The 2019 Toyota Sequoia was a traditional full-size SUV: body-on-frame construction, a standard V8, three rows of seats and a reputation for durability. It belonged to the second generation that Toyota built from the 2008 through 2022 model years, and its last full update had arrived for 2018. This review covers what the 2019 model offered, when it went on sale, how it was equipped, and what it cost.
What the 2019 Sequoia Is
The Sequoia was Toyota’s largest SUV in North America during this period, positioned above the mid-size 4Runner and sharing its basic architecture and 5.7-liter V8 with the Tundra pickup. It was assembled at Toyota’s Princeton, Indiana plant and sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica in left-hand-drive form. Its main competitors were the Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Expedition and Nissan Armada.
The Sequoia’s body-on-frame construction, a layout shared with pickup trucks, gave it high towing ratings and off-road hardware but also contributed to its weight and fuel consumption. It was a deliberate contrast to lighter, car-based three-row crossovers such as the Toyota Highlander.
Release Date and Availability
There was no separate launch event for the 2019 Sequoia. As an unchanged carryover, it continued into the 2019 model year after the 2018 refresh, which Toyota had unveiled in February 2017 with new LED lighting and additional colors. The second-generation Sequoia remained on sale through the 2022 model year; its replacement, the third-generation model, was unveiled on January 25, 2022, for the 2023 model year and moved to the TNGA-F platform with a hybrid V6.
Toyota continued to build the second-generation Sequoia in Princeton, Indiana, throughout its long life, and the model’s slow rate of change meant that a 2019 example was mechanically similar to a 2008 one.
Trims and Equipment
Toyota offered the 2019 Sequoia in four grades, each with a choice of rear- or four-wheel drive:
- SR5 — 18-inch alloy wheels, tri-zone automatic climate control, power moonroof, roof rack, running boards and an 8-way power driver’s seat.
- TRD Sport — TRD-tuned Bilstein shocks, front and rear anti-sway bars, 20-inch black alloy wheels and TRD exterior badging.
- Limited — 20-inch wheels, leather-trimmed seats, heated front seats, a power liftgate with sliding window and a power-folding third row.
- Platinum — heated and ventilated front seats, rear air suspension, a 12-way power driver’s seat with memory and a Blu-ray rear-seat entertainment system.
Standard equipment across the range included LED headlights, daytime running lights and fog lights, front and rear parking sonar, a power tilt/slide moonroof, a towing package and Tri-zone climate control with separate rear controls. An 8-speaker Entune Audio Plus system with connected navigation was standard on the SR5.
Interior, Seating and Cargo
The cabin seated seven or eight passengers depending on configuration. The SR5 and Limited used a 40/20/40 split second-row bench that folded flat and slid through 5.9 inches of travel; the TRD Sport and Platinum used captain’s chairs for a seven-seat layout. Toyota quoted 40.9 inches of second-row legroom and 35.1 inches in the third row, enough for adults. With the second and third rows folded, cargo volume reached 120.1 cubic feet, and the load bay could hold objects up to 11 feet long.
The second-row seats could slide and recline, and the third row folded flat, making the cabin flexible for both passengers and cargo. Toyota also provided a power rear window in the liftgate and, on some trims, a 120-volt AC power outlet.
Powertrain, Towing and Fuel Economy
All 2019 Sequoias used a 5.7-liter i-FORCE V8 producing 381 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 401 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm, mated to a six-speed automatic. Four-wheel-drive models added a two-speed transfer case and a lockable TORSEN center differential, with low range selectable on the move. Maximum towing capacity was 7,400 pounds with two-wheel drive and 7,100 pounds with four-wheel drive. Fuel economy was 13 mpg city, 17 mpg highway and 15 mpg combined for two-wheel-drive models, and 14 mpg combined with four-wheel drive.
The Sequoia’s maximum towing rating of 7,400 pounds was competitive for the class and remains the figure most relevant to buyers planning to pull a boat or trailer.
Safety
Toyota Safety Sense-P was standard on every 2019 Sequoia grade. The package bundled a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection and automatic braking, lane departure alert with sway warning, dynamic radar cruise control with full-stop technology and automatic high beams. Blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was also standard throughout the range, along with Toyota’s STAR Safety System of stability and traction controls. On four-wheel-drive models, Active Traction Control (A-TRAC) replaced the standard traction control, and every Sequoia had a direct tire pressure monitoring system.
A rearview camera was standard, and the Sequoia’s size was offset by front and rear parking sonar and a direct tire pressure monitoring system.
Pricing
Starting MSRPs for the 2019 Sequoia, excluding the destination charge, were $49,050 for the SR5, $51,765 for the TRD Sport, $57,545 for the Limited and $64,760 for the Platinum, according to Cars.com. Four-wheel drive added roughly $3,225. CarsDirect quoted prices including the $1,295 destination fee, which lifted the range to between $49,995 and $65,705 depending on trim and drivetrain.
Optional packages, such as the SR5 Premium Package at $3,810, could raise the price of lower trims, while the Platinum came fully equipped with no factory options.
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