It can be very difficult to remove the rear seats from your Toyota Fortuner if you don’t have the proper tools. To remove the fasteners that secure each car seat, you will want a 14mm socket wrench, preferably with a short extension. On each side of the vehicle, a plastic-covered, hinge-like device holds the seats to the vehicle (one for each seat).
You must carry out the following in order to remove the rear Toyota Fortuner seats:
- Utilizing the hook at the bottom of your Toyota Fortuner seats, lift the seats and fasten them to the grab grip. By doing this, you can avoid having them unintentionally fall on you once you loosen their bolts.
- Remove the two panels from the 2 against the car’s back wall, next to the seat. The middle plastic portion, which has two black buttons on it, makes the cover easy to identify. To shimmy the covers off, apply gentle upward pressure.
- Remove the cover you unfastened, lower the seatback to the ground, and secure it.
- By placing your hand behind the exposed seat-hinge mechanism and gently pressing toward you, you can remove the little rectangular cover in its center.
- Repeat the previous process to remove the remaining cover piece.
- One last plastic piece will be attached to two metal parts on the left and right sides of the hinge mechanism (near where the now-visible bolts are). By releasing the plastic’s clips from the metal components and moving the plastic slightly forward, you can remove this. You shouldn’t remove the entire piece.
- The bolts on either side of the frame can be removed with your 14mm socket wrench.
- Back up the seat once again. Be sure to secure the seat’s clasp once more.
- To access the final bolt, remove the center cover that is obstructing it. Lightly push and tug it until it releases from the restrictions.
- Lower the seatback. You should now be able to see the final bolt by looking down into the machine.
- Finally, remove the last bolt with your 14mm socket wrench.
One seat will be totally free of the housing and prepared for removal at this point. You can now create some substantial trunk space in your Toyota Fortuner by simply repeating the method for the opposite seat.
When working on your car, you run the risk of breaking something you can’t fix, which may cost you all of your funds. A Fortuner can be spent on most repairs, but with the correct insurance, you won’t have to worry about any unintentional pops or snaps.
In This Article...
BabyDrive Verdict
The Crusade version of the Toyota Fortuner was the one I drove. A large seven-seat off-road vehicle.
I discovered that the top tether anchorages were only in the second-row seats, making it impossible for me to install kid seats in the third row. Additionally, it is difficult to access and connect to the outer two top tether anchorages because they are located practically directly underneath the seat cushions on the bottom of the seat backs. Additionally, the third row passengers may find it uncomfortable to have both a top tether strap and a central seatbelt coming from the ceiling in front of their faces. The central top tether anchoring is located in the ceiling in the middle above the third row passengers’ heads.
The Fortuner slopes in toward the top of the vehicle, making the second row too narrow to fit three forward-facing child seats with padded head protection across the width. The combination of two forward-facing child seats and one rear-facing child seat did, however, fit.
Additionally, I discovered that when three kid seats are fitted, I must remove two of them to access the third-row seats.
The third row of seats can be folded up to the sides of the trunk, creating a roomy area for fitting prams, groceries, and dogs.
When the vehicle is completely empty and only five passengers are occupied, the boot can accommodate seventeen shopping bags, matching the capacity of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, the Nissan Patrol, the Ford Everest, and the Haval H9.
The fact that all stroller and pram sizes fit when using five seats AND all seven seats is excellent, and I was also able to store some shopping bags inside.
Additionally, there is plenty of storage within the cabin thanks to the Fortuner’s four front cup holders! Two of these protrude from the dash’s ends, and there are two more in the console up front. Two fold-down armrests are located in the middle of each seat in the second row, while the third row also features storage areas on either side of the seats.
The Toyota Fortuner’s media system does feel old. Due to its simplicity and lack of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, the system is rather simple to use.
The model I tried had a good interior for a car of this price, with red and black contrast upholstery. Nevertheless, parts of the plastic panels did feel a little cheap to me, and the center console and dash are covered in many buttons that, in more contemporary vehicles, are now managed by a screen on the media system.
Even though the Toyota Fortuner’s engine is fairly noisy and somewhat resembling a tractor, it’s still fun to drive!
In 2015, the ANCAP awarded the Toyota Fortuner a five-star safety certification. It comes standard with seven airbags. To protect the second and third rows of seats, the side curtain airbags extend. Only the first and second rows of seats have seatbelt reminders.
BabyDrive Indepth – Storage
How functional is the Toyota Fortuner’s storage? Which strollers and crates will fit within the Toyota Fortuner’s trunk?
The center console box in the Toyota Fortuner is quite large. The lid serves as your armrest, and the base is lined to prevent keys and other items from rattling around.
In the two cup holders that are located in front of the gear lever, I can accommodate both a disposable coffee cup and my new, reusable Luxey Cup.
There is a small area I discovered in front of those for sticking my phone into, and there are USB, AUX, and 12V outlets above it.
Both front visors have illuminated vanity mirrors, and there is a beautifully lined sunglasses holder in the ceiling to prevent scratches on your lenses.
There are two additional removable cup holders on the dash, one at either end of the dash board. I used these to hold my new Luxey Cup and a throwaway coffee cup both fit perfectly in them.
Two glove compartments are available, one in the standard location and the other generously positioned above it in the dashboard.
My wallet and the iPad fit neatly in the lower one, and a pocketbook and phone could easily go in the upper one.
My large refillable water bottle and an iPad would fit in the front door bins, which are of a fair size.
Storage is still good at the back. There are small fold-out bag hooks that I found quite helpful for hanging my daughter’s daycare bag and lunch bag onto so they wouldn’t slide around the footwell as well as map pockets on the backs of both front seats that will accommodate an iPad but not conceal it.
In addition to a 12V socket and a three-prong plug socket, the central console storage box also has a small storage well.
The door bins in the second row are just as useful; they can accommodate an iPad and a sizable refillable water bottle.
There is a fold-down armrest with two pop-out cup holders in the center of the seatback. They are a little more difficult to use than a solid cup holder, and I can see kids becoming overly enthusiastic and breaking them over time. Both my new reusable Luxey Cup and a throwaway coffee cup fit inside of them comfortably.
A sizable refillable water bottle fits on both sides and rattles around in both of these spacious spaces.
When only five seats are in use and the third row seats are pushed up to the sides of the boot, the Toyota Fortuner has a fairly big boot. To protect the metal bars in the boot floor that the chairs connect to, you can place a rubber pad over it. Large dogs could fit comfortably, and you could change a baby’s diaper in an emergency on the rubber surface!
When employing five seats, the boot could accommodate seventeen bags, matching the capacity of the Haval H9 and the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado while falling five short of the Nissan Patrol and one less than the Ford Everest.
Six shopping bags can fit across the boot even when all seven seats are occupied.
Without any baggage, the Britax Flexx tandem stroller balances awkwardly.
BabyDrive Indepth – Noise
Although the Toyota Fortuner’s media system is antiquated, I found it to be user-friendly because of how straightforward it is. I appreciate how the home screen is divided into a map and other functions, allowing you to reach any of them simply pressing on it. However, I really wish it weren’t so traditional. It’s unfortunate that it doesn’t support Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
For a car of this size, the reversing camera image is rather pixellated and undersized.
I discovered that although I couldn’t turn down the volume, I could alter the voice’s verbosity level under the media screen settings.
After becoming a father, I quickly realized that there are some noises and sounds I could live without if it meant that my child would stay asleep.
That frequently my crying, upset infant is a bigger distraction when driving than, say, not having a lane departure warning.
Which is the safest option if my kid is distressed by the lane departure warning beeping?
It’s at this point that I believe we need to be able to strike a balance and decide when we may turn off the alerts or switch to something else, like a vibration in the steering wheel or possibly a flashing light?
Many of these noises are a result of the development of technology, particularly those associated with alerts and safety measures. These all have their place in my opinion.
Another thing I’ve noticed is that I spend a lot more time in locations where young children congregate, such as parks, beaches, play areas, swimming lessons, childcare facilities, etc. I’m more conscious now that I need to triple check for little children when I’m reversing or maneuvering in the parking lots since they may be running about behind me or in my blind area. I adore reverse cameras for this, but I detest their beeping noises!
I enjoy the peace of mind I get from the cameras and sensors paired with my personal view from windows and mirrors because I don’t trust cameras alone. Since having a child, I have been much more alert of safety and potential mishaps or hazards.
The Toyota Fortuner’s indicators are not too loud and won’t wake my sleeping baby.
Since becoming a mother, I have spent a LOT of time parking my car somewhere with a great view and leaving my daughter in the backseat to sleep. I must keep the air conditioner and engine going in hot weather, but I do like getting out to have my cup of tea in the fresh air while appreciating the fact that my limbs are no longer attached to such dangling child.
This test is crucial because I have discovered that sometimes when I have removed my seatbelt or opened the door while the engine was still running, a car’s BEEPING alarms have held me captive! (I don’t have a nasty mother, I just stand outside the car!)
Behind the right side of the steering wheel is a stalk with the cruise control buttons. They are not too difficult to use, but I discovered that they were inaccurate at 60 km/h on undulating roads and sped away from themselves when traveling down hills.
Despite feeling a little tractor-like and having a noisy engine, I like driving the Toyota Fortuner because of its comfort and superior vantage points. However, I found that most large seven-seat off-road vehicles share this characteristic.
Unfortunately, the seatbelt removal alert is just for the first and second rows. Since you can’t see the passengers in the third row, you definitely want to know if they have taken their seatbelts off.
How many child seats fit in the Toyota Fortuner?
I was unable to install any kid seats in the third row because there are no top tether anchorages there. There are top tether anchorages for all three seats in the second row. They are nearly underneath the backrests of the outside two chairs and are quite challenging to get to.
The two outside seats in the back seats each have an ISOFix point. When installing child seats, they are pleasant and simple to connect to as they are contained behind plastic instructions.
It would be very uncomfortable for the third-row passengers to have all those straps across their faces if you were utilizing both the central seat anchor point and the seatbelt, which are both positioned in the ceiling centrally between the third-row passengers’ heads.
The two outside second-row seats have ISOfix points, which are rather simple to connect to despite not being inside plastic guidelines.
The second row of the Toyota Fortuner may accommodate a combination of two forward-facing and one rear-facing kid seats.
The Fortuner narrows toward the top of the car, thus it is not wide enough at the top to allow all those side head protectors, therefore I discovered that three forward-facing child seats would not fit! You might be able to get three forward-facing slimline child seats, but you would need to test them first.
I discovered that you needed to remove two child seats in order to access the third row with three child seats installed. The second row seats are divided 60:40, and removing the kid seat and the middle seat is required to move the 40% split seat forward, which is really not practicable on a daily basis. To avoid having to remove the child seats from the second row, someone I know uses one of the third-row seats and enters the vehicle through the boot.
I had no issue putting my baby in or taking her out of a forward-facing or rear-facing child seat because the doors are lovely and broad and tall. Even inside the car, it was fine.
Due to the harsh weather in Australia (scorching sun and pouring rain), you might find it occasionally simpler to buckle Baby into their seat from inside the vehicle. If it’s hot outside, you can turn on the air conditioning to chill the car while you secure the kids in, or you can find cover from the rain to avoid getting wet while you do it if it’s raining. Therefore, it’s crucial to test whether installing Bub is simple from any direction.
If there is only one kid seat fitted, there is space in the back to nurse a baby. The seats on the type I examined were covered in a leather-like material that was quite easy to clean.
How comfortable is the Toyota Fortuner? And How good is the Toyota Fortuner to drive?
The front seats in the Toyota Fortuner Crusade are cozy, heated, and covered in a smooth red and black leather-like material that would be simple to clean of crumbs and spills from kids.
Although the headrests are fixed, I discovered that I could wear my hair in a ponytail in the front seat.
No new mother has ever stated, “I spent hours styling my hair this morning to get this ponytail just right too!”
In addition to illuminated vanity mirrors in both front visors, there is a glasses case in the ceiling.
The second-row passengers can access a light in the ceiling above the front seats from the driver’s seat. Additionally, there is one above the third-row seats.
Tulsi dislikes driving in the dark, so if it becomes dark while we’re moving, I reach back and switch on the interior light for her. So it’s crucial for me to be able to access the back ceiling light.
Additionally, if I’m driving home and it’s almost time for bed, I DEFINITELY DO NOT WANT HER TO SLEEP IN THE CAR AS EVEN A FIVE-MINUTE NAP IN THE CAR MEANS OVER WITH MATINEE TIME!!! To avoid the darkness and to attempt to keep her awake, I lean back and turn on the light. Along with shouting and singing hysterically!!!
Additionally, having lights above the doors, where the handles are typically located, is helpful. When vision is bad, these are useful for placing babies in their car seats because you can do it without having to reach across them to a centrally located light, etc.
The seats are cozy on the sides for a mother traveling in the back with a baby. The seat back armrest in the middle can be uncomfortable, and since the third-row center seatbelt originates from the ceiling, there are two buckles on it that could irritate your buttocks.
It’s crucial to evaluate the rear seat comfort as you may be spending a lot of time in them because for Tulsi’s first year of life, if I wasn’t driving, I would travel in the back with Tulsi when we went out as a family! I never gave them much thought before, but now I can tell when a rear seat is good or poor.
I discovered that even though I am 162 cm, I could fit in the third-row seats with a rear-facing child seat in the second row since they are nice and roomy and comfortable.
Because the steering wheel could only be adjusted up and down and not in and out, it can be more difficult for people of varied heights to find a comfortable position.
The front dashboard has four air conditioning vents: two in the center, one at each end, and one spherical vent in the middle. Both the second and third rows of seats in the back have ceiling-mounted air vents, which is fantastic for keeping the backseat passengers cool in the summer. The disadvantage of this design is that youngsters who are facing the back can be exposed to frigid air.
The dashboard’s controls are centralized and convenient to utilize while driving.
Both of the back doors include knobs that are conveniently placed to hang a child’s toy.
When the Toyota Fortuner is filled with child seats, it can be difficult to see out of the back window. With forward-facing child seats installed, you do get a fantastic view out the side thanks to the nice, big side windows. When parking and maneuvering, the reverse camera is a huge aid.
One thing I’ve observed since becoming a mother is that I detest it when I arrive at a location or return home from an outing and Tulsi has either behaved admirably in the car or is screaming uncontrollably, in which case I have done admirably to maintain composure throughout the entire journey (usually the latter!). and parking the car takes ten minutes! It could cause a lot of tension. The Toyota Fortuner was relatively simple to park, which is something I rarely say about new automobiles because they take longer in our little apartment building parking lot.
The Toyota Fortuner is a large vehicle with good aesthetics for its price and good off-road performance. It would be a more useful seven seater if the child seat installation was better for family use and could more easily accommodate three child seats. For the budget, the interior detail is good, and it has branded carpet floor mats all over.