The 2019 Toyota Sequoia TRD Sport was the sportiest version of Toyota’s full-size SUV, adding a TRD-tuned suspension, Bilstein shock absorbers and black 20-inch wheels to the familiar body-on-frame platform. The TRD Sport grade had joined the Sequoia range for 2018 and carried over unchanged for 2019. It was a trim level rather than a new generation: the Sequoia’s second generation ran from 2008 through 2022, and the redesigned 2023 model was still several years away.
What the TRD Sport Is
Toyota added the Sequoia TRD Sport for the 2018 model year, when the SUV also received a refresh with new LED headlights, daytime running lights and fog lights. The TRD Sport built on the SR5 grade and applied a handling and appearance package but did not change the vehicle’s body, interior layout or engine. It was offered in both two- and four-wheel drive, and it used a seven-passenger layout with captain’s chairs in the middle row.
The Sequoia TRD Sport sat between the base SR5 and the luxury-focused Limited in the 2019 range. It gave buyers who wanted a sportier look and sharper on-road handling a way to get it without moving up to the more expensive Limited or Platinum grades, and it kept the seven-passenger layout with captain’s chairs.
What the TRD Sport Adds
Based on Toyota’s description of the grade, the TRD Sport package included:
- TRD Sport-tuned Bilstein shock absorbers
- TRD front and rear anti-sway bars
- 20-inch black alloy wheels
- A new front grille and bumper grille insert
- Metallic black mirror caps and darkened rear taillight housings
- Black satin TRD Sport badging on the front doors and a metallic black and chrome Sequoia badge on the liftgate
- A TRD shift knob, TRD Sport floor mats and TRD Sport sill protectors inside
Together, the suspension and cosmetic changes gave the TRD Sport a more aggressive stance than an SR5 while keeping the same 5.7-liter V8, towing hardware and interior dimensions. It was a road-focused package, not a hardcore off-road one.
Design and Colors
The TRD Sport could be ordered in Super White, Magnetic Gray Metallic or the new-for-2018 Midnight Black Metallic. Like the rest of the line, it was a large, upright SUV related to the Tundra pickup, with a 38.1-foot turning diameter and 20-inch wheels wrapped in 275/55 R20 tires. The blacked-out detailing and TRD graphics were the main visual differences from an SR5.
The 20-inch black alloy wheels were the clearest visual difference from other Sequoias, and the dark grille insert, mirror caps and taillight housings gave the TRD Sport an almost monochrome appearance. TRD Sport badging appeared on the front doors and the liftgate.
Interior
The TRD Sport came standard with black fabric upholstery and seven-passenger seating using captain’s chairs in the middle row instead of a bench. A TRD Sport Premium Package added black leather-trimmed captain’s chairs, heated front seats, a power-reclining and fold-flat third-row seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and an upgraded audio system with navigation. All 2019 Sequoias included tri-zone climate control and a 4.2-inch driver information display.
The TRD-specific details — the shift knob, floor mats and door sill protectors — were small touches, but they distinguished the cabin from a standard SR5. The standard fabric seats were durable and easy to clean, which suited the vehicle’s family and utility role.
Engine, Towing and Fuel Economy
Mechanically, the TRD Sport used the same 5.7-liter i-FORCE V8 as every other 2019 Sequoia, producing 381 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 401 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm through a six-speed automatic transmission. Four-wheel-drive models added a two-speed transfer case and a lockable TORSEN center differential. Maximum towing was 7,400 pounds with two-wheel drive and 7,100 pounds with four-wheel drive. The EPA rated two-wheel-drive models at 13 mpg city, 17 mpg highway and 15 mpg combined, with four-wheel drive at 14 mpg combined.
Because the TRD Sport’s changes were limited to the suspension and appearance, its towing rating, fuel economy and acceleration matched every other 2019 Sequoia with the same drivetrain. Buyers who planned to tow heavily could choose the four-wheel-drive version and its two-speed transfer case.
Price
CarsDirect priced the 2019 Sequoia TRD Sport from $52,710 in two-wheel drive and $55,935 with four-wheel drive, including the $1,295 destination charge. Cars.com listed a starting MSRP of $51,765 excluding destination. The optional TRD Sport Premium Package added $3,810. For reference, the SR5 started lower, while the Limited and Platinum sat above the TRD Sport in the range.
The TRD Sport Premium Package, at $3,810, was the only factory option package for the grade and added the leather captain’s chairs and upgraded audio that many buyers wanted.
The TRD Pro That Followed
Toyota expanded its off-road line for the 2020 model year with the Sequoia TRD Pro, which added aluminum-bodied internal-bypass Fox shock absorbers along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The TRD Sport remained the milder, more road-focused of the two TRD grades, while the TRD Pro targeted buyers who wanted maximum off-road capability.
The TRD Pro’s Fox shocks were designed for more demanding off-road use than the TRD Sport’s Bilstein dampers, and its arrival for 2020 showed Toyota was expanding the Sequoia’s off-road appeal as the model aged.
The package remained on sale through the end of the second-generation Sequoia.
Related Toyota Models
Related reading includes the 2019 Toyota Sequoia Review and the 2019 Toyota Sequoia Price, Redesign, Performance, or browse the Toyota Review archive.
