3 Across in Toyota 4Runner

I currently own 6 carseats. They are:

(2) Britax Marathons – convertible carseats
(2) Evenflo Triumphs – convertible carseats
(2) Graco Snugride bases for an infant seat (with 1 infant seat)

I have two children right now, ages 3 (front facing) and 19 months (still rear facing), who ride in the Britax Marathons in my car, which is a 2004 Toyota 4Runner. When riding with my husband, who has a 2002 Chevy Silverado Truck with a backseat, they use the Evenflo Triumph carseats. I am pregnant and due in mid July. My concern is how am I going to fit three carseats in the back of my car?

What type of configuration, of the carseats I currently own, will fit in the back of a 2004 4Runner? I have read about the Sunshine Kids Radian carseat, which is supposed to fit three across in the backseat. Before purchasing more carseats, I thought I would post to this website the experience someone may have with fitting three carseats in the backseat of a midsize vehicle. Are there other carseats that I can try, besides the Sunshine Kids Radian carseat that might also fit back there?

By the way, my children are very small - my 3-year old is only 29 lbs. and my 19 month old is only 21 lbs.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Melissa W.

I'm not sure what you could fit, but in the backseat of my ford focus I can fit 2 rearfacing Marathons and a forwardfacing Radian, and I am almost positive that you would be able to fit 3 Radians across, that is if you can get a good install. Chances are you probably only have latch in the outboard positions, and then you would have to use a seat belt installation for one of the seats, which some people have found quite hard. It's worth a shot though. If you can find a store that will let you try the install in your vehicle before purchasing, you could play around with it, and see if it is worth your money.

In the 2004 4 runner you need to check the manual if you haven't already. There is LATCH in the two outboard positions and a seatbelt in the middle. However the manual specifically says that if you have a carseat installed with LATCH on the drivers side you CAN NOT use the seatbelt in the center. So, you can only use LATCH on the passenger side of your vehicle since you will obviously be using the seatbelt in the center.

I have no idea why, but it's in the manual. Although it does have 3 tether anchors which I thought was awesome.

As far as what you can fit, I think your best bet will be a Radian. Although you might be able to puzzle another Marathon if the forward facing one was in the middle. Have you tried putting two Marathons and the Snugride in the 4runner?? Just make sure you can actually attach the snugride to the base once it's installed. I'd try that first and maybe go to babies r us and try a 3rd Marathon.

My SIL will be down here with her 4 runner in a couple of weeks and I can check it out a little more for you if you don't have a solution by then.

Amanda – That’s good to hear that you can fit three carseats (including 2 Marathons) in a Ford Focus. Since I already have 2 Marathons, I would like to keep them if possible and only purchase one Radian. Exactly how are your carseats configured? Where is the Radian and where are the Marathons?

Chelsae – I will check the owners manual, since I haven’t yet. I have not tried to fit what I currently own in my car yet. In the past, I have never been able to fit a rearfacing Marathon next to a Snugride, where the Snugride sits in the middle. I’m not sure why, it’s what the past two firemen said during my carseat installation (I go to the local fire station and have the trained firemen put them in). There is a Safety fair close to my house on May 12 with a Car Seat Safety Check, so I can see if they can help me as well. But if I don’t find a solution by then that would be great if you can check out your SIL’s 4Runner. In the meantime, I’ll read the manual.

Melissa

We have a 2007 Toyota 4-Runner and often use it to take our 3 grandkids in their car seats. We've fit a Graco with a drinkholder on the right rear side, a Britax in the center, and a rear-facing Graco with removable base on the left rear. After the little one was turned to face forward, she moved into the Britax, and her 6-yr old sister moved to a booster seat on the left rear side. Rear hiproom is 57.5 in across .