For small families looking at their next family car, there are many considerations, but once we graduated from the rear-facing car seat and stroller-toting years, it made it a lot easier to choose. When we want to drive on off-road adventures and longer road trips, typically we’d take the car with the best miles-per-gallon, but the space we needed did not exist in our sedan. And as new homeowners, we found ourselves fetching supplies more often than not for home projects.
We are a family of three and do not need a lot of seating, so we wanted to keep things simple. We first took a look at the 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road and 2024 Ford Ranger Lariat.
The Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road has the joys of the TRD Pro for a little less sticker shock, while also fitting the three of us comfortably. However, the legroom is not my fave for adults in the rear seating. I am short as is at 5’4”, so if you’re taller than me, that might not be the journey for you either.
I loved that you could experience multi-camera views to see your approach angles with a 360-degree view. For connectivity, this is one of my favorites for the wireless charging and USB-C charging throughout for everyone. We’re tech heavy, so everyone wants to charge everything at the same time. With comfy, bolstered seating upfront and easy-to-clean materials especially in the rear seats, this makes it an easy win for family drives. I prefer to enjoy the challenge of driving at an off-highway park versus scrubbing out juice stains. (I know we’ve all been there!)
Starting at $41,800, this Tacoma as tested has the TRD Off-Road package at $54,829. If you’ve got a small family, love driving on adventures where you’ll thoroughly put the cameras and suspension to the test, and want to blast your favorite songs for the family to sing some Bring Me The Horizon together, then yeah; you’re going to want to stick around and check this out.
But if you’re looking for a similar look and feel, and you want to be a little less spendy, you may want to consider the Ford Ranger Lariat. Starting at $32,820, and as tested at $43,780, there’s a little more room in the backseat. You still get those camera views and the capability to get over any terrain in any weather condition. However, you can tow 7,500 lbs. versus the Toyota Tacoma’s ~ 6,400 lbs. If you’re a weekend warrior hauling heavier toys like side by sides, a boat, jet skis, or a project car, it’s good to have options to carry a little bit more.
Whether you go with Toyota or Ford, both of these trucks make it easy to combine family life with weekend fun. I love that both my husband and I can drive around town and over the local Texas terrain, while also enjoying creature comforts on the go from ample charging to climate control in the front and back seats. Both trucks have connectivity, camera views, towing and off-road considerations, and also can serve well as family vehicles. Which way would you go: Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road or Ford Ranger Lariat
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