Some trucks are still mostly just trucks
Trucks have come a long way from their “purely utility” days. Now, they come with leather seats, phone mirroring, and in the case of some Ford F-150 trims, massaging seats and captain’s chairs that fold into a bed. More than anything, trucks, especially full-sized trucks, are pushing themselves into luxury vehicle territory. However, mid-sized trucks, such as the GMC Canyon, Toyota Tacoma, Jeep Gladiator, Chevy Colorado, and Ford Ranger, remain highly utility-focused. As mid-sized trucks continue to grow in popularity, more people are wondering whether they can be suitable for families.
Kristen Brown
So, when I got the 2025 Ford Ranger Lariat 4×4 to review, the first thing I did was put my two kids in it. Putting their car seats in it was a challenge, no doubt any truck is, but it wasn’t as hard as I assumed it was going to be. The Ranger Lariat 4×4 runs at about $43,775, which is on par with its competitors, and is very tech-forward, comfortable, and fairly efficient for an off-road-focused truck. Here’s how it worked with my kids.
Installing car seats was a task, but not as bad as other trucks
There’s plenty of room in the rear for front-facing car seats, and a bit tight for rear-facing seats, but they worked–and my toddlers loved the sliding window. The rear window was a lot bigger than most in the segment. For older kids in booster seats or kids that no longer need a booster, the rear seats are plenty big, and there are USB-C charging ports and cupholders that make the rear a decent place to be on a road trip. However, installing car seats was…a challenge. Both of my toddlers are front-facing now, so I had to use the top tether latch, which is hidden behind the rear seats.
Kristen Brown
Therefore, you have to fold the seat forward to access it, and thankfully, it’s closer to the top, so securing the latch isn’t hard. What’s difficult is getting the seats out of the truck. To fold the seat forward enough to unlatch the top tether, you have to get enough slack, and the only way to do that without risking breaking any of the plastic is to be able to reach back there and loosen it. It sounds like a hassle, and it is when you compare it to sedans or SUVs, but for a truck, there’s a lot worse (looking at your Honda Ridgeline).
Storage space with car seats is limited for groceries, so you’ll have to use the bed
Which is fine, especially if you buy a bed cover or a cargo net to keep milk jugs, any glass, eggs, or breakables from slinging around while you drive. It doesn’t have the in-bed storage like the Ridgeline, but you can configure the bed to be as useful as you need it to be with factory (or aftermarket) parts, which is a huge plus for families who have a lot of stuff they need to move. If there’s no one in the front passenger’s seat, there’s a bit of room there, too.
Kristen Brown
If your kids were in booster seats or if you had older kids who don’t need booster seats, you can always have them help hold the groceries–but I prefer to keep little, clumsy hands out of the grocery bags, so I’d be using the trunk with some added hardware to keep them safe, especially in this economy.
The rear seats were more than enough for two toddlers
In the back of the Ranger, passengers have access to USB-C charging ports, a 120-volt outlet, and USB-A charging ports to keep phones, tablets, and even handheld gaming consoles charged and ready, and if there aren’t car seats being used, an armrest and cupholders that fold down from the middle seat. The windows were large enough to keep my picky toddlers happy (they hate it when they can’t see out of their own window or the windshield), and they loved the sliding center window behind them.
Kristen Brown
The rear seats were comfortable for adults, too, so legroom won’t be an issue unless your teens or their friends are over 7 feet tall. However, since it’s a truck and rear passengers aren’t the priority, the padding in the rear seat isn’t the best. So, for longer drives, little bums might balk about the lack of padding. If anyone is going to be sitting in the back long-term, make sure to test drive one or rent one if possible before committing. If you can’t, be sure to add seat pads to your Amazon wishlist.
For a truck, it’s not all that inefficient
The Lariat I drove had the optional 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 in it, and even though it’s a truck with a tow-ready transmission, it wasn’t as inefficient as I assumed it would be. During my loan, I drove it from my home in Bend, Oregon, up to Ridgefield, Washington, for an off-road event (so, a five-hour drive for me), and averaged about 26 mpg on the freeway. Around town, I saw about 17 mpg, which is more than I expected. Since you know, V6 engines aren’t known for their efficiency around town. I stuck to about 70 mph on the freeway, which isn’t the most efficient speed to cruise at, but if you stuck closer to 65 mph, I’m positive you’d get closer to 30 mpg on the highway.
Kristen Brown
For families, a fairly efficient truck could be essential, especially with the current average prices for gas. If you can pack the family in it and get decent miles per gallon, especially with a starting price of about $43,755, it’s a great value that won’t cost a family a small fortune to fill up at the pumps.
Final thoughts
The short answer is, yes, you can absolutely make the Ranger work if you have kids, but it will obviously be tighter than a Ford Explorer would be, because rear passengers are not a priority for trucks. Instead, the Lariat’s focus is on off-road capability, driver comfort, and utility, as well as towing and payload (up to 7,500 lbs with the towing package).
People buy the Ranger to work, not necessarily to haul a family. If you’re looking at one to haul the family occasionally and have another car to haul your kids around, it’s awesome. As a full-time kid hauler, it can handle it, but it won’t be as comfortable as other options. I grew up in trucks, and in my eyes, the Ranger was a huge upgrade to a lot of the old trucks I was squished into the back of.
About the author
Kristen Brown
Contributing Writer, Autoblog