Tundra as a family car? Does it make sense

I was going to disagree with you until I remembered that they're making an electric "Mustang" SUV, probably for the same people we've been complaining about.

 

This is all great and thank you for everyone that's shared. Will it work? Yes. Does it make sense in most areas? Yes. Are there sacrifices? Of course.

If you spend time with family and plan of traveling a bit-this is a great option. Def planning to check out the Sequoia.

 

Completely agree! We have a family of 4, two young teenagers, and recently changed over from having an FJ Cruiser and VW Passat to changing out the VW for a Tundra CM. I went through all of the MPG and gas cost calculations to the point that I was going crazy and then just finally decided to pull the trigger and try it out for a while. I drive 22k miles a year, about 60% for business. So far, I love having the bigger vehicle. If gas were $4 a gal, I would probably change my attitude on this but having a very large interior space plus room to throw items for whatever sport my kids are playing at that particular season is very convenient and comfortable. If you don't drive it like you stole it, mpg can be reasonable for such a large vehicle

 

I was strongly considering a Sequoia before I bought my Tundra as it would (probably) have fit in my garage and would have had similar fuel economy and capability (or close enough for my purposes) but I just couldn't stomach the ~$20k CAD higher MSRP for what, in my opinion, is essentially the same vehicle. Admittedly, my SR5 doesn't have leather, push button start, moonroof, LED fog and headlights and running boards like the Sequoia SR5 does but those weren't must-have features for me.

 

honestly didnt read the whole thread but I can comment....
I have 3 kids (8,6,& 2) That includes a Recaro Car seat for the 2yr old. I also have a Coleman Evolution E2 Popup camper and I use the truck as my daily driver as well as my tow vehicle for the adventures/hunt trips pulling my camper. Gas milage is terrible which I know has been said before. Honestly living in AZ the rear AC for the kids is what made this workable for my lifestyle. I dont ever see myself going to anything different!

 

So circling back to the original question....Sienna vs. Tundra for family vehicle that will be used to occasionally tow a pop-up trailer. I currently have both a 2017 Sienna and a 2020 CM Tundra, both of which I have used for towing various trailers. The latter I bought because I also recently purchased a larger travel trailer (28' Jayco 28BHS). Prior to that I had a 19' ultralite travel trailer (Salem 197BH) and pulled it with my Sienna just fine all over the place for years. Running all the calculations for GVWR, GCVWR, GAWR, Payload, etc) all was good but it is something you need to look at for your specific trailer. But if your plan is to just tug a pop-up trailer around I think going to the Tundra is overkill. The Sienna will likely manage it just fine. In reality I found the Sienna to be a much better vehicle for family camping trips then the Tundra. More interior cargo space, roof rack to mount bikes or kayaks or whatever. The Tundra has neither of these things and you have to get creative with things like bikes and kayaks, especially while towing. Family comfort wise you can't beat the Sienna either. Only the CrewMax comes close in seating area space but still falls short and unless you get a top of the line Tundra the rear seats have little to no adjustment while the Sienna rear seats have all sorts of adjustments to optimize comfort. So for me, if the trailer is of a size that can be pulled by the Sienna then stick with the Sienna. If the trailer is bigger than that then go for the Tundra. I wish they made a Sienna that had a 10,000lb tow rating

Just my 2 cents from direct experience.

 

I have mine as a daily driver commuting into DC every day; 40 miles each way. Yeah the gas mileage sucks and it’s sometimes hard to find a garage to park in, but I love the truck, it isn’t incredibly worse in gas mileage than my 4runner was, my kids love it, I can tow my camper when needed and it’s MUCH more comfortable after two back surgeries and headed for a third. For me, it works perfectly as a family vehicle - even with paying a bit more in gas each month.

 

Did you add bags or anything to the sienna?

 

Rear vents were definitely a factor when purchasing a full size truck, but now I've forgotten all about them because no one ever complains about being hot/cold in the back.

 

Soooo, I figured i would chip in since i was in exactly the same boat last year: Just paid off the wife’s 2014 Honda Pilot Touring and i was driving my beefed up ‘94 Land Cruiser FJ80 with 240K miles. I kept needing to borrow a trailer or friends truck to haul y’all or long loads, and never trusted the Cruiser for 2,000 mile family road trips (although it probably would’ve been fine). lots of research and knowing my needs, a Tacoma was too small and the Tundra was just right. The double cab seemed like the natural choice, until we sat in both that and the Crewmax. The #1 complaint for mom and dad on road trips was “NO ROOM” and the constant kicking of the front seats by the rear kiddos. that happens all the time in the pilot and there’s literally scuff marks that won’t rub out now. The Crewmax is large enough in the back the our infant seat goes in the middle, the 8 and 6 year olds fit on either side with boosters and normal kid seats, and EVERY one has room.

literally, the main reason we purchased the Tubdra was for a family expedition camping and road tripping and it has been amazing. Yes, 14MPG is common with how we are loaded, but worth it for having ALL our stuff within easy access.

I have a Yakima cargo tube that goes over the cab for extra storage, the CVT rooftop tent over the topper, and the reinforced ARE HD topper that locks for secure storage. We can literally take everything a family of 5 needs and have camp setup in 30 minutes... or go to costco and load all that 2 carts can hold without have the kids hold boxes of cereal and bottles of bourbon (true story in the Pilot) due to lack of room for all the bulk stuff. Last weekend we drove 10 hours to MO, spent a day out there and drove 10hrs home, it was a great fit for the kids and us, i averaged 12.9mpg (errrm, i have a less foot and a Valentine 1), and all of us commented on what a good trip truck it is. on a sidenote, one of the nice things about not having an SUV is due to a violent stomach bug my oldest picked up... the puke covered blanket, pillow, and shirt got rolled up and put in the back for the last 6 hours. We didn’t have to either throw it all away, or live with the stench like we would have in the Pilot.

however, the Pilot is a great combo vehicle for school, grocery runs, every day stuff, and that’s what my wife uses all week with an average of 19mpg.

I may consider a Sequoia in 5 years or so to replace the Pilot, but Honda makes a damn good SUV (just not after 2015, I think the new Pilot looks like a cow pie appearance wise) and there’s no way in hell my wife and i will own a minivan. They are practical and super useful, we just hate the look, driving position, and are kinda just stuck up i guess. .

That said, the Tudra DOES suck in parking lots, to get rear doors open, and for maneuvering. But it’s worth it to us and even my wife likes driving it. To each their own, but the combo of the pilot and Tundra work really well for us!

Here is my setup currently:

 

I was thinking the same thing reading through the thread. We all love our Tundras...got it, but reality in this situation is that the sienna can still do all the things the OP is wanting to do. The sienna if not paid off probably has a lower payment, lower cost of insurance, lower maintenance cost and will cost less to drive daily. My vote would be stick with the sienna and use the money you are saving for those family experiences!

 

You have steel Budbuilt skid plates correct? That payload loss is going to be an issue for any vehicle...you just have to pick and choose how you want to allocate it. While the Tundra's rated tow & payload specs are a little low compared to the newer 1/2 tons, keep in mind that the Tundra has lower gearing, bigger brakes (than most) and beefier drivetrain components. I certainly don't advocate violating payload ratings on purpose, but I also wouldn't worry too much about being at or near the limit with the Tundra...it has built with some leeway in mind.

Frankly, the 5.7l Tundra with tow package feels a lot more capable carrying a load than do some of the other v8 1/2 tons which are rated to carry more (at least on paper). The Tundra's gearing and torque delivery are well-suited to carrying a load. And with all the overland types putting bed-campers on their Tundras (which I have no doubt is going over the rated payload), I have yet to see any emerging trend of frames or chassis components breaking. Unless it's an egregious overload, I just wouldn't worry about it.

As for the Tundra being used in daily driver applications: yes you can, and it works reasonably well (for a truck). I don't find the driving experience in crowded suburban/urban areas anymore troublesome than what I had with my 4runner (with the obvious exception to parking in tight spots). The engine provides effortless torque (for a gasoline engine), so you don't need to stomp on the throttle to get places. The cabin is quite and comfortable, for a truck. MPG ~14-15 combined in stock form...which isn't all that different from what the competition gets. 4runners and Tacoma's will only get 2-3 mpg better...Toyota's gasoline engines aren't focused on fuel economy.

If you need the bed space and are fine with daily driving a bigger vehicle, then get it. If you don't need the bed space and have anxiety about driving a 1/2 ton, get something else.

 

We have a '19 CM Tundra and a '14 SR5P 4Runner. My wife drives the truck and I have the Runner. We got rid of her '18 Legacy for her Tundra and she loves it. Yes its big and in parking lots it sucks but for the room and power you cant go wrong. Ive been kicking the idea of getting rid of my Runner and picking up another Tundra but cant get past how dated the Toyota family is. I may go to a Tahoe so we have 1 suv.

 

From everything that's been posted, the Tundra is obviously a great family vehicle. However, you don't necessarily need a full size just because you have a family. One of my coworkers just bought himself a 2017 Honda Civic hatchback. He can put his three kids in the back seat with the car seat in the middle and the two booster seats on the outside. He can put his bike on the roof racks and another in the trunk. And he can get 8.5 L/100 km (28 miles per U.S. gallon) commuting in the city, where his Nissan XTerra was getting 25 L/100km (9 mpg).

 

Unfortunately, found out our seinna does Not have the tow package - for some reason it's a mess finding out if one does. Anyway, the tow rating is at 1500, not 3500 so we are stuck in a dilemma..... Purchase a used first gen tundra (or similar) for $12k and keep the seinna or trade in the seinna for a new tundra and then get a beater. Everyones opinions and shared thoughts have been amazing.

 

I don't mind being near the limit. My point of bringing up being near the payload limit with just passengers is most people don't think about it at all. It's like they don't even consider passengers as part of the payload equation. They just bring their family and then go get a bed full of stuff along with it.

It is when I use the truck to actually do work - then I can't bring my family with me - or we have to take two vehicles. My family plus a load of firewood, landscaping material, or whatever puts me significantly over.

 

Duplicate post....sorry

 

No air bags needed. Just a correctly size WDH to level things out. Sucks that your Sienna doesn't have the tow package otherwise it probably would have been fine for your needs. We are lucky in Canada that all the Sienna's that come up here have all the elements of the tow package included. Just needed to add the actual hitch. In any case the Tundra will serve you well also, just gotta pay a bit more in fuel as a daily driver.

 

How do you manage to fit 2 kids and 2 dogs in the back seat? I have 2 dogs and 1 infant and am considering a CM or Sequoia, currently have a DC.

 

I have a CM and 3 kids 8,5,3 and a dog, I looked along time to find a CM in my price range. I didn’t get everything I wanted but that extra room is worth every bit. My daughter said there is more leg room in the truck than the odyssey. I literally can walk thru the truck while they are in their seats.
I just got my truck in July and right now I telework and my wife drive it all the time.

I have been very surprised by the CM, my wife’s odyssey has 190,000 miles on it and it’s about time to get something newer, but really now the truck has been our go to vehicle.

 

I am a tall guy and vans did not allow enough leg room or room period for a rear facing car seat - except for the Sienna. However, I still selected a tundra because of the versatility. Can haul more and old shapes and definitely tow more. I would much prefer to be the only person in a truck than a van as a daily driver.

With a 2 and 5 year old, I will likely not be taking an plan rides because I cannot justify spend the money on a ticket for their little bodies in that plan seat. I look at the extra money I spend on fuel and road trips and still making up for what I would have spent in a year for taking family vacations using a plane.

To make it more family friendly. I added window tint and a very secure bed cover. Trying to get rid of my standard hard cover for an upgraded Diamondback now.

 

Just my thoughts on the idea of using the tundra as a family vehicle, I think it can be done but I would not consider this option. If someone was wanting to use the tundra as a family vehicle I would honestly suggest getting a sequoia or a large suv that can tow a decent amount if needed. We have 3 young children and I could not imagine owning anything but a van for everyday use. We recently purchased a new sienna and I also recently purchased a new dc tundra, I had a crew cab tundra not long ago but I prefer the longer bed. I purchased the double cab knowing that it will not be our family vehicle. We also have another 8 passenger suv for daily use. Vans are not the best looking, they don’t tow very much, and they are not very fun to drive. They do offer in my opinion the best option for a family, they honestly can do it all. Being able to keep the kids separated so they won’t fight is worth it for me, the kids have plenty of space and we can fit a lot more people than a truck. I also like the ability to retrieve something from the back without having to pull over, it’s also a lot easier to park in tight areas. These are just a few reasons why I think owning a truck that is used primarily as the family vehicle is a bad idea, again this is just based on my personal experience. Good luck.

 

I think I'm old school, I jammed all three of our Son's in the back of a 1987 4runner and they rode like that for 10 years. Lol . All three are married and never complain about shit !

 

I wish the CM came with the power rear window behind the front seats....Would make the ultimate family vehicle.

 

My previous car was an 18 Honda Pilot EX-L. It was a great SUV, plenty of room, great gas mileage and pretty quick. They may call it an 8 passenger but in reality only one normal size person can fit in the third row. But it was BORING. After six months with the CM, I have no complaints. I have a roll up tonneau cover and it has proved to be very useful. It has plenty of room for the 3 of us and we also have a 17 CRV that has plenty of room for our needs.

 

Sure does, its only gas!!!

 

You cant do donuts in a minivan

 

When the kids were small, a minivan worked, auto sliding doors, rear entertainment with built in wireless headphones, family of 4 could also bring the grandparents. Now the kids are older, have their own devices, it’s a couch in the back of the CM, and I prefer dumping the sports equipment, landscaping materials whatever in the bed, hose it down whenever. Just uses more gas, given.

And if family also wants you pulling a camper, then it means getting more than a popup if you want, power/stability and of course reliability in the Tundra.

 

Lol, add tint and soundproof

 

I have a wife and a 2 year old daughter. I came from 3 Subaru Foresters (mostly because I loved the AWD, the size, safety practicality, etc) before my daughter was born. In March of this year I got a 2020 crew max. I had switched professions ( became an electrician) and genuinely needed a truck for work, side jobs, improvements on our new home, etc)
The plan was for us to use my wife's 2018 Nissan Rogue (fully loaded, very pleasant to be in) for all family trips and daily duties.
Well, after 5 months now with the Tundra I can confidently say that a full-size, crew max pickup is a great family vehicle. Yes, the mileage sucks, but we're not putting on tons of miles. And that's honestly the only gripe. We no longer have to 'tetris' things into the Rogue, which isn't a tiny SUV mind you. We just launch all our crap into the bed and go! The cabin feels huge and my daughter has great visibility from her car seat. We can comfortably eat inside the truck, my daughter can use her travel 'potty' in the back without issue.
My wife, who is a habitual car sickness complainer, feels the truck is about 90% as quiet and comfy as the Forester or her Rogue.

-Get side steps
-sign up for unlimited wifi through at&t hotspot
-oxo travel potty (I'm more of a 'grab the emergency roll of TP and walk in to the woods' kinda guy, but hey, ya never know)

Yes, the tundra is a great family vehicle.