4th gen with kids?

[Yotota]

How tall are you and your wife? That's the biggest factor here.

I'm 6' with longer legs, and my driver's seat is pushed back enough that a big kid would be cramped behind me.

My wife is 5'-6", and there's plenty of room behind her seat.

If you and your wife are both shorter, the Taco will work. Otherwise you'll need a fullsize. The new Tundras are nice and supposedly many of the issues were resolved by now. I haven't looked too deep into that.

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[Lando]

Tundra: better mileage than the last gen and the engine issues have been worked out. If you can wait for a ‘26 it looks like it gets a mid cycle refresh. Maybe they fix the back bumper issue for access when tailgate down.

Tacoma: I carry 2-3 of my nieces and car seat in the back. It’s tight. Ages 5, 8 and 11. The 5 year old still needs the car seat and have to move the passenger front seat forward.

If it was me with kids on long trips, I’d go Tundra.

 

[DrIanMalcolm]

I previously owned a 2013 Tundra and space was my biggest concern when looking at the Tacoma. I have a 5 and an 8 year old, I am 5’10 and my wife is 5’4.

We test drive the Tacoma and brought their booster seats to the dealership to get a feel for fit. We honestly fit well in this truck. For extra interior space for their things, it is unsurprisingly limited, my 2013 DC Tundra was the same. I have a hard tonneau on the back and always keep a storage locker box back there to hold certain things.

I wanted a Tacoma over the Tundra for a few reasons that fit my needs:
1. I didn’t need a full size truck, I haul house project-type materials and utilize the bed as a large trunk most of the time with the tonneau. My wife drives my truck every once in a while, and I know she would prefer not to have a full size.
2. The price of a Tundra in packages I’d want were more than I could justify spending for new. I wouldn’t mind buying a used Toyota, but as stated above I preferred the midsize anyway.
3. I honestly just love the truck. The styling, the interior, and the drive are fantastic. I bought a 2025 TRD Sport 4x4, and it has been zero regrets and all smiles. The truck certainly has plenty of power and and torque, especially given its size. When I bought my Tundra in late 2012, I was originally slated for a Taco, but backed off the plan after driving one and finding it underpowered for my tastes.

my 2 cents

 

[TacoFreak]

Pretty much the same story for me having come from a Tundra into a Tacoma. If I had back seat passengers on a regular basis I would probably get a Tundra, even though I much prefer a Taco overall.

If the Tacoma had been made long enough to have decent rear seat room it would not have fit in my garage and I would have looked elsewhere. It is a common tradeoff with a midsize truck.

 

[Duck Amuck]

Just thinking about having to park my 6'1" 275lb ass in the back of my Tacoma is making me sweat. I've driven hatchbacks all my life, and I was blown away by how tight the Tacoma was compared to much smaller vehicles.

My daughter's car seat fits comfortably rear-facing in my Mini Clubman. It does not fit comfortably in the Tacoma, we had to switch her to forward-facing. The cab is definitely tight.

That said, it's been fine for us as a family of four with two kids in car seats. I figure it will work until they're teenagers. But we're all small people.

 

[TXTaco85]

I’m new to this forum but I’m considering getting a 2024 Tacoma. I’m coming from a 2015 tundra. I absolutely loved my tundra. It was a great truck. Only downsides were the fuel economy and the size. We used it to haul or camper, but we have since sold the camper. I’m considering a 4th gen Tacoma as a new truck because I don’t need the tundra towing capabilities anymore. My concern is the backseat size on the Tacoma. I have a 9 and 11 year old. We have all sat in the new Tacoma and it seemed fine. Just not sure long term if it will be alright. Our other rig is a 21 toyota Highlander. I’m often by myself or taking one of the kids to practice etc.. but there will be times when we go fishing or hunting that all 4 of us (me, wife, kids) in the Tacoma. I would likely put a camper shell on it first thing to have more dry storage.
Ultimately I wanted to hear from those of you who had kids and the new Tacoma and how it’s working out for you?

I went from a 2018 Tundra to a 2024 Tacoma, and I will just say, be prepared to say goodbye to any thought of carrying items with passengers in the truck.

I have a bed cover, which is awesome for sports equipment, etc., but I would not consider the Tacoma a family vehicle - definitely not for kids in bulky car seats/carriers.

I still love my Taco though! We just use our SUV when it makes more sense.

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