If you are looking for a Toyota Tundra, but in an SUV-style package, then the Sequoia might be what you are looking for.
Since it's related to the Tundra, the two are mechanically very similar: both are powered by a 5.7-liter V8 good for 381 horsepower and 41 lb.-ft. of torque, both make use of a six-speed automatic transmission, and both offer off-road-centric TRD trims—kind of like the Sequoia TRD Pro we sampled.
What's it that TRD Pro like to drive? Read our driving impressions below.
The same chassis that supports the 2021 Sequoia that Toyota dropped off at my house also supports my 2010 Tundra, and my neighbor’s 2007 Tundra. The 5.7-liter V8 and XK50/XK60 chassis has been around for a while, but the latest iterations are object lessons in not fixing something that isn’t broken.
The Sequoia feels like a slightly heavier and more sluggish Tundra, which makes sense given the extra vehicle weight because of the SUV configuration and three rows of luxury inside. Aside from that, if you never looked behind you, you might never know which version you were driving.
The $65,000-plus price tag of the TRD Pro-trimmed Sequoia will likely price it out of the “utility” segment, and I feel like most Sequoias pressed into actual service will be towing horses, nice boats, or motorcycles that only get ridden once a year.
Still, despite the luxury and cost, the Sequoia has the capability to handle most utilitarian tasks. While its max tow capacity with the 5.7-liter V8 is about 2000 pounds fewer than the 10,000-plus-pound rating that the similarly equipped Tundra carries, it’s still plenty enough to haul most any single-car open trailer or a modest, smartly packed enclosed ones.
Inside, the Sequoia is typical Toyota, which has always been pretty excellent ergonomically, although the sheer largeness of the vehicle makes a few controls—especially the controls of the right side of the radio—a bit of a reach. I can nitpick a few of the menus in the DIC, but overall most Toyotas are easy to jump into and operate. I will call out the lack of a power hatch lift as a bit of a disappointing omission, and one that seems odd in a vehicle of this class and price.
Overall, I think I’m more of a Tundra guy than a Sequoia guy, but that’s got more to do with lifestyle and intended uses than the vehicles themselves. If the Sequoia is what you need—and you can justify the cost—you won’t be disappointed with the high capability and exceptional Toyota quality.
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