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Tundra as a family car? Does it make sense

Discussion in '2.5 Gen Tundras (2014-2021)' started by Hatwsneezing, Feb 9, 2020.

  1. Aug 30, 2020 at 6:18 AM
    #121
    stewtopia

    stewtopia 4RunningTundra

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    Dogs sit on the boys laps or on the floor (usually one up one down). Kids love having the dogs in the back with them.
     
  2. Aug 30, 2020 at 11:15 AM
    #122
    OH tundra

    OH tundra 21 Pro lunar rock

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    I personally think each situation is different and family size is a big factor on what each person needs. I had previously posted some feedback regarding OP question about the tundra being the primary family vehicle and while I think it can be done, I would not choose that as the main family vehicle. A family vehicle is mostly used for daily commutes and a small percentage it’s used for vacations. I guess I would not purchase the main vehicle for my family and base that decision on vacations and towing needs. I have 3 young children and could not imagine using the tundra for a long trip, I’m sure many can agree that traveling with young children can be stressful and at this point in my life I look for the least stressful option. I think it’s a bit easier for family’s with one or 2 children because a cooler and other necessities can be put on the seat or the floor, having to pull over each time you need something is exhausting. The other part that is limited is the amount of people the tundra can haul. Like I mentioned earlier it can definitely be done and people have done it with much smaller vehicles for many years, I would just strongly advice against it for the main vehicle.
    By the way good choice on the Subaru’s, we have had many and absolutely love them. My opinion they are some of the better cars on the road.
     
    AggiePhil likes this.
  3. Sep 1, 2020 at 9:05 PM
    #123
    Jtundra81

    Jtundra81 Just a member

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    Look at these happy faces in the crewmax.
    Plenty of space in the back.
    With that being said , prepare to spend some money at the pump

    E69D328D-74CE-4B41-AC43-626E7DB19AE1.jpg
     
    AggiePhil, RPO 579C, Hoff and 2 others like this.
  4. Sep 1, 2020 at 9:20 PM
    #124
    sensei

    sensei master and teacher of nothing

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    trd boosted, trd bbk, fox stage 4, corsa, amp, jl/kenwood
    had my tundra since new in 08 and we had an 06 awd sienna and now a 17 awd sienna. my kids have grown up in both. love my tundra but from a family vehicle perspective, the only thing i'd say is if you have family members that get car/motion sick you may want to consider that sequoia. it's a truck and there's pretty much no weight in the rear so there is bed bounce. they improved it over the years with updated cab mounts which i had installed through tsb but there will always be bounce. anyone riding up front with me is fine but anyone prone to car sickness in the rear good luck.

    now i'll wait for others to tell me how wrong i am :) but i've had projectile vomit come at me from the rear. we always take the sienna now for family trips unless we're going skiing and need 4wd and high clearance then my girls dose up on dramamine.
     
    Last edited: Sep 1, 2020
    AggiePhil and Jtundra81 like this.
  5. Sep 1, 2020 at 10:40 PM
    #125
    1lowlife

    1lowlife Toxic prick and pavement princess..

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    Great pic..

    Watch out @Jtundra81 those kids will be in their 20s before you know it..
    My daughter is 28 and my son is about to turn 30..:eek2:
    It goes way too fast... :thumbsup:
     
  6. Sep 2, 2020 at 12:08 AM
    #126
    jalam321

    jalam321 New Member

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    We have a Tundra crewmax and a Sequoia, both are great family vehicles for us. But deep down I think a minivan is more "practical" We looked at buying a Sienna and ended up with a Sequoia. My wife doesn't like driving the Tundra as much because of it's size but she is more comfortable driving the Sequoia.
     
    Boerseun likes this.
  7. Sep 2, 2020 at 1:21 AM
    #127
    sillydadztrksR4momz

    sillydadztrksR4momz New Member

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    Yes yes and yes. For us it’s our family vehicle. I’ve had it for 5 years now my kids are 7&9 so yes I went through the whole car seat and stroller phase on this tundra and it’s fiinnneee. All that room in the back the kids can stand up and eat a lunch in there no problem. They can change their clothes if needed and have plenty of space. It’s comfortable SAFE and practical for our life style. As a mother that does not like mini vans I say go with the tundra for your family. Good luck.

    I did consider the sequoia too but I have dogs and I do t like them inside the truck bc they shed. So putting them in a crate in the bed is perfect for us
     
    AggiePhil likes this.
  8. Sep 2, 2020 at 2:01 AM
    #128
    Cofeemud

    Cofeemud New Member

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    I just got a sr5 with sport package. Will be using it as family car replacing lexus gx460. My wife and 11, 13 kids, they all like it better than the gx460. More room for them inside. Have space on truck bed for camping, outdoor activities. Yes, it makes perfect sense.
     
    1lowlife, AggiePhil and Boerseun like this.
  9. Sep 2, 2020 at 10:22 AM
    #129
    Johnnyquad

    Johnnyquad New Member

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    Tint, clear bra, OEM stereo upgrade, tonneau cover, line x, 285/65/18 Toyo AT3
    We use my 08 Warrior as a family vehicle on occasion. The boys love it but when we go far we take the Highlander. I just got a tune on the 18 Highlander and enjoy the car a lot more. I wish I would have tried the tune on my 16 Tacoma before I got ride of it because of the shift points.
     
    AggiePhil likes this.
  10. Sep 2, 2020 at 10:51 AM
    #130
    afk237

    afk237 New Member

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    I recently joined the Tundra Club - One of the many factors in moving up from a 2017 Tacoma was our expanding family. The amount of extra floor space and the ability to have two rear facing child seats in the crew-max without any interference to the front seats was huge. My Tacoma with the particular car seat we use I could only mount it in the middle. Now that our Son is soon to be born (Sept 18thish) We needed the extra room.

    We also have a 2018 4 Runner and that actually also has a bit more space in the back seats than the Tacoma as well. So between the Tundra and 4 Runner I think we are set now!
     
  11. Sep 2, 2020 at 11:17 AM
    #131
    Dragracer_Art

    Dragracer_Art New Member

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    5100's/+2.5" Eibachs, 18x9 +25 Methods,37x12.5 BFG KM3's
    I am from the "get both" camp.

    My wife drives a 2016 4runner we bought new and she loves the hell out of it. I just bought my 2020 Tundra last month.
    If she decides to replace her 4runner... it will be with another (new) 4runner.

    Both vehicles serve a good purpose in our situation... so it only makes sense to keep them both.

    20200818_080520_resized.jpg
     
  12. Sep 2, 2020 at 11:42 AM
    #132
    Fastestcolor

    Fastestcolor New Member

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    Anyone with two or more kids and at least one in a car seat that says a minivan isn’t the absolute best choice hasn’t had the experience of two automatic sliding doors and a low automatic lift gate in a parking lot.

    We can can all say the tundra or you name it SUV is good enough as a family vehicle but fact is an odyssey or sienna will crush them all in a real life test.

    That said the day my two were both out of car seats my wife wanted to sell the minivan and buy an X5. We now have a tundra and an X5. She will admit that she misses the minivan some days.

    My sister has 3 kids 9,11,14. Traded her odyssey for a Yukon. Constantly complains that it has no space inside and is too big to park easily. They take road trips and have to put a luggage rack on the hitch when the minivan held it all.
     
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  13. Sep 2, 2020 at 11:58 AM
    #133
    NCSkeeter

    NCSkeeter New Member

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    Not what most people want to hear, but this is the truth. My family of five can ride in my CM comfortably, but the wife’s Odyssey is obviously the better “family” vehicle.
     
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  14. Sep 2, 2020 at 12:20 PM
    #134
    Cpl_Punishment

    Cpl_Punishment Young men never die.

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    If I had 3 or more kids, I'd probably do minivan and Suburban. We want a travel trailer (not a tent trailer) so minivan and compact car like my parents did when my two brothers and I were growing up won't cut it for us.

    With 1 or 2 kids, I think Tundra and whatever my wife wants to drive will work for us. Right now she says she's not willing to drive anything other than her Corolla but we'll see if that changes once we have a kid or two.
     
    sillydadztrksR4momz likes this.
  15. Sep 2, 2020 at 1:12 PM
    #135
    Taco-Blender

    Taco-Blender Old Guys Rule

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    You need one of these. Payload was never an issue back then ;).

    1960-holiday-house-trailer-100.jpg
     
  16. Sep 2, 2020 at 1:41 PM
    #136
    Fastestcolor

    Fastestcolor New Member

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    trying to open a regular door, hoist a baby seat off a stroller and then wedge it through the tiny door opening you have because of the car next to you and clip it into the base. then open the tailgate or trunk and hoist the stroller into the back and it’s pure hell. Oh and it’s 100 degrees out. Don’t forget to start the car to get the AC going before you begin the process That’s one kid.

    Kid two might be walking but in a rear facing convertible. Now you have to go wedge yourself and a massive two year old into the tiny door opening on the other side because they can’t open the door themselves or climb into the seat to buckle.

    Enter minivan. Slide open both massive doors with the click of a button to get the hot air out. Pull the stroller between yours and the car next to you because now you don have a door in the way and have a massive opening to move baby carrier from stroller to base. Other kid can probably climb into the low van and get themselves seated. When they have enough dexterity they will even buckle themselves. Auto lift gate and fold the stroller and set it in because the floor is low. You jump in and everything closes with the push of a button from the drivers seat if you hadn’t closed them along the way.

    When kids are preschool age or older but still in car seats you just pop the doors as you all walk up, they jump in and buckle themselves like real humans and you close it all from the drivers seat. My kids are older than this now and I still have to monitor them opening the doors in the x5 to get in because they will ram them into other cars.

    Minivan for life!!!
     
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  17. Sep 2, 2020 at 2:15 PM
    #137
    Cpl_Punishment

    Cpl_Punishment Young men never die.

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    I get what you're saying but I'd probably feel like killing myself if I drove a minivan. Just not my style.

    Also, my parents had an early 90s Mazda MPV with a swinging rear door on the right and no rear door on the left and they did just fine.
     
  18. Sep 2, 2020 at 2:28 PM
    #138
    GiantWinston

    GiantWinston New Member

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    I have two small kids (5 and 2) and absolutely love the Tundra as a family vehicle. My wife went from a Mazda3 to a Jeep Cherokee, and I went from a Tacoma to a Tundra. The Tundra is hands down my favorite so far. The Crewmax has so much room in the backseat for kids and all the stuff they need to stay occupied. My wife likes to bring a pillow and blanket for long drives. In the other vehicles the front was very cramped, but the extra width of the Tundra is no problem.
     
    AggiePhil likes this.
  19. Sep 2, 2020 at 2:44 PM
    #139
    Jtundra81

    Jtundra81 Just a member

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    THank you .
    True , I try to enjoy every moment with them , feels like they were born yesterday, time really goes by fast
     
    1lowlife[QUOTED] likes this.
  20. Sep 3, 2020 at 5:48 AM
    #140
    spicychickentundie

    spicychickentundie New Member

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    Side note: really like the stance and offset of your truck. Looks great
     
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  21. Sep 3, 2020 at 8:40 AM
    #141
    TexasVol1794

    TexasVol1794 New Member

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    We use my CrewMax as the family car. Much better than fitting a family of four in my wife’s Mazda 3. Honestly can’t think of cons. I’ve always driven trucks so the fuel efficiency is what it is. Back up camera and parking sensors make parking in crowded places not a problem. Put on a trifold bed cover and we’re good to go.
     
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  22. Sep 18, 2020 at 11:41 AM
    #142
    Boerseun

    Boerseun MGM XP-Series

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    If only it was available with a third row seating like these Hilux's it would beat even a minivan as most functional family vehicle! :)
    upload_2020-9-18_14-41-12.jpg
     
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  23. Sep 19, 2020 at 8:22 PM
    #143
    Fastestcolor

    Fastestcolor New Member

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    that is cool but still doesn’t beat a minivan as the ultimate family vehicle. Plenty of vehicles have third rows. The minivan is amazing simply because of the automatic sliding doors and low boarding highlt.
     
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