Used 2022 Toyota Sequoia

The 2022 Toyota Sequoia is a proper full-size 3-row SUV with real off-road ability. Toyota has discontinued the Land Cruiser, making the Sequoia is the company’s main mud-stirring large SUV.

Like the Land Cruiser, the Sequoia has been around for many years. This 2nd-generation debuted for 2008, which is a heck of a long time in automotive terms. But Toyota has done a good job keeping this SUV fairly up to date, especially by adding a standard set of driver assistance features.

A basic element of the Sequoia’s construction points to the vehicle’s venerable age. It employs a body-on-frame construction, like pick-up trucks. There are pluses and minuses. It brings a toughness, but the combination of weight and a V8 engine impacts fuel economy. That heft also affects how the vehicle moves around.

Virtues of space, reliability, safety, and off-road talent allow the 2022 Sequoia to retain its appeal among a pack of newer rivals.

This truck-like construction gives the 2022 Sequoia a substance that’s not easily disguised by ingenious chassis tuning. So Toyota doesn’t try. Instead, this full-size SUV stays mainly on the comfort side of things, crushing road imperfections into oblivion with its weight, tires, and springs. And if that means not taking corners gracefully, then so be it.

It’s almost shocking that we’re recommending the Toyota Highlander midsize 3-row crossover as the fun one out of this pair. Unless anyone is actually going off-road.

In which case, either the TRD Sport or the TRD Pro Sequoia variants would be preferable. They each have specialized suspensions with greater travel to cope with the undulations of tough terrain. As a purely on-road conveyance, though, a TRD model would waste its talents and provide a less comfortable ride.

The 381-horsepower V8 is up to the task of motivating all this mass, although it’s hardly economical even for this class. That said, if we had to rely on an SUV to get us home safe from a tricky and sticky situation, we’d be happy if it was a Sequoia.

In SR5 trim, the first model of the range, the 2022 Sequoia is an 8-seater. The next-up TRD Sport offers the option of 2nd-row captain’s chairs, making the Sequoia a 7-seater. From the Nightshade model up, it’s seven seats all the way.

Occupants should never be thirsty, though. There are 16 beverage holders, 18 in the Platinum. Nor do they take up too much space. The Sequoia is wonderfully roomy, with adult-friendly legroom even in the third row. Three grown-ups in that section will wish for more shoulder room, however.

The TRD Pro off-road warrior has model-specific front seats that are more figure-hugging than the usual counterparts. The SR5 has 40/20/40 split/folding 2nd-row seats and 60/40 3rd-row seats.

Behind the third row, the luggage area is an extremely useful 18.9 cubic feet, expanding to 66.6 and then 120.1 cubic feet as the second and third rows fold down.

One of the ways Toyota is keeping the Sequoia as contemporary as possible is by adding things like LED exterior lighting. It’s a big, imposing SUV with a long wheelbase (all the better for interior space) and quite short overhangs, contributing to Sequoia’s off-road ability.

Different trims bring specific treatments. The base SR5 has black running boards and a silver roof rack, for example. The Nightshade version comes with black or darkened chrome touches. The TRD Pro has black 18-inch alloy wheels made by BBS (a high-quality, independent manufacturer) as well as a front skidplate.

This year, changes in the paint department mean that Wind Chill Pearl replaces both Blizzard Pearl and Super White.

ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
A Toyota Sequoia without all-wheel drive seems kind of incomplete, whereas four driven wheels make the most of the vehicle’s basic character, providing a substantial 10 inches of ground clearance. Even if owners won’t take it off-road, there’s still the reassurance in slippery conditions.

RELIABILITY
Sorry if this is a boring one. But standing at the side of the road on a wet and windy night in the middle of nowhere is the kind of excitement we can do without. The V8 in the Sequoia and its 6-speed automatic transmission have indeed stood the test of time to forge a reputation for being tough and reliable, yet also quite refined. The same engine has been used in Lexus vehicles as well.

Trim levels for the 2022 Sequoia are SR5, TRD Sport, Limited, Platinum, and TRD Pro. There’s also the Nightshade version based on the Limited with dark exterior elements.

The SR5 comes with seating for eight, 18-inch alloy wheels, heated side mirrors, keyless entry/ignition, powered tilt/slide moonroof, 3-zone automatic climate control, cloth upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The infotainment system includes a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, two USB ports, satellite radio, Bluetooth, voice control, and an 8-speaker audio setup.

Among the driver assistance features are forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, front/rear parking sensors, trailer sway control, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control.

The SR5 and the next-up TRD Sport are eligible for heated front seats, leather seating surfaces, self-dimming rearview mirror with compass, garage door opener, power-reclining/fold-flat 3rd-row seats, plus an infotainment upgrade with navigation and Wi-Fi.

The TRD Sport swaps in an off-road specialist suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers, plus black-finished 20-inch alloy wheels.

Those above-mentioned options become standard at the Limited level, along with sunshades for the windows of the second and third rows and a powered tailgate.

Second-row captain’s chairs are offered as options, as well as a 14-speaker JBL audio system, memory settings for the driver’s seat and side mirrors, plus a Blu-ray rear-seat entertainment system.

The all-wheel-drive TRD Pro brings an even more off-road-focused suspension with Fox shock absorbers.

As its name suggests, Platinum lords it over the rest of the 2022 Sequoia range with an adaptive suspension, self-dimming side mirrors that tilt down when reverse gear is engaged, puddle lights, heated/ventilated front seats, perforated leather seating surfaces, bird’s-eye maple wood trim, memory settings, the JBL audio system, and the rear-seat entertainment setup.

The only engine propelling the entire 2022 Sequoia range is a 5.7-liter V8 generating 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque. No turbochargers or anything similar. Just traditional muscle evoking an earlier time when people didn’t care so much about fuel economy.

With an equally senior 6-speed automatic transmission connected, drive goes to the rear wheels (RWD) as standard. Alternatively, an all-wheel-drive (AWD) system is available — which is standard in the TRD Pro model. Regular 87-octane gasoline is acceptable.

5.7-liter V8
381 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
401 lb-ft of torque @ 3,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 13/17 mpg (RWD & AWD)