1st gen DC Taco vs LC100/LX470 as baby hauler

Hello everyone, I'm currently driving a 1st gen double cab Taco and am debating on trading up for a Land Cruiser/LX470 to help future proof the "baby hauler" need.

I'd like to hear what fathers and/or mothers here on TW have experienced using a double cab Taco as a baby hauler.
What their experiences are, what they would change, etc.

I currently use the taco as a daily driver (90%), weekend camper (5%), and motorcycle hauler (5%).

So let's hear it!
And
Thanks in advance!

 

Perfectly fine. There's not a TON of room back there, but plenty for a baby seat, or in my case, two baby seats. With one kid, we had my son in the middle. By #2, my son was forward facing, and put my daughter on the driver side. We put a lot of miles on this thing on summer road trips, and they always did just fine.

Within the last year, I bought a '17 4Runner, mostly to better tow a trailer with the 4.0L, so there's a lot more room everywhere, but I found you just pile more crap with you when you have the room, lol...

Taco is my play truck now. Kids still (obviously) fit. Just when wheelin with the whole fam this weekend.

 

New car seats are huge first off. Car seat fits fine, it's more of where to put all the other stuff. If you have a topper or tonoue cover it would work much better.

 

My Mom and sister were sitting at a red light in the Land Cruiser and a high school girl nailed them doing 60, didn't even hit the brakes ( wonder what she was doing? lol). The cruiser took it like a boss. the truck crumpled in the rear, as it should, and was still able to drive it home.
We replaced it with the LX.
I love my tacoma and will never get rid of it, but as an everyday baby hauler I wouldn't use it. Safety being the thing for me. I like the 100 series, Lx470, and the 4th gen 4runners. And the third row is a nice feature to have.

 

Great info guys, keep them coming!

 

This is true, something I hadn't really thought of. I remember from the time my son was born to my daughter the seats got so much bigger. They were like captains chairs. I can't imagine what they are now (he's 9, she's 6)!

Then there's the whole thing about keeping them backward facing until they're 15. When my son was a baby, they're like leave him there until at least a year, and face forward after that. When my daughter came along (2 yrs later) it was keep her rear facing as long as possible. I felt fine facing her forward after a year, though. She would fuss because should couldn't see shit. Rear facing only helps if YOU hit someone and the impact forces you forward. For getting rear-ended, a front facing seat is better anyway (like your head rests)...

That said, the bigger seats still fit in the taco. Just not a lot of moving around room, lol... When they get older, the seats get smaller again (sort of) when they get into booster seats.

The doublecabs have like zero storage room aside from the bed, which can be a pain sometimes. I have a large-ish telescope I truck around, and hated putting it in the bed of the taco. When our dog was still around, he went in the bed in a cage since there was no room with two other kids and stuff, too.

I definitely like my '17 4Runner though. The 3rd row means I can drive my kids' friends around, school field trips, or even take everyone in one car when my parents come to visit. Gear goes inside, seats are bigger, more power for towing our trailer, etc... Still kept my Taco though. I feel kinda like Charlton Heston with my taco sometimes (from my cold dead hands)...

 

I have an older Cruiser (80 series) and I think it would hold two modern baby seats fine, the double cab Toyota maybe, but you can't be tall like me if you want one behind your own seat. That or live with your knees in the dash (knee cutouts anyone). I would just worry about the taco in an accident, having rolled one already I know the roof isn't too likely to cave in but a front end or rear end impact seems likely to be a danger, t-bone im not too sure mine was tboned a long time ago and fared okay but still, at more speed it could have been bad. The cruiser I wouldn't worry about, it's pretty solid. Neither of these vehicles have significant crumple zones or modern safety features. If safety is a main concern I think there is a pretty cheap Hyundai model that is rated better than all toyotas up until 2015 haha.

 

My 4runner works alot better then my tacoma for day to day family use. I say go with the suv over truck for your needs.