tips, an exposed aluminum front skid plate, and FOX dampers. The Sequoia TRD Pro was a head-turner throughout our time with it, and that attention-grabbing nature is a great first step in rekindling demand.
The next step in making the Sequoia more relevant to shoppers is pulling out its age-old 5.7-litre V8 and replacing it with a more modern powertrain. It’s now powered by Toyota’s new 437-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 hybrid engine. This engine, known as the i-Force Max, made its initial appearance as an option in the Tundra, but is onboard all Sequoia models. It is an improvement in every way over the departing V8 — not only does it have 56 more horsepower, but its 583 pound-feet of peak torque is nearly fifty per cent more than the 401 rated in the V8, and arrives much sooner at 2,400 RPM.
All this extra power means the Sequoia feels much livelier. The throttle is more responsive, it gets off the line a little quicker, and it can tow a whole lot more — up to 9,000 pounds, to be exact. The only downside to the new powertrain the lack of the burly V8 soundtrack many have come to love, but at least the new Sequoia TRD Pro sounds properly throaty in its own right, thanks to the unique TRD exhaust system.
Toyota says the new i-Force Max powertrain is also more efficient than their outgoing V8, and their posted ratings certainly show a vast improvement. It is rated at 12.6 L/100 kilometres in the city, 10.5 on the highway, and 11.7 combined. However, throughout our time with the Sequoia TRD Pro tester, we were never able to average below 15 L/100 km despite this being a “hybrid” powertrain. We achieved much better figures during our time with the Sequoia Capstone, so we will chalk this one up to our city-heavy commute in cold winter temperatures, not to mention the all-terrain tires likely did not help much, either.
The TRD Pro designation means a whole host of off-road-ready goodies on other models, and the Sequoia is no exception. In addition to the aforementioned skid plate, FOX shocks, and all-terrain tires, there is extra off-road capability in the way of standard selectable locking differentials and other electronic systems, like Multi-Terrain Select, Crawl Control, and Downhill Assist Control. We did not have the opportunity to venture too far off the beaten path, but the TRD Pro package always offers a sense of dependability even if the world comes to an end, and this kitted-out Sequoia is no different.
The Sequoia sees a complete refresh inside, too, with an all-new layout that looks clean and modern, and materials that feel quite premium for a truck-based SUV. The 14-inch touchscreen display offers clear resolution and houses an all-new infotainment system that is quite easy to use, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are both supported wirelessly. Given the massive size of this truck, it is no surprise to generous passenger space in the first two rows, especially with our tester’s second-row captain’s chairs. What was surprising was the lack of legroom in the third row, as well as the 326 litres of cargo space with the third row up. But you can slide the third-row bench forward for up to 631 litres of space with the seats up, and a new adjustable cargo shelf system allows you to store up to 100 pounds’ of junk in the trunk for more storage flexibility.
Of course, there is ample storage space once you fold down the seats — 1,388 with the third row folded, and 2,461 with the third and second row stowed — plus you can use the dedicated TRD roof rack for even more on our tester. But the reality is that the Sequoia works best as a four- or five-seater, with the third row deployed only as a once-in-a-while back-up. Those looking for usable seating for seven should consider the Grand Highlander.
Driver assistance features are important nowadays. Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.5 suite onboard the Sequoia includes features such as pre-collision mitigation with pedestrian detection, emergency steering assist, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Lane Tracing Assist, and Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automatic Braking. These systems are crucial especially for full-size trucks, and we are glad to see them standard across the entire Sequoia lineup.
The 2024 Sequoia ranges from $80,460 for the base TRD Off-Road trim, to $96,450 for the fully loaded Capstone. Our TRD Pro tester sits near the top of the lineup, at $95,500 as-tested. The Nissan Armada and GMC Yukon AT4 are the Sequoia TRD Pro’s closest rivals; the two Japanese trucks each have their own distinct personalities and fanbase, and the Yukon certainly offers the broadest appeal due to its popularity and image as a capable people-mover.
When you boil it all down, we think Toyota has certainly done their part to transform the Sequoia from an outdated and forgettable truck, to a sleek attention-grabber. This appeal is especially evident with our tester, blending a badass look with a new hybrid V6 powertrain that makes the 2024 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro easier (read: more economical) to live with. We expect to see a lot more of these trucks roaming the streets before long.
