2025 Toyota Sequoia a chance for Australia

The new 2025 Toyota Sequoia could eventually make its way into Toyota Australia showrooms, following the success of the closely-related Toyota Tundra pick-up’s local remanufacturing program courtesy of Walkinshaw Automotive.

With the Tundra’s local right-hand conversion program going to plan so far, ahead of the US-made pick-up’s expected local release next year, Toyota Australia how now implied there is scope to extend the RHD program to other full-size Toyota models not available in right-hand-drive from the factory.

“The Tundra might even set the benchmark for how we bring cars that are converted locally to market,” said Toyota Australia sales, marketing and franchise operations vice-president Sean Hanley recently.

“It’s been a really good exercise for us.”

Toyota Australia insists there are “no current plans to consider a similar program for other model lines”, but Hanley’s comments suggest that more left-hook models could be studied for local release once the Tundra hits the market next year – something that could be facilitated by Walkinshaw’s bigger new headquarters and factory in Dandenong, which is due to come online by late 2025.

If that happens, the US market’s new Sequoia is the most likely candidate given it’s essentially an SUV version of the Tundra pick-up and rides on the same TNGA-F ladder-frame platform as the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and Lexus LX and the upcoming Toyota Prado 250 Series and Lexus GX.

Australia is the only country in which all four large SUVs will be sold, and the addition of the larger Tundra and Sequoia would give the local market leader one of the biggest models ranges in the world outside Japan.

Further amortising the TNGA-F platform, North America’s new Toyota 4Runner will be produced in Japan and we expect it to be sold in Australia as the next-generation Fortuner. Similarly, the new Thai-built 2025 HiLux is likely to be derived directly from US market’s Mexican-built Tacoma.

With GMSV readying the GMC Yukon full-size SUV for Australian release – also leveraging the development and production experience of Walkinshaw, as well as the closely-related Chevrolet Silverado pick-up – there is already a precedent and at least some identifiable local demand for extra-large off-road SUVs positioned above the LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol.

The Sequioa would likely overlap with the smaller 300 Series in terms of pricing, but differentiate itself from the V6 diesel off-roader with superior towing capability (4318kg versus 3500kg).

Also setting it apart from the LandCruiser is the same monstrous 325kW twin-turbo V6 petrol-electric powertrain as the Tundra, which donates its advanced safety and technology suites too.

Its bigger proportions would be another point of difference, potentially attracting cashed-up grey nomads and families with caravans, and perhaps well-heeled Aussies with a penchant for recreational activities like boating, camping and overlanding.

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au