Would You Be Happy If The New Toyota Sequoia Looked Like This?

Aug. 06, 2020 3:41 PM ET by Sebastian Cenizo Design / 13 Comments

An update is long overdue.

The Toyota Sequoia is one of those cars that just hasn't been updated for a long time. Sometimes, this happens because a car is so good that it keeps pace with the competition, and other times it's because other models in a manufacturer's lineup are simply more important to the brand. Nevertheless, the time has come for this aging model to get refreshed, but what should the Nissan Armada rival look like for 2021? Serial designer Nikita Chuiko has the answer once again, rendering a new look for the hefty SUV that ties in with Toyota's current design language seamlessly and brilliantly.

Chuiko is pretty good at this sort of thing, as we've seen with his renders of the Tiguan X coupe, and he doesn't disappoint this time either. Gone are bulbous headlights and rounded taillights of the current model, and in their place are sleek units that integrate into a new, chrome-friendly grille at the front and a sleek and simple design at the rear that makes the SUV look wider and lower. Old traits like roof rails, side-steps, and muscular rear fenders carry over, but they are integrated in a fresh and modern manner that makes the Sequoia look so much younger and fresher.

At the moment, there is no confirmation on when the Sequoia will actually be updated, but if it looks anything like this, it should be a popular choice. However, it also needs to retain its off-road prowess, much like its sibling the Land Cruiser. With a flashier design, the Sequoia actually looks more like its less capable SUV brethren, but as always, it's what it can do, not how it looks, that will be the biggest factor in a refreshed model's success or failure. Either way, there's no doubt that the Sequoia needs some sort of update, and hopefully, this sort of design exercise will remind Toyota that the time has come.