Does the 4Runner make a good family car???

[Jack19]

why? that is just a smaller 4 runner

No, it's really not. The 4R is a body on frame SUV, the Highlander is a unibody cute UV, not that they don't have their place, they do, and are capable of very different things.

Were I buying a vehicle for pregnant wife and future children, neither of which will be able to climb, easily, into a nearly 10" of ground clearance vehicle (the 4Runner,) the Highlander, if not a Sienna, is the way to go.

In the OP's situation, the Highlander (and maybe the Sienna) is the more appropriate, and functional, vehicle.

 

[Davemon]

why? that is just a smaller 4 runner

It's certainly not a body on frame vehicle. It has quite a bit more interior space than the 4runner. Not to mention a 3rd row seat that is marginally more functional than the 4runner, if that's a factor in the equation for the OP.

 

[Biggcrisp]

my kids were in the regular seats by age 5... If I could ride in the trunk of a station wagon or in the bed of a truck..... anyway they turned out just fine

Quote:
Originally Posted by nevada
they will be in car seats/boosters/breast feeding until they are about 10 or so. that's a LONG time to deal with.


Believe it or not, things were not always the way they are now.

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us and lived in houses made of asbestos.

Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright coloured lead-based paints.

As children, we would ride in the back of trucks or in cars with no seat belts or air bags.

WE HAD FRIENDS AND WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!

We walked to their house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them.

We fell out of trees, got cut, spent hours building our go-carts out of old scraps, then rode down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. There were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We built tree houses, played in river beds and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets or shoes.

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.

This was the way we were before lawyers and government began regulating our lives.

 

[Stangallmotor]

Thanks for all the info guys, I appreciate it.

Alright so I pulled the trigger this AM on a new Dodge Ram crewcab. The interior is a lot bigger and they gave my 11k off MSRP. It'll be paid off in two years so maybe well get a 4Runner then.

Mods please feel free to delete this thread. Thanks again fellas!!!

 

[Jhalko]

I'm going to quibble. The 4Runner makes a horrible family car. If you want a family car, get a family car.

The 4Runner makes a great family SUV, and there's a huge difference. If you buy it expecting a trucklike ride and relatively poor MPG, you'll be fine, and if you regularly take your family places you need a capable truck to get in to, even better. If you buy it expecting a car, you stand a good chance of being disappointed, and if you don't actually need a truck-based SUV to haul your family around, there are much better vehicles out there for your family.

The 4Runner is a not a car, and if it's a car you're looking for, I'd look elsewhere. That's my two cents.

It's funny how so many talk about the truck ride and bad gas mileage, coming from a V8 JGC I have been thrilled with my gas mileage and the body roll driving to the mountains was just plain scary in the Jeep, nonissue with the 4R. I easily carry my kids and car seats (3,5) and 55lb mutt along with a ton of stuff to the mountains regularly. I did get a Thule cargo box for the roof for extended trips but with that I have all the space I could need. I have used the third row, including putting a car seat back there just using the seat belt, although it wasn't my kid nor my idea, but the flexibility was nice. I've also had small people back there, it's a nice option to have.

It's all relative I suppose, maybe if I'd been coming from a car I wouldn't be so satisfied with my gas mileage, quality, and just how flipping awesome my 4Runner is...

 

[NoDak]

well for one I am glad I am back in a 4runner. today reminded me of why I went back, the places I could go to find remote fishing spots was well worth it compared to being restricted by my Subaru legacy sedan.

I knew what I was getting into when I bought the 4runner. I already knew the mpg wouldn't be close to my legacy 21-25 mpg on avg compared to the 4runner 15mpg avg per tank.

ever since I got rid of my 2005 sport v8 4runner, I've been kicking myself everytime I bought a car (3x) until now.

happy as a kid in a toy store for the last 6 months.

 

[Stifler]

No, it's really not. The 4R is a body on frame SUV, the Highlander is a unibody cute UV, not that they don't have their place, they do, and are capable of very different things.

Were I buying a vehicle for pregnant wife and future children, neither of which will be able to climb, easily, into a nearly 10" of ground clearance vehicle (the 4Runner,) the Highlander, if not a Sienna, is the way to go.

In the OP's situation, the Highlander (and maybe the Sienna) is the more appropriate, and functional, vehicle.

It's certainly not a body on frame vehicle. It has quite a bit more interior space than the 4runner. Not to mention a 3rd row seat that is marginally more functional than the 4runner, if that's a factor in the equation for the OP.

no one is talking about whether it is body on frame... that doesnt make it a better family vehicle. My monster in law has a highlander and getting into the back of that is more of a pain in the ass than the 4runner. Sienna is a different story.... but it is a minivan. Never was never will be an option in my house

 

[NoDak]

imo the new mini vans have come a long way. the interior features are very nice. the sienna 2nd row seats can be replaced into lazy boy type recliners.

 

[Her5gen]

When compared to my Cadillac (STS-V), most of my family actually prefers to ride in the woman's 4runner.
While I have over 500hp at my disposal in a full size sedan, the rear seats have half the leg room that the t4r has. That being said, we have road triped the t4r over 1k miles and I may not have been as cozy in the driver seat, everyone else in the car was. It even gets better gas mileage than my car...
Throw in the fact that we tow our boat with it and I will certainly say that yes, this makes a good family vehicle.

 

[WFO_Racer]

I brought both my sons home in my sports car, 2 seat convertible. My parents drove my wife home each time.

Any car you have is fit for kids. You make do with the space you have.

Not to be a díck but this is a 1st world problem

 

[Stifler]

not sure how you came to the conclusion a Dodge Ram is a good family vehicle but congrats on the new truck.... hopefully you bought an extended warranty

 

[phillyd2]

May be a generational thing but around here kids adapt to our lifestyle, not the other way round. If we as kids could spend 3 days sitting on the backseat hump all the way to Florida, today’s little fragile angels can survive the 4R.

Mine came home from the hospital in a 4th Gen 4R and we didn't ask if she was ok with it. Turns out she likes them just fine. Dada's driving skills? Well, different subject.

 

[nevada]

my kids were in the regular seats by age 5... If I could ride in the trunk of a station wagon or in the bed of a truck..... anyway they turned out just fine

my bad I ASSumed it was federal.
around here, the kids have to be in a booster until they are 4' 9". I just guessed that's until about 10yrs old. airbags, and shoulder belts, they aren't kid sized...

not my choice. but I don't want to pay a ticket for it.

also, its good for the kids to sit a littler higher up, they can see a lot more. they like it.

 

[Stifler]

my bad I ASSumed it was federal.

it is... just like Obamacare and paying taxes.... doesn't mean it is right:flipoff:

 

[nevada]

it is... just like Obamacare and paying taxes.... doesn't mean it is right:flipoff:

agreed.

but 3 kids = 3 tickets. no thanks.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

it is... just like Obamacare and paying taxes.... doesn't mean it is right:flipoff:

What did Obamacare do to hurt you?

 

[Stifler]

What did Obamacare do to hurt you?

Hmmmm wealth redistribution for starters.... but wait it's not a tax right? bwhahaha

 

[DannyLlama]

You can absolutely get 3 child seats across the 2nd row of a 4Runner. It depends on the width of the seats. 3 wide infant seats? You're in trouble. 2 infant seats and a narrow convertible in the center? You can do it. The 4Runner does not have LATCH in the center on the 2nd row, but you can use the seatbelt instead.

http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2014/05/2014-toyota-4runner-car-seat-check.html

Out of curiosity, why wouldn't you just put a kid outboard on each side instead of trying to get one in the center? The only thing I can think is that your infant seat requires you to push your driver or passenger seat too far forward. Putting the seat in the middle definitely frees up some legroom for the front seat passengers. That is a negative of the 4Runner as a family hauler. The legroom is great for adults, but rear facing car seats require the person sitting in front of them to not be too tall.

The other thing I didn't like about my 4Runner versus our Rav or Prius v is that the rear doors aren't particularly long. It doesn't make a big space to get that carrier into the car to put in the cradle. It is passable, but not ideal.

I'd definitely recommend skipping the 3rd row. It makes the load floor higher, eats up cargo space, and you won't be able to get to it with car seats in the 2nd row anyway. My 2 row model had TONS of space for all the crap that comes along with a kid.

[MENTION=48413]Quentin[/MENTION] I have heard it's safer in a collision to have the seat in the middle.
I have recently also read that it's a concern to have 2 child seats next to each other as they can collide in a collision.

the driver and passenger seats are both actually not too bad with leg room, even with the seats in the back.

Also - the link you provided me is broken.

Side note - where is the OP? LOL I haven't seen one reply from him.

 

[KidVermicious]

Side note - where is the OP? LOL I haven't seen one reply from him.

Bought a Dodge Ram crewcab. Super reliable, very efficient vehicle. Very family friendly. Everybody with two kids should have a freaking giant pickup to haul them to soccer practice and choir rehearsal.

Anything less would be un-American, I guess.

 

[Quentin]

[MENTION=48413]Quentin[/MENTION] I have heard it's safer in a collision to have the seat in the middle.
I have recently also read that it's a concern to have 2 child seats next to each other as they can collide in a collision.

the driver and passenger seats are both actually not too bad with leg room, even with the seats in the back.

Also - the link you provided me is broken.

Side note - where is the OP? LOL I haven't seen one reply from him.

Hmmm link works for me. Search "cars.com 4runner seat check".

Middle is definitely the safest, but that isn't really possible with more than 1 kid. You just have to use the seatbelt in the middle position (just as safe as LATCH when properly set).

Basically, the 4Runner isn't the best family car but it isn't the worst either. I'd give it a solid B. Maybe a B- if your wife is short.