USED: 2018 Toyota Sequoia TRD Sport Review: This Off Road SUV Rules the Road Trip
Erica Mueller
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You think about this all year long. Time to do it.
Our family just returned from our second annual summers-end Galveston Island vacation. It’s our goal to go every year and spend a week unwinding on the beach. And what could make a 7-hour road trip more fun than riding in a super cool SUV with plenty of room for everyone?
Our original plan was to use the 2018 Toyota Sequoia TRD Sport to get our family of four to the beach and back. I planned to put the third row down and have tons of cargo space. But then my brothers decided they wanted to join us. So, we instructed everyone to pack light. And guess what? We did it! 4 adults and 2 kids comfortably fit with their luggage, all in one vehicle.
Further Reading: Four steps to a beach-ready car!
Who the Toyota Sequoia TRD Sport is For
- Outdoor adventurers
- Families who prefer an SUV over a minivan
- People who need a 7-8 passenger vehicle
- People who love the beastly beauty of a Toyota 🙂
- Families that need four-wheel drive for the beach or off-roading
What This Off Road SUV Costs
- SR5 Base Price: $48,700
- TRD Sport Base Price: $51,415
- Limited Base Price: $57,195
- Platinum Base Price: $61,410
- Model we drove: $50,940
Further Reading: Need a smaller off road SUV? The Toyota 4Runner has your number
Is there Anywhere the 2018 Toyota Sequoia TRD Sport Can’t Go?
Tight spaces are about the only thing I can think you’d want to avoid in this beast of an SUV. When you climb into the Toyota Sequoia TRD Sport and start driving it down the backroads, you can really feel it. This SUV was made for adventure. It’s way more at home exploring the dirt roads down by the river or driving around on a soft sandy beach than roaring along on the pavement. Don’t get me wrong, it does that beautifully too, but it you will definitely want to take it out for some fun.
2018 Toyota Sequoia TRD Sport Badging on the floor mats. Photo: Erica Mueller
It’s All About the Packages: TRD Sport … What?
The Sequoia is a pretty well-equipped full-size SUV on its own, but when you add the TRD Sport package, you get some extras. Independent high-mounted coil-spring double-wishbone front suspension with TRD Sport performance-tuned Bilstein shock absorbers make for a smoother ride when you’re out climbing in and out of the creek bed. The extra large 20-inch TRD Sport black alloy wheels make crawling over boulders a little easier.
And of course, you get some extra good-looks thrown in… How about LED fog lights with chrome surround and a chrome grille surround with gloss-black insert and accents? Gloss-black heated power outside mirrors, a black roof rack to haul things like skis and surfboards, and satin-black TRD Sport front door logos with a chrome raised Sequoia logo on the liftgate. These look-sharp logos and paint colors may not affect performance, but they do give the vehicle that extra edgy appearance!
Plenty of seating in the 2018 Toyota Sequoia TRD Sport! Photo: Erica Mueller
Seating for 7 or 8… Your Choice
The Sequoia comes in both 7- and 8-passenger configurations, though the TRD Sport and Platinum models only offer the 7-passenger option. If you’re looking to seat 8, try the SR5 or Limited!
The Toyota Sequoia TRD Sport has a clean, simple design, real knobs, and shifters. Photo: Erica Mueller
The 2018 Toyota Sequoia TRD Sport Interior Features Lots of Storage and Luxury
Because this is a sports package, a lot of the luxurious features are left off and you end up with a more rugged, practical interior, which I love! Sure, heated seats are nice in extreme weather, but you don’t really need them. And with the kids in tow, I prefer clean and simple. The TRD Sport’s interior was just right for me.
You do get beautiful nice seats with embroidered TRD Sport logos. Moonroof? Check. You have navigation and entertainment on the touchscreen. And of course, you have a backup camera for safety. USB ports up front and Bluetooth capabilities are included. My only disappointment was that the second row only had a cigarette lighter option and no USB for charging. There is another cigarette lighter behind the third row too. As a solution, we got USB adapters for each row so everyone could charge their devices.
The TRD Sport is all about convenience. I think we counted 11+ cupholders in the vehicle! Plus, just about every seat had either a large center console or cubbies on the side for storage. It was pretty incredible to have all that space for the kids to keep their books, toys and snacks on the road trip!
WHAT WE LOVED ABOUT THIS OFF-ROAD ADVENTURE SUV
- Moonroof for extra natural lighting
- Heated front seats
- Sporty interior with TRD Sport badging on seats and floor mats
- Awesome ground clearance for off-roading
- Running boards for easy boarding
- Perfect shock and suspension kit for rough terrain
- Plenty of room for everyone!
The Sequoia has great towing capabilities! We were super blessed to be able to get our mower into the shop for servicing before our trip. Photo: Erica Mueller
What You Need to Know About the 2018 Toyota Sequoia Sport
- 5.7L V8 engine
- 381 Horsepower
- 401 lb-ft of Torque
- 6-speed automatic transmission
- 4-wheel drive
- Tow up to 7,400 lb
- 20″ TRD Sport Black Alloy Wheels
- 13-17 estimated mpg
- Seats 7-8 (Depending on configuration)
- 36 months/36,000 miles Basic Warranty
- 60 months/60,000 miles Powertrain Warranty
Disclosure: The Sequoia was provided for this review; all opinions are my own.
2018 Toyota Sequoia TRD Sport Monroney
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