If the Toyota Tundra proves to be a success – and the company is already exceedingly pleased with how the 12-month prototype shakedown trial is playing out in Australia – what would come next?
The recently-announced decision to green light the American-built, Australian remanufactured full-sized ute for distribution in Australia via a partnership with the Walkinshaw Group to take on the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150 and Ram 1500 has thrust an interesting contender into the spotlight.
There are a very limited number of available options right now, speculation centres around the Sequoia, which is closely related to the Tundra and currently the largest SUV in Toyota’s global artillery.
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So, we thought we'd find some answers.
Asked if the Tundra has opened doors for more models like the Sequoia, Toyota Motor Company Australia (TMCA) Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley, revealed that anything is possible... as long as the vehicle is right for our market and the remanufactured Tundra continues to meet or exceed Toyota Japan’s demanding expectations.
“I hope so, I do, and (the Tundra program) is very much a test case for Toyota, so it's really important we get this right,” he told CarsGuide.
“Because this could go to other places in the future. I'm excited by it.”
Hanley stopped short of making any future model announcements.
“I'm not talking specifically about Sequoia; I'm just talking about general conversions,” he said.
The mammoth, Tundra-based three-row SUV wagon would make an obvious follow-up candidate, given how many of the components necessary for the left-to-right hand-drive conversion are already in place at Walkinshaw in Melbourne.
To refresh, the Sequoia is Toyota’s answer to the popular full-sized three-row SUVs that are large, long and – owing to them being made left-hand-drive in North America – comparatively low priced.
The latest third-gen Sequoia is based on a variation of the Toyota New Global Architecture – Frame (TNGA-F) as per the current LandCruiser 300 Series and imminent Prado 250, and their respective Lexus LX and GX spinoffs, but they differ in some technologies to help keep costs down.
Available in rear-wheel or four-wheel drive configurations, motivation comes courtesy of a 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol hybrid powertrain dubbed i-Force Max; combined with an electric motor and battery, it makes a total 326kW of power and about 790Nm of torque.
In contrast, the LandCruiser 300 in Australia relies on a 227kW/700Nm 3.3-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel engine. No electrification for us, for the time being, anyway.
The US SUV is in a larger size category altogether.
A quick comparison reveals that the Sequoia is about 300mm longer at 5286mm long, nearly 40mm wider at 2027mm and about 250mm longer in wheelbase, yet is slightly shorter at a height of 1893mm, underscoring its slightly more wagon-esque proportions. It's how the Americans like their big SUVs.
More importantly for many Australians, the circa-50kg-heavier Sequoia offers a maximum towing capacity of more than 4300kg compared to the LandCruiser’s 3500kg, though payload is similar, with both topping out at around 780kg.
If given the go-ahead, when could we see the Sequoia in Australia?
Toyota being Toyota, it will probably keep a very close eye on how the North American-made but (also) Walkinshaw-remanufactured GMC Yukon by General Motors Specialty Vehicles performs in Australia when it launches next year from about $150,000.
The Yukon is based on a full-sized ute platform – in this case the Silverado’s – while offering seating for up to eight people as well.
Ensuring the ability to maintain a consistently high level of quality year-after-year will likely be one of the next big hurdles for whatever remanufactured Toyota comes next.
To that end, Hanley added that the Walkinshaw Group’s commitment to getting the Tundra right has been the real eye-opener for him.
“I'm more excited about what we've been able to achieve with this organisation,” he revealed.
“They blew me away (with) the attention to detail that that organization is putting in this car.”
With the Tundra turning out better than expected and LandCruiser/Prado deliveries sometimes stretching into years, why wouldn't Toyota press the button on Sequoia?
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