A used truck is the best family vehicle for one reason above all else: practicality. There are a lot of snazzy options out there - luxury SUVs with quilted leather upholstery and all-electric cars that shun oil - but none meets the challenges of your daily reality quite like a used pickup truck. Unconvinced? You won't be for long. Here are some of the biggest reasons why your next family vehicle needs to be a used pickup.
Passenger Space Galore
You wouldn't buy a family vehicle that didn't have enough passenger space, obviously. And today's used trucks are roomy. If you've got a spouse, two kids, and a 90-pound dog, a crew cabin will even leave you with a healthy amount of wiggle room.
Pickups = Outdoor Adventure and Togetherness
Ever tried to load up your luxury camping gear into a Tesla? We didn't think so. It probably won't harbor your huge tent or full-size bed, let alone your outdoor oven. But you know what will? A used truck. You can load all of that stuff into your used truck and then some. There's even room for extensive sports gear, like your skis or scuba supplies. But the best part of all of this gear-ready practicality is that you get to head out into the wilderness for fun times with your family.
Speed Past the Competition
If it's been a while since you hopped behind the wheel of a pickup truck, you might be surprised to learn that modern used trucks are fast. It's probably harder to find a truck that won't be quick to get you up to speed than the other way around. Trust us - you'll never dread a highway merge or passing maneuver in a used truck.
Safety First
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety studies show that heavier cars fare better in accidents. (https://www.edmunds.com/car-safety/are-smaller-cars-as-safe-as-large-cars.html) More specifically, heavier vehicles push back on smaller ones in a collision, which means the occupants in the heavier car feel less force during the impact. But a truck is more than just the biggest guy at the brawl. After the 2015 F-150 became the first truck to earn five stars overall in government crash tests, other automakers couldn't upgrade their trucks' safety standards fast enough. Now you'll find pristine crash performance all over this segment.
Used Pickups Are Cheap
Don't overspend on a luxury car that has less interior space and practicality than a pickup. Instead, buy an affordable used truck and open a college fund for your kid. Besides its family-friendly practicality, your used pickup has a lot to offer for the money - like four-wheel-drive off-roading skills and the ability to tow and haul more weight than a luxury SUV could ever dream.