Toyota
Modern pickup trucks can tow and haul more than ever. Multiple "light-duty" full-size trucks are capable of pulling over 10,000 pounds, which is more than enough to tow things like boats, car trailers, or work equipment. Then there are the trucks designed as radical off-road machines with big knobby tires and massive suspension travel. But modern pickup trucks are capable of more than just impressive towing capacity or smashing through the world's toughest terrain. They're also spacious, high-tech, feature-rich forms of passenger transport.
To accommodate more passengers, crew-cab (four-door) configurations of pickup trucks have mostly taken over the market, with lots of full- and mid-size trucks now coming with only four doors. There are even a few compact trucks that have enough room for families and enough capability to haul around or muddy mountain bikes or make all kinds of trips to the local hardware store for your latest home improvement project.
But which are the best ones for families? I've been testing pickup trucks for over a decade, with experience behind the wheel of just about every truck on the market. And SlashGear's editors have tested all the latest models, driving them in all sorts of unique scenarios, so we know which trucks live up to the hype. So for this list, we've taken our experience with trucks and combined it with modern safety ratings to identify the best trucks that balance truck capabilities with family-friendly features.
Ford F-150
Ford
The Ford F-150 is one of the most versatile trucks on sale today. Depending on how you equip it, the F-150 is capable of towing as much as 13,500 pounds or hauling a payload of 2,440 pounds. It's available with several different engines, including a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, a 3.5-liter PowerBoost Hybrid V6, and a 5.0-liter V8 for the truck purists out there. And let's not forget the fully-electric version of the F-150, the Lightning. There's even the off-road conquering Raptor, which will thrill drivers and passengers alike over some of the world's roughest terrain.
The latest version of the F-150 uses Ford's latest BlueCruise hands-free technology, which should certainly take some of the strain off those summer family road trips. It's also spacious and comfortable, with a generally smooth ride on the highway and impressive interior tech. The latest F-150 shines in safety tests too, earning five out of five stars from NHTSA in its overall safety rating and a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS.
The F-150 received the lowest possible score of "Poor" from the IIHS in the moderate overlap front crash test, but that's relatively common amongst big full-size trucks these days. Conversely, it received the top "Good" score for small overlap frontal safety and side crash protection. Starting prices for the latest F-150 range from around $40,000 for base two-door models, all the way up to over $80,000 for the high-performance Raptor.
Toyota Tundra
Toyota
The Tundra doesn't have as many powertrain choices as rivals like the F-150, but that doesn't mean the big Toyota is lacking for power. For 2026, the Tundra comes with one of two powertrains: a twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 known as the i-Force or a hybridized V6 called the i-Force Max. Horsepower output is 389 hp or 479 hp, respectively, and both engines are enough to get the Tundra moving in a hurry.
Even though it is a bit on the large side, our test of the 2024 Tundra found it practical and well-equipped, with enough room for the whole family. CrewMax (crew cab) versions of the Tundra are especially spacious, with over 41 inches of legroom in both the front and rear seats, alongside plenty of hip- and headroom for taller passengers too.
The Tundra can get a bit pricey on higher trims, but that's the norm these days amongst full-size trucks. MSRP for the 2026 Tundra ranges from around $44,000 for base trims to over $80,000 for the topped-out Capstone model — we'd recommend one of the mid-range models to balance features and price. The Tundra gets top safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA, with the former giving the Tundra its highest honor of Top Safety Pick+ with top ratings of "Good" in the small overlap, moderate overlap, and side crashworthiness tests. Similarly, the NHTSA gives the Tundra its top overall rating of five stars.
Toyota Tacoma
Toyota
One of the strongest choices in the midsize truck segment and one of the most stalwart pickups you can buy, the Tacoma is a pickup with a lot to offer. The 2026 model continues to offer a standard 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine on base trims, but upper trims get a hybrid system that pushes out as much as 326 hp.
We've driven many different variants of the Toyota Tacoma here at SlashGear, and I've personally compared the Tacoma Trailhunter and TRD Pro on road trips, in city life, and cruising through the mountains. Through that testing, I noticed that the TRD Pro's IsoDynamic seats eat up a lot of rear legroom, so we'd avoid that trim level for buyers who want adequate rear-seat space.
The Tacoma only received four out of five stars for its overall safety rating from the NHTSA, but it received the IIHS' Top Safety Pick designation with top ratings in small overlap and side crashworthiness tests. The Tacoma is significantly less expensive than its full-size sibling, the Tundra. Base prices for the 2026 Tacoma start around $34,000, but top trims can cost around $65,000. A trim level in between the two extremes, like the well-equipped TRD Sport or TRD Off-Road, is likely the sweet spot.
Honda Ridgeline
Honda
Honda's Ridgeline is a unibody pickup, which makes it more like the average car and crossover than body-on-frame trucks like the Tacoma, Tundra, and F-150. Some truck enthusiasts may dismiss rigs like the Honda Ridgeline because of this difference, but I'm of the firm belief that families will benefit from the virtues they provide. I've driven several different Ridgelines over the years, and they've always been comfortable, with excellent ride quality and impressive handling capabilities.
The second row of the Ridgeline is also properly spacious compared to most midsize trucks, and our most recent test of the Ridgeline Trailsport showcased just how flexible the Honda pickup is for everyday use. It also has lots of small innovative features like its in-bed trunk, which can be used for gear storage, tailgating (fill it up with ice then drain it out later), or even washing out items like used wetsuits after a day of surfing at the beach. The Honda's tailgate also opens in multiple directions, allowing for the loading of small items deep into the bed without having to climb up.
The Ridgeline hasn't been rated recently by the IIHS, with the 2017 model the last one it tested. However, the NHTSA gives the 2025 model five out of five stars for overall safety. Depending on trim level, the 2026 Ridgeline will cost between $42,000 and $49,000.
Hyundai Santa Cruz
Hyundai
While some may stick to their purist ideals and say that the Hyundai Santa Cruz is not a proper pickup, I'd fully disagree. I spent time testing the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz, and it proved totally competent as a run-around truck. It has a usable bed area and lots of utilitarian features, and it's one of my favorite small trucks in recent years. It's also excellent if you need some of the utility of a truck but want something that maximizes comfort and everyday usability. After all, not everyone needs 10,000 pounds of towing capacity.
On top of all those virtues, the Santa Cruz is relatively small from nose to tail, so it's a lot easier to maneuver around corners. It'll also be much easier to find parking in crowded cities than it would be in something like the Tundra or the F-150. The Ford Maverick is the chief competitor for the Santa Cruz, and while it has a lot to offer, it's a bit less refined on the inside than the Santa Cruz. The Maverick also has less-impressive safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA, so it didn't earn a spot on this list. Meanwhile, the Santa Cruz gets a top five-star safety rating from NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS. The 2026 Santa Cruz is priced reasonably, with models starting at approximately $30,000 and topping out at $45,000 or so.
Our methodology
Ford
For a truck to earn a spot on this list, it had to be spacious, well-equipped, and capable of performing basic truck tasks. There were no size restrictions, but heavy-duty trucks weren't considered because of their primary focus on capability rather than comfort. Heavy-duty trucks also aren't rated for safety or fuel economy estimates, so it's hard to evaluate them for family-friendliness.
Trucks were also judged by safety ratings. While not every truck on this list gets the highest possible scores from both the IIHS and NHTSA, they all received impressive ratings from at least one of the two safety organizations. Finally, as mentioned earlier, we combined all of this data with our experience of the trucks. Since these trucks are from different size categories and segments, they are listed in no particular order.
