{"id":48257,"date":"2023-04-26T09:03:26","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T13:03:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=48257"},"modified":"2023-04-26T09:03:26","modified_gmt":"2023-04-26T13:03:26","slug":"2023-toyota-sequoia-trd-pro-road-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=48257","title":{"rendered":"2023 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro Road Test: Looks promising, but struggles to compete"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia<\/a> TRD Pro ought to be a massive improvement over the previous-gen model in every single way. Unfortunately, just like the regular versions of the Sequoia<\/a>, the off-road-focused TRD Pro embodies the same \u201cfew steps forward, few steps back\u201d theme.<\/p>\n

On the positive side, the Sequoia<\/a> TRD Pro looks rad, particularly in this extremely orange Solar Octane paint. Designers gave it a unique grille with \u201cTOYOTA\u201d spelled out in big letters, and the TRD Pro hood trim stands out as a strong contrasting accent. Standing out even stronger in the dark are the bright lower fog lights and grille-mounted light bar that should confidently light up a trail at night \u2014 just don\u2019t be an idiot and run it on the road. The big body cladding, rock rails, 18-inch forged BBS wheels that wear 33-inch Falken Wildpeak all-terrain tires and a big \u2018ole roof carrier system really complete the look. One glance at the enormous SUV will have you thinking it\u2019d be an ideal overlanding companion \u2014 its size and off-road capabilities make it a solid candidate for a rig that might spend days at a time off the grid. Of course, the mechanicals underneath and tech within the Sequoia TRD Pro is designed to ensure it\u2019s up to the task for such ventures.<\/p>\n

The Sequoia\u2019s standard dampers get swapped out for TRD-tuned Fox internal bypass shocks, and ground clearance increases to 9.1 inches, which is half an inch more than the regular Sequoia. A TRD Pro front stabilizer bar is added, and a quarter-inch aluminum front skid plate keeps the underbody safe. The approach angle is greatly improved to 23 degrees versus a regular Sequoia\u2019s 15, while the departure angle remains the same at 20 degrees. Plus, off-road technologies like downhill assist control, Toyota<\/a>\u2019s Crawl control and its Multi-Terrain Select system come standard. So does four-wheel drive and a selectable locking rear differential. Assuming the hybrid<\/a> powertrain\u2019s engine is running, you\u2019ll be able to hear the Sequoia breathe through a TRD Pro-specific exhaust, too.<\/p>\n

That new hybrid powertrain is a real bright spot for the Sequoia TRD Pro, too, assuming you\u2019re buying it for things other than efficiency. On paper, the new model is substantially more efficient with a 20 mpg combined rating versus the 14 mpg combined the previous version managed. However, in practice, we could barely get the computer to register over 14 mpg in normal driving, which is in keeping with other Sequoias we\u2019ve driven in both Michigan and California. When we stopped trying to drive efficiently, fuel economy<\/a> dipped all the way down to 11 mpg over a long, around-town stint. Those figures aren\u2019t anywhere close to even the 19 mpg city this SUV is rated for, and is far worse than the 18.5 mpg we managed with the gas-only, 440-hp Ford Expedition Timberline<\/a> (18 mpg EPA<\/a> combined). So, unless you creep around like a tortoise in the Sequoia, we have a feeling you\u2019ll struggle to get anywhere close to the rated figures.<\/p>\n

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The engine and exhaust note make driving efficiently a tough thing to do, too, as it\u2019s quite the stout-feeling and-sounding powertrain. Between the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 and electric motor, the Sequoia TRD Pro puts out a combined 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque. This big truck<\/a> may weigh 6,150 pounds, but it feels quick off the line. The seamless blend of electric torque, boosted V6 and silky-shifting 10-speed is perhaps more impressive than the speed itself. Just lean into the throttle, and the Sequoia accelerates effortlessly with a growl from the exhaust that sounds more V8 than V6. There\u2019s no doubt that some of that TRD Pro exhaust\u2019s noise reaches the cabin, but just like the Tundra<\/a>, there\u2019s a good amount of augmented noise being pumped in over the speakers. It\u2019s all rather convincing and presents well for an off-road-oriented SUV.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the lovely engine is not backed up by a lovely ride. The previous Sequoia TRD Pro handled Michigan\u2019s torn up roads like a champ, and while some of the credit is due to those off-road shocks, its independent rear suspension was a better place to start from. Toyota reverted to a solid rear axle design for this generation<\/a> of Sequoia, and every one of our editors noticed. Just not in a good way. The Capstone model<\/a> with its 23-inch wheels gave Senior Editor James Riswick an unpleasant, constantly jittery experience on California highways. Meanwhile, News Editor Joel Stocksdale noted while driving this test vehicle that the TRD Pro wasn\u2019t notably better than the other trim levels he drove on the first drive<\/a> despite the meatier all-terrain tires and Fox shocks that could have potentially resulted in a better ride.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Whether it was on highway expansion joints or pothole-ridden surface streets, the Sequoia lacks the refinement and comfort you\u2019d expect for its size. The ride problem for Toyota is exacerbated even further by how plush the Sequoia\u2019s American rivals are \u2013 even GM<\/a>\u2019s off-road-focused Yukon AT4<\/a> and Tahoe Z71<\/a> are significantly more pleasant. The reason? They all have independent rear suspensions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not the end of the solid rear axle\u2019s troubles: It leads to questionable packaging for the third row and cargo area. A picture works better than an explanation for why this setup is so silly, so direct your eyes below.<\/p>\n

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Yes, that is the cargo area for the Sequoia. You\u2019ll notice that it has little mounting points on each side that let you place the floor at different heights. It\u2019s a clever idea, but it\u2019s also a workaround for a tiny space and a third row that doesn\u2019t fold flat into the floor. The cause for that would be the hybrid system\u2019s battery<\/a> and the solid rear axle: Toyota simply couldn\u2019t package those, plus the four-wheel-drive hardware, and make a real fold-flat third-row work. It\u2019s the same issue GM\u2019s previous full-size trucks suffered from, but rectified with the current generation and its independent rear end. The result is uncompetitive cargo space. Worse, third-row space is also below-average in a segment where even 6-footers can sit comfortably for hours in the back of an Expedition<\/a>, Tahoe<\/a> or Wagoneer<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For a brand-new platform and clean-sheet redesign, it\u2019s surprising how much the Sequoia has gone backward in this area. Besides, for an SUV with a legitimate shot at being used as an overlanding vehicle, the compromised cargo space is even more annoying, as it will create challenges for folks packing it to the brim for extended stays away from civilization.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re looking for positives, the new cabin from the second row on forward is lovely. The TRD Pro features unique camo-clad seats that, while a little much in red leather, look agreeably distinctive in black leather. The TRD Pro extras such as the red stitching everywhere, center mark on the steering wheel and giant \u201cTOYOTA\u201d spelled out on the passenger side dash all appropriately amp up the atmosphere. In general, the interior feels upscale and modern, as it should for 2023.<\/p>\n

There are hard buttons for most vital controls, but the infotainment system lacks navigational shortcuts \u2014 even a \u201chome\u201d button with a landing screen would be a big improvement, especially when going back and forth between Apple CarPlay\/Android Auto. The angle at which you interact with the screen is a little annoying, too, as it\u2019s very close to the driver for having such a wide format screen, forcing you to make deliberate looks away from the road to operate it. Visibility in general for this new Sequoia is rather poor, especially if you spec the extendable towing<\/a> mirrors. Combined with the massively chunky pillars, these mirrors create enormous forward blind spots that make parking and city driving stressful activities.<\/p>\n

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At $79,770 as tested, the Sequoia TRD Pro isn\u2019t exactly a budget option. You can pick up a similarly equipped Chevrolet Tahoe<\/a> Z71 for less, but a Ford Expedition<\/a> Timberline will cost you a similar amount as the Toyota.<\/p>\n

When it comes to body-on-frame, three-row vehicles that take wheeling seriously, the list above is short, and while we haven\u2019t pitted them all against each other, the race could be a close one off-road. Both Ford<\/a>\u2019s and Chevy<\/a>\u2019s off-road entries put up slightly better ground clearance and approach\/departure angle figures than the Sequoia TRD Pro, but none of these are true rock crawlers. The Sequoia\u2019s big draws are the strong powertrain, stellar looks and those Fox shocks, while the others take big wins in overall interior packaging, ride comfort, the off-road numbers game and, potentially, real-world fuel economy. We\u2019d rather live with either of the American SUVs on a daily basis, though, which is a little heartbreaking to say because we had high hopes for Toyota\u2019s brand-new Sequoia that simply weren\u2019t met.<\/p>\n

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