3rd Row Seat Thoughts from a Dad

[WARnr]

My first post. Since I have received so much good information about my 4R here, I figured I would contribute something.

I thought long and hard, and researched a fair amount about this option, before buying my 4R. After owning my 2006 SR5 for a year, here are some thoughts for those who are considering this feature.

Pros-

You can shove 7 people in a 4Runner
You don't have to buy a minivan
You can seperate fighting kids
Kids under 10 can stay back there for road trips, under 12 or so for a few hours.
You can give a larger number of people rides in a pinch (came in handy in a recent snow storm!)
Great for carpooling kids
The third row is comfortable for 1 adult for a up to a few hours
Both the 2nd and 3rd row seats recline!
Get a Thule or Yakima carrier, and you are set for 2 adults/4 kids (or 3 kids and 2 guinea pigs!) for a long road trip
The 3rd row tucks away nicely giving you most of the room of a 4R without the 3rd row.
The 3rd row is easy to remove completely
It is a great selling point to convince your husband/wife that you need a new car!
You can occasionally cart around 7 people, but still have a car that is relatively sporty and easy to park

Cons-

The 3rd row is not easy to get in and out of (but not hard either)
You can't order the nicest sound system with it (takes up room where the amp is I think)
The 3rd row is tight for teenagers and adults, and only suitable for short distances
With the 3rd row seats down, you have very little storage available (but enough for 6-8 grocery bags)
If you regularly haul a ton in the back of your 4R, you will miss some of the lost capacity even with the seats folded up (maybe 10%).
The option can be hard to find. Here in the Norhtwest, there are maybe 14 Toyota dealers in the area. I think I had 3 4R's in the whole area with the 3rd row option.
I REALLY wish you could get the Sport Edition with the 3rd row seats

If you have 2-4 kids, some or all of whom are under 12 years old, this is an invaluable option. Especially if you cannot stomach a minivan. Even if I had 1 young kid I would consider it. Baseball teams, soccer clubs, and gymnastics are always around the corner. As a dad with 3 under 12, I can't imagine not having the extra row. If I had no kids, or kids that were teenagers or older, I would probably pass on the 3rd row.

FYI.......

 

[Mark86]

That is a great summary. In NJ, I think I have seen three SR5's with third row. You can't get third row on a sport because it comes standard with XREAS suspension.

 

[Uneek]

I saw a 06 or 07 Limited V6 4WD with the third row and nav last weekend up in the Sierras. It was bought from the same dealer I got mine from. Along with that there was a 06 or 07 SR5 V6 4WD with third row seats. Those two along with the SR5 near my house are the only ones I've seen with third row seating.

I don't have third row seating, if I needed the capacity, I'll get a Sienna. Even Sequoia's third is tough to get in and out of for adults. But I agree with everything you said about those seats.

I didn't see the owners, otherwise I'll ask them if they're members of the forum. If not, then inform them about it and have them join.

 

[ginkang]

I have a Canadian 04 FourR Limited with a 3rd seat option. Yes, it has the X-REAS shocks but not the rear-air suspension. I bought this model because you can fit 7 ppl. I usually drive WITHOUT the 3rd row seats but once in a while my sister

 

[TRBenj]

The 3rd row is actually a fairly common option in the northeast. I would have considered a truck with this option if it werent for one thing: on trucks equipped with the 3rd row, the 2nd row doesnt appear to fold flat.

This would seriously detract from the storage area if you ever fold the 2nd row.

 

[hermes]

WARnr - thanks for the posting. It's nice to see a post about the 3rd row with real information.

We have '01 4Runner right now and are thinking heavily about adding another and the third row seat is one of the main reasons. Have you used child seats in the back? If so, how was the fit?

thanks

 

[TRBenj]

TRBenj --

On the 4Runner the second seats in question actually do fold "flat" so to speak. The picture you show has the seats folded down. From that position they each tilt up to fit flush against the drivers & passengers seats. It's completely easy to do in one motion, and allows passengers access to the back seats as well as giving you flat space for cargo.

I'm saying all this assuming the "truck" you're talking about is the 4Runner, and that's a picture you had found of one . . . if you were talking about a different vehicle, then disregard everything I said -- and yes . . . I'm an idiot.


Jonas-

Yes, I was talking about the 4Runner.

I have never actually played with one with 3rd row seats, but in the pictures I have seen, the area under the 2nd row doesnt appear to be flat. Rather, it looks like the cargo area floor angles down to the 2nd row floor. Plus, because the entire seat has to fold forward, it cuts into the cargo area that much more.

I dont doubt they work great to allow access to the 3rd row- Im sure they were designed just for that purpose. I wasnt willing to sacrifice anything with the cargo compartment, so I ruled out any trucks with this option. Maybe its not as bad as I thought, not having seen one in person.

If it kept you from getting a minivan, then this option must have been a godsend!

 

[WARnr]

Hi,

I can't speak to this since my youngest is past child seat age. I also had an older 4R before this one, a 2000. I put 100K on that one. The newer generation is a big improvement. One thing I noticed is the width. There was a time that I had 3 child seats in the back of my 2000, and I had to specifically buy narrow child seats. Even then, everything had to align perfectly to get the doors to shut!

Looking at it, I can see no reason why a child seat would not fit in the 3rd row. In fact, it looks like two would fit easily.

One nice configuration is this: Have the 3rd row down with two people sitting in it, and the big part of the 2nd row folded up. The 2 kids in the back feel like they are in a limo, since they can really stretch out. Keeps them distracted and happy! Alternatively, it lets mom stretch out in the 3rd row next to the baby.

Good luck.

 

[jyang]

I have purchased 07 SR5 V8 4WD with 3rd row over the Xmas. I live in Northern California and this was the only V8 with 3rd row seat when I was buying. Dealer searched all overNorthern California found one V6 an done V8 with 3rd row.
We got this 4 runner to pull my boat and my wife need to take the kids to different activies (soccer mom). I have 3 and 5 years old boys. We have put 2 childs booster seats in 3rd row and it's perfect fit. My five year old can even touch the floor and he really loved it. No more dangling feet.
One thing about child seat in 3rd tow is I have climb in and bucklet them up. But with 2nd row fold down and flipped over, there is plant of room for me to climb it and bucklet them up. Overall, we are very happy with our T4R. I can pull my toy and wife still can take the kids to things.

 

[JungleJim]

Speeking as Dad, I would not put a child in any third row. The third rows of vehicles are not evaluated in crash tests. If they were, I'm sure a lot of people would think twice before riding in them.

The safety of my children is much more important than the convenience. Prove to me that the third row is just as safe as the second row, then I would have no problem letting them ride back there. Until then, I don't want them riding in anyone's third row.

 

[boston_kevin]

Speeking as Dad, I would not put a child in any third row. The third rows of vehicles are not evaluated in crash tests. If they were, I'm sure a lot of people would think twice before riding in them.

The safety of my children is much more important than the convenience. Prove to me that the third row is just as safe as the second row, then I would have no problem letting them ride back there. Until then, I don't want them riding in anyone's third row.

So if someone has 3 kids, and you can't fit the 3rd kid in between two car seats, they should sit where??? If you look at the 3rd row of the 4Runner vs the 3rd row of a minivan, they sit about the same distance from the glass, the only difference is that the bumper of the 4Runner is higher which should take the brunt of the damage vs the tailgate of a minivan. Suburbans and Tahoes have had 3rd rows for years with no significant injuries reported from riding in the 3rd row. If they were so unsafe, you would see a lot more reports about this. And, starting last year, the 3rd rows are now being evaluated in crash tests...

 

[leftyrb]

My 2004 SR5 had the 3rd row seats. I never did use them, and only re-installed when I went to trade my vehicle in on my 2005 Limited. I did learn that perhaps my 2004 was worth more than 'book' value, due to the rarity of the 3rd row seats. Eventually, I did receive more than originally offered, due to the vehicle catering to a family. So ... despite not initially wanting the 3rd row, it paid off at trade in time!

 

[ginkang]

Ginkang --

How do you use the IR headphones with the radio??? I have been trying to figure that out myself. I'm not sure if I just have different headphones than normal (mine came with the rear-seat DVD players), or if I just can't figure it out. I would love to not have to listen to my daughters teeny-bopper music 24/7!

Jonas-

To Jonas,

Mine does not have a near-seat DVD player. I got mine without the DVD player option because it does not play the DIVX format. Maybe your DVD player option does not play FM radio. It's easy to figure it out on mine (pushing the mode button on a remote) so if you can't find the radio, that means you can't get FM radio through your IR headphones. I hope this helps

 

[WARnr]

Regarding Safety with the 3rd Row -

Safety is always very important. Although different cars will exhibit different levels of safety under different conditions, you can drive yourself to drink worrying about exactly what car will perform in what way in any given type of accident (front, rear, side, rollover types).

The 4R is large and fairly heavy. It has a stout frame. Toyota is generally known to engineer well built cars. In looking at the elaborate body reinforcements that were made to the rear floor pan of the 4R (significantly different if you order the 3rd Row Seat; you cannot retrofit factory 3rd Row Seats into a non-factory 3rd Row equipped 4R), you come to the conclusion that someone really thought this installation through.

If you drive your 4R cautiously, and use the safety equipment properly (i.e. use seatbelts, secure children appropriately per their size), I believe that you reasonably mitigate the risk of serious injury.

Sure, I could drive a used Abrahams tank, make my kids wear body armor, and hire an armed escort to be with them at all times. Then they would be much more safe and secure . :

My 2 cents......

 

[mswscco]

We had a car seat and a booster seat in the 3rd row last summer for a trip to Vegas (4 adults and 3 kids). Seats fit without a problem. Most of the time, we stow all the kids in the 2nd row and remove the 3rd row altogether for "stuff"

 

[hermes]

Thanks to all for the input. We want a third row for the ability to carry another kid or two (i.e. friends) or maybe an adult for a short trip here or there. For the most part, my family of four would be fine, but it is nice to have options.

It seems the third row is useful enough when it

 

[boston_kevin]

If there is only one in the third row, they can stretch their legs across the other seat. The third row is best for kids under 10-12, and even includes cup holders in the back.

 

[DreuDamn]

Looking for 3rd row seats for my 06 SR5, beige.
(And 2nd row arm rest and head rests)

Hit me up if you have!

 

[redjeepchick]

third row

I know this original post is old, BUT these are exactly all the reasons why I'm going from my JK 4 door Wrangler to a 4runner. 3 kids under 8, only one in a car seat still (two boosters) and I want to have the option to throw one kid in the back if needed. I currently have a suburban as my daily driver, and am selling that for the 4runner. Just don't need such a huge beast and we offroad a ton. Now the third row folds flat when you don't need it, I'm so excited to get mine as soon as we off with the burb! (Still keeping the JK as additional toy, just don't want my kids to touch when we drive places lol) izza: emoji (because my 4 year old was watching me type and wanted to add it)