2021 Sequoia PRO-TRD

2021 Sequoia PRO-TRD

Have you ever had a friend that was balding but refused to embrace it and tried weird electric hats, spray paint, or just continued the same hair habits even when they did look good anymore? That’s my opinion of the 2021 Toyota Sequoia, it just keeps with the same tried and true habits. But under most bad haircuts sits a well-shaped head.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia is in desperate need of a make-over. Wearing all the same fashion as it always has, it seems to be stuck in an era of truck-based SUV’s that lumber about. However, under the dated exterior design is an extremely capable off-roader. Capable of comfy trail riding or as much rock crawling as a production-based truck can handle. The one area that really impresses me about the whole Toyota line-up is the color palette. The test truck was in the same Lunar Rock color as the Tacoma TRD from earlier in the run. Lunar Rock appears to be flat gray, for the curious.

If you’re in the market for a huge SUV it wouldn’t be a bad idea to consider the Toyota Sequoia. The beast seats seven passengers very comfortably, is ready for most excursions and has good road manners. Power is the same tried and true 5.7-liter V-8. While offering enough torque to result in decent off-road capability, it falls a bit short when it tries to get in a hurry. I personally feel this power deficiency has much more to do with the three tons of weight it has to move about. The Sequoia feels almost clumsy around town. It just felt like a 90’s car to me. Maybe the suspension was tuned for off-roading, I don’t know, but whatever the case, it was somewhat disappointing.

I have to admit, although the styling is a bit bland, I think the nostalgia is kind of cool. The Sequoia screams, look past me, nothing to see here, in today’s look at me world, this somehow resonates with me. Instead of screaming for attention you can simply go about your day knowing that if things turn bad, you’re in one of the more capable vehicles on the road.
Pricing starts in the mid-sixties and seems well placed, in that regard. With some of the larger SUV’s cost thousands more. Let’s face it, if you’re in the market for a 2021 full sized SUV, you need to be ready to spend a pretty penny to get it.

I suspect that we will see a completely updated Sequoia in the near future, probably featuring turbos and smaller displacement. I would encourage Toyota to consider making it a bit nimbler. I know it’s a lot to ask to have a seven-passenger truck that is fun to drive, but I know Toyota can do it.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Little has changed within the last few years. Gas mileage is not great. Copious amounts of room for passengers and toys.

WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW:
You’ll never go wrong with any Toyota 4×4. Sometimes subtly is sophisticating. Best color choice is the Lunar Rock