2023 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro First Test: Did We Mention the Price?

Aug 08, 2023

Toyota arguably over-delivered with its new, modernized third-generation 2023 Toyota Sequoia in terms of the vehicle's overall refinement and functionality—it was exactly what we expected and more from the clean-sheet redesign of Toyota's full-size three-row SUV. Toyota potentially under-delivered, however, with its Sequoia TRD Pro—at least when it comes to the price it expects customers to pay. This small asterisk is our biggest gripe about the go-big TRD-ized off-roader.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro starts at $77,660. Folks, that's more than the GMC Yukon AT4 (even with the upgraded 6.2-liter engine) and the Ford Expedition Timberline, for example. With its flamboyant, TRD Pro front end and "technical camo" fenders, the Sequoia TRD Pro appears to be targeting the rowdy, adventurous kid-at-heart type who's graduated to family life. But it's priced so high as to attract a different, more upscale clientele. What gives? That's some serious, premium-level money for the TRD Pro lifestyle (and the Fox 2.5-inch internal-bypass shocks, locking rear diff, off-road tires, forged wheels, skidplates, and so on that come with it). Even Toyota die-hards have to eat.

As tested, the four-wheel-drive TRD Pro we had in rang in at $80,196. Cough. Cresting $80,000 came all too easily. The playful, orange-ish Solar Octane exterior color, exclusive to TRD Pro, tacked on $425. (Worth it! It's quite the talking point.) An integrated dashcam ($499), trailer ball mount ($87), TRD air filter ($130), and TRD roof rack ($1,395) round out the add-ons. Be warned that the roof rack was loud (but didn't whistle), a common problem with accessories that alter airflow. Getting it straight from the factory didn't magically fix that.

Toyota makes a powerful argument for replacing the outgoing Sequoia's V-8 with a twin-turbo hybrid V-6—a 437-hp 583-lb-ft argument. The 3.4-liter six-cylinder is paired with an electric motor that contributes 48 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque and a 10-speed automatic that performed smoothly, except for a consistent shift lurch between park and drive that reminded us to always buckle up and hold on. It can tow slightly over 9,000 pounds, and it has a gross vehicle weight rating of 7,585 pounds, adequate enough to tow a modest travel trailer.

The iForce Max is rated at 19/22/20 mpg (city/highway/combined). During a 700-mile, predominantly highway road trip, we averaged 17-19 mpg, which met our expectations and is light-years better than the V-8, but it's not appreciably better than the competition in the mpg department. Its itty-bitty 22.5-gallon gas tank was also an issue, and fill-ups were frequent during our trip. (The Tundra TRD Pro has a 32.5-gallon tank, accommodated by its nearly 2-foot-longer wheelbase.) We could do without the fake engine noise pumped into the interior through the speakers, as the engine's very faint, very occasional turbo whistle (all its twin-turbo V-6 competitors do this) and other natural noises were more than enough for us.

Out at the test track, the Tundra-based, 6,209-pound Sequoia TRD Pro, with its body-on-frame construction and live rear axle, accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds and clocked a quarter-mile time of 14.7 seconds at 93.5 mph. It's peppy and quicker than a 5.3-liter 2023 Chevy Tahoe Z71, but the 2022 Ford Expedition Timberline lops nearly a second off the 0-60 time with only 3 more horsepower than the Sequoia.

A top-of-the-line 2023 Toyota Sequoia Capstone that weighed a mere 26 pounds less than the TRD Pro sprinted to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and ran a quarter mile in 14.2 seconds at 97.7 mph. That's quite a spread between trims of the same vehicle running tires that are within a whisker of the same diameter, with neither of them breaking traction (their 0-30-mph times are identical). No, we can fully blame aerodynamics here, owing to the TRD's roof rack and its off-road suspension lifting the body 3.5 inches higher into the wind. Maybe the tow hooks also slowed down the TRD Pro. Oh wait, there aren't any recovery hooks to be found on the Sequoia TRD Pro—unless you count the trailer hitch receiver.

Out on the MotorTrend figure-eight course, our special test that evaluates braking, accelerating, and cornering all together, the test team expected better from the TRD Sequoia given that the mechanically similar Tundra TRD Pro proved solid through the same course. The team reported that the heavier Sequoia had trouble under hard braking with a considerable amount of dive, a lack of grip from its off-road tires, and significant understeer. Translation: Stick to the dirt, not autocross.

MotorTrend staffers who tested the Sequoia TRD Pro extensively off-road had predominantly positive things to say about how it performed. As for our ultra-scientific (read: not), urban off-road dip and double-dip test, the Sequoia TRD Pro failed, rebounding and bouncing with much consternation and unsettlement (an equally priced 2022 Ford Raptor passed). We didn't land in anyone's yard, but it was a real Coke-slosher. It's an off-roader, but we can't recommend adding more speed in an effort to flatten the whoops.

Like any good off-road vehicle, driving the Sequoia TRD Pro can be a bit exhausting due to all the noise. In addition to the aforementioned fake engine and roof rack noise, there's wind noise, tire noise, exhaust drone, and noise in general. We had to crank the radio volume just to hear it, which only added more noise. And then, the dash sprouted a rattle, its undetermined origin caused bickering between driver and passenger.

With its lack of soft touchpoints and abundance of what could be considered hard plastic, the interior of the 2023 Sequoia TRD Pro didn't exactly meet expectations at the $80,000 mark in our book. Despite its impressive 14-inch multimedia touchscreen and 14-speaker JBL audio system that sounded good, remnants of old-school Toyota chunky knobs, switches, and vents remain. For better or worse, those who love Toyotas will still love this one.The SofTex-trimmed seats with "technical camo pattern inserts" (aka faux camouflage graphics) are youthful and rebelliously rule-breaking, but they, too, don't scream $80,000.

Three final zingers: There's no remote start, there's no USB-C data port in the front (only USB-A), and there's no available head-up display (it's not even an option on the TRD Pro). The Sequoia TRD Pro does, however, have Toyota's excellent Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system, through which multiple cameras give various viewpoints, including an awesome 360-degree view. There's a great deal of definition and detail; you can clearly see how you're aligned in a parking spot in contrast to other systems that are blurry and basically useless.

The middle-row captain's chairs absorbed two car seats with no problem. There's plenty of room for kid basics to stow between the captain's chairs and on the floor in front of their feet. Speaking of the floor, the Sequoia has a strange problem, perhaps due to the hybrid battery and live rear axle. The second- and third-row seats don't fold down to create a flat and flush trunk-to-front-seat loading area like the Chevy Z71/GMC AT4, for example. Rather, the folded seats still stick up, protruding from the floor to create a secondary platform above the floor. Loading a flat surface is always easier and more efficient, so this characteristic of the Sequoia architecture is worth noting. Toyota combats this with an adjustable cargo shelf system, with one shelf position lining up with the folded third-row seat backs. Sitting in the third row feels like you're sitting on the floor with your knees up high. It's fine for the kiddos, but not so good for the mother-in-law. At least the third-row seats slide and recline (and there are third-row window shades!), but as a result, trunk space goes from tiny to virtually nonexistent.

Let's be clear, taken on its merits alone, the 2023 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro is fabulous given its mission as an off-road ready SUV. Heck, it shares its TNGA-F platform with the global Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX600, for cryin' out loud. It's just overpriced for what you get, and that, unfortunately, is a hard pill to swallow. Drop our $80,000 TRD Pro to $65,000, and we'll talk.