Towing capacity
Created July 25, 2005, at 5:27 pm by Anonymous
Does anyone know why these models are incapable of towing a decent amount?
what good is a tow rating of 3,500 lbs when any decent boat is more than 5,000 lbs?
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people don't just tow power boats. utility trailers, cargo racks, etc. i had a 18 foot sail boat for years with an old 1979 economy car that towed very well. the boat was some 1000 pounds.
see ya
It would seem like the towing capacity should be as high for the Toyota Highlander Hybrid as for the normal Highlander, perhaps even higher. After all, the electric motor adds considerable torque when accelerating, right? That's a major component of towing performance.
It woud appear that the hybrid insight would have some information reguarding its towing capacity. if there is any at all? Lets fACE IT EVEN A 50CC SCOOTER CAN TOW!! something? Kirk
Does anyone know how much the Toyota Highlander Hybrid V8 4WD-i can tow? Thanx
Can a mobility scooter be mounted on rear of ford hybrid escape
certainly! into a tow hitch receiver.
see ya
Damn Highlander Hybrids- good for nothing they are...
Ya, a mobility thing-a-ma-bob can be attached to a Ford Escape or Escape Hybrid, but you'll need the "tools", if you GMD
I have a Toyota highlander hybrid when I take off on a hill with a trailer attached, even with less than 2500 lbs. On gravel or snow or ice
UV shuts down and will not move. The engine will not rev or spin the tires. It just sits there until the trailer is disconnected. One time I was pulling a trailer and hit an icy section on the road. The car lost all power and coasted to a stop. There was nothing I could do. My 2nd car drove right up. I had to disconnect the trailer and drive the car up the road and have the trailer towed. Another time I have a small 5’x8’ utility trailer of 1000 lb max capacity with 12” tires. I loaded it with 1000 lbs of firewood. It was on a packed gravel hill. The SUV would move about 1 foot and loose power. I had to go get my gutless ’96 Ford Ranger 4 cyl 2wd to pull it up the hill. Now they seem to take the position that the hybrids are designed to shut down. I purchased this hybrid because it had a towing capacity of 3500 lbs and had a third row seat. It is my concern that this problem represents a safety concern. I know most people are not aware of this problem. The dealer told me they are aware the problem exists I do love the power and comfort of the SUV, but be warned if you stop on a hill on wet pavement. The above is my personal opinion and experience.
The premise of Hybrids..=.. Good/Great MPG...Not towing.:eek:
If your looking for both from one vehicle, your going to be very disappointed.
Any more info on this topic? I am considering this car as a tow vehicle for my 20' boat.
I'm looking for a hybrid SUV to tow my boat too, 5000lbs. I'm underwhelmed about the hybrids, I thought by now we'd see one with some muscle, but its still only for the MPG crowd. Familyfun2 has had the unsatisfied experience I expect we'd see if we towed a boat. Good luck with your search!
Chey now makes a Tahoe Hybrid. It doesn't get the mileage of the Highlander, but it does a lot better than the standard Tahoe. I'm not sure how it tows.
That being said, It may not be practical to tow a boat and try to get good mileage. My advice is get a small cheap car you can use to it's capacity. You will get better mileage than any suv hybrid and keep the miles of your hauler.
yeah i heard about that chevy tahoe hybrid car thing and i am looking forward to it. they say it is a lot different from camry or altima,..i dont know ill check that out.
I'm also looking for a suv with towing capacity to pull our 18ft boat with good gas mileage. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know. Thanks.
The towing capacity for the future generation of hybrid cars must be large to avoid any such problems in the future regarding towing.
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