Automakers like to play coy with what they’re building. They’re not always good at it.
Toyota, for instance, sent out a teaser photo of a mystery project this morning. Text accompanying the picture read:
“Something big is coming to the Toyota SUV lineup. A clear picture will come into view soon. Stay tuned.”
It’s almost certainly the 2023 Toyota Sequoia full-size SUV.
Today’s Sequoia is known for its abundant space and Toyota reliability. But its basic structure has been the same since 2008 – an eternity in an industry where most cars are redesigned from the ground up about every seven years. Newer competitors like the Jeep Wagoneer and Ford Expedition (our Best Buy among full-size SUVs) feel much more up-to-date.
The 2022 Sequoia starts at $50,500 and jumps to $69,775 for a range-topping Platinum model with 4-wheel-drive. Toyota also charges a $1,365 destination fee.
The teaser photo doesn’t reveal much. It shows one taillight and the SUV’s right rear window – hardly the most attractive angle for any vehicle. It looks fine. A sharper angle to the C-pillar suggests the new model may look a bit more angular than the behemoth it replaces. But it’s hard to tell much from a shadowy, tight photo. So why are we so sure we’re looking at a Sequoia?
All-New Tundra Previews All-New Sequoia
Because Toyota’s big 3-row hauler is built on the same frame as its Tundra full-size truck. Toyota just updated the Tundra with a full redesign after 14 years unchanged. The logical next step is to update the other vehicle that shares its bones.
The new Tundra allows us to make a few predictions about the 2023 Sequoia. We expect that, like the truck, it will eschew its V8 in favor of a more fuel-efficient twin-turbo V6 and an optional hybrid drivetrain. If the Tundra is any guide, it will also leap forward in cabin quality, gaining higher-quality materials and new technology. The Tundra now features an optional 14-inch central touchscreen handling entertainment and climate functions and an available digital instrument panel.
Toyota is likely to trickle out more information gradually over the next few months. We’ll bring more details when we have them.
