Given that these cars are one of the biggest selling types of vehicle and their target market is families, you reckon they would consider the second row passengers more.

I am in the hunt for an upgrade to my Hilux and have a growing family (will assume my kids will be needing knee space in the next few years) my priority, first and foremost is obviously room in the back for my kids. Given that I am just under 200cm tall, I have the seat all the way back. Every single dual cab I have looked at Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Mazda, VW and Mazda have the same lack of space issue. Short of forking out big bucks for a car/truck like the massive F250 (too big for my purposes), I can not find any compromises.

Anyone else had the same experiences and found a decent solution??

Buy a trailer and get rid of the tray

A wagon, prado, landrover, patrol or similar ?

Dual cabs are over rated I reckon.

I've got no idea why anyone would want a dual cab Ute, to me they seem pointless. A small tray that can't fit anything and a second row of seats that are rarely ever used. I think you'd be better of getting a wagon like a cruiser, prado or a patrol.

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Krusty said..
I've got no idea why anyone would want a dual cab Ute, to me they seem pointless. A small tray that can't fit anything and a second row of seats that are rarely ever used. I think you'd be better of getting a wagon like a cruiser, prado or a patrol.

Cause the smelly stuff you forget or even a wet dog is better in the back of a ute than a wagon.

I have a canopy on the back of my current Hilux and love the versatility of it. There is plenty of room in the back for camping, gear bikes, kite gear...

And, as Mars says...it separates the unwanted from the cab, such as wet dogs, bags of compost, gear that carries dust or dirt.

...are driven by bogans.

- ciggies, flickin' lit butts out the window - CHECK.
- windows down - CHECK.
- Tattooed arm hanging out window - CHECK.
- Lifted spings and big wheels - CHECK.
- Bull bar - CHECK.
- Bogan's dog - CHECK.
- Speeding, tailgating, trouser pipe playing - CHECK.

Yep... Dual cab utes are driven by bogans

It be a shame we can't get the new Toyota Surf SSR here.

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shi thouse said..
Given that these cars are one of the biggest selling types of vehicle and their target market is families, you reckon they would consider the second row passengers more.

I am in the hunt for an upgrade to my Hilux and have a growing family (will assume my kids will be needing knee space in the next few years) my priority, first and foremost is obviously room in the back for my kids. Given that I am just under 200cm tall, I have the seat all the way back. Every single dual cab I have looked at Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Mazda, VW and Mazda have the same lack of space issue. Short of forking out big bucks for a car/truck like the massive F250 (too big for my purposes), I can not find any compromises.

Anyone else had the same experiences and found a decent solution??

Have you looked at a Triton? I'm 6'6 and mine isn't bad. Enough room but the other issue for me is space around my feet as i have pretty big feet and a size 16 steel cap work boot isn't a small shoe and there's enough room for 2 of them!

At this stage there is enough room for my 2 young daughters but maybe not when they are older?

What about a 79 series? They look a bit bigger?

How often do you people carry decomposing stuff or not bath the dog?

For that one advantage, you give up the ability to carry long stuff inside, rear seat comfort, decent ride (usually), heaps of under floor or side wall storage in the back for recovery gear and similar stuff, roof length for well spaced out racks , not having stuff easily stolen etc.
Sitting in the back of a dual cab suits Jackie Chan and anyone under 10 y/o.

I'd much rather have a real wagon and spend $100 on the good moulded rubber floor thing.

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shoodbegood said..
A wagon, prado, landrover, patrol or similar ?

Dual cabs are over rated I reckon.

Not if you kite ,windsurf, surf on a regular basis

Yep, looked at both Mitsi's and the Toyota 79 series. I found the Triton to be one of the worst for size.

The 79 series although a great car and pretty big, it surprisingly has very limited second row space. Big dollars for this rig, and only the 2017 model onwards has included more than 2 airbags. All this for $80K plus.

Yeah and maybe that will have to be the case Mark. Suck it up and go the station wagon style 4wd like a Paj or Landcruiser.

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MDSXR6T said..

shi thouse said..
Given that these cars are one of the biggest selling types of vehicle and their target market is families, you reckon they would consider the second row passengers more.

I am in the hunt for an upgrade to my Hilux and have a growing family (will assume my kids will be needing knee space in the next few years) my priority, first and foremost is obviously room in the back for my kids. Given that I am just under 200cm tall, I have the seat all the way back. Every single dual cab I have looked at Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Mazda, VW and Mazda have the same lack of space issue. Short of forking out big bucks for a car/truck like the massive F250 (too big for my purposes), I can not find any compromises.

Anyone else had the same experiences and found a decent solution??

Have you looked at a Triton? I'm 6'6 and mine isn't bad. Enough room but the other issue for me is space around my feet as i have pretty big feet and a size 16 steel cap work boot isn't a small shoe and there's enough room for 2 of them!

At this stage there is enough room for my 2 young daughters but maybe not when they are older?

What about a 79 series? They look a bit bigger?

Plus 1 for the triton
but Shihouse is a big mother f....er

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Krusty said..
I've got no idea why anyone would want a dual cab Ute, to me they seem pointless. A small tray that can't fit anything and a second row of seats that are rarely ever used. I think you'd be better of getting a wagon like a cruiser, prado or a patrol.

My daughter has a vw amorok
single cab, trays huge

Yeah Mick, that VW was a great score. Been fitted out nicely. Great single persons rig.

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cauncy said..

Krusty said..
I've got no idea why anyone would want a dual cab Ute, to me they seem pointless. A small tray that can't fit anything and a second row of seats that are rarely ever used. I think you'd be better of getting a wagon like a cruiser, prado or a patrol.

My daughter has a vw amorok
single cab, trays huge

Yep those were the days no kids no need for a dual cab good ol rootin in the back of the ute.

marks right depends on your usage .Mabe condiser keeping your hilux and upgrade your wifes car to a wagon or a suv?. In a similar situation Want the kids in safe reliable everyday driver misses drives them around more than me.. ma duel cab hilux is simple no gadgets gizmos etc easy to service lacks family comfort.. Theres no need to run a duel cab ute for everyday driving. Think the biggest asset with having a duel cab 4*4 ute is if your living on a larger property. If you don't mind putting scratches on it they come in extremely handy. to me a duel cab use would be a work car. As in good towing cary work equipment and personal, fit materials in the back . The serve a purpose.

Transit cab chassis.
Massive room in back .
seven seats in cab .
huge tray out back .

The popularity of dual cab utes was kicked off by the tax breaks. It's a load carrier and your business needs stuff shifted. The tax department doesn't need to know its main duties are ferrying the kids around. Then a lot of folks who didn't understand tax laws thought they were fashionable.
Our work fleet once comprised a few double cabs and a few land cruisers. I've crossed the Hay plains in the backs seats of both. No comparison, though both models have no doubt improved over the years.

www.drive.com.au/motor-news/tax-changes-target-dual-cab-utes-117070.html?trackLink=SMH4?ffref=smh

Nah I have a 1800 tray on mine and aluminium wing door canopy. Fit way more than any wagon. But my seat space at the back is small - my cab is a smaller model. I'll by looking for leg room on the next one.

Of course all our dual cabs originated where people are smaller. OK until your kids hit 10yo then you'd need something originating from somewhere like the USA.
You can buy them over here but after conversion to RHD???

Check the prices in the US.
www.ford.com/trucks/f150/pricing-and-incentives/?gclid=CjwKCAiAqbvTBRAPEiwANEkyCMebZqh_mSeqbNsWdw22IeuKmnHmGXTB-LKJr6vns9rmabV2J1-MXBoCFdcQAvD_BwE&tab=pricing-by-model&searchid=757864941%7C45440734528%7C22604573307%7C&s_kwcid=AL!2519!3!214315126765!b!!g!!%2Bf%20%2B150%20%2Bprice&ef_id=VCPkuwAABAx6171c:20180129210525:s

^^ Let alone me, I don't think we can afford to be driving those beasts en mass. From an environmental perspective.

I thought the Ranger / Mazda were bigger? And the VW? Reliability issues with the Ranger through. The other option is they're just kids. Tell em to not whinge and that you had third seat on the horse in the pouring rain

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Buster fin said..
^^ Let alone me, I don't think we can afford to be driving those beasts en mass. From an environmental perspective.

Not much in it environmentally if you compare them to the dual cabs that are currently driven. 10 litres per 100km on the highway. That's for the 3.3 litre V6 burning petrol. Around the city where you don't want Nox emissions they'd be much preferable to our diesel powered utes.


www.ford.com/trucks/f150/?gclid=CjwKCAiAqbvTBRAPEiwANEkyCHvX0I-RD5a4LWSeHzxShZ1OEu_5mEDRueF1kw9xRlDDUm4RQ2Mm9BoCZHUQAvD_BwE&searchid=757864941%7C45440734208%7C26380467533%7C&s_kwcid=AL!2519!3!214301108606!b!!g!!%2Bf150%20%2Bfuel%20%2Beconomy&ef_id=VCPkuwAABAx6171c:20180129214812:s

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myusernam said..
I thought the Ranger / Mazda were bigger? And the VW? Reliability issues with the Ranger through. The other option is they're just kids. Tell em to not whinge and that you had third seat on the horse in the pouring rain

The Ranger/Mazda (same car) plus the VW, although touted as family cars have very limited space as well. Ok if all family members are under 6 foot.

those that say the space is the same are kidding themselves
when you buy if you get a cab chassis (instead of a tub) build ute you can go to an 1800 long dropside tray (3m are good).
then stick one of these or similar on it (can make it higher and wider if you want)
trailerpartsdirect.com.au/shop/aluminium-canopy/aus-made-dual-cab-aluminium-ute-canopy/
Plus i have an 80 litre water tank underneath with tap. dual bats. solar panel fridge. Can stick a 12 foot tinny on top.
I can fit oztents in the back if i want them secure and not on the roof (allthough I lock them on the roof)
I take fridges, eskies chairs, fishing gear, outboard, fuel, generator etc. try doing that with a wagon.
At the end of it all blow it out with a blower.
the absense of the wheel wells and the large area as well as the roof is way more than any wagon even with the seats folded. Its lower to load and unload and also a better shape. Add to that the tow capacity. Prado's are significantly down on the utes. My dmax is 3 ton GVM and 6 ton GCM.
Patrol's blow up. So if you want to tow approaching max then you need a full size cruiser.
4 cylinder rego much cheaper, tyres are cheaper. economy is good (similar to my wifes mazda sedan)
I see a dual cab as the only choice. Wagons are nice to drive but way too small and impracticle for me.
downside is rear seat sating. My wife is nearly a midget so she sits in the back sometimes as my son is getting quite tall. But I have sat in the back (6'2) for up to 500 k's with two other big blokes and its ok. I dont do that many long trips and short distances are ok.
Have a mate who had a mazda and he had no end of trouble and needed a motor replacement. Have heard lots of stories about them. Triton or DMAX although smaller have far less issues. Colorado might be ok. Hilux unnecessarily expensive and no better. VW meant to be nice to drive, but id be wary of them. I guess there's cruiser dual cabs but megabucks and then rego, tyres, economy etc expensive

the spings in all of them are soft for the showroom and loose their tension quickly. Cheapest fix is a leaf added in the rear by pedders. Front torsion bars are ok.

changed from a wagon to a ranger.

guess im a bogan now but on pugs world view 99.5% of australia would be i reckon

best move for outdoors activities.

all the kite and surf gear gets chucked in the back wet and sandy including dogs

maybe ill add a canopy of i go travelling.

options options

ranger has the biggest back seat space so if that doesnt work for ya then dual cabs are out.

bitching on about no room in the backseat of dual cabs
get the fat **** in the front to move the seat forward.

Jeez, kids these days are really missing out on the character building fun we used to have!

Climbing over the rear seats to get into the back of the station wagon - with 6 other kids, heading to the beach or drive-in,
Crouching down on tray of the ute to avoid the bugs / hot shell casings,
Riding in the trailer at the Hertha road tip and scrounging stuff for cubbies back home - with the dozer driver giving us a lift back to Dads car and trailer, and if the dozer bloke was really cool - we got to drive the thing,

And our entire Scout Troop of around 40 kids + tents and camping gear riding on the back of the 8 tonner heading off to the S/W for school holidays camping.

and you want a dual cab ute.......

The Great walls may be worth a look if your not chasing any pussy and don't mind workmates and friends pulling the piss out of ya

landcruiser double cab ute?