Ok, I don't know why people are steering you away from the 4Runner. How much crap do you need to take with you on these trips?

We regularly go off the beaten path in our home state of Tennessee AND take cross country road trips to visit family in our 4Runner. Check out my thread for how I organize everything.

My kids are younger than yours (my oldest turns 8 in a few months), but man, there is ample room for kids in that second row. We have a 3rd row as well, but for adventure trips, we use the back for cargo. The third row comes into play when family is in town visiting or when one of my kids has a friend over, and we end up taking them all to a park or something.

Think of the places you can comfortably go in a 4Runner that you won't go in a Highlander, minivan, etc... Just seeing the looks on our kids faces and hearing their squeals of delight when we drive through a creek or slowly make our way through some completely non-maintained, rutted out, muddy service road to a great view or secluded camping spot is absolutely worth not having an extra 1" of elbow room.

Get some Plano trunks for the back, a Raingler net to keep all the extra stuff in the back like sleeping bags or backpacks, and a rifle case to put tools or muddy hiking boots up top, and get out there.

Take the crew and get inside a 3rd row and see what you think

Don't even consider a 2 row 4R

Family of 5 could easily fit comfortably without using the 3rd row. If you pack efficiently you can fit all the camping gear you need in the cargo area. Or if you need more space maybe add a trailer hitch cargo carrier for like $120 and you would be set.

To me the most important question is how are you going to use it regularly. But a 3rd row is easy for trips; 2200 miles round trip, 6 people. That wasn't hard. Do your research and good luck.

Agree with that, but I believe he's only got 1 vehicle and is replacing, not adding. In that case, I have no idea why anyone would give up seats/opportunity to put whining kids further away from the driver.

Exactly. We do it all the time. Packing efficiently is key. When we had our suburban, we took way too much unnecessary stuff. Don't miss that vehicle at all.

Yea id still get the 3rd row just to have it. But for camping you definitely wont be able to fit much back there if you use it.

I believe this is a case where you cant have your cake and east it too. Use 3rd row-cant fit gear. Fold 3rd row and you can fit it all.

Unless he is willing to buy a trailer hitch cargo carrier and roof rack to hold most of the gear.

So far i love the 4r (2018 orp) and mainly use it on weekends for camping only as i drive other cars during the week. I would not mind it as my only car though if i didnt have others. It is only my wife and I though.

Getting more efficient gear and containers for stacking has drastically changed effective space use though. I could definitely fit it all in the cargo space behind the 2nd row. When i started, it took all space behind the front seats. So how efficient you can be plays a role as well.

You can always find ways to bring gear, that's the easy part; here is one solution

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/3312048-post64.html

We have the luxury of owning a 18' 4runner ltd and an 18' highlander ltd... I have 2 daughters (4 yr and 1 month). The highlander is the DD and the 4runner is strictly a toy for road trips, 4 wheeling, weekend running, and occasionally gets driven to work on nice days. If I had to choose one over the other it would be the highlander.... this isn't to say I don't love our 4runner though. The highlander has better safety features, a better crash test rating, and is just more practical than the 4runner. The rear HVAC and controls is significantly nicer on the highlander as well... you will get ventilation to the 3rd row whereas I don't think you do on the 4runner even with a 3rd row option.

This is with 2 kids... 3 to me is a no brainer. BUT I would be lying if I said the highlander 3rd row was spacious with the second row at a reasonable seat back/leg position. A 10 yr old may be cramped in the back so one of the 6 yr would have to ride back there I'd think. Are your 6 year olds still in a booster? (sorry if I missed that).

The 6 year olds are still in the high back boosters.

We have one last camping trip next week and that’s all I have for holidays besides some day trips. Once we are back from holidays, we are going to ramp up the vehicle search. First stop will be to check out the 4runners to atleast see if it will make the cut or not.

I hope it’s not as cramped as some are saying so we can finally get out on some more adventurous trips, but definitely need to make sure the kids are comfortable too

I will say that about a month ago we crammed them in the back of a corolla for a 1 hour drive each way and they survived it lol

If the kids are super forward thinking they'll push you towards the 4Runner in the anticipation it'll become the "kids car" when they turn 16.

Haha, that will be the wife’s problem by then, I’ll be back in a truck for myself long before that point, will have to see if she’s ready to part ways with it by that point. Doubtful, I never got to drive my parents cars when I first got my license. I worked full time during my summer breaks at the age of 14 to save up for my own car and insurance. So I won’t be so willing to be handing over any keys to easily

My kids are in two boosters and a carseat. They fit in the second row of the 4Runner fine, and they'll gain more room as they grow out of those. The backseat is wider and quite a bit taller than the Corolla's with plenty of legroom for kids to average height adults. Still, I'd get a 3rd row if you want the option to keep the kids spaced out.

This is the setup I would go with if I had to go on a long trip with a family of 5 before I would even consider a minivan.

I'll drive a T4R until I'm dead.

I just kept my 2001 Odyssey. For carrying big crap you cant beat the minivan. 4 large adults 2 kids, wheel chair, our luggage, and a cooler, all fit inside the van. Never would have got that in a cross over. Love my 13 trail, but it does fill up quick. I have factory roof rack, and a rooftop canvass bag i throw up there once in a while. Hard to get rid of the 4runner. I use the outlets all the time for tailgating, crock pots and such. Its very useful vehicle, plus goes anywhere.