Is it real? The all-new (body, chassis, interior, for starters) second generation is upon us.
What's the point? Toyota is reaching out to a market you might have thought was already well-served: buyers interested in full-size S.U.V.'s that use only gasoline and have seating for up to eight.
What they said: To explore American culture and the S.U.V. lifestyle while he prepared to design the Sequoia, Motoharu Araya, the truck's chief engineer "went so far as to live for a time with an American family that owned a full-size S.U.V." What a great reality show if the writer's strike doesn't end.
What they didn't say: Maybe Motoharu Araya should have lived with polar bears.
What makes it tick? The current standard engine, a 276-horsepower 4.7-liter V-8, is back, joined by a new 381-horsepower 5.7-liter V-8. A new six-speed automatic transmission carries the power to the wheels.
How much, how soon? You can pick up the Sequoia mid-year '08. Pricing should be comparable to the '07 model.
How's it look? Who forgot to tell the automaker with the greenest reputation that big is over?
