Minivan vs 4runner

[bigmace]

Came here to say highlander with a 3rd row. More spacious than a 4runner.

I am kind of in the same boat as you as far as next car. Currently don't have kids but we are going to start trying at the end of this year. Wife has a 4runner with a 3rd row. I currently drive an 05 Frontier and plan on replacing it soon. I want a 3rd gen crew max tacoma. Wife wants me to get a crew max tundra. I am more of a mid size truck guy but the tundra will be much more spacious for a family of 4~5.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

A slightly used Sequoia?

I would say a Sequoia or Land Cruiser would be bigger and have more room.

 

[ravens_wood]

Minivan all the way. The 4runner feels surprisingly 'small' inside despite looking pretty big outside.

I have 2 kids aged 3.5 and 7.5 so not big kids by any stretch and we pack the 4runner full even for a long day at the beach. 3-4+ day trip and it's full plus the hitch carrier.

Our friends with 2 kids got a well used 2010 Honda Odyssey and they're in love with the thing, and show us all the room to spread out in it and storage nooks. Pretty sweet ride.

Minivan- better mpg, more legroom, better hvac, more headroom, more cargo room, more cup holders, better rearward visibility, more creature comforts.
Sure it's not as cool as a 4runner.

The 4runner with a large roof carrier is the only way I can see it working with 3 kids. With a big roof carrier and loaded with 3 kids and gear I can see a 4runner dropping to about 17mpg highway.

My wife wants a minivan... I've been eyeballing 'cheap' 100K mile used Siennas and Odysseys.
I want to get her a 1st gen double cab Tacoma 4x4 but she's not feeling it.

The first part about a 4Runner feeling surprising small inside is so true. 4Runners look big since they sit high and retain boxy styling compared to crossover SUVs. However, they're still a mid-size vehicle. Before the 4Runner I had a '12 Kia Optima and it was 190 inches long. The 4Runner is...190 inches long.

Minivans are awesome for road trips. Having two brothers (all ending up being 6'1+), the two captain chairs in the first row and a bench in back were enormous for comfort and keeping the peace. Otherwise, my parents would've probably kicked us out in Nebraska when we made our drives from Chicago out to Yellowstone

 

[mogg851]

I went through this same process. We currently have a 2, 6, and 9 year old, so slightly younger than you. Both my wife and I were dead set against a minivan. Partially because we didn't want a van, our friends have one and it has tons of room, but we wanted to get off the beaten path more as that's what we both did when we were growing up. We had both looked at the numbers and kinda settled on a Highlander because of space, function, price, etc. but when we went to go look at one, I was trying to convince myself that I wasn't feeling compressed into the driver seat (6' and well over where I should be on weight) while I didn't realize my wife walked over to the 4runner. We left that day with our TRD ORP, and have no regrets, even without the 3rd row.

Sure the Highlander had more inside space, but I'm more comfortable, and I at least felt like I had more space in the back seats in the 4R than the Highlander. The 3 kids currently sit back there, 1 backwards still, one in an upright booster seat with back, and the 3rd with just the base booster seat and it works, we make it work. We just got back from Overland Expo West from Oregon with our teardrop trailer and RTT which freed the inside from being completely packed. Milage towing was ok, it wasn't quick in a headwind, but we didn't have any problems taking it and weren't the slowest thing on the road. We skipped the 3rd row for the added storage, which we use for the dog on trips anyway, and most of the stuff goes in the trailer now, but using a hitch mount cargo carrier was more than enough when we packed reasonably without the trailer.

At some point, my wife wants a Sequoia just for the added space, kids friends, and towing capacity but we can take our trailer and family almost anywhere we want. Certainly been to places a van/Highlander/Flex(those are pricey) wouldn't make it. There are times a 3rd row would have been nice, but I've had more times that the extra 3-4" of cargo space on the floor negated a second trip. Bottom line it may not be the most comfortable, but there isn't any reason that it can't be done as long as you know what you are getting into. Maybe my feelings will change as the kids get older, but I spent many family trips in a 5 seater sedan across country and at times it was not fun, but I have some great memories too.

 

[Hogger]

Still going to definitely stop in and take a look st a 4runner before crossing it out but doesn’t look promising. A shame since this was the best chance I had at getting into one. One kid too many lol

 

[LimeLED]

Still going to definitely stop in and take a look st a 4runner before crossing it out but doesn’t look promising. A shame since this was the best chance I had at getting into one. One kid too many lol

Check out the Sequoia too. It may be dated, but they are great, often overlooked SUVs.

 

[Ventil8]

1984 Pontiac Sunbird

Wow- what a bunch of softies. "too cramped, can't haul stuff, etc.'' When I was a kid, we had a family of 6 traveling from Grafton, ND to Torreon, Coahilia, Mexico in a 1984 Pontiac Sunbird, 4 cylinder, 4door. Google maps says one way trip was 1942 miles, or 3884 miles round trip! We had a hard case cargo carrier on the roof, the trunk fill to the max and my 3 annoying sisters and myself in the backseat! I would not hesitate to haul of family of 5 in my 4th Gen. But, this is America where everyone is overweight so it might get a little cramped if everyone is chubby and you're hauling stuff.

 

[Hogger]

Haha, a bit of an extreme example but I get the point. I’m not giving up all hope yet!

 

[Cymon]

Subaru Ascent...

Check out LP adventures for aftermarket

2019 Subaru Ascent - ascentngo – LP Aventure Inc

 

[honda250xtitan]

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.

lol my mom has a 2011 and it had the timing chain issue. Was not cheap. Other then that its been bulletproof. she's put like 180k miles on it, bought it new. She also refuses to get anything else. That thing is a rocket :bolt:

 

[CavPro]

Wow- what a bunch of softies. "too cramped, can't haul stuff, etc.'' When I was a kid, we had a family of 6 traveling from Grafton, ND to Torreon, Coahilia, Mexico in a 1984 Pontiac Sunbird, 4 cylinder, 4door. Google maps says one way trip was 1942 miles, or 3884 miles round trip! We had a hard case cargo carrier on the roof, the trunk fill to the max and my 3 annoying sisters and myself in the backseat! I would not hesitate to haul of family of 5 in my 4th Gen. But, this is America where everyone is overweight so it might get a little cramped if everyone is chubby and you're hauling stuff.

We've all been there, but I think this is more of a what-are-you-coming-from situation. To go from your example car to a 4r is one thing to go from something bigger to a 4r is completely different imo.

 

[Grug556]

A slightly used Sequoia?

Yes Sequoia. Go with this. Not any of that FCA shit

 

[arehman11]

lol my mom has a 2011 and it had the timing chain issue. Was not cheap. Other then that its been bulletproof. she's put like 180k miles on it, bought it new. She also refuses to get anything else. That thing is a rocket :bolt:

the 17+ Aramads have the newer 5.6 that doesnt seem to have any issues

 

[socalkid]

my cousin has 4 kiddos between 3-12 and they roll a 3rd Gen Ford Expedition for trips when not using their RV. it's been more than a few years, but when they bought they got used and i think they paid around $35k for an Eddie Bauer with 4WD and like 30k miles on it.

 

[MossJenks]

Wow- what a bunch of softies. "too cramped, can't haul stuff, etc.'' When I was a kid, we had a family of 6 traveling from Grafton, ND to Torreon, Coahilia, Mexico in a 1984 Pontiac Sunbird, 4 cylinder, 4door. Google maps says one way trip was 1942 miles, or 3884 miles round trip! We had a hard case cargo carrier on the roof, the trunk fill to the max and my 3 annoying sisters and myself in the backseat! I would not hesitate to haul of family of 5 in my 4th Gen. But, this is America where everyone is overweight so it might get a little cramped if everyone is chubby and you're hauling stuff.

Yeah things have definitely changed. In 1979 my mom, dad and 9-year-old me took a month long camping road trip to the Pacific Northwest and across Western Canada - in a tiny 2-door Lancia Beta Coupe!

 

[kenwilliams0803]

lol my mom has a 2011 and it had the timing chain issue. Was not cheap. Other then that its been bulletproof. she's put like 180k miles on it, bought it new. She also refuses to get anything else. That thing is a rocket :bolt:

Bingo. That's the issue. Timing chain tensioner/oiler or something. Basically a new engine needed at low mileage.

 

[honda250xtitan]

the 17+ Aramads have the newer 5.6 that doesnt seem to have any issues

yet the new titan 5.6's are having long blocks replaced:frusty::frusty::frusty::frusty:

the OG 5.6 is bulletproof. The rest of the truck is a literal dumpster fire.

 

[Smitty19TRD]

I carried three kids in the backseat of a 2004 4runner for years. The main gripes were from the youngest on long trips because he was usually in the middle and didn't have as much leg room. Since we tow a boat, we went with Tundra crew cab short bed and put a topper on the bed. The back seat was like a sofa, could tow a house, plenty of rear cargo area and cheaper than a Sequoia.

 

[KingTaco]

I carried three kids in the backseat of a 2004 4runner for years. The main gripes were from the youngest on long trips because he was usually in the middle and didn't have as much leg room. Since we tow a boat, we went with Tundra crew cab short bed and put a topper on the bed. The back seat was like a sofa, could tow a house, plenty of rear cargo area and cheaper than a Sequoia.

It really is unbelievable how much room there is in those things. Plenty of pickup, too. Not only cheaper than Sequoia, but better mileage, too. Doesn't sound like it's what the OP is looking for but now I kinda want one again haha.

 

[LandCruiser]

Ram.

Mega.

Cab.

It can tow all the things.