2011 Toyota Highlander: Car Seat Check
This Car Seat Check was originally published in October 2011 on MotherProof.com.
The 2011 Toyota Highlander is a three-row SUV that appeals to many parents because of its ingenious flexible seating in the second row and its standard third row. The second row has a three-seat bench with a removable center seat that can be stowed in the bottom of the center console. Removing the middle seat creates two captain’s chairs and a walkway to the third row. A center console can be easily installed between the captain’s chairs. The Highlander seats eight.
For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.
Infant-safety seat: The Highlander’s wide, flat seat cushions in the second row also made it easy to install an infant car seat in it. We had plenty of room for this rear-facing car seat.
Third-row access: The Highlander’s second row is split 40/20/40, and the middle seat is removable for easy third-row access. With the second row’s middle seat in place, the second-row seats can slide forward to create a narrow pathway. If a child-safety seat is installed in the outboard position, it could be difficult for a child to easily get to the third row.
Editor’s note: For three car seats — infant-safety seat, convertible and booster seats — to fit in a car, our criterion is that a child sitting in the booster seat must be able to reach the seat belt buckle. Parents should also remember that they can use the Latch system or a seat belt to install a car seat.
