Admittedly – I’m a color freak, and Wave Maker Blue on the Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro changes everything! See, Toyota didn’t slap a wild color on another generic SUV/crossover. Rather – they gave the Sequoia TRD Pro the color it deserves! Quite frankly – it levels-up the whole aura. A big, burly, Smurf blue 4×4 pounding down the street with TRD exhaust. How often do you see that in today’s new car industry defined by shapeless, colorless, indistinguishable blobs? Don’t underestimate the power of color! In fact, let me tell you a quick story…
My wife bought the new Lexus GX 550 Overtrail over the Sequoia TRD Pro…
She’s a Toyota girl… she loved her 4Runner TRD Pro for 10 years & 200,000 miles. And when it came time for a new vehicle, she passed on the Sequoia TRD Pro & Land Cruiser (click for those reviews)… and moved to Lexus (here’s her ride). Why?? It wasn’t for the luxury badge. It’s because she didn’t want a hybrid. And both the Sequoia and Land Cruiser funnel you into a hybrid. That was the dealbreaker. But let me get back to the newer/larger point I’m trying to make: The right color can change perspective!
Everything about the Sequoia TRD Pro is so good…
That the (potentially) negative stigma of ‘a hybrid’ begins to vaporize behind the wheel of this Wave Maker Blue Sequoia. See – for a lot of us, the word hybrid is a turn-off… and probably always will be to some extent. Hybrids do dweeby things – like not actually ‘turn on’ when you hit the ignition. And they love to make zesty little noises rolling through parking lots. On an instinctual level – it’s lame. BUT…
This Wave Maker Blue Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro…
Really challenges that. You gotta get this in your head (I do too): The Toyota iFORCE MAX hybrid is not for MPGs… it’s for PERFORMANCE! Yes – unfortunately it still does the nerdy hybrid stuff mentioned above. But that’s where the similarities to a typical hybrid stop. Because when you hit the gas, this big, burly, blue condo absolutely rips! The Sequoia jumps off the line with a heavy 583 POUNDS OF TORQUE… and then the twin-turbos take it from there. The iFORCE MAX hybrid is like having a 3rd turbo to fill-in the boost-lag of the other 2 turbos.
So… Glass half empty or half full??
It’s all in your mindset. 1) When you look at a hybrid in terms of efficiency & gas mileage (like we’ve been conditioned to do)… hybrids DO add layers of components & complication. AKA – fail points. And when you add complication & fail points in the name of efficiency… it becomes contradictory. So from an MPG standpoint, there’s a reasonable argument to just ‘buy a little more gas’… keep it simple, serviceable, & cheaper over the long run.
BUT 2) When you look at Toyota’s iFORCE MAX hybrid in terms of PERFORMANCE & TORQUE… that changes things! Sure, the hybrid still adds cost, components, & complication. BUT – like a turbocharger, it also adds performance, torque, & excitement! And that’s worth it! Honestly, there almost needs to be another word other than hybrid… for whatever this is. And I honestly don’t think iFORCE MAX cuts the mustard. For some reason it makes me think of an old guy with his belly hanging over his jeans and his phone clipped to his belt.
The Sequoia TRD Pro suspension…
It’s the best of all worlds – no doubt. The TRD Pro X FOX suspension feels chill on the highway, and it neutralizes road imperfections. And when you kick it off a green light, the Sequoia TRD Pro squats & scats like you just poked a bear in the booty.
I resisted the heavy urge to take this Sequoia TRD Pro on some of Florida’s forest roads. I’ve done that in the past with a few of the Toyota/Lexus off-road models… and they absolutely shine in their element. But – I may have put some redneck pinstriping on a new Land Cruiser last year (see review)… and I just couldn’t do that to this righteous Wave Maker. Plus – I’m pipe-dreaming that I might buy this one when it comes off fleet, so best keep it mint lol.
I will say – I drove into some deep sand & then parked – like a dummy – to get a photo. Not sure what I was thinking, but I immediately regretted my decision. Florida sand is a trap, and when I gave it some gas, it sank the rear tires. I went into 4-wheel-drive, and fiddled kinda anxiously with some electronic driving modes for a second before I just said “screw it” & gave it some gas. And with some steady/mild throttle… the Sequoia TRD Pro pulled its 6,000lb plus-sized self right outta there. Whew haha – almost had me sweating for a second.
Sidenote: Power Tow Mirrors
This Sequoia TRD Pro came outfitted with the optional Power Tow Mirrors. Holy Jeez – they’re gargantuan. Like 2 blackholes in each of your peripherals. That might fly in Texas. But I was at the beach, there were lots of people on sidewalks, and these dumbo ears kept me from seeing any of ‘em. Families trying to cross the street with their beach gear?? I wouldn’t if I were you. At one point these contraptions eclipsed an entire Ford F250. And on the highway, I folded them in for better gas mileage lol. Endangered birds are gonna build their nests on these things for real!
Sequoia TRD Pro interior…
The interior is more spacious than my college dorm room was. And exponentially nicer too. Even my wide-shouldered, RAM TRX-driving buddy was blown away with how roomy the 2nd-row seats are. In my book – the Sequoia TRD Pro trim is perfection. It’s just a mood-lifter. Especially when you look out & see that Wave Maker Blue splashed across the hood. Honestly – is there a family SUV better-aimed at car enthusiasts & outdoor lifestylers? Sometimes it’s easy to take things for granted… but just step back for a minute & get a clear picture of this thing: Full-size, Smurf blue, twin-turbo, whooshing turbo noises, burly TRD exhaust, FOX shocks, off-road capable, arctic-camo seats, thick steering wheel, 583 foot-pounds of torque??!? Behold – we’re living in a Toyota golden-era ladies & gentlemen!!
