Toyota is quickly turning Trailhunter into more than a single-truck experiment. Just two days after revealing a new Trailhunter package for the updated 2027 Toyota Tundra, the automaker has announced a similar factory overlanding package for the 2027 Toyota Sequoia.
Toyota is taking several of the Tundra’s most important 2027 improvements and applying them to its full-size, three-row SUV. The Sequoia gets revised styling, an upgraded operating system on the standard 14-inch multimedia screen, a built-in dash camera, Toyota Safety Sense 4.0, and a 2.4-kW inverter. The biggest news, however, is a new SR5-based Trailhunter package that could offer a more attainable alternative to the Sequoia TRD Pro.
The Sequoia gets its own Trailhunter package
The newly available Trailhunter package is the headline addition to the 2027 Toyota Sequoia lineup. Toyota says it is intended for customers who want to travel beyond paved roads with greater confidence, but this is more than a collection of bronze wheels and Trailhunter badges.
The package includes Michelin LTX Trail 265/70R18 tires, an upgraded Old Man Emu suspension, front recovery hooks and additional underbody protection. Toyota also includes Multi-Terrain Select, Crawl Control and an electronically locking rear differential.
Those are legitimate off-road upgrades. Multi-Terrain Select can adjust vehicle settings for different surfaces, while Crawl Control can manage the vehicle’s speed in difficult low-speed situations. The locking rear differential can also help maintain traction when one rear wheel begins to lose contact or spin.
This Trailhunter starts with the SR5, not the TRD Pro
One of the most interesting details is that Toyota is basing the Sequoia Trailhunter package on the SR5 grade. It is not a co-top trim of the TRD Pro like the Tacoma and 4Runner, and Toyota says the 2027 lineup will continue to include SR5, Limited, Platinum, 1794 Edition, TRD Pro, and Capstone grades.
That should create some valuable separation between the two off-road choices. The TRD Pro can remain the flagship performance model, while the Trailhunter package can focus more heavily on overlanding equipment and long-distance exploration.
Toyota has not announced pricing, so we do not yet know how much less a Sequoia Trailhunter will cost than a TRD Pro. However, starting with the SR5 should give Toyota the opportunity to offer genuine off-road hardware without forcing buyers into one of the most expensive Sequoia grades.
Toyota gives the Sequoia a cleaner, tougher face
The 2027 Sequoia also receives a redesigned front end. Toyota says the updated design emphasizes horizontal lines to make the SUV look wider, more stable and more premium while preserving the rugged appearance expected from a body-on-frame SUV.
The changes include revised grille and bumper treatments, rectangular fog lights and a redesigned center section in the lower bumper. Select grades receive updated chrome finishes, although Toyota has not yet shown or described the appearance of every trim.
The grille-mounted LED light bar also receives brighter output. Available RIGID fog lights, front recovery hooks and the Trailhunter package’s unique wheels further separate the off-road configurations from the rest of the lineup.
Every 2027 Sequoia gets a 14-inch screen
Toyota is eliminating the smaller 8-inch screen previously used on previous Sequoia SR5 models. Every 2027 Sequoia will receive a standard 14-inch touchscreen running the newest generation of Toyota Audio Multimedia.
The updated system uses AT&T 5G connectivity and introduces a customizable home screen with smartphone-style widgets. Toyota also says the embedded Voice Assistant should respond more quickly to “Hey Toyota” commands. For 2027, the cabin technology should finally look consistent across the lineup.
A built-in dash camera and better Digital Key join the cabin
A standard built-in Drive Recorder Dash Cam will use the Sequoia’s exterior cameras to capture 20-second video clips. Drivers can manually begin a recording, while certain events can trigger a recording automatically.
Depending on the SUV’s equipment, the system can use its front and rear cameras or the cameras included with the Panoramic View Monitor. A factory-integrated system should be cleaner than mounting an aftermarket camera to the windshield and routing another power cable around the cabin.
Enhanced Digital Key functionality will also be available. Owners with compatible devices will be able to place the key in the native digital wallet on an Apple, Google or Samsung device. The system can be used to lock, unlock, start and operate the vehicle, and access can be shared with as many as five additional drivers.
Toyota says near-field communication can continue providing access for a period of time even if the phone’s battery is dead. An active Remote Connect trial or subscription will be required.
A 2.4-kW inverter and TSS 4.0 add useful capability
The 2027 Sequoia will offer a 2.4-kW inverter, giving owners a useful source of electricity for camping, tailgating and other outdoor activities. Toyota has not yet released details about outlet locations, operating restrictions or whether the full output will be available while the SUV is parked.
Still, 2.4 kW should be enough to make the Sequoia considerably more useful at a campsite or during a power outage. It also gives the i-FORCE MAX hybrid system another practical purpose beyond adding horsepower and torque.
Toyota Safety Sense 4.0 will also become standard. The suite includes Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Automatic High Beams, Lane
