Editor’s note: This Car Seat Check was written in September 2019 about the 2019 Toyota 4Runner. Little of substance has changed with this year’s model. See what’s new for 2020 or check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years.
The verdict: The rugged Toyota 4Runner SUV is the kind of vehicle that can handle just about anything — on- and off-road — and it turns out that its backseat is just as capable when it comes to pulling family duty. The Toyota 4Runner has standard seating for five (an optional third row increases capacity to seven), and it easily fit three car seats across its second row. We tested the two-row version, and it earned high marks across the board for its roominess and accessible Latch system.
Does it fit three car seats? Yes
Take a look at how the Latch system and each car seat scored below in our Car Seat Check of the 2020 Toyota 4Runner.
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A Grade
- Latch: Two sets of lower anchors sit in slits in the leather and are accessible; the seat reclines for even better access. Three top tether anchors sit near the top of the seatbacks; they’re clearly marked and easy to use.
- Infant: This seat was easy to install in the Toyota 4Runner and our 5-foot-6-inch front passenger had ample legroom.
- Rear-facing convertible: Again, this seat was easy to install in the SUV and our front passenger again had abundant legroom.
- Forward-facing convertible: Installation was easy, and the seat fit well and had ample room after we removed the head restraint.
- Booster: After removing the head restraint, this seat also fit well. The Toyota 4Runner’s buckles are on stable bases, which should make them easier for kids to grasp and use independently.
B Grade
- None
C Grade
- None
About Cars.com’s Car Seat Checks
Editors Jennifer Geiger, Jennifer Newman and Matt Schmitz are certified child safety seat installation technicians.
For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide Classic Connect 30 infant-safety seat, a Britax Marathon convertible seat and Graco TurboBooster seat. The front seats are adjusted for a 6-foot driver and a shorter passenger. The three child seats are installed in the second row. The booster seat sits behind the driver’s seat, and the infant and convertible seats are installed behind the front passenger seat.
We also install the forward-facing convertible in the second row’s middle seat with the booster and infant seat in the outboard seats to see if three car seats will fit; a child sitting in the booster seat must be able to reach the seat belt buckle. If there’s a third row, we install the booster seat and a forward-facing convertible. Learn more about how we conduct our Car Seat Checks.
Parents should also remember that they can use the Latch system or a seat belt to install a car seat, and that Latch anchors have a weight limit of 65 pounds, including the weight of the child and the weight of the seat itself.
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