Video: Is the All-New 2023 Toyota Sequoia the Next Chevy Tahoe Slayer?

It has a lot going for it, but is it enough?

2023 toyota sequoia sr5 trd sport chevy tahoe ford expedition jeep wagoneer

Look at this all-new 2023 Toyota Sequoia SR5 TRD Sport in lunar-rock color. The SR5 is the base model for the new 2023 Sequoia. It has an optional TRD Sport equipment package, room for 8 people, and up to 9,520 lbs of maximum towing capacity. All new Sequoia SUVs come with a premium gas/electric hybrid powertrain that produces 437 horsepower. Can the new Sequoia challenge the like of the Chevy Tahoe or the Ford Expedition? Let’s take a close look.

2023 Toyota Sequoia

The pricing and fuel economy estimates for the new Sequoia are not available yet, but we now know pretty much everything else. The 2023 Sequoia has a wheelbase (122 inches) that is slightly longer than that of the Tahoe. The overall length and size of the Sequoia are about the same as with the outgoing model. It is largely based on the new 2022 Toyota Tundra chassis. The Sequoia is based on the TNGA-F architecture. It means that it has a stout fully-boxed steel frame, independent front suspension, and a multi-link coil-sprung solid rear axle (just like the Tundra pickup truck).

These underpinnings do not give the Sequoia class-leading interior volume, but it provides a solid platform that supports a maximum of 1,700+ lbs of payload and 9,520 lbs of maximum towing (for a Sequoia 2WD). A Sequoia 4×4 is rated to tow closer to 9,000 lbs.

The 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 hybrid powertrain is rated at 437 horsepower and 570 lb-ft of torque. The 10-speed automatic transmission does the shifting. This is significantly more torque than any other full-size truck-based SUV (ignoring the special Cadillac Escalade V for the moment).

The 2023 Sequoia will be available in SR5, Limited, Platinum, TRD Pro, and Capstone grades. A street-biased TRD Sport or a rugged TRD Off-road package can be added to certain grades. The equipment and interior appointments for these trims are very close to what you will find in the 2022+ Toyota Tundra lineup.

The Chevy Tahoe (and its GM big SUV siblings) have dominated the full-size SUV sales for as long as I can remember. It will be very challenging for Sequoia to grab significant market share from Tahoe and others. However, the assembly of the new Sequoia has moved to San Antonio, Texas (alongside the new Tundra). Toyota will be able to produce the Sequoia in greater numbers if the demand is there. Toyota is not publishing sales projections but hopes to at least double or perhaps triple the sales volume of the outgoing Sequoia. It means that somewhere between 16,000 to 24,000 new Sequoias will be sold annually.

Take a look at all the details of the new Sequoia in the video below.