How Do Car Seats Fit in a 2019 Toyota Sequoia?
Editor’s note: This Car Seat Check was written in March 2018 about the 2018 Toyota Sequoia. Little of substance has changed with this year’s model. See what’s new for 2019 or check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years.
The verdict: The Toyota Sequoia is a full-size SUV that’s made for hauling big families — or smaller families with big boats or campers. With seating for up to eight, this SUV can handle quite a few kiddos and their car seats, and thanks to its many cubbies, there are lots of places to tuck away all the stuff that comes with those kids. Our test Sequoia had second-row captain’s chairs, creating seating for seven occupants.
Does it fit three car seats in the second row? No
Take a look at how the Latch system and each car seat scored below in our Car Seat Check of the 2019 Toyota Sequoia.
Related: Search Car Seat Checks
A Grade
- Third-row forward-facing convertible: We used a seat belt to install this car seat in the third row. The forward-facing convertible fit well; the tether anchor was easy to find and use.
- Third-row access: Using the top lever on the captain’s chairs, the seatback folds forward and the whole seat slides forward, creating a wide walkway to the third row.
B Grade
- Infant seat: We had to move the front passenger seat forward an inch to fit the rear-facing infant seat behind it. The 5-foot, 8-inch passenger’s knee room was unaffected. The lower Latch anchor problems were a concern for connection.
- Rear-facing convertible: This rear-facing car seat had plenty of room, but the lower Latch anchor problems weighed into its lower grade.
- Forward-facing convertible: In the second row, this car seat fit well in the Sequoia, but the confusing lower Latch anchors and hard-to-find top tether anchor contributed to its B grade.
- Booster: After we removed the head restraint, this car seat fit well in the second row. The only hiccup with this seat is the floppy seat belt buckles: An elastic band keeps the buckle flush with the seat cushion, but we think this combination will make it tough for young kids in booster seats to grasp the buckle.
- Third-row booster seat: In the third row, the booster seat fit well, but the seat belt buckles are floppy.
C Grade
- Latch: In the second row, the lower Latch anchors sit under a leather flap that must be folded down to access them, but also under this slap is a piece of metal seat hardware that many parents may mistake for a Latch anchor. The tether anchors are found at the base of the captain’s chairs. They’re hard to find unless you’re looking for them. Many parents could forget to use this important safety feature.
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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