New owners of the 2023 Toyota Sequoia show just how practical their new SUV is by sharing what they have been towing behind it.
We’ve been waiting for the next generation of the Toyota Sequoia to hit the streets and they finally have. Late last year, customers who waited almost a year in advance finally got a taste of their sweet purchase. Not long after, forums and groups flooded with pictures of their new 2023 Toyota Sequoia either towing something or being used like an SUV should.
Before the initial release, a lot of people were skeptical about the 2023 Sequoia’s towing capabilities. Some said they didn’t like the solid axle rear end or that they were concerned on how low it stood. At first we covered these stories but then I started to do a little more research and saw that the solid rear axle actually helped in off-roading situations. Granted, the 2023 Toyota Sequoia is not a Jeep by any means but it certainly can handle itself like on.
What surprised us the most was how many different things the 2023 Toyota Sequoia could tow. On a Facebook group, Rich Ngo asked, “Has anyone towed a 5000-pound boat or trailer with their new Sequoia's? I'm looking at purchasing one but wanted to inquire about how it handles when towing and how much the rear would sag.” Now the sagging has to do with weight distribution. The 2023 Tundra had a sagging problem when you towed things too close to the maximum weight. However, that could be fixed with airbags.
The Sequoia and Tundra both ride on the same chassis and have pretty much the same drive train however the Tundra is a little more tow-oriented with a maximum tow rating of 12,000lbs, 2480lbs more than the 2023 Sequoia. However, don’t let this let you believe that the only thing you can tow is a little jet-ski. Owners have posted pictures of their bigger boats (small yachts), fully loaded double-wide trailer filled with lawn equipment, a full RV, a mini-RV, flatbed trailers, etc.
Logically speaking, you could tow more than rated if your trailer is big enough, your cabin is mostly empty except for the driver, and you have proper weight distribution. Some bigger trailers have a small electric motor which operates using the kinetic energy from regular driving, almost like the toy cars we used to play with. This helps with highway cruising,
A good majority of the people towing bigger things said they didn’t have a problem with the initial get go. They said the hybrid drivetrain provides sustainable torque at a low RPM thus making it easy to tow and making it more efficient.
I think that as we start to see just how practical the new 2023 Toyota Sequoia is, the more people will get in line to buy them. It’s not a bad SUV. I think a lot of us were too quick to judge some of its questionable internals but it looks really modern, handles like a dream, and it tows your stuff wherever you need it to go, plus it’s a hybrid so you can never say no to that.
Interestingly enough however, the Sequoia did seem to give drivers a bumpier ride for a first time unibody SUV driver. One driver said she converted from her Hybrid F-150 to the new 2023 Sequoia and it gave her a more comfortable ride. For those who are not used to a unibody chassis, it will take some time getting used to it.
What do you think? Are you happy with the 2023 Toyota Sequoia’s towing capabilities? Let us know in the comments below.
Harutiun Hareyan is reporting Toyota news at Torque News. His automotive interests and vast experience test-riding new cars give his stories a sense of authenticity and unique insights. Follow Harutiun on Twitter at @HareyanHarutiun and on YouTube at Toyota Time for daily Toyota news.