Kid seats: Double vs Crew

I think I get what they are saying; before I had the bed cover, we’d have to load pillows, bags, etc... in around the kids and in the floor. With an SUV, you can just throw that stuff in the back.

 

I have one grandchild still requiring a car seat. She is two years old so I keep a seat here just in case.
The seat fits fine and she jumps in and out just fine.
I bought the truck as a working truck and love the double cab over the crew cab.
Double cab with regular bed to me is far more important than a short bed with extra leg room.
The truck will be with me for years and my grand daughter will be driving in 14.

 

I have a DC, and a 5 and 7 year old. Rear facing car seats on the side was a HUGE pain. However now that they are in boosters, its not that bad, and once they are out of car seats, it wont matter. I wish i had a crewmax, but it was doable and i need the bigger bed for trips

 

I think that was their reasoning - the bed appeared mostly unused.

 

I drove for 7 years with all 3 kids in car seats in my DC. When the car seat is reversed as a newborn it’s kind of tight so you put the newborn in the middle. Plus it’s safer for the tiniest baby to be in the middle. My kids are now 7, 5, and 2. I currently have a crewmax and it is true the interior is way bigger and more conducive for any passengers especially kids. However, you lose bed space. I can think of plenty of times where I needed that extra foot and a half. I’m older now and don’t haul as much. When I initially bought my DC I had a fifth wheel therefore needed that extra bed space. And I didn’t have kids. The Tundra double cab has plenty of space when your kids are small. It’s when they’re bigger that the crewmax shines. I hear you on the V8. The extra 1000 you spend on gas is nothing compared to brand new vehicle prices. My suggestion is keep the DC. It’s plenty big and wide enough for 3 car seats. I could still have my seat far back probably midway from full lock. I’m 6 ft.

my suggestion is get a good flip top or retractable bed cover

 

CM for sure !!

 

Isn’t it hard to open the door of a crew max in a tight parking lot, and remove a rear facing seat? I went and looked at a CM and the first thing I noticed is how huge the back doors are.

I had a matrix for many years with two kids including rear facing seat. I fit fine at 6’ tall and didn’t need to move drivers seat forward due to the car seats. It was tight in back though. So I’m not sure how a DC would be insufficient unless you need three infant seats.

But, to each his own.

 

Neither I nor my wife are particularly tall or large, but without question a CM was way better for child seats. Otherwise I’d still be driving my old 08 DC.

 

I was just looking at the same thing and you’ll be just fine with a double cab.

 

forgot to add the image sooner. lol. here is the rear of my CM. this is with the seats as far back as it can go. (please excuse the mess).

 

The Double Cab is not ideal for a car seat in the back, it’s a pain in the ass when we put my son’s seat in the back of my 2007.

Had we known that we’d still have the truck, and a new baby boy 10 years later we would have bought the bigger Crew Max if it were available.

 

My 3 year old daughter is in a front facing car seat and she very easily kicks and has her feet all over my passenger seat in my crew max. I would bet it would be fairly tight in a double cab.

 

this is exactly what happened to me, was going to get a Raptor but ended up staying true to the Tundra

 

Yeah but in all honesty my kids easily kick the back of my seat in my wife’s Highlander, my RAV4, and my old 5th gen 4Runner and I am short.

Honestly I am surprised at the dislike for the DC with kids...I know it’s not as good as a CM but it’s a hell of a lot better than many other vehicles.

 

The DC is better than some of the cars i rode in the back of as a kid.

OP has a very common question from new parents. Is it worth a bunch of money for the carseats? I don’t think so in my experience having done 2 carseats with a DC

for forward facing carseats there is a HUGE difference in sizes. If you have a DC, buy an expensive carseat that is the smallest frame dimensions you can find. The cheaper carseats are bulkier and waste space. If you get the right seat, you can have older kid forward and baby in the middle

 

Agreed with the center stagger.

We ran new borns rear facing pumpkin seat on a snap in base on the single seat side in both our double cabs easily but the full on car seat rear facing limits the passenger seat recline so we bumped the car seat over to the center. By the time we assume we'll have baby #2, baby #1 will be forward facing and go back behind one of us. I think the bed space is worth the cab musical chairs. Our 4runner was way tighter even without car seats and people have dealt with far less space when they had to. The crew max I had for a loaner once was massive in the rear seat. Probably great for adults but overkill for kiddos.

 

I needed the extra room. I had a 2017 Silverado Double Cab (which I really liked) and with the rear facing seat (didnt want the baby in the middle) I loved the Crew Max.

 

I have 3 and 7 on a crew max. Plenty of space very comfortable.

 

Damn your guy’s photos make me hate my DC

 

I can fit the kid in a car seat and two dogs on the back seat in my cm, along with backpacks etc on the floor.

One of the main reasons I bought the tundra and the crewmax in particular was for all the extra room for activities.

 

Yeah i bought my DC When i was single doh!

 

...don’t fold

 

I paid 27k for my truck. I dont think i can stomach paying double for a new one

 

Hell that seems to be used with 30k miles in my area...

 

I really liked the idea someone had of borrowing a car seat to try it out. If you can borrow two at once then even better! Everyone will have different standards and this might be the only way to see what fits you best. I also recommend not being in a hurry to turn the car seat forward facing. There is a lot of safety data out there about waiting to do this, can make a big difference if you are in a significant accident.

 

maybe you can trade yours in for 27k with how crazy the market is the days!

 

I have both DC and CC in family. Front seats are set in the farthest back position for reference.
Child seat need to be in the middle for toddler legroom in a DC. CC is definitely the way to go

 

Thanks for all the replies everyone, much appreciated. Still on the fence. Might go check out a crew max in the morning.

I keep a lot of stuff in my truck. In my DC, right now 99% of the time I have the rear seats folded up and have stuff laid out all over the floor and a small trunk on top of the underseat bins.

 

Sounds like you need a shell

 

To expand the outside space for any reasons, you always have the choices of roof racks / top boxes / hauling a trailer etc. Inner space, you don't.
CreaMax for sure when it comes to family usage.