Perfect timing on this video. Definitely want to see the same thing in a gladiator and ram rebel.

We need more videos like this from TFL truck. Most of us are family men and do consider child seats for our trucks.

Just an item to note: the Ridgeline not only has the best crash rating and Latch anchor rating, but is the only mid-sized truck that can latch 3 child seats in the back. The others not only lack enough anchors for 3 seats, but are not wide enough to accommodate them. Alex on Autos has a video in which he actually demonstrates putting 3 child seats in one. So if you don't want a full size, and have a family of 5, Ridgeline is the only choice. I like that for my family I can have our 2 child seats in the back and still accommodate an adult passenger sitting between them comfortably.

I’m so glad you’ve addressed the issue of kids and child seats. Please do more videos of this type or add this stat (will it fit a baby seat) to existing video reviews. Thanks.

We are a family of 4 our Canyon is enough for now two little boys in the rear. Long box for all their gear. Great truck!

My daughters are 18-26 and the “tall” one is 5’ 5”-when I took her and the youngest on a road trip in my Mustang a few years ago they fought over the backseat for all the room next to them and was fine around town with three of them on the way to school or around town. Now with my F-150 crew cab I can take my brothers anywhere comfortably (we are full size adults). When your kids are little you don’t know for sure how big they will be-I suggest my kids think about what their lives will be ten years from now when they buy a car so it will fit the car seat or inflatable kayak or camping gear if they need it and they don’t find themselves buying a cute little car that they outgrow too soon. Don’t understand the Ranger when the 2.7 F-150 can be had for a similar price and fuel economy unless you live in some big city and need it to fit into a small parking structure.

Do a video on a mid-size vs. a half-ton that have the same price. $35K or $40K maybe. See what extra features you get on the midsize that you don't on the half-ton for that money. Do the real-world MPG test/towing test and maybe a little off-road test. I bet the few MPG difference and not having leather and other features isn't a big enough deal to stop people from getting the half-ton.

Love your honesty, was debating on gladiator or Tacoma and truly opened my eyes with that graph of back seat dimensions! Thanks for making these videos, they truly are appreciated!

Love the vids like this! I have a 18' Colorado Crew Cab. My kids prefer it! You are right... plenty of room for storage with the Diamondback bed cover. Funny thing is the older your kids get the more room you have. The rear facing seats are the worst. I put it on the passenger side. Front facing made much more room. Booster seats make TONS of room. My kids have plenty of space for those long trips.

Hello, i own 2018 Honda Ridgeline and i have 3 car seats: a booster for 6 year old, an infant car seat and a rear facing for 1.5 year old. Surprisingly they fit, its tight. 2 kids its still okayish, 3 kids definitely a super crew cab - specially for any driving over 30-40 min, but i am stock with it for now, so i will keep making it work. Thank you very much for the video.

We are a family of five and I’ve always had an F150 extended cab. Currently have a ‘12 model, it was a bit tight with one car seat and one booster and one preteen. Now that they’re 10, 15 and 18 it’s roomy enough even on long trips. I like the compromise of having a longer bed for toys.

I had a 2016 Colorado crew cab and it was not enough room (I have the same car seat set up). I am 6'3 and so my seat was set back further than this video. I sold the Colorado and got a 2019 Silverado. The difference is astonishing. These half ton trucks are definitely moving toward everyday family haulers. Great video!

I have a 2022 Colorado with 2 kids in car seats. I find it to be a great fit for us. I am only 5"8' and my wife is 5 foot so we're not very tall people. However, most of our traveling is done within her SUV which is a Traverse so we don't do much traveling with mine unless we're taking the camper with us. I think it is very practical and a great truck for families with 4 people where the main driver simply wants a utility truck for household work but also desires a strong tow capacity.

Excellent video Stephen... My dads got the GMC Canyon..he bought it after I told em to get rid of the Equinox.

Colorado crew cab owner with three young kids. It does get a little cramped in the back seat with two front facing and one rear facing car seats. Like he said in the video, that's why I got a nice tonneau cover for the 6ft bed which is weather proof and lockable. Didn't get a half ton since they are too long to fit in my garage....

Still so close in price and fuel mileage that I couldn’t justify not buying a full size truck. A super crew F150 will haul babies and have room when their 17 and 6 feet tall 👍🏼

Thank you for doing this! I’m a dad and can’t decide mid size or half ton

This was a good video - people that haven't had kids and dealt with rear-facing car seats don't realize the leg-steeling-hell they can be. It wasn't until we had to deal with them that I wanted to buy a truck for those insane back seat spaces.

Wow - the only "car" in the discussion (Ridgeline) had the best latch system - so odd... I think what you have to take into consideration when talking about a truck for a family or one that your wife might drive a lot is SIZE. Elmer recommends a 1/2 ton as he says "they have gotten so big" - well that is the problem for a lot of families to me. Families park at crowded grocery stores, school pickups, sporting events and parking garages. Try getting into some of those places with a 1/2 ton truck today! The mid-size, however is MUCH more manageable in those "family" situations. That, to me, is a big point that this video did not discuss and cover.

Need more of this with truck reviews!!! Leg room doesn't tell the full story. You need to measure from the front of the back rest of the rear seat to back of the back rest of the front seat. and then compare that to your car seat.

I have been in between a Mid size and a half ton for months still have not bought one but planning on it before the end of the year. This is great content!

I sold my truck to save money for our growing family and now 3 years later I’m renting uhauls and trashing my car to no end. Dad’s got truck fever lol!

2016 Tacoma here. 2 kids and the wife. works fine. little tight on long trips but any midsize is.

Ridgeline, period. Nicest interior, trunk space that no one else has, and best on-road ride quality. I’m biased, having purchased a new ‘17 and I haven’t regretted it for a moment. We pull our teardrop trailer and jet skis during the summer and fill the cabin with two adults and two kids. If you truly go off road there are better options. If you don’t? Go Ridgeline.

Bless you parents man, i'm 40 and I couldn't deal with kids. You all have patience way beyond belief ! Great review Steven, this colly looks good for a buddy hauler or them kids if they are needed to tag along!

When our boys were little we had 3 under the age of 4 and our best vehicle for us at the time was the Chevy Avalanche. We could fit three full size car seats side by side on the bench. Then with the covered bed we could take everything with us to the beach including ride on toys, portable high chair, swing, pack n play, strollers, and exersaucers. That vehicle did it all and suited our family quite well. It never had an issue in snow and I could fold the midgate and run to the hardware store to get stuff for home improvements. My favorite feature was being able to pop out the rear window and transport 16 foot long pieces of molding with ease by laying them on the bed covers all the way up to the dash.

We are a family of 4. I have a Isuzu Dmax crew cab (not available in the US) and we fit great inside the car. Two child chairs in the back seat and there is still space for a small adult in the middle (for a short or medium ride)

We leased a 2019 Ranger Lariat FX4 SuperCrew on Labor Day weekend. Family of five but 17 year old does his own thing so it really is four with my 15 and 11 year old boys along with the misses. Nice incentives got her out of driving a Honda Odyssey after 16 years. 97% of the time my wife is in truck alone commuting to work or taking one child to an after school event and the mid size truck is plenty for these kind of trips. She likes it because it is easier to handle and park. The other 3% of the time with all four of us - the cab is tight. I have the driver seat all the way back and my youngest tends to have his knee in my back quite often, especially on the longer trips. You also lose interior storage when all four seats are being used. We test drove the F-150 and that is what I wanted to her to get but she was not as comfortable driving it so as Nathan says; She who must be obeyed wins. The truck is great most of the time but for those few times when you could really use the half ton, you grin and bear it. Overall, very happy with the truck! Minor gripes would be no memory seats in top trim with top package and no power rear sliding window.

I would love to see part 2 of this video with all the updated mid size trucks!

Love the video and I hope you continue to make more like this one. "Car Seat Check" is valuable. Here is some constructive criticism for future videos. You should always provide total legroom from front to back like Alex on Autos. This is more valuable because you can always move the front seat forward to create more legroom for the rear passengers. It would change your illustration a little bit and reshuffle the order of the trucks. Secondly, I'm surprised that you skipped right over the fact that the Jeep does not have any crash testing available other than one or two tests. There are no comprehensive North American crash tests for either the Wrangler or the Gladiator. I also think it is worth mentioning that the Gladiator does not have rear side curtain airbags for your kiddos. Some European tests have shown that your kids head can hit the B-Pillar. I know this because I'm looking at a slightly used ZR2 vs a Gladiator. These are some of the things I am still considering as I look to make a purchase. Lastly, you could have mentioned that a full size Silverado double cab has about 1/2 inch less legroom than a crew cab Colorado. Something I have also considered! Thanks again!

Family man with a kid and two dogs, my Colorado is the biggest truck I’m going with. The half-tons are WAY to big these days for my tastes.

We have a '19 Colorado crew cab and so far it's been great for a family of four. I'm not gonna lie - the room in the 1/2 ton would be preferrable but to be honest, the only time my kids complain about room is when the two dogs have to be in the back seat with them. My daughter (5'5") sits behind my wife (5'9") because my son has always insisted on sitting behind me for some reason. With him now approaching 6'3" and I'm 6'1" he still fits back there just fine. These new midsizes still offer plenty of room. I totally agree though, everything beyond four people is going to have to find a home in the bed, though.

I tend to agree. Will say that the ridgeline feels much larger inside than its competitors since it’s based on the pilot which is pretty large for a 3 row crossover. But since you can get 10k off msrp of halfton american pickups, i’d go for one of those

This is exactly the video I’ve been looking for for months!

Best way to test your child car seats is to bring it along with your chid if possible and go to the dealership and install in one of their vehicles that’s on the lot ,rear facing and forward facing with and without child in it and go for test drive.

Getting a z71 colorado soon myself. I like it's capabilities and the price is better than the competition, and by now they have worked out the kinks.

Ridgeline is hands down the best family truck. It has the in bed trunk for groceries and such and since its based on a pilot is much better suited for families and road use.

Man you do the best ones. Always what i'm looking for. Thanks a bunch my neighbor from the north!

My (new to me) 2018 Ridgeline holds me, my lady and our dog, as well as tows my 800 lbs Harley to and from Ohio to Asheville, all without issue. And it is way, way WAY more comfortable than the last body-on-frame pickup I had. I'll never go back - unibody design does it all AND has the comfort for my bad back to make long drives a snap. I laugh at everyone moping about how 'it's not a REAL pickup truck 😁 Yeah man, you keep drinking that Kool-aid 😎👍

Just got our 4 year old the 3rd step car seat which is a booster with a backing where he can just buckle normally. I am soo glad to be done buying car seats and having to buckle him in all the time.

If you live in the city or have a small garage or tight parking space, or maybe you already have a bigger truck and just want a smaller second vehicle, the mid-size is a good way to go. They are as big as half-ton trucks used to be backing the 1950s but way more useful and pleasant to drive.

Look at the backseat from Tacoma to Tundra it’s a no brainer, I’m diggin my new Silverado and would be hard pressed for a mid-sizer.

👍🏻👍🏻I have a 2017 Colorado z71 it’s a amazing truck great for the family and all around vehicle the only thing I would consider wen getting one is Do you really need the off-road suspension on a long highway traveling it’s a little harsh, suspension is too jumpy if I could go back and do it all over again I will take an LT and put all of the things from the Z71 to it

Thurough review! I like that you added small things like latch and electronics. I had a family of 4 with a frontier and it was adequate. While the space in the frontier was never a real problem we moved up to a full size and it is a much better family vehicle.

Appreciate it. Was looking at this model Chevy specifically. Maybe a truck is in my future down the road but not right now. Again, thank you.

I have plenty of room in my ridgeline for two, or even 3 kids. With the widest back seat in the market as well as the trunk, I have no problems with space. I will say, when buying a car seat for one of these vehicles with fixed rear seat backs (non reclining), check how securely the seat fastens forward facing so you don't end up with a seat that's out of the return period that you can't use. I ended up having to get a different seat when I bought my truck because forward facing the seat my daughter was in is not steady enough with the way the seat in the truck is shaped.

My friend has a Colorado and the 3-year-old and what he did was to take out the backrest and he still had all the tie downs for a child seat. He didn't have to adjust his seat or worry about his kid kicking the back of his seat.

Have a 5th gen 2019 ram 1500 quad cab and I can honestly say there really isn’t enough room for car seats to fit comfortably. They will fit, Ive actually put three, one rear facing two forward, in the back seat at once and it works but it is cramped. I’m 5’11 and to get a seat behind me I do need to slide the seat forward a bit. Still better than a crew cab though in my opinion. It is a truck and the short 5.5’ bed doesn’t do it for me and a crew with the 6.5’ won’t fit in my garage. Bottom line, it works when I need it too but not ideal for hauling the family every day. That’s why we have a van.

Living with this! I’ve got a 2019 Nissan Frontier crew cab and a 2016 Mazda CX-5. My wife and I are both 6ft tall. We did not do any research on car seat dimensions when we brought our son home, we got a Nuna Pipa infant seat as a gift. IT IS BIG, even in the Mazda with 39+ inches of legroom our passenger seat had to go forward and more upright and our knees are almost into the dash. The frontier oddly enough with the way the front seat is shaped and how short the dash board is, the passenger seat had to go forward but the passenger has a little more leg room. We had been riding like this for several months, multiple road trips including a few 10+ hour drives. Then my wife’s cousin comes to town, she has a Mesa brand infant seat, it’s far more compact then the Nuna and fit our backseats much better. Had we researched car seat dimensions our experience would be completely different. I take my son in the frontier in his infant seat all the time and it works well if no passenger or a passenger under 6ft is onboard its size is a non issue. If we have another child before our son is front facing, we’ll have to buy a more compact rear facing seat and even still the driver seat will probably have to move forward quite a bit. If we bring child #2 home the Frontier would strictly be my commuter or just a runaround and I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to get a vehicle with a MUCH larger backseat. If your kid or two kids are front facing this is a non issue, I’m 6ft 215+ on a skinny day and I fit comfortably in the back seat!

As a ZR2 owner and future dad, this is the video I was looking for! TFL for the win!

This is a topic I've wanted to see covered. I looked at a ZR2 two years ago but ended up with a 4Runner TRD Off-Road due to price difference. My kids are 4 and 6, I'll look for a full size truck in 6ish years when they are a little older.

Further evidence that crew cab short bed trucks are just soccer dad cars. -this post was made by Regular/Extended Cab Gang

I'm the exact opposite of this. I got a 19 Chev Silv 1500 regular cab long box. 1: I'm not the neighborhood Chauffeur. 2: It'll be my private time away from family lol.

totally working for GM. I can clearly see that is not a comfortable seat for a 6.2" and your babies feet have no where to go but up. might want to check size on baby as some babies are way past the average size for rear seating. cmon man! now other than that. your video is awesome! crash test was a bonus! clear and informative with speech sound and clarity. thanks!

The ridgeline gives you almost all benefits of a full size but doesn't hinder you around town or parking spots.

I traveled in 2011 Ford Fusion to Florida with two kids (5 and 2yo). No problems at all.. So when I hear "mid size truck is not enough for family of 4"... It all depends what is "enough"...

We went through a couple of different Silverados while the kids were in car seats. The smaller 4 door just never had enough room. Even in the largest cab they had, the kids would kick the back of the seat. Now that the kids are not in car seats, we downsized to a Jeep renegade and nobody is complaining about lack of room. The biggest problems were the space the car seat takes up and the space for all the extra crap you have to carry around for small children. A mid size truck is probably cramped when the kids are still in car seats and wearing diapers. Once they are big enough to ride without a car seat, mid size is perfect.

A few years ago I had a quad cab RAM DS and it was ordinary with 2 kids, i imagine the mid size truck is more than ordinary. Now i have the Crew cab RAM DT(new generation) and it's perfect! Thank you for your videos Stephen!

I'm 5'6 and my girlfriend is 5'2 so we are much smaller people so the Colorado is plenty of vehicle for what we could use it for even if we had kids. I like that it is just a bit more nimble than a full size pickup and gets slightly better fuel economy. Maybe down the road I'll get a full size truck but I think midsize trucks are just the right size since they're like a midsize car in the cabin in comparison.

I had a 2017 Tacoma with my two small kids and it worked but it was not comfortable. My knees were in the dash and my wife would get carsick being closer to the dash so I broke down and bought a 2019 tundra crewmax. I looked at the double cab but the legroom was not much better than the Tacoma so I went all in on the bigger cab. Sometimes I wish I had the double cabs 6.5ft bed but with car seats the bigger crewmax makes life so much easier. I also got a tonneau cover like he was saying in the video and the amount of stuff I can carry on beach trips is ridiculous.

Could you fo this again with the redesigned Chevy Colorado?

The midsized is the size of what the full sized used to be. If you want to drive around a monster all the time get the full sized. They make both kinds; pick the one that work's for you.

This is exactly what I needed, last thing I wanted was to regret buying a mid-sized and needing to upgrade.

A quad cab is good for a family, trouble with some manufacturers is you loose the standard length bed option with it. It’s hard to take something designed for utility to be used as a family hauler.

I have a 2018 F150 supercrew (massive cab) and a new Gladiator Rubicon. My wife and I have 2 daughters, 5 and 3. We actually prefer the Gladiator. The lower seat height makes buckling car seats easier from outside the door-I have to climb up into the F150 to fasten and tighten buckles. The kids have plenty of room even in large convertible car seats and an added benefit of the smaller cab is that you can reach the kids in the back seats from the front seat much easier. For example we just did a 6 hour road trip with the Gladiator- it was nice being able to hand the kids snacks and pick up their toys when they dropped them 14,000 times without having to stop constantly. Now if you are hauling grown men, or more than 2 kids in the back it would be a different story- more so due to width than leg room.

I love the orange color

Mid size cabs on mid size are about the same as a full size truck Extended cab, but with a full size, you get the mithy inside width that prevents you from rubbing elbows with the passenger.

I’m 5’6 and my wife is 5’1 we have two kids one forward one rear facing. She has an Acadia and I have a sonic. We take my car for short trips and hers for longer ones but as soon as we pay off her car we’re buying a Colorado. I feel it’s a good size for our family plus we’re both short so we will fit like a taller family in the midsize

I've owned a GMC Canyon for about 4 years now and we just had our first kid about 5 months ago. Can midsizers deal with car seats and all the gear? Yes. Is it ideal? Nope. Things get tight quickly and if you don't have a bed cover you're screwed. At the end of the year I'll be upgrading to a 2500 but that's also because I'll be looking to get a toy hauler. The wife doesn't exactly want to be sleeping in a tent anymore when we go camping lol.

I have a 2008 Chevy Trailblazer lt and 2 kids in child seats and I find it does the job quite well. I have looked into the Colorado to replace it but my go 1/2 ton due to pricing for a used truck one is the same as 1/2 ton truck and the Colorados are not nearly as capable.

Have you done an updated version for the new models out? Pretty much everyone updated thier midsize trucks these past two years

Thanks for the video. I've been shopping for a midsize and I have a family of 5 and this was extremely helpful.

I've always had a full size truck and just recently made the switch for a midsized truck and let me tell you , they are so small. Super small compared to full size. Bed back seats and front seats. I got mine for 4x4 so I it's definitely better but other than that they suck. I love my Tacoma but I'm definitely still buying another half ton soon.

I feel like a midsize would be good up to the toddler age so mom can still reach into the back seat from the passenger side to help with whatever. Of course whenever they get older and taller you want the extra space with the half ton

Obviously ridgeline has the most room and most comfort features.

Here's the answer about the double/super cabs, if you have a car seat especially if they are still facing backwards forget it, unless you want your chest touching the steering wheel. Not to mention the price difference compared to crew cabs is 2000-3000 bucks and you'll get that back in resale after.

I noticed the Ridgeline is the only midsize rated as a “Large” truck by the IIHS. It is the widest truck in its class at 78.6”, which is full-size territory so this could be why.

Exactly what I was looking for

Great video by Stephen as usual!

I know it’s not midsize and some people don’t consider it a truck but I highly recommend a suburban have had 2 can fit the whole family.

I would go for fullsize truck. Price difference is negligible but space is much bigger. I have 4 kids and just got Nissan Titan XD with front bench seat and works great for day to day needs. We have Armada too but kids love Titan...

Nissan frontier here and man for a family of 4 it’s tight and looking into better options

Great content! Thanks Steve!

been thinking of mayb gettinf this truck this video very helpful

Best review i ever seen. Thank you brother✌️

F250 crewcab superduty with 8ft bed,kids fit easy and need the bed when I cut my own firewood,,at the mall you do park farther away but the walk is good for you !

my oldest is almost 6ft. ranger fits him great in the back seat. the colorado somehow didnt fit him.

Nice informative honest review💪

would be cool if you guys did a test of the effect of increased tire size on shifting/gas mileage etc.. I have a 2017 F150 with the 3.55 rear end and thinking about putting either 33's or 35'. The truck already has a 2.5'' lift

I think any half ton truck with a crew cab will be plenty of room to fit child seats. Where it gets cramped is in this midsize segment

I couldn't get my car seats comfortable in a colorado. Went f150. Thought about Ridgeline, but F150 was essentially the same price. Thought about gladiator, but man, so expensive.

I had a tonneau cover on my Frontier and replaced it with a mid rise Leer cap. I much prefer the cap.

Love the crew cab in my Colorado.

Great video. I am in the market for a truck but go back and forth between a full size and mid size. 30k budget gets me a pretty base 4x4 f150 or a well equipped mid size. I have found a few 18 Titan Pro4x's for just over 30k. Pretty tempting.

Well love you're videos, up here in Canada, there has been several Co-Workers that have purchased mid size trucks, for work & economy, and I believe 4 anyway because I work alongside them was Money/Cost.. Which ended up changing there mind after 4 - 8 months, in particular the ZR2 due to Brake & Rotor issues, Front shocks leaking, Ranger best on fuel but interior shakes to a Rattle box, and Tranny overheating due to Mud driving the oilfield roads, I do know one thing, there are 2 Tacomas, in the Field, 2014 and 2022, both ate Amazing not as good on fuel, but I know one Tacoma is lifted, all I'm saying these Big 3 are going to be Financially hurting worse than last 4 months when this New Tacoma hits the Lots, which I don't mind, because comparing trucks, seems like Big 3 been screwing consumers since Mid Covid, and I'm not a Toyota customer, in regards to midsize, there going to get a Wake Up Call !!! Tacoma models are going to Kill Them and give them an Attitude Adjustment

I really wanted a mid size but couldn’t fit 2 rear facing child seats in the back with enough space for me in front. So I ended up with F150. Bigger than I’d like. Wish there was a Goldilocks size!! Once they are both forward facing ill downgrade to a mid size.

Stephen, I love your videos. Plain and simple, mid-size is not enough; even a crew cab with a topper. Just not enough rear leg room I just moved from Frontier to a Titan XD Vast difference.

I also had a 13 Tacoma with 2 small children. They fit, but it was pretty crammed. Will probably go full sized. Thanks for the video.

Family of 5, we went with the half ton. More room helps to prevent kids fighting.... 😎

Respectfully disagree on the cheap/expensive tonneau cover...I bought the cheapest roll-up one on Amazon & have been super satisfied...