Considering my first tacoma .... (or jeep unlimited).. rear seats space

Not wanting this to be a jeep vs truck debate really. I currently have an '01 TJ, but with three kids now (one toddler that needs a car seat), the 2 door TJ is just way too much of pain here in Florida (although the 4 door unlimited I test drove is on the table as an option.)

My friend has an '07 DC Taco and I loved the way it drove. Seemed to have a lot of room in the rear seats too. I just recently test drove a '16 TRD Sport and I'm wondering if the rear room decreased in size from the 07? I swear it seems smaller. I'm 6'1'' and seem to have plenty of room up front though. Does anyone else have issues with a car seat in the middle, with the front seats back pretty far? I guess I can bring a carseat in and check it out.

I still need to look at the Chevy Colorado since I hear they have a lot more room in the rear seats (although they seem more expensive for the v6 and I worry about their reliability compared to the Toyota.) (Of course the Jeep Unlimited is still on the table as well, but of course then I have to mod it again to get it looking decent which ends up getting pricey and since I'm mostly just 'mall crawling' the mods become just aesthetics and really a waste of money.)

Anyway thanks for your input.

 

Hey, I don't know if the seat room is decreased or not between earlier years, but I do know that the rear seats of the '16 are kind of short on leg room in my opinion. The Tacoma has all the anchors and stuff needed for properly mounting a carseat, but honestly, if you want more passenger room I'd strongly suggest checking out the 4Runner. They also have a similar feel to the Tacoma, and at least in my opinion I think they ride a little bit better. A 4Runner is also a little more capable off-road because of the shorter wheelbase, and if you need towing/bed capability you can always just put a utility trailer behind it. They're a little more expensive, but maybe something worth checking out.

I was real close on going between the 4Runner and Tacoma, but I went with the Tacoma because of the cheaper price and I didn't really care about the passenger space ... plus, manual transmission

Still a fan of the 4Runner though! (obviously)

 

Great suggestion Joe! I need to start looking into them. I heard great things about them as well.

 

I have a '16 taco, and owned a 4Runner and Jeep before. I have to say, if you are concerned about passenger space, the taco seems bigger than the Jeep to me. 4Runner should definitely be considered. My kids are ages 9 and 11, and the taco is plenty of room. Test your car seat at the dealer. Good luck.

 

Numerically, the 2016 has the same amount of rear leg room (32.6"), slightly less shoulder room (58.9" vs 59.3"), and slightly more hip room (56.3" vs 55.2") compared to the 2007 (same as 2015). Either the seat cushion design changed the perception of roominess, or you are not remembering the 2007 accurately.

4Runner has 32.9" leg room, 57.8" shoulder room, and 55.7" hip room.

References:
http://toyotanews.pressroom.toyota.com/releases/2016+toyota+tacoma+product+specs.download
http://toyotanews.pressroom.toyota.com/releases/2015+toyota+tacoma+product+specs.download
http://toyotanews.pressroom.toyota.com/releases/2016+toyota+4runner+product+specs.download

 

My Jeep was a TJ two-door, so you could be right. But I have sat in back seat of a new Unlimited and my impression is it was small. You have the numbers, so I stand corrected.

 

The 4Runner is great, but if you can wait I would expect they are about to do a refresh in the next 1-2 years. (maybe 2018 ... Toyota tends to do 4 year refresh on the 4Runner, and it had a mid-cycle update for 2014).

I was really stoked about the Canyon/Colorado, but honestly they were a bit of a let down to me. I think you should go and drive them yourself, but I was just expecting more from them because I really like the Silverado/Sierra. The Canyon/Colorado felt more like an SUV than a truck to me, and I really didn't like the quality of the trim. Stuff just felt cheap in it.

The Tacoma, oddly enough, despite looking like it is more plastic, actually feels a lot more solid and soft to the touch.

The 4Runner interior feels a little more upscale than the Tacoma in some ways, but also more dated in others ... for example, the navigation/stereo screen is real small on the 4Runner, but the Tacoma has a real large one. I think that's just a fact that the interior in the 4Runner dates back to 2010 at this point, so the tech isn't as up to date. Otherwise, I think the 4Runner has better seats (hey, they adjust up and down, bitches!), and for sure the rear passenger leg room is a lot better.

You should check a lot of stuff out though. Also, write down what you want/need in the vehicle. Then compare how well each vehicle meets those wants/needs. It's the best way to make up your mind in my opinion.

 

... that seems crazy, but I can't argue with numbers. I just sat in them and found the rear seats in the 4Runner way more roomier than the Tacoma ... but hey, now I have numbers and I can go to my wife and say, "hey, the Tacoma is awesome!" (she loves the 4Runner) ... so thanks

 

Sorry, I was talking about the Jeep Unlimited seeming small back seat (not 4Runner) when compared to taco.

 

A lot of it is perception. The fact the 4Runner doesn't have the rear glass right behind your head helps with the feeling of space. However, the amount of distance in front of your knees and above your head are practically the same between the Tacoma and 4Runner.

BTW, if you want an example of cramped, check out the rear seat in a Frontier double cab...

 

Currently own a 2016 Tacoma Doublecab, a 2012 4Runner, and a 2001 Tacoma Doublecab and I'd vote for the 4Runner for your purposes. There's a lot more room in the back seat then the Tacomas and it's a more comfortable vehicle. Only reason I didn't buy a second 4Runner is because I need the bed to haul kayaks and motorcycles.

 

I think the back seat in the Tacoma is comparable. We had a Jeep unlimited and it seemed to be about the same amount of legroom maybe a tab bit more but if you got a short driver then there's a ton of room.

 

+1
Looked hard at the Frontier but the Taco has a much deeper bottom cushion - much more comfortable for adults...

 

I owned a TJ soft top, had tonneau and half roof top, most fun vehicle I ever owned, and I've owned a lot!

To the Tacoma...I have grand kids we put in car seats in the back seat, and they are tight. I'm 5' 8", so my seat is pretty forward with these short legs and the 2 year old is putting his feet all over the back of my seat. 6 year old is fitting, but really tight as well. I had a '13 Tacoma and the space is the same, leg wise. Will it work? Yes, is it tight? Yes. But I wouldn't trade my truck for anything else on the market, but that is just me. Neighbour has Jeep Unlimited and it seems smaller to me, but I don't know.