January 25th 2022
The 2022 Toyota Sequoia comes with improved mechanics and styling. The full-size SUV possesses better interiors with big touchscreens, coil-sprung rear suspensions, and a more proficient powertrain. Since Toyota stopped production of Land Cruiser for North America, the Sequoia becomes the flagship utility vehicle in the region.
Powertrain
Hybrid is the only powertrain option here featuring a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 and an electric motor sandwiched between the mill and the 10-speed automatic transmission powered by a roughly 1.5-kWh nickel-metal-hydride battery pack. The iForce MAX hybrid powertrain generates 437 horsepower (326 kilowatts) and 583 pound-feet (790 Newton-meters) of torque.
While the Japanese carmaker didn’t reveal the fuel economy figures, they said it would be better than the 13 mpg city, 17 mpg highway, and 15 mpg collectively (for the old generation front-wheel drivetrain).
Platform
The SUV borrows the Toyota’s TNGA-F platform from the new Tundra and Land Cruiser. You can pair the new Sequoia with two- or available part-time four-wheel-drive system for all trim levels. However, you can have the TRD Pro package solely with 4WD. Toyota installed an independent front suspension and multi-link layout at the rear, while the adaptive dampers and a load-leveling air system are optional.
Towing Capacity
The hybrid SUV now can haul approximately 9,000 pounds (4,082 kilograms), which is about 22 per cent extra than the 2nd generation. Those looking for supreme visibility can opt for power-folding, extending, and retracting towing mirrors as well as use a Panoramic View Monitor to get an overall view of the Sequoia and its environment while steering.
Exterior
Comparing the grille with the Tundra, the SUV’s grille is slightly smaller owing to its single-frame design. However, the remaining styling looks similar to the pickup. The best design element of the hybrid SUV is the rear three-quarter outlook, displaying the slim taillights.
Interior
Inside again, we find the interior elements are borrowed from the Tundra. The base SR5 gets an 8.0-inch touchscreen, while the 14.0-inch display is optional. The rest of the lineup gets the bigger 14.0-inch screen. Further, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster is stock amongst the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. The second row can get a bench or captain’s chairs, while the third-row bench can glide up to six inches and fully fold down to increase the cargo space.
Trim Levels
The 2022 Toyota Sequoia will be accessible in six trim levels including the SR5, Limited, Platinum, TRD Pro, and flagship Capstone (same as we find on the Tundra), with a two- or four-wheel drive layout.
The base variant can have a TRD Sport package featuring black TRD wheels, Bilstein dampers, and other TRD accents. In addition, Toyota offers a fresh TRD off-road package for the SR5 and Limited including locking rear differential, Bilstein dampers, black 18-inch TRD wheels, Multi-Terrain Select off-road drives modes, and the off-road cruise control.
Price and Availability
Toyota will prepare the 2022 Sequoia at its facility in San Antonio, Texas beside the Tundra. The pricing information isn’t out yet but we expect it to start at around $50,000 and go as high as $70,000 for the fully armed Capstone. The flagship SUV should hit the US roads in summer. Unfortunately, it is not accessible in the UAE.
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