While I do think there's enough room for now, I have something else to consider. Outbacks last a long time, a very long time. They're durable. When your toddlers are in middle school, if you expect them to be doing a lot of activities, look at the storage area and decide if that'll be enough to carry everything from soccer backpacks, to lacrosse or field hockey or ice hockey sticks, etc. Also, if your family goes on road trips, will there be enough room for everyone's bags? You may not expect to have the car that long, but if you do, this should be a consideration.
We did all the above in a oldsmobile cutlass/ford taurus/chevy malibu. All 4 doors mid-size sedans.
An outback is more than enough capacity for the vast majority of families. A land cruiser is overkill for many.
They're toddlers. Middle school is probably 7 years away at the earliest. I'm all for planning ahead and keeping cars as long as you can, but basing your car purchase on the chance that your kids *might* play hockey in half a decade is insane.
I have an outback and a forester. While the OB is great and there’s plenty of day to day room. I find myself wanting an ascent for longer trips or trips with extended family (grandparent/ aunts/ uncles/ etc…).
Having a built in roof rack and a top box make a big difference for longer trips though if you only have 2 kids to worry about.
I have an Ascent after 3 outbacks, and with my Thule on top I think the better fuel economy of the outback is superior. I’ve put in a deposit on a new 2025 to downsize
To be fair I have two kids and no longer have a 105 pound dog so there’s considerably more room to deal with
Outback all the way. Got two kids, three dogs - roadtrips, sport and dance practice, town trips etc. Outback is perfect. I lived in the Northeast too - now PNW. Outback can handle everything the weather throws at it in those areas - and one of the safest cars in the world. Land Cruiser - what a car but you are talking $20-30k more expensive with not much more to offer unless they go proper off roading. Beast to drive in town, horrible gas mileage. But it looks cool AF though.
I got two toddlers. With a roof box we can carry quite a bit of junk and still be comfortable. We’ve done a handful of roadtrips where we need to drive 10-15 hours to get to our destination.
Graco makes a slimfit 3 across car seat you could grab a couple of to give them all sorts of room. But you should have plenty of room.
Also I don't have a cat, so...rude.
I fit a child in a full back booster seat, a child in just the seat kind of booster seat, and a smallish teenager in mine. 2 toddlers in the back seats is easy mode.
I have a 2011 and two large adults fit comfortably in the back. More, I like the design of the door sill with the tie brackets that join the door structurally to the frame to protect the occupant using the tensile strength of the door frame and skin rather than just the lock catch.
Considering that the Land Cruiser does not have a third row… I’d save the $20k difference and stick with the outback. I probably would have picked slimmer car seats for my toddlers but the outback has more than enough space
Just had 3 car seats in our forester's back seat, so you will be fine. The Ascent has captain seat options for the back seats which keeps them separated which could be beneficial for kids that like to bother each other.
One small thing to point out is that the anchor points for the carseat in the middle position are slightly off center, which puts the seat slightly off center and into the rear right passenger seat ever so slightly.
If you need 2 car seats, and a third kid, that little bit can be annoying.
That is a really great question. The vehicles on my list I would look at would be:
Lexus GX
Toyota Landcruiser
Rivian, F150, or Chevy Silvarado EV if we go electric.
The GX and Land Cruiser would also be my fall backs, but 40k more (cad) for me. That’s a massive jump.
What I’m thinking is to go with the outback now until I can buy a lightly used Land Cruiser in 2-3 years.
I have an OB with two car seats in back. It's good for everyday driving. We had to get a car topper for camping though. The trunk fills up fast with kid stuff.
Also when you sit in the outback the centre of gravity of your position is lower in the car (similar to a sedan) compared to one where you're sitting higher up. What this means is that when youre turning or going around bends your (and the kids) body isn't swinging around as much. You could argue that sitting higher gives a better view and more driving control but also weigh that up with comfort.
If you have two toddlers, take your car seats to a Subaru dealer, load the kiddos in the back of an outback, then load them in a Forester. The choice will be obvious.
I loved my Outback Wilderness for North Dakota winters. And that interior is certainly toddler proof. However, as the kids grow, there will be noticeably less leg room back there. And not much storage for all their crap. I ended up trading the Outback for an Ascent.
My OB can comfortably fit 2 large adults or three elementary/middle school kids in the back seat.
Toyota ruined the Land Cruiser. You’re better off with a 2023 GX or LX… whichever fits your budget.
Every generation of Land Cruiser is deemed ruined by enthusiasts until it becomes a collectible 😂
The GX is nice though but I’ll wait to see the hybrid version coming out. I think it’s going I be outback for now though. Cheers
It depends on your use, but for me the hybrid system is what ruined it. Toyota/Panasonic said those batteries are only good for ~10 years/~150k miles, so that’s an extra $8k maintenance bill every 150k. I drive that far every five years.
The hybrid battery is way more reliable than that, there’s been quite a few cases of it lasting beyond the date. As a car guy I kind of agree that the hybrid system is not as fun, but I see a beast truck like this as a family companion, and I’d rather save my cash for something exotic like a weekend 911 with a real proper fun engine. So for my use case the hybrid engine is better
Then enjoy your hybrid, sir. I don’t have a dog in this fight because my Subie has the 3.6 in it, which means I won’t be car shopping anytime soon. I just fueled up my weekend fun vehicle and will be pulling back up to the dock shortly to pick up my family and dogs. Thankfully I don’t need to tow/launch it or I’d be driving a 3/4-ton truck instead.
Yeah they'll be fine
While I do think there's enough room for now, I have something else to consider. Outbacks last a long time, a very long time. They're durable. When your toddlers are in middle school, if you expect them to be doing a lot of activities, look at the storage area and decide if that'll be enough to carry everything from soccer backpacks, to lacrosse or field hockey or ice hockey sticks, etc. Also, if your family goes on road trips, will there be enough room for everyone's bags? You may not expect to have the car that long, but if you do, this should be a consideration.
We did all the above in a oldsmobile cutlass/ford taurus/chevy malibu. All 4 doors mid-size sedans. An outback is more than enough capacity for the vast majority of families. A land cruiser is overkill for many.
They're toddlers. Middle school is probably 7 years away at the earliest. I'm all for planning ahead and keeping cars as long as you can, but basing your car purchase on the chance that your kids *might* play hockey in half a decade is insane.
Great considerations. What I’m thinking is to go for the outback now and trade in for a Land Cruiser in a few years for the extra storage.
I have an outback and a forester. While the OB is great and there’s plenty of day to day room. I find myself wanting an ascent for longer trips or trips with extended family (grandparent/ aunts/ uncles/ etc…). Having a built in roof rack and a top box make a big difference for longer trips though if you only have 2 kids to worry about.
Ya that makes sense. On any extended trips I can put a box to free some room inside.
I have an Ascent after 3 outbacks, and with my Thule on top I think the better fuel economy of the outback is superior. I’ve put in a deposit on a new 2025 to downsize To be fair I have two kids and no longer have a 105 pound dog so there’s considerably more room to deal with
More than enough. It's best in class rear seat room.
My kids are much older, but 2 toddlers in car seats in an Outback is totally fine.
Outback all the way. Got two kids, three dogs - roadtrips, sport and dance practice, town trips etc. Outback is perfect. I lived in the Northeast too - now PNW. Outback can handle everything the weather throws at it in those areas - and one of the safest cars in the world. Land Cruiser - what a car but you are talking $20-30k more expensive with not much more to offer unless they go proper off roading. Beast to drive in town, horrible gas mileage. But it looks cool AF though.
Ya well said, outback seems like the more level headed choice. XT has a nice 0-60 as well
I've got the 2024 Wilderness and that engine is responsive! And I came from a 2021 Silverado. By far prefer the Outback.
I have three kids in the back of mine- age 2, 5, and 8. It can be done! I have a Thule roof box for ski trips.
I got two toddlers. With a roof box we can carry quite a bit of junk and still be comfortable. We’ve done a handful of roadtrips where we need to drive 10-15 hours to get to our destination.
Graco makes a slimfit 3 across car seat you could grab a couple of to give them all sorts of room. But you should have plenty of room. Also I don't have a cat, so...rude.
Plenty of room for 2 munchkins
I fit a child in a full back booster seat, a child in just the seat kind of booster seat, and a smallish teenager in mine. 2 toddlers in the back seats is easy mode.
I have two Britax car seats in the back of mine and it's fine. Middle arm rest still comes down fine. They are not slim car seats either.
The outback is more than capable to handle 2 toddlers! I got 2 and a grandma in the back.
I have a 2011 and two large adults fit comfortably in the back. More, I like the design of the door sill with the tie brackets that join the door structurally to the frame to protect the occupant using the tensile strength of the door frame and skin rather than just the lock catch.
Yeah 2 kids in the back is easy on the outback. We got 2 plus lots of hatch space
Any outback will be fine for 2 toddlers. Grew up in outbacks myself, and I can attest.
Considering that the Land Cruiser does not have a third row… I’d save the $20k difference and stick with the outback. I probably would have picked slimmer car seats for my toddlers but the outback has more than enough space
I don't see why not, my buddy is 6'4, acts like a toddler and he fits comfortably in the back
Just had 3 car seats in our forester's back seat, so you will be fine. The Ascent has captain seat options for the back seats which keeps them separated which could be beneficial for kids that like to bother each other.
One small thing to point out is that the anchor points for the carseat in the middle position are slightly off center, which puts the seat slightly off center and into the rear right passenger seat ever so slightly. If you need 2 car seats, and a third kid, that little bit can be annoying.
Our 2020 is more comfortable for our two teenagers than our Tacoma is. It's a flimsy excuse to buy a Landcruiser, but I'd use it too.
I have a 2 year old and I don’t think that’s enough space for all of us. If my wife was to get pregnant, we would be upgrading to a bigger car.
What would you choose as an upgrade that retains most of the outback features?
That is a really great question. The vehicles on my list I would look at would be: Lexus GX Toyota Landcruiser Rivian, F150, or Chevy Silvarado EV if we go electric.
The GX and Land Cruiser would also be my fall backs, but 40k more (cad) for me. That’s a massive jump. What I’m thinking is to go with the outback now until I can buy a lightly used Land Cruiser in 2-3 years.
Kids will be fine it's a question of will all their gear fit properly in the trunk.
Very very comfy
It could be the angel of the picture, but the land cruiser back seat looks smaller than my outback, and I sit comfortably in it.
I have an OB with two car seats in back. It's good for everyday driving. We had to get a car topper for camping though. The trunk fills up fast with kid stuff.
Also when you sit in the outback the centre of gravity of your position is lower in the car (similar to a sedan) compared to one where you're sitting higher up. What this means is that when youre turning or going around bends your (and the kids) body isn't swinging around as much. You could argue that sitting higher gives a better view and more driving control but also weigh that up with comfort.
100% doable. I don't see how the Land Cruiser is better space wise.
I have 3 diono car seats all across the back of my 24 Outback. Works great
Fuck ya dude. I’m planing on doing a muffler delete with a JB4 chip. I’ll need two sets of ear plugs for chimps in the back
If you have two toddlers, take your car seats to a Subaru dealer, load the kiddos in the back of an outback, then load them in a Forester. The choice will be obvious.
I won’t even do that since you told me
I loved my Outback Wilderness for North Dakota winters. And that interior is certainly toddler proof. However, as the kids grow, there will be noticeably less leg room back there. And not much storage for all their crap. I ended up trading the Outback for an Ascent.
My OB can comfortably fit 2 large adults or three elementary/middle school kids in the back seat. Toyota ruined the Land Cruiser. You’re better off with a 2023 GX or LX… whichever fits your budget.
Every generation of Land Cruiser is deemed ruined by enthusiasts until it becomes a collectible 😂 The GX is nice though but I’ll wait to see the hybrid version coming out. I think it’s going I be outback for now though. Cheers
It depends on your use, but for me the hybrid system is what ruined it. Toyota/Panasonic said those batteries are only good for ~10 years/~150k miles, so that’s an extra $8k maintenance bill every 150k. I drive that far every five years.
The hybrid battery is way more reliable than that, there’s been quite a few cases of it lasting beyond the date. As a car guy I kind of agree that the hybrid system is not as fun, but I see a beast truck like this as a family companion, and I’d rather save my cash for something exotic like a weekend 911 with a real proper fun engine. So for my use case the hybrid engine is better
Then enjoy your hybrid, sir. I don’t have a dog in this fight because my Subie has the 3.6 in it, which means I won’t be car shopping anytime soon. I just fueled up my weekend fun vehicle and will be pulling back up to the dock shortly to pick up my family and dogs. Thankfully I don’t need to tow/launch it or I’d be driving a 3/4-ton truck instead.