Nothing good lasts forever – but Toyota‘s V8 Sequoia came close. The Japanese manufacturer’s full-size, V8-powered Sequoia SUV stuck around for over two decades while earning a reputation as one of the industry’s most reliable SUVs. Anecdotes abound of Sequoias going for hundreds of thousands of miles on V8 powertrains shared with the Tundra and Land Cruiser. But as the V8 Sequoia roared toward seemingly eternal life, even it had to face its mortality. The 2022 Sequoia was the last SUV to feature Toyota’s revered-yet-ancient V8 engine before turbos and electric power took over.  

The 2022 Sequoia used a legendary 5.7-liter V8

Toyota fitted the Sequoia with a standard V8 from its genesis in the 2001 model year. It gradually evolved until receiving Toyota’s iconic 5.7-liter i-FORCE V8 in 2008. The 2022 Toyota Sequoia used that same iconic V8 from 14 years prior.   

According to DrivingLine, Toyota developed the 5.7-liter V8 specifically for the American market to compete with powertrains found in domestic trucks and SUVs. The Tundra first picked up the i-FORCE V8 in 2007, with the Sequoia and Land Cruiser following soon after. 

Its specs are impressive – especially for the mid/late 2000s. The i-FORCE V8 made 381 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque out of the box, making it one of the most potent light-duty truck engines on the market at the time. But it soon exceeded its truck-based boundaries and found its way into Lexus luxury sedans like the LS and GS. 

The Sequoia and its V8 engine stayed pretty much the same between 2008 and 2022. While other V8s forged on with updates and new technology, Toyota’s model stuck to its successful formula. While the Sequoia fell behind steadily over the years regarding technology and efficiency, its longevity paid substantial dividends in dependability and reliability. Year after year, the Sequoia topped reliability and resale value rankings. 

But even icons meet their ends.

Toyota dropped the V8 Sequoia after 2022 

2022 proved to be the final chapter for the V8 Sequoia. Two decades of 8-cylinder power came to a close as Toyota revealed its totally redesigned 2023 Sequoia featuring a twin-turbo V6 hybrid powertrain. 

Titled the i-FORCE MAX Hybrid, the new powertrain offers better specs on paper than the outgoing Sequoia V8. It uses a 3.4-liter V6 engine with twin turbos and a 1.87-kwh battery with an electric motor. These components create a staggering 483 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque. Plus, Toyota claims much better fuel efficiency numbers for the i-FORCE MAX than the outgoing 5.7-liter V8 truck engine. It’s an impressive powertrain with plenty of promise for Toyota’s latest generation of trucks and SUVs. 

Still, many drivers will mourn losing a traditional V8 under the Sequoia’s hood. 

Will Toyota make another V8 SUV?

No official word has come down from Toyota on whether it will make another V8 for the Sequoia or other models. As far as we can tell, the 2022 Sequoia V8 was the last of its species. 

But nothing is impossible – especially with hybridization and turbocharging technology available. Other manufacturers like BMW continue to roll out new V8 SUVs with turbo and electric aids to help them stay relevant in the current automotive environment. Who’s to say Toyota won’t do the same? Only time will tell.