2025 Toyota Sequoia

Overview

Toyota's beefy Sequoia SUV is based on the Tundra full-size pickup, with similar chunky styling and lane-filling size. Unlike Ford and GM rivals, the Sequoia comes in just one length, and while a third row of seats is standard, the solid-axle rear suspension makes for a more cramped back bench than in other full-size SUVs. (Toyota's Grand Highlander has better third-row accommodations.) The Sequoia's packaging compromises also impinge on its cargo hold, which is less commodious than the domestics'. All Sequoias are motivated by a twin-turbocharged V-6 with hybrid assistance, which summons a robust 437 horsepower and delivers respectable fuel economy for such a large vehicle. And this is a big boy, an impression clearly conveyed to the ship captain behind the wheel.

What's New for 2025?

For 2025, the Sequoia adds the cowboy-fancy 1794 trim level, as seen on the Tundra pickup. The Sequoia 1794 sits above the Platinum but below the Capstone and includes a brown leather interior with walnut woodgrain trim, Texas-sized badges, a panoramic sunroof, second-row captain's chairs, and a towing package. The 1794 also gets massaging front seats, which are newly standard on the Platinum and Capstone models as well. If you had your heart set on the Solar Octane exterior color, however, we have some bad news: It's been dropped.

C/D Expert Tip:

If this year's model is largely unchanged and you're comfortable with a lightly used car, you may want to consider shopping previous model years. A one-to-three-year-old model will likely have a warranty and it'll cost less than buying new.

C/D Rating:7.5/10

2024 Toyota Sequoia

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C/D Rating:7.5/10

2023 Toyota Sequoia

Shop for a 2023

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Pricing and Which One to Buy

The Limited trim appears to offer the best value in the lineup. Although it's only one step up from the base SR5, it comes with a host of additional goodies standard. Those items include a larger 14.0-inch touchscreen, a power liftgate, 20-inch wheels, heated-and-cooled front seats, and a power-folding third row.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The Sequoia comes standard with the iForce MAX hybrid powertrain that’s optional in the Tundra pickup. This powertrain is comprised of a twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 engine and an electric motor that produce a total of 437 hp and 583 pound-feet of torque. The Tundra’s 10-speed automatic transmission carries over to the Sequoia SUV as well. Rear-wheel drive is standard, with four-wheel drive optional on most versions—and standard on the off-road-oriented TRD Pro model. The TRD Pro also comes with off-road equipment such as upgraded Fox dampers, a front skid plate, a locking rear differential, and forged 18-inch wheels with 33-inch tires. Note that lesser models (SR5, Limited, and Platinum) can be outfitted with the TRD Off-Road package, which brings dirt-friendly goodies including hill-descent control, Crawl Control, and a locking rear differential. During our initial test drive, we were pleased with the Sequoia's comfortable ride and quiet cabin, but less so with its on-road driving behavior. Its extra-wide feeling on the road makes it hard to place in a lane—something we've complained about in other large SUVs too—and its featherweight steering effort doesn't help. Its brake pedal also has an oddly squishy feel.

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0–60-MPH Times

The four-wheel-drive Sequoia Capstone we tested accelerated to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and reached a quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds at 94 mph. That's quicker than the last GMC Yukon Denali we tested, but somewhat slower than the Ford Expedition Timberline. The TRD Off-Road version that we tested was a shade behind, at 5.9 seconds to 60 mph.

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Towing and Payload Capacity

Towing capacity ranges from 8980 pounds for the four-wheel-drive Capstone to 9520 pounds for the rear-wheel-drive SR5. Even at the low end, that bests the Chevy Tahoe (8400 lbs), and the Sequoia's max towing capacity just edges past the Ford Expedition (9300 lbs). A Tow Technology package consists of a digital rearview mirror and an on-screen Trailer Backup Guide with Straight Path Assist (although not automated steering); it's optional on the SR5 and Limited and standard elsewhere. A load-leveling rear suspension can be had on both the Platinum and Capstone.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

The new Sequoia's hybrid setup makes it significantly more efficient than the outgoing model. Rear-wheel-drive models are EPA-rated at 21 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined, which bests the V-6–powered Expedition and trounces the Tahoe with its V-8. Opting for four-wheel drive drops those numbers a bit, to 19 mpg city, 22 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined. In our real-world 75-mph highway fuel economy test, our Capstone test vehicle fell slightly short of the mark at 19 mpg. For more information about the Sequoia's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The Sequoia's large interior continues in this new generation, with a third row of seats as standard equipment. A second-row bench setup with an eight-passenger capacity is standard, with optional second-row captain's chairs reducing the number of seats to seven. Headroom is limited in both rear rows, particularly when equipped with the optional panoramic sunroof, and a high floor reduces legroom for back-benchers. With a wide range of trim levels available, the interior appointments run the gamut from plain to fancy, and include cloth and leather upholstery and varying levels of wood and chrome trim as you walk up the price ladder. Higher trim levels offer features like heated-and- cooled second-row seats, a panoramic sunroof, and a premium stereo system. The Sequoia's cargo area isn't as accommodating as other rivals, however. With the rear seat in use there's only 12 cubic feet of cargo space out back—although the rearmost seat can slide forward to make more space, but folding the third row down doesn't result in a flat load floor.

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Infotainment and Connectivity

The old Sequoia’s dated touchscreen setup has been swapped out for the large 14.0-inch touchscreen found in the Tundra. This screen comes standard on all but the base SR5 and will use Toyota’s latest infotainment software, which offers all manner of smartphone-mirroring and other connectivity options including a Wi-Fi hotspot and various music-streaming options.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

All of the Sequoia’s available driver-assistance features come standard across the board. For more information about the Sequoia's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking
• Standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist
• Standard adaptive cruise control

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Toyota’s limited and powertrain warranties are similar to many of the Sequoia’s full-size SUV competitors. However, Toyota does offer complimentary scheduled maintenance as a nice bonus.

• Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
• Hybrid components are covered for ten years or 150,000 miles
• Complimentary scheduled maintenance is covered for two years or 25,000 miles

Specifications

Specifications

2023 Toyota Sequoia Capstone
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon

PRICE
Base/As Tested: $80,095/$80,095
Options: none

POWERTRAIN
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.4-liter V-6, 389 hp, 479 lb-ft + AC motor, 48 hp, 184 lb-ft (combined output: 437 hp, 583 lb-ft; 1.9-kWh nickel-metal hydride battery pack)
Transmission: 10-speed automatic

CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axle
Brakes, F/R: 13.9-in vented disc/13.6-in vented disc
Tires: Bridgestone Dueler H/T
265/50R-22 112H Extra Load M+S

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 122.0 in
Length: 208.1 in
Width: 79.6 in
Height: 74.5 in
Passenger Volume: 157 ft³
Cargo Volume, behind first/second/third rows: 89/49/12 ft³
Curb Weight: 6179 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.6 sec
1/4-Mile: 14.3 sec @ 94 mph
100 mph: 16.4 sec
Results above omit a 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.3 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.4 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.3 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 107 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 194 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.76 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 16 mpg

EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 20/19/22 mpg

C/D TESTING EXPLAINED

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