The last day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere was the first day of production for the Toyota Sequoia 2023. The third-generation SUV was unveiled at Toyota Texas, the automaker’s major manufacturing facility in San Antonio and a new exclusive location for Sequoia production.
The sprawling facility employs more than 2,600 workers, although Toyota says 3,600 employees and 5,300 suppliers are preparing the plant for the Sequoia’s 2023 debut. $391 million was invested in the site to accommodate production of the Sequoia, which was moved to Texas from Indiana for the current generation. Toyota Texas also assembles the Toyota Tundra, which has been a staple of the plant since 2006.
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“The third-generation Sequoia marks a new era of electric vehicles that will help us move closer to carbon neutrality while delivering and exceeding customer expectations for this iconic SUV,” said Kevin Voelkel, president of Toyota Texas. “Our team members are excited to add the Sequoia to our Texas-built production line and take on new challenges as we deliver vehicles that customers love and fit into their lifestyles.”
It’s been a minute since the 2023 Sequoia made its debut. The covers were lifted in January 2022, revealing an entirely new vehicle riding a platform shared with the Tundra and Land Cruiser. However, with the Land Cruiser out of the market in North America, the Sequoia inherited the flagship SUV mantle in Toyota’s stable.
Taking on that role, the Sequoia 2023 trades the V8 from the previous model with a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 hybrid powertrain. It develops 437 horsepower (326 kilowatts) and 583 pound-feet (790 Newton-meters) of torque, a sizeable improvement from 2022. The 10-speed automatic takes care of shifting duties.
The powertrain is available in all Sequoia trim levels. That includes the entry-level SR5 with two-wheel drive, though it’s pricey at $59,795. In comparison, that’s nearly $10,000 more than the base SR5 from 2022. The highest-range Toyota Sequoia Capstone 4×4 will set you back $79,795.
