2024 Toyota Sequoia Review: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

After a protracted career of 15 years, the outdated second-generation Toyota Sequoia was replaced last year with a completely redesigned and overdue new model based on the bones of the new Tundra truck, and also built in the USA. With a $60k base price, the new Toyota Sequoia SUV was also 20% more expensive than the old car, yet reverted to a solid rear axle, dropping its predecessor's independent rear suspension. Is the latest Sequoia a step backward, then? Not quite, because it comes with smart new styling and a standard twin-turbo V6 hybrid powertrain producing a stout 437 horsepower, signaling the end of V8-engined Toyota SUVs and promising improved gas mileage. The solid axle is great for off-roading and towing but not so much handling and ride, where the Sequoia is a step behind rivals such as the independently sprung Jeep Wagoneer and Chevrolet Tahoe. The evergreen Ford Expedition is also a rival but is getting old now, having been around for five years. So, you win some and you lose some with the new Sequoia, and that might not be good enough to challenge the segment leaders.

New for 2024

After a complete redesign last year, the 2024 Sequoia stays mostly the same. The only changes are to the optional equipment, which is expanded this year. The TRD Off-Road package that was only available on the Limited 4x4 last year is now offered on the Platinum 4x4, too. As a reminder, this package adds an electronically locking rear diff, a skid plate, hill-descent control, crawl control, off-road driving modes, and Bilstein dampers. Staying with the Limited, this trim now offers a choice between a bench seat and captain's chairs for the second row. A new Nightshade package that blacks out the exterior trim and equips special matte-black 20-inch wheels is now offered on the Limited. Last of all, a new no-cost paint color called Terra is offered on the TRD Pro trim only this year.

2024 Toyota Sequoia Price: Which One to Buy

There are five trims in the range, and the base price of the 2024 Toyota Sequoia SR5 starts at $60,875 before options - an increase of just over $1k over last year's SR5. This is followed by the Limited at $67,275, the Platinum at $73,465, the Capstone at $77,865, and the TRD Pro at $78,710. The pricing is for the trims in their most basic configurations with no-cost paint, no extras, and with the standard RWD drivetrain, except for the 4WD-only TRD Pro. Adding 4WD to the SR5, Limited, Platinum, or Capstone will cost you $3,000. These prices are MSRP and exclude Toyota's $1,865 destination charge.

The Limited trim strikes the best balance in the Toyota Sequoia hybrid range. One step up from the base SR5, it benefits from smart 20-inch alloys, leatherette upholstery, ventilated front seats, and the large infotainment screen, but it's more than $6k cheaper than the Platinum. You can optimize it a bit for off-roading by adding the TRD Off-Road package if you want, without having to stretch to the expensive TRD Pro trim. If off-roading is the top priority, the TRD Pro's specialist hardware makes it the one to have, though.

Interior and Features

The contemporary interior retains some physical buttons and is of solid construction, good to look at, and possessed of all the most important features, even at the base level.

The cabin of the Sequoia looks smart and modern and is fitted with all the latest tech, with a wide center console and - thankfully - physical buttons for the climate control. Even though the SR5 trim gets a smaller touchscreen and more basic materials, such as cloth on the seats, the soft-touch dashboard creates a quality impression, and everything is solidly constructed. Some matte-metallic finish plastics provide some relief from the darker hues. Higher up the tree, leather or leatherette seats, wood finishes, and other enhancements help the flagship trims live up to their near-$80k price tags.

Getting inside is a bit of a step up due to the ample ground clearance of over eight inches on all trims. The Platinum gives you access to optional power-extending running boards to make ingress easier; these are standard on the Capstone only. Interior space is fairly good but not quite up to that of class rivals. All-round visibility is par for the course, but its height means it's harder to spot low objects - a problem solved by the standard backup and surround-view cameras, as well as the standard front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking.

Space

With three seating rows, the Sequoia's SR5 and Limited trims with their three-seat second-row bench can seat eight people, while the other trims have two second-row captain's chairs, reducing seating capacity to seven. But it's not all moonshine and roses, for the available space is compromised. With the hybrid gubbins under the rear floor, the second row cannot slide fore and aft, and the floor of both the back rows is higher than that of the front row, so the seats are higher, while at the same time being close to the floor, so you ride with your knees higher up that you'd like. And despite a generous 122-inch wheelbase, legroom in both rear rows is worse than that of its obvious rivals. The high rear floor also makes it unnecessarily difficult to get into the third row.

Cargo

Trunk space is also rather disappointing compared to that of its rivals. Behind the third seating row, the available 11.5 cu-ft with the seat slid right back is hardly enough for a grocery-shopping trip, but it grows to 22.3 cu-ft with the third row slid all the way forward. Its Tahoe, Wagoneer, and Expedition rivals offer anything from 20.9 to 27.4 cu-ft. With the 60/40-split third row folded, the Sequoia's resultant 49 cu-ft trails the competition's 63.6-72.6 cu-ft, mostly because the third row doesn't fold completely flat due to nonexistent under-floor space, so this leaves you with disproportionately little trunk volume if you mostly want to use the Sequoia as a two-row SUV with the third row folded. With both the third and 60/40-split second row folded, the Sequoia offers 86.9 cu-ft up to the front seats, far worse than its rivals' 104.6-122.9 cu-ft. This compromised cargo area will likely be a deal-breaker for many people.

Cabin storage is decent, with the glovebox, four door bins that can easily accommodate sizeable drink holders, and center-console storage bin all commendably large, while there are also some additional smaller trays and nooks for smaller items, such as the small bins in the side panels of the third row, the special spot for your phone ahead of the shifter (which is also a wireless charging pad in the Platinum and up), and front seatback pockets. The center console has two cupholders in its front section and two in the rear, while the third row also gets cupholders. All models have an overhead console with space to store your sunglasses.

Materials and Colors

The SR5 comes with cloth upholstery and two available interior colors - black or Boulder (gray), as well as a leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob. You can upgrade to SofTex leatherette upholstery, but only via the $2,635 SR Premium package, which also includes other features, such as the larger touchscreen and a power-folding third row, but this is not available in conjunction with all the exterior paint colors. The Limited has SofTex in the same two colors as the SR5.

The TRD Pro's SofTex can be either black or Cockpit Red with contrast stitching, and gets a "technical camo" pattern and "TRD Pro" script embroidered on the front seats. It gets various trim-exclusive interior highlights, including aluminum sports pedals, a red start-stop button, a red-striped shifter knob, and a steering wheel with a red center stripe and red TRD logo on its lower rim. The Platinum exclusively comes with black leather upholstery, and the Capstone with black-and-white semi-aniline leather upholstery, which is also used on the doors and dashboard. The Capstone is the only trim to get Dark American Walnut wood trim.

Features and Infotainment

While the cloth seats and small touchscreen look a bit basic, the Sequoia is actually well-equipped, right from the base level, with heated eight-way power front seats, a manually tilting/telescoping steering wheel, a power moonroof, three-zone climate control, and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. As you progress through the trims, features such as a panoramic sunroof, a heated steering wheel, heated/ventilated seats in the first two rows, and a wireless charging pad are added.

The infotainment system's touchscreen may only measure eight inches on the SR5, but it's cloud-connected and comes with wireless phone mirroring (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), navigation capability (subscription required), SiriusXM, and an eight-speaker audio system. The Limited and up get a 14-inch touchscreen, while the Platinum and up gain a 14-speaker JBL audio system.

Performance

The hybrid powertrain is punchy and refined, beating rivals' traditional V8s in terms of performance and economy, and the Sequoia comes with good towing credentials.

The only engine in every Toyota Sequoia trim is a twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter gas V6 with i-Force Max hybrid assistance that generates a system output of 437 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque. You get a choice between rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive in every trim except the TRD Pro, which comes with the 4WD drivetrain only. All models share the same ten-speed automatic transmission. Performance is strong, and the hybrid powertrain gives the 4WD Toyota Sequoia a 0-60 sprint of just 5.6 seconds - one of the quickest in the segment. The as-yet-untested RWD should be similarly quick, with its lack of launch traction offset by less weight. Trailering is competitive - the maximum towing capacity tops out at 9,520 lbs, and even the lowest-rated trims can tow 9,020 lbs. Top speed is limited to 107 mph.

The Sequoia's prowess does not extend to the handling and ride, and the car cannot hide that live rear axle from its passengers. In an effort to add refinement and conceal the shortcomings of the antiquated suspension, the Sequoia is softly sprung, and while this enables it to absorb most road scars, it also means that it leans heavily around corners, pitching and squatting upon braking and accelerating, and just generally feeling as cumbersome and large as it is, ably assisted by its 6,000-pound-odd weight. The rear end never settles down, jiggling and shimmying in a way typical of a body-on-frame SUV, though this trait has now been largely engineered out of several of its rivals. For all the suspension's apparent compliance, big bumps and washboard roads send tremors and shudders through the structure. It's generally quiet, but the powertrain can rear its voice when working hard - and we don't appreciate Toyota's fake piped-in V8 noises accompanying this. The powertrain performance admirably, and the hybrid system effectively damps out turbo lag and smooths out the ten-speeder's shifts.

Fuel Efficiency

The Toyota Sequoia's mpg figures are very good for a large gas SUV. The EPA's city/highway/combined estimates are 21/24/22 mpg with RWD and 19/22/20 mpg with AWD. This is a lot better than the 4WD 6.2-liter V8 Tahoe's 16 mpg combined, but only narrowly beats the 4WD Wagoneer's 19 mpg when equipped with a turbocharged six-cylinder engine and no hybrid assistance. All Sequoias have the same 22.5-gallon fuel capacity, so a range of 450-495 miles should be possible on a full tank.

Safety

Safety should emulate the Tundra on which the Sequoia is based, and top results are expected. A comprehensive suite of TSS 2.5 driver assists is standard.

There's no NHTSA or IIHS safety review of the Toyota Sequoia, but it has all the active and passive safety features you'd expect, plus a commendable list of standard driver assists, so it should be very safe. The Tundra truck, which shares its front structure with the Sequoia, was tested by both agencies and achieved an overall five-star rating at the NHTSA and a 2023 Top Safety Pick+ award at the IIHS, so we expect similar results from its SUV sibling. The usual ABS, stability control, backup camera, and tire-pressure monitoring are fitted, and every Sequoia has eight airbags.

The standard TSS 2.5 driver-assistance suite includes adaptive cruise control, front-collision alert with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert with lane tracing and steering assist, road-sign recognition, and automatic LED headlights with auto high beams. Furthermore, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, trailer-merge warning, a trailer-brake controller, trailer-sway control, hill-start assist, front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking, reverse auto tilt-down side mirrors, auto-dimming interior and driver's mirrors, and a surround-view monitor are all standard features. A trailer-backup guidance system is optional on the SR5 and Limited, and standard on the rest, while a head-up display is standard on the Capstone and optional on the Platinum.

Reliability

There's no JD Power reliability rating for the Toyota Sequoia's latest generation yet, but last year's mechanically similar Tundra truck achieved a middling 70 out of 100 for Quality & Reliability, which is less than stellar. Hopefully, this is due to the teething troubles that come with a complete redesign and will be resolved before long. In terms of recalls, the news is all good, with no recalls listed as yet for the 2024 Sequoia and a single 2023 recall for a failing spare-tire assembly chain.

It's just as well Toyotas are generally reliable because the warranty of the 2024 Toyota Sequoia is nothing to write home about. The limited warranty runs for three years/36,000 miles, and the powertrain warranty for five years/60,000 miles. At least two years or 25,000 miles of complimentary servicing is included.

Warranty

Design

The Sequoia is based on the Tundra truck, and Toyota has made no secret of it by retaining the unmistakable resemblance. It's a good thing, too, as the Tundra's chunky styling translates well to the SUV body, even if the rear is a bit nondescript. A huge grille and high nose provide some gravitas, and the grille finish and style depend on the trim, with an imposing chrome item used on the Capstone and an integrated light bar featuring on the TRD Pro's. The TRD Pro is optimized for off-roading and also boasts a skid plate and black overfenders. LED headlights, foglights, and taillights are standard across the board. The base trim runs on silver 18-inch alloys, while the TRD Pro gets matte-black forged BBS items in the same size, fitted with all-terrain tires. The other trims run on 20s, except the Capstone, which gets striking 22-inch wheels. The SR5, Limited, and TRD Pro get a power moonroof, and the other trims a power panoramic roof. A Nightshade package that blacks out the exterior trims is available on the Limited and Platinum.

Verdict: Is The 2024 Toyota Sequoia A Good SUV?

The new Sequoia is an accomplished SUV, and owners of the old model will definitely feel that they are upgrading, with snazzy looks, up-to-date in-car tech, swift performance, and very good hybrid economy. But in other respects, the step forward that was expected didn't materialize. Being based on the Tundra with its live rear axle has resulted in a compromised car with ponderous handling and a somewhat unsettled ride, though these aren't necessarily deal-breakers. What might be is the packaging, which suffers due to the do-it-all truck underpinnings and hybrid system. There's limited cabin and trunk space, especially with that third row not being able to stow properly, and this might be enough to put people off. It will likely continue Toyota's legacy of solid, dependable vehicles, but the Sequoia isn't a good enough all-rounder to trouble the segment leaders.