The 2026 4Runner scores a B for both the infant seat and the rear-facing convertible, and the reason is front passenger legroom: Cars.com had to move the front seat up, leaving a 5-foot-6-inch passenger's knees close to the glove box. Notably, it no longer fits three car seats, which its predecessor generation did.
Compiled by our gear team from Cars.com's Car Seat Check. Published July 18, 2026. Car seat fit findings from Cars.com's Car Seat Check, conducted by certified child passenger safety technicians. Cars.com performed this check on a 2025 Toyota 4Runner, so confirm the second-row layout on the model year you are buying.
The grades at a glance
| Test | Grade |
|---|---|
| LATCH | A |
| Infant seat | B |
| Rear-facing convertible | B |
| Forward-facing convertible | A |
| Booster | B |
Three car seats across: no. A regression: the previous generation did fit three. Cars.com notes the back seat is wide, but the way the cushion is bolstered and where the buckles sit now stop the middle position taking a car seat.
Where the anchors are
Lower anchors. Two sets under large Velcro flaps, easy to find and use.
Top tethers. Three halfway down the seatbacks, clearly marked for easy connection.
NHTSA recommends always using the top tether with a forward-facing car seat, whether it is installed with the lower anchors or the seat belt, as long as both the car seat manufacturer and the vehicle manufacturer permit it. Check both manuals for your specific combination, and check your car seat's tether weight limit: NHTSA directs you to stop using the tether once your child exceeds it, even while they still fit the seat. Our car seat safety guide covers how to use it.
Infant car seats
Easy to install, but the front passenger seat had to move up, leaving the 5-foot-6-inch passenger's knees close to the glove box.
That matters more than it sounds. In a lot of compact vehicles a rear-facing seat pushes the front passenger forward until the front row is unusable. Browse the infant car seats we carry, and if you are weighing whether a rotating base is worth it, see our comparison of rotating versus standard infant seats.
Convertible car seats
Rear-facing. Also easy, but front passenger legroom took the same hit.
Forward-facing. An A. The head restraint has to come out.
Some vehicles need the head restraint removed or raised to seat a car seat flush against the seatback, and some have fixed restraints that cannot be moved at all. Check your vehicle manual before forcing anything, and note that where a fixed restraint holds the seat off the seatback, that is a fit problem rather than something you can work around. See our convertible seats.
Boosters
Fits well once the head restraint is removed. The driver's side has a buckle on a long stable arm that is easy for kids, but the middle seat's buckle is sunken into the cushion and much tougher to grasp.
Will your stroller fit?
Cars.com's Car Seat Check does not cover cargo, so the stroller guidance here is ours rather than theirs. On a tall SUV, lifting a folded stroller over the load lip is a different motion from sliding it into a wagon, which is worth trying before you buy.
Cubic feet is the wrong number to shop on anyway. What decides whether a stroller fits is its folded footprint against the width between your wheel wells and the height to your cargo cover. A trunk can have generous volume and still refuse a wide fold.
Measure the space you will actually load into, whatever shape it is: how deep it is, its narrowest width (usually between the wheel arches, or between the bed rails on a pickup), and the height of the opening you have to lift over. Then compare against the folded dimensions of whatever you are considering. If the numbers are close, a compact fold like the Cybex Beezy leaves room for everything else; if you have space to spare, a full-size frame like the UPPAbaby Vista V3 earns it back in storage and expandability. Browse all strollers.
Toyota 4Runner takeaway
Worth knowing if you are replacing an older 4Runner expecting the same capability. The new one no longer takes three car seats, and rear-facing seats cost your front passenger real legroom. Fine for one or two children with a shorter front passenger.
Across every vehicle: Which cars fit three car seats · Which cars let kids buckle themselves
More car seat help: Car Seat Safety Guide · All buying guides
Educational information only. This guide is for general education. It is not professional, medical, legal, or safety advice, and it does not create any advisory or professional relationship between you and SugarBabies. You are responsible for the safe selection, installation, and use of any car seat.
How a car seat fits and installs depends on your exact vehicle (its model year, trim, and seating configuration) and your exact car seat model. The instructions that came with your car seat and your vehicle owner’s manual always control. If anything in this article ever conflicts with those instructions, or with current guidance from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), follow the manufacturer instructions, your vehicle manual, and NHTSA, not this article.
Our fit findings are compiled from third-party sources, including independent car seat fit testing performed by Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians and manufacturer specifications, that we believe to be reliable, and we provide all of it “as is.” Specifications, model years, and vehicle configurations change, and we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or current status of any of it. This article does not replace a hands-on check by a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST). If you are near Sumner, Washington, our in-store CPST check is free with every infant seat we sell, and we encourage you to use it or to find a certified technician near you.
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