Third child on the way. Tacoma or 4Runner?

With 3 kids your wife and all the crap they need for any kind of trip you need a suburban.

 

I think a Highlander with captains chairs is the best option for a 3rd row non-van vehicle…but a sienna is better

 

56.3” for hip room in a Tacoma. Average car seat ranges 15”-20”if you have smaller car seats you might be okay. If you have the larger bases you won’t fit. I had 3 teen boys by the time I purchased the Tacoma…it was fine for short trips but not fun when we would head to Colorado for the summer. My solution was an older 92 FJ80 land cruiser. Room for 8 and a great four wheel drive system, but definitely under powered and crappy mileage. Kept it long enough that all the kids learned to drive in it. It was safe and I knew if they got a stupid teen idea like driving to Portland to eat at Sonics that they wouldn’t get very far before they ran out of gas. Forerunners are nice but it’s hip room and not leg room that you will be needing at least for a few more years. Both the Tacoma and the Forerunner will be tight. Just my opinion though.

 

It's going to be 5 of you, what do you think makes most sense a midsize pickup or a SUV? I wonder?

 

Exactly this.

 

I'm a 64 year old grandfather of 6. If I could go back 30 years and do it all over again I'd buy my wife a full size SUV such as a Suburban or similar. And I'd buy myself a 4X4 crew cab truck and be done with it until the kids were out of the house. That's my advice to you. A Tacoma is too small and a 4Runner isn't much help.

I tried to be cheap and tried a variety of options. But as the kids kept growing, and wanting to bring friends on outings we kept having to upgrade. We ended up with a Tahoe and a F150 crew cab by the time my kids were in high school. I'd have spent less in the long run if I'd done that right after the 2nd one was born. One of my wife's brothers was smarter than me. When his 2nd child came he bought a new 1999 F250 crew cab diesel. (nobody made a crew cab 1/2 ton at the time). He still driving it 23 years later and his youngest just moved out.

 

You have the van for primary family duties, so technically you probably don’t need to switch, but it sounds like you want to.

If you need the truck bed keep the Tacoma. The 4Runner would be more comfortable if you’re taking the kids, but you’ll pay for it in today’s market. Higher Tacoma resale would offset some of that. Buy what makes you happy, you probably don’t “need” to switch but there’s nothing wrong with doing that if you’re ok with how the $ numbers turn out.

 

This is good advice - buy once cry once. I wish I had done this a decade ago when vehicle prices were normal

 

We have a van for that

 

One other point, the 3rd row 4runner does not have tethers and anchor points in the third row.

 

Yes, 36 mpg around town, 30 highway. I felt the same way about minivans, but they are annoyingly practical. I struggle to see the Tacoma working for three car seats.

 

They're basically a van to me. Lol

 

Then you have a vehicle to cart 2 adults and 3 wee ones. Save your money and keep the truck.

 

felt is the key word ha ha- we used to have an odyssey and loved it

 

Have both 21’s. 4Runner all the way. More cabin space and you can put the strollers in the back.

 

If this is your defense for everything is that you have a van already, then either keep the Tacoma or get a full size truck. The 4Runner or small suv is going to be just as cumbersome as your Tacoma it’s not going to fit everything and everyone, so if you’re using it as a rarely have anyone back there stand point to care then it sounds like keep your Tacoma.

I was in the same boat we have a van which we use for majority of family related trips, but I got sick of the couple times a week or a month I had to use my truck to pick up the kids from places just not enough room. Went tundra to keep with having a truck, kids still don’t always come in the truck but when we choose too there is tons of room for everyone.

 

I don’t know how you guys can handle 2+ car seats in the tacoma. I took my nephews out to the beach once (both in car seats) and on I’d say it was only an hour and fifteen minute drive, I could not wait to get out of the truck. At that moment I knew when I have kids my poor Tacoma is going to have to go

 

Have a 2022 Tacoma, got to drive a 2021 4Runner for 60 days for work.

Of those two vehicles 4Runner without question.

The backseat of the Tacoma is fine for part-time, occasional short hops. Full-time use with 3 kids.....no way.

For a family I find my wife's Highlander is hard to beat.

 

It might be Sequoia time bro.

But between 4runner and taco. That's not even close. 4runner I have 2 boys 8 and 10. They grew up in the back seat of my access cab taco! But now they are to big 4 the access. So I upgraded the truck, and wife swapped a wrx Subaru for a 4runner.

If you own the taco keep it and add to your fleet! You will thank me later.

 

These are all great stories...here's mine:

I had a right hand drive Toyota Celica at my first overseas duty station where I met my Scottish wife and had out first daughter in 1990.

Car seat was a challenge...my head hit the door sill often enough that I bought a Mazda 626 Sedan until we left England in 1993.

Bought a 1993 Isuzu Rodeo 5-speed when I got to Abilene, TX. Loads of room but no 3rd row seating.

Our 2nd daughter was born in 1994. A couple of years later, we bought a 1996 Honda Accord LX sedan.

Once we left Texas, we drove the Accord until we got reassigned to Germany--left Hawaii with a 2003 Honda Pilot EX DVD.

That Pilot was very Voluminous to include third row seating.

I kept the Pilot even after the kids went to college and it was my daily driver. With over 200K miles, I had replace the rotors twice, countless brake pad and oil changes and was on my third set of 4 new tires when a lady decided to ride the suicide lane and hit my Pilot while I stood still waiting to make a left turn.

I didn't need a ginormous vehicle...lord knows I saw plenty of Texas Cadillacs (Suburbans) in Abilene.

My wife persuaded me from getting the Tundra and I couldn't be more grateful. Her mistake was letting me get a truck...but I think I deserve it.

Good luck with your choice in family vehicle.