Yeah, we have a 2010 Highlander and just got a 2011 200-series thinking that it’s going to be a much bigger truck. Specifically, we were looking for a second row that can fit three (3), count ‘em, three baby seats. Good luck! It worked in the Highlander, but my wife almost lost a finger making the Latch connectors work, and I almost lost two fingers trying to un-Latch the seats she had latched.
Lesson No. 1: 200 is bigger than Highlander, but not by much.
Our kids are under 2, under 1, and under 0 — so all three theoretically need convertible seats.
200-series has Latch connectors in the 2nd row passenger seats behind driver and behind passenger, NO dedicated LATCH CONNECTORS for middle seat. There are also Latch connectors with the third row seats.
What we’re experimenting with are D-rings/O-rings/carabiners to extend/multiply the Latch connectors. 300lb rated hardware will do the trick. Be careful, this may or MAY NOT be legal in your state, so after you do an install that you think may work, be sure to stop by a firehouse and the firefighters will do a proper inspection and will let you know the honest-to-goodness truth about what you’ve created. If it’s solid as a rock, they’ll tell you that, and you’ll have peace of mind. If there’s a raised eyebrow at the fire station, chances are, there will be a raised eyebrow (and potentially a ticket) if you’re ever pulled over. ...and at home.
The key thing that emerges from all the threads on different forums is the need to try different seats/configurations, and ideally in real-life settings (with sticky crying kids trying to jump out of their booster seat while another is squeezing a bottle of milk in a fountain onto your spotless sharkskin headliner, while laughing maniacally).
Sequoia and 200-series rigs are awesome family movers, with tons of advantages over competition. Subaru Ascent, Honda Pilot, and the AWD Highlander are also worth a look.
This needs to be said again for emphasis — the only thing that works is what will work for you. For us right now, this has meant getting rid of the third row altogether because we need to be able to throw in a bulky Bob Duallie, with boxes and boxes of diapers and groceries in the back. My wife also has a firm need to be able to reach all three kids from either the drivers’ seat or passengers seat, so the 3-in-a-row configuration is what we are shooting for, even though we can make use of the third row. It just seems easier for US to do it this way at this particular junction.
What we learned though is that these things change VERY quickly. Our goal was to have the ~2 year old in a booster in the middle, the ~1 year old in a convertible behind driver, and the ~0 year old in a back-facing seat behind the main passenger seat. We had it set up that way, with a teddy bear as a temporary occupant in the infant car seat, ahhhhh, how cute, look sweetie, there they will be, awwww ... and listen, sweetheart, they’re giggling and laughing with one another.
... right up until the moment we hear screaming straight out of a Stephen King novel, and we turn around to see the 1 year old clasping a chunk of the 2 year old’s scalp, WHILE the 2 year old was trying to munch on her little sister’s right foot! So, yeah, with a month to go before the 0 year old arrives, the two sisters are sitting at opposite ends of the 2nd row seat, and still managing to fling raisins and milk bottles at one another, despite the laws of physics, and their parents’ extremely stern warnings.
So, good luck, and we are anxious to learn what YOUR seating solution will be.
We’re also seriously considering extending the chassis to get some more interior room. It’s a HUGE project. But so is raising kids from 1 and 2 year old wannabe cannibals to responsible young folks who will one day be cleaning and cherishing the family ‘Cruiser and asking to take it on weekend adventures and whatnot.
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