2024 Sequoia Capstone Review - Your Next Tow-Yota Awaits

Toyota has the best lineup of three-row SUVs in America. The Highlander is a classic and one of the top-selling vehicles in its class since it debuted. The new much larger Grand Highlander is a great people mover, second only to the Sienna minivan in that regard. Toyota still makes a Land Cruiser. And then there is the Sequoia. It’s so big, it took us the better part of the week to be comfortable driving and parking it. What we discovered is that Sequoia has one main mission: Towing.

The Sequoia we tested was a top-trim priced at $84,050. Toyota calls it the Capstone. We know that term well. It usually refers to one’s final defining project in a college program. At least the name is not a nonsense string of lowercase and capital letters with random numbers sprinkled in. bZ4X, we’re looking at you buddy. 

2024 Tow-Yota Sequoia Capstone - Some Powertrain Numbers
The Sequoia Capstone has an advanced hybrid-electric powertrain. A twin-turbo V6 is melded to an electric system and the results are quite impressive. The powertrain can deliver 583 lb-ft of torque, and its peak horsepower is 437. Those are big numbers, and the vehicle feels capable and powerful. The throttle is outstanding. You get instant response, even when loaded up.

2024 Tow-Yota Sequoia Capstone - Some Fuel Economy Numbers
The Sequoia Capstone we tested had four-wheel drive (not all-wheel drive) and 2H, 4H, 4L options. This is old-school SUV-type 4x4. Fuel economy is 20 MPG Combined, according to the EPA, and our mileage was pretty close to that in suburban and rural driving. The vehicle can use regular unleaded fuel, which is fantastic. 

2024 Tow-Yota Sequoia Capstone - Towing Numbers
Our Capstone 4X4 had a max tow rating of 8,980 lbs. The max tongue weight rating is 898. If you wish to go the 4X2 route, the numbers increase to 9,520 lbs and 952 lbs. These would allow for a Capstone owner to tow horses in a trailer, a racecar on a trailer, a good-size camper, a tractor on a trailer, snowmobiles, or a pretty big and heavy boat. Many popular three-row SUVs like the Honda Passport and Toyota Highlander can only tow around 5,000 lbs. So, you can see the big difference in what this vehicle is capable of from that comparison. 

2024 Tow-Yota Sequoia Capstone - The Drive
We live in New England, where the roads are often narrow and twisty. The Sequoia Capstone feels big on the road here. It’s comfortable, but you need to be sharply focused on the drive. Passing dog walkers can mean stopping for oncoming traffic. You cannot just hug the centerline. The very large mirrors make seeing the traffic to the sides very difficult when you are at certain intersections. Each mirror makes its own large blindspot. 

Parking requires some forethought. The Sequoia Capstone is barely narrow enough to fit in a normal space if you park perfectly. It then sticks out into the aisle. We nosed the 2024 Tow-Yota Sequoia Capstone up to our garage and opted not to try stuffing it into our normal-sized garage. 

On the highway, road noise is louder than any other three-row SUV from Toyota we have ever tested. The tinny JBL sound system struggled to keep up, which surprised us. We own a Venza with a JBL system that rocks. 

2024 Tow-Yota Sequoia Capstone - We Didn’t Tow With It
Our testing didn’t allow for us to tow with the 2024 Tow-Yota Sequoia Capstone, so please check out this review from TFL Trucks for details on how it works. Reviewer Andre Smirnov summarized his experience by reporting, "It’s very comfortable and compliant while driving empty, and it is very stable with towing heavy. I had an opportunity to tow a nearly 5,000 lbs Airstream camping trailer and a new Tige RZX boat that is pushing closer to 8,000 lbs with the trailer. In all cases, the new Sequoia drove in a confidence-inspiring fashion. The hybrid powertrain’s torque and horsepower are delivered very smoothly and the acceleration is very quick."

2024 Tow-Yota Sequoia Capstone - Conclusion
As a long-term owner of Toyota vehicles, present-day Venza owner, and a former owner of a much more user-friendly three-row Toyota SUV, my personal advice to anyone considering the 2024 Tow-Yota Sequoia Capstone would be to be certain it is what you need and want. It is certainly a capable tow vehicle. For the majority of duties and the majority of uses, the Sienna, Highlander, and Grand Highlander may be more practical and enjoyable vehicles to own and drive. 
 

If you'd like to add a comment under this story, please note that our comments section has returned and is in bold red at the bottom of the page.

John Goreham is an experienced New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on Linkedin and follow his work at our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John's by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ Grammarly grammar and punctuation software when proofreading.