After over a decade on the market, Toyota is replacing one of its most important SUV models. In its place, we’ll get something with a modern design, a brand new type of engine, and a significantly updated interior. That’s right, we’re talking about the all-new 2023 Toyota Sequoia.
Toyota has already announced its official debut this Tuesday, January 25th. But ahead of that, we want to show you a couple of renderings that we believe preview the official product while also discussing our expectations for specs, pricing, and features.
The current Sequoia is as old as the time itself. It came out in 2008 and looks outdated. In its place, the new SUV will take advantage of the TNGA-F body-on-frame platform, which also underpins the recently introduced Toyota Land Cruiser. Most importantly, it’s going to be closely related to the new Tundra.
How do we know? Well, Toyota says it should shift Sequoia production to the San Antonio, Texas factory which makes the 2022 Tundra pickup. One important benefit is ride comfort, as engineers have likely switched out the rear coil springs for the independent rear suspension.
Toyota trucks and SUVs are popular because of their hugely reliable and simple engines and gearboxes. But the tech looks obsolete and is often too fuel-thirsty. That’s why the current 381 horsepower 5.7-liter V8 will be replaced by something new, a twin-turbocharged V6 producing somewhere around 350 hp and 405 lb-ft in base trim or up to 389 hp and 479 lb-ft for the top-spec. The Tundra also has something called iForce MAX, which is a hybrid V6 with 437 horsepower.
Replacing the old six-speed with a 10-speed should mean you’ll finally be able to get 20 mpg. Towing capacity should also be increased. An old Sequoia is rated at 7,400 pounds for rear-wheel-drive versions. But the new Tundra has between 8,300 and 12,000 pounds of pulling power.
We really like the simplicity of these renderings from Kolesa. The front end is basically the same as the Tundra, and that was the case with previous models. What follows is a straight body with large windows and accents in a few places. Toyota has said it wants to keep the third-row space and outward visibility that make this SUV popular.
But unlike the Tundra, the 2023 3-row SUV is unlikely to have a TRD trim level. Toyota is likely to focus on a high-end model with more luxury features, since the market seems to want that.
