4Runner with three kiddos just doesn't cut it IMO. I grew up in this situation. Sequoia or Suburban would be my recommendation. Frankly we are just comparing outdated vehicles anyway. I'd focus on the convenience. All these options will last if maintained.

Any input is appreciated. I knew it wouldn’t be a cut and dry topic.

A lot of variables I have to consider in it all. My wife driving whatever we buy, we are also a blended family and only have our kids half the time, we loved traveling off road when we had our truck and Jeep. But still obviously need something the kids can fit into

Going to go back and research some more options to see what can for the budget

Canadian prices vs U.S are pretty high unfortunately

Someone mentioned the Flex. It's available in Awd. Near end of life, the bugs are worked out. Traditional SUV will have less room with higher step in height. Kids only get bigger. When buying used, the Lincoln version is usually cheaper.

I just saw the Pacifica hybrid gets 30mpg. However, FCA quality control needs to be considered.

Consider renting the vehicle you want for a day or weekend. Spending time with the vehicle and your family should reveal it's fit for you without 60 months of payments. Modern minivans have great crash protection.

The 4Runner is also the least safe. It has no driver aids, unlike almost any new vehicle, especially those designed to haul around the family. It doesn’t event have blind spot monitoring. The crash protection doesn’t compare to a modern van/most crossovers either. If I was hauling around 3 kids it would definitely be in one of the nice van options or the Ascent.

One other option is a highlander. It's a bit bigger inside than a 4runner. And much easier to access the 3rd row. Very reliable.

Or maybe a newer minivan and an older suburban or sequoia for weekends. $5k should get you a pretty reliable older suburban. And it won't get used daily so probably less repairs because it'll have fewer miles of use.

used Sequoia..

Ooh My Goodness, what would 2 6 YO and a 10 YO do in the back seat of a 4 runner for an hour or two on the way to a camping trip. Ohh the horror they will probably be smashed with so little room, its child abuse I say. Kidding of course.

Daily driving you will be fine there's 5 seat belts and low and behold you have 5 family members a perfect match.

Your only tight spot is enough trunk space for overnight trips.


My vote get the 4Runner, get a rocket box for the roof and the trailer for camping. There's tons ways to add luggage or gear capacity, hitch racks for cooler etc.

You could rent one for a day or 2 to see what it's like to transport the family if you have doubts.

Its clear you want the 4Runner, you want fun, exploration, 4x4, mountains, streams, snow, sand, mud, camping.

Flex/Pacifica =

with 1 kid and 1 dog ours is maxed out. No way would i even consider a 4 runner with more than 2 kids. ford expedition

Having just had my son, his wife and their baby here, I think I can answer this. We only have two 4runners so there were no other options for transportation. It was tight in the back. With the baby seat, two adults and stuff you carry put in the rear, there was no room. I vote sequoia.

I would not go used Ford due to their expensive timing belt changes and I have always had transmission issues with them, four of them.

Edit: I would get a Suburban also.

+1 on the Highlander recommendation from earlier. We're renting one this week for vacation and have had my 5 y/o daughter along with our 14 y/o niece and nephew in the vehicle for a portion of the trip. I've been pleasantly surprised with how much room it has along with how easy it is for everyone to get in and out of the vehicle.

I know this is going to sound terrible on a 4R forum, but have you considered the Kia Telluride or Hyundai Sante Fe XL? It's hard to match their new car warranty, and honestly, these aren't the same quality as the '98 Sportage. My wife and I had a Sante Fe two years ago when we were in AZ. It was great on gas, had tons of space, and actually drove pretty well. We don't have the same needs (only 1 kid), but when my wife's lease was running out, she went and drove the new Sante Fe and loved it. Their lease terms weren't great, so she ended up in another Subaru Forester.

Suburban or Tahoe. Buy used as they depreciate fast. However, they'e a 200K to 300K mile truck. I just rode in a 2011 used by the Westin Hotel in Dallas to transport guests and it had 311K miles on it. I have a '99 K2500 4wd diesel and it has 222K miles on it.

I you're saying they're outdated, then you must be more interested in lame dash electronics and can't help you there.

My wife has the QX56 - the Infiniti version of the Armada. She won't give it up for anything and it has been painless, plus has a ton of room. Problem is, the newest gen (either 2011 or 2012+) has some major engine issues. We got her the older gen (2010) just to avoid those.

But she is almost 50 and says it's her favorite car that she has had in her entire life. We bought it with about 80k on it, it now has 131k. Only real issue has been a starter which of course they put under the intake manifold so it's a $6-700 job at an independent mechanic. Everything else has been pretty solid. It eats belts and brakes and tires (heavy car, heavy foot), and the windows are slow, other than that its fine for the job.

Just for fun:

Toyota Sienna Lift Kits - Journeys Off Road


Toyota made a concept of just what you need called the "TJ"

Similar here. 13, 11 and 9 year olds. Smaller than average kids. Larger than average dog that goes in the cargo area. We didn’t want the third row as we wanted it for the dog. With a roof rack and cargo tray, it works fine for us with the occasional squabble. We’re taking it on an 8+ hour trip in a couple of weeks and I have no concerns.

We take it without the dog with the 5 of us and their band gear with no issues, using the roof rack and cargo tray (full drum set, guitar, bass, two amps, PA system, mics, stands, etc).

I didn’t want to go much larger as 5 days a week I park it at the train station that has parking spots designed for smart cars. But we needed 4wd (and preferably a rear locker) for launching a boat and camping. We found it was a good balance.

I’d buy it again, but it may not work for others.