The body looks good, but in the end Toyota cheaped out. The Sequoia is a 10% smaller Tundra Hybrid. Everything the same. They had the opportunity to install an all weather fully automatic drive train for the goof balls that can actually afford these things. Now clued out owners will be barreling down dry US interstates at 80 to 90 mph in 4WD oblivious to the chaos underneath them.
The quote below is from the official Toyota US press release:
Sequoia will be offered in 2WD or the available part-time 4WD system on SR5, Limited, Platinum and Capstone grades. TRD Pro will be offered only in 4WD. The part-time 4WD system relies on a transfer case, controlled via a lever on the center console, to select between 2WD, 4WD high or 4WD low.
https://pressroom.toyota.com/standing-tall-all-new-2023-sequoia-full-size-suv-is-ready-to-make-its-mark/
So no 4AUTO setting??? Yep, clueless drivers will set it on 4WD High on dry pavement and wreck the drivetrain. The average Toyota owner does not have the background of the average GM Suburban/Yukon/Escalade/Sierra/Silverado owner, the latter being used to a part time 4WD system.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the centre diff isn't locked then it should be fine, no? It's not like an old-school style 4x4 system that doesn't have a centre diff and where the front and rear driveshafts spin at the same speed.
You're wrong. It is EXACTLY like the old-school style 4x4 system that doesn't have a centre diff and where the front and rear driveshafts spin at the same speed.
This is what some of us are trying to say - we'd rather have the center diff AWD system at the expense of true off-roadability, for a vehicle like this.
Obviously Toyota didn't want to engineer two different 4x4 systems for the same vehicle. So as AS said, they cheaped out and went with the one that will give them better off-road credentials.
In a perfect world, they would equip the more luxurious trims (limited, Capstone) with a fulltime AWD system, while the SR5 and TRD Pro would have been available with the part-time 4x4 system.
As a potential future buyer, I could see myself wanting a Limited trim, and would love for it to be equipped with a fulltime AWD system. I wouldn't be buying this vehicle for off-roadability, but rather just for towing capacity, power, comfort, and winter capability.