Buyers who tow campers or boats with a Sequoia will find a smaller number on the 2027 spec sheet: a maximum of 9,120 pounds, versus 9,520 for the 2026 rear-drive SR5. That is a drop of 400 pounds, and it happened because Toyota removed the rear-wheel-drive Sequoia from the lineup for the new model year. Every 2027 Sequoia now ships as a four-wheel-drive hybrid.
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The trade for the lost capacity is a bigger bundle of trailer electronics and a higher entry price. The SR5 now starts at $69,900, up 6.4 percent from $65,725 a year earlier, and the 2026 version of the SUV was rated 2 mpg higher in combined fuel economy than the four-wheel-drive models that remain.
Losing rear-drive and 400 pounds of towing
Autoblog’s Karl Furlong pinned the change on a simple lineup decision. The old 9,520-pound maximum belonged to the 2026 rear-drive SR5, and with that body style gone the best remaining rating is 9,120 pounds. A separate report from Dealership Guy also lists 9,120 pounds for the 2027 SUV and calls out the 4×4 SR5 as starting $2,075 above its 2026 counterpart.
One outlet disagrees. Kelley Blue Book’s coverage of the Trailhunter package says the Sequoia tows up to 9,520 pounds, which matches last year’s rear-drive figure rather than the new one. Toyota’s own newsroom page for the 2027 Sequoia confirms the $69,900 starting MSRP and a fall 2026 arrival at dealers, but it does not publish a tow rating, so the 400-pound reduction rests on Autoblog’s comparison and the corroborating dealer-trade report.
The size of the cut is easiest to judge as a share of the old rating. Four hundred pounds is about 4 percent of 9,520, which would not change what most families tow. A typical travel trailer or mid-size boat falls well under 9,120 pounds. The buyers who feel it are those who loaded close to the previous ceiling, and for them tongue weight, payload and the trailer’s own brakes still decide what is safe, regardless of the printed maximum. An owner of a 2026 rear-drive SR5 who tows near the ceiling has no way to match that rating inside the 2027 range.
Trailer assist features added to the 3.4-liter hybrid
Every 2027 Sequoia keeps the 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 hybrid, rated at 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. What changes is the software and sensor package around the hitch, which Toyota’s newsroom calls a leap in towing intelligence. Automated Trailer Detection uses rear radar and a camera to identify the trailer, then lists its characteristics in a Trailer Garage menu on the center screen.
Trailer Blind Spot Monitor widens the warning zone to account for the extra length. Trailer Lane Trace Assist provides automated steering to keep the SUV and trailer in lane under certain conditions, and an upgraded Trailer Backup Guide adds on-screen guidelines, a slider interface, semi-automated steering support and jackknife-risk detection. Inside, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster replaces the previous 8-inch display on every trim. An Advanced Rear Seat Reminder uses millimeter-wave radar in the headliner to sense movement in the second and third rows after the driver exits, and it can sound chimes or the horn or send a text message alert.
Toyota’s July announcement also listed a built-in dash cam that saves 20-second clips from the exterior cameras and a 2.4-kilowatt inverter on Trailhunter-equipped trucks, aimed at camping and tailgating power. Toyota said in July that pricing and specifications would follow closer to production, which is the information that arrived this month. Neither addition changes tow capacity, but both fit the idea that the 2027 Sequoia is being sold on equipment and software, with raw capacity treated as a lower priority than before.
Trim prices and the Trailhunter package
Standard four-wheel drive on the SR5 removes what used to be a $3,000 option, which softens the price increase for anyone who would have paid for 4×4 anyway. Higher trims rose less in percentage terms: the Limited is $75,500, up 5.6 percent, the Platinum $83,400, the 1794 Edition $84,400, the TRD Pro $85,925 and the Capstone $87,900. Kelley Blue Book adds a $2,195 destination charge to each, which puts the SR5 at $72,095, the Trailhunter-equipped SR5 at $75,595 and the TRD Pro at $88,120. Autoblog’s report says a top Sequoia now costs over $100,000, a figure that appears to include options because the highest base price listed is $87,900.
The new Trailhunter package costs $3,500 on the SR5 and brings an electronically controlled locking rear differential plus off-road suspension with Old Man Emu shocks, according to Autoblog. The TRD Pro gets Fox QS3 adjustable shocks unique to the Sequoia, red tow hooks and a new Honeycomb paint color. Toyota’s July announcement of the refreshed Sequoia first described the Trailhunter and the TRD Pro changes but held back pricing until this month.
Autoblog’s own verdict is split. The 2027 SUV suits buyers who want the latest tech and easier trailer handling, while the 2026 model may be the better value for anyone who needs the full 9,520 pounds or prefers rear-wheel drive and lower prices on the smaller trims. Toyota has not said whether any of the lost capacity will return through a later configuration.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Morning Overview editors prior to publication.
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