Is the new 2027 Toyota Sequoia TRD PRO better than 4Runner?

Today we are in the Colorado desert to compare the new 2027 Sequoia TRD Pro and the 4Runner TRD Pro. That's coming up right now on Driving Sports TV. So what is new for 2027? Well it gets a revised nose, it has recovery hooks in the front, it gets a massive update to the infotainment system that not only is about looks, it also updates the architecture which is very important. Instead of just one shock setting for both the Tundra and the Sequoia, they both get a set of Fox QS3 shocks. So this is the front shock on the new Tundra and Sequoia. You will note that the reservoir is actually attached, there's not an external reservoir off to the side. Back again is the three-way switch. To explain that I'm going to throw it to Toyota. For this model we've added front piggyback reservoir to the Fox internal bypass shocks. We've also incorporated the QS3 technology that was introduced on the compacts but this is a second generation so it's an iteration on that technology and an evolution. At the high speed range we still have that same stepwise increase but we can get in this new generation a much wider adjustment range in the lower suspension travel speed range and that really helps us differentiate the ride and especially the handling feel. So it lets us bring back a little bit more of the comfort that we heard from customers that they wanted to see a little more of back in the TRD Pro on this new platform. For this model year we did decide that the mechanical adjustment was best but we still wanted to iterate on that and make that technology you know one step higher. So getting closer to what the electronic systems can accomplish but still with a mechanical system. Right now I'm in Colorado's Rimrock National Monument. Yes we do have film permits to be here just in case you're curious. Do not film in here if you do not have permits. But we are not going to spend much more time here instead we're going to head to a dirt track where we're going to fling all four of these TRD Pro trims to find out what is the limit and which one of these I think is best. If you're watching this video because you are considering a new Toyota you're going to want to check out the sponsor of this video Last Fit. Out here in the desert dirt is a way of life so having high quality protection for our vehicles is critical. Whether you're getting a new Tacoma, Ford, Jeep, Nissan or many others Last Fit has complete mat sets with full protection front to back available right now. Simply go to lastfit.com search your vehicle and find the perfect fit. Take a look at the difference between these Toyota OEM mats and the Last Fit upgraded mats. Only one of these is going to keep mud and liquids in their place and already you can see the factory mats let in a lot of dirt. 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It's the same wheelbase you would find on the Land Cruiser, the GX and of course it's here on the 4Runner but the dynamics are also going to be different because we have weight in the back now. With the truck you don't have a lot of weight in the back and you're always kind of fighting against that. My co-driver set this vehicle up with the firmest setting up front that's three and in the back the QS3 shocks are set for two which is kind of the you know best of both worlds. Now on the truck it was set for one and that was really to keep that back planted as much as possible but because we have a body here don't have to worry about it quite so much. As before we're running four-wheel drive we're in MTS sand and I'm just going to have some fun with this one and then we're going to jump into the Sequoia see how it compares. So the tires on this are of course the Toyo Open Countries and we're kind of like going through all the different tires. The Tundra it had Falkenwild Peak AT3 WA's. Yes that is the Toyota version it has less tread than the OEM version that's a story for another day. And then the Tacoma had the Goodyear Territory RT so we're kind of doing all the tires here. Okay drive let's go. Already love the size of this vehicle. Now if you watch the show for a while you would know that I used to drive a 4Runner. I really am a fan of 4Runners. I like them a lot and it's for stuff like that. So unlike the Tundra and the Sequoia we have here this is an actual production vehicle. Those other vehicles they're pre-production so we have less rattles in here which is kind of nice. But this is also like this is basically the 4Runner you've been able to buy for the last couple years. There's nothing significantly new on this one. This is like eating a cracker before getting your next drink of you know next flight of wine. There we go 30 degrees up and over and down 42. There we go up yes fun. I love this size of vehicle the shorter wheelbase just kind of it makes it more flingable more fun and also I think it's more forgiving. Oh of course I just hit my head. Now one of the biggest differences that we got going here of course this does not have the isodynamic seats. And you know what I am feeling a huge difference here. Amateur move. I am feeling a huge difference here because my body is moving with the vehicle it's not moving in its own cradle at this point. So yeah it's a lot more abusive. Now are you going to be driving a course like this? Probably not every day. But if you do yeah those isodynamics they're kind of a good idea. Okay let's do this. Up and over. Oh throttle completely cut in that corner. I thought you know what I would go up there I would add a little bit more throttle and I went full throttle and nothing happened. That is typical for Toyota in this generation of vehicle. The Tundra did it much better. Okay up and over gently look for the posts and down we go. I'm gonna just kind of slide a little bit here. There we go tiptoe through the dusty section. You can open up here. I'm also noticing there seems to be a lot more bounce in the nose of the car on this one versus the Tacoma. Seems to be a lot more of this. Really? Really? Um yeah just normal. The Raccoon is back and no it's not Jimothy. Oh I could have gone way higher. Oh that was awful. Awful. See that's what happens when you get distracted with phone message. Oh that was not great. Okay up and over. Do this. So let's double check that whole traction thing on this big open straight section and see exactly how much interference we're getting here on this one. So in I'm doing throttle full throttle cutting a little bit. Oh it's just it's just pulling back the fun away from me. So hopefully for 2027 Toyota is going to roll that new sand mode into this vehicle. But for right now it is just the full-size vehicles which is kind of disappointing actually. It's rough stuff. Actually I did that faster than other vehicles. You can also actually you know what I can feel this suspension isn't as forgiving of the really harsher stuff as I was getting with the Tundra. Now the problem with testing vehicles like this in this situation you're dealing with a lot more mass. So it's not exactly apples to apples comparison but I just say that if you're just sitting in this the Tundra is going to provide a more comfortable experience. But now let's see what the Sequoia does which is a more direct comparison to this vehicle. Finally we're in the big boy. This is the Sequoia TRD Pro where they finally made it a proper TRD Pro. How? By of course adding proper suspension. It has the new QS3 shocks. So I have a co-driver again. This one is set up exactly like the 4Runner was where we're three in the front and two in the rear. Of course that's going to be different than what was in the Tundra because of course the Tundra is a truck. Now that is going to be very interesting because the 4Runner and this one same shock setup but these are different shocks because these have remote reservoirs front and back and they're the next generation of suspension setup. Will the 4Runner get this new setup anytime soon? Nobody knows because Toyota does not comment on future product of course. Like before we're going to set this to sand mode and like before with the Tundra sand mode should let us have a little bit more fun than it did in that 4Runner because it kept shutting us down in the 4Runner. Let's see how she does. Now this is of course the heaviest of all four vehicles and this does have the new QS3 shocks which is kind of uh I'd say it's kind of ballsy of Toyota to go there with this vehicle. Already you can definitely feel that extra weight corner okay shocks are picking up some of the slack now unlike the Tundra we do not have the isodynamic seats here these are normal pedestrian regular human seats oh soft stuff on the outside well that's super soft on the outside that's where you want to be able to actually spin your wheels churn your way through it and the new sand mode it definitely does a much better job than the old one did there we go and up and down there we go now we have target speeds along this whole thing for a reason uh it is because it is the optimal speed to hit everything it is not a speed limit to keep us going slow it is a speed limit for us to test the key feature of the vehicle that we're looking at oh that was bouncy up and over and then we got another bank let's even go higher in the bank here than we did with the last one that's okay super soft on the exit oh come on that's one thing I really love about the Raptor you put the throttle in there's no interference it just spins its tires for better or for worse but it definitely uh it gives you those rock star moments that Toyota just seems to not want to really give you do you need them not really okay so we're gonna go up over around the bank here keep the speed up and over it's a big boy come on you got this get down nice okay we've got another high bank here this is one thing I really wish I had at my test courses were banks but maintaining banks requires heavy machinery I just don't have that okay at the top we're gonna slow down and look for the poles because I can't see the course otherwise over this massive hood now we do have this of course fantastic trail camera system good to use it when you need it okay then we're gonna go a little slower through here and it's just because we don't want to dust ourselves out sometimes slow is the best way to go then we got a little dip here let's not grind the nose but if we did we do have proper body armor under there okay so what I am noticing is yes the 4Runner and the Tacoma are definitely more flingable they're more fun but I really like this new suspension setup I feel like the wider envelope is something you can't notice even if it's just a small little difference all those small little differences add up to make off-roading just way more enjoyable and then of course you know with the Tundra and the Sequoia you also have all that horsepower all that torque and it's instantaneous because they're hybrids you have that electric motor in the transmission and it really does a good job of giving you instantaneous torque so long as traction control does not interfere tiptoe slowly through here okay now in this spot we're really going to test that traction control see how it feels different yes look at that proper cross up what how did Toyota let me do that okay that's cool I want that on the 4Runner and the Tacoma Toyota and can we add it to my 2025 while we're at it that would be nice oh man that is so cool okay so wrapping this up as we're coming into the finish here the changes that Toyota has made though incremental are key and they're very important to Toyota moving forward and still being competitive in this space uh and I think they've done a great job now do you need a TRD Pro Sequoia I mean it's kind of a ridiculous idea isn't it the family vehicle that has adjustable shocks what the heck but you know I think at the end of the day if you like to have you know fun off-road adventures you want a vehicle that's going to be durable but also compliant I think the Sequoia actually is a good choice now I know the big the big big problem with Sequoia is the fact that it's a hybrid that's also the best thing about it but the batteries in the back do chew up that luggage space and that's something that you're just going to either have to you know figure out or maybe that makes the Sequoia not the right vehicle for you but man driving all four of these vehicles together side by side it really has been a lot of fun and I think that if I were to pick one out of all four of these I think I might pick the Sequoia with if we can get isodynamic seats in it but so far they have not announced if isodynamics are going to be available in this specific vehicle the isodynamics are really good at speed I do really like this new Sequoia it's going to be really expensive just as TRD Pros typically are but if you do want something special big that's just a joy to drive here you go for driving sports tv I'm Ryan Douthit thanks for watching be sure to like subscribe share videos we make them for you I hope you enjoy them and I hope you enjoyed this look at all the TRD Pros from Toyota