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Prius as a Tow Car

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Honda03842, Mar 12, 2011.

  1. Honda03842

    Honda03842 New Member

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    We presently tow a 2500# trailer, a Scamp 16, with a Honda CRV, 4 cylinder, manual transmission. We get 23 MPG. Looking at the future I am considering Hybrid or totally EV towing solutions.

    Thank you,

    Norm
     
    #1 Honda03842, Mar 12, 2011
  2. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Re: Prius aas Tow Car

    The Toyota Prius and all car based hybrids and EVs that I can find are rated to tow 0 pounds.

    The Toyota Highlander Hybrid is rated to tow 3500 pounds with the standard towing package and the optional receiver and light package.

    The Lexus RX450h is rated to tow 3500 pounds with the optional Towing Prep package.

    The Ford Escape Hybrid is rated to tow 3500 pounds with the optional receiver and light package.
     
    #2 JimboPalmer, Mar 12, 2011
  3. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Re: Prius aas Tow Car

    I'm guessing that you will need to keep looking towards the future.

    I've seen a Highlander Hybrid pulling a fairly substantial trailer, but its highway rating is barely any better than what you already have. Its primary improvement is in city rating.
     
    #3 fuzzy1, Mar 12, 2011
  4. Honda03842

    Honda03842 New Member

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    Re: Prius aas Tow Car

    I do realize that to be the case. However in the USA the Honda CRV is rated to tow 1500 pounds while in Europe the Honda CRV is rated to tow upto 4400 #s.

    We have towed 2500=3000 pounds for years across Canada and all over the USA.

    Hybrids are really good for towing because they have hi torque at low speed.

    Really just investigating.

    Norm

     
    #4 Honda03842, Mar 12, 2011
  5. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Re: Prius aas Tow Car

    That doesn't necessarily mean that the electric motors were designed and sufficiently cooled for running in this condition full time.
     
    #5 fuzzy1, Mar 12, 2011
  6. stevemcelroy

    stevemcelroy Active Member

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    Re: Prius aas Tow Car

    I have towed my 17 foot sailboat with my Pruis and also use it to launch the boat. The boat and trailer are about 750 pounds total and towing has been just fine. That being said I am extremely careful about taking it slow and easy and leaving a ton of room to break between me and the next car. I was amazed that I got over 30 mpg driving it about 150 miles last spring.

    However you would be looking to tow over 3 times the weight - just my slightly educated guess, but I think it is too much weight for the Prius.
     
    #6 stevemcelroy, Mar 12, 2011
  7. Zhe Wiz

    Zhe Wiz Member

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    Re: Prius aas Tow Car

    I'm with Steve on this one. I regularly tow a 500lb trailer during deer season, and when I'm lucky and the deer isn't, I get to add 100-150 lbs to that. The Prius handles it fine, but MPGs drop to 35ish since I'm typically NOT on the highway. Knowing how the Prius handles 700lbs, I wouldn't tow 2500lbs. Seems like too much.

    Zhe Wiz
     
    #7 Zhe Wiz, Mar 12, 2011
  8. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    A tent, sleeping bags, and campstove fit quite nicely in the back of a Prius. But you probably knew that. ;)
     
    #8 hyo silver, Mar 12, 2011
  9. Honda03842

    Honda03842 New Member

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    Re: Prius aas Tow Car

    Thank you,

    Does your boat trailer have brakes?

    I've also learned by towing a number of different trailers with our Honda that load shape (frontal area) is most often more important
    than weight.

    We are towing a heavier trailer this year and get 23 mpg. WHen we towed a more boxy trailer but lighter trailer we got 20 mpg.

    Certainly the load seen by the tow vehicle is related to the mpg.

    Weight counts on hills.

    Norm
     
    #9 Honda03842, Mar 12, 2011
  10. Honda03842

    Honda03842 New Member

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    Re: Prius aas Tow Car

    Steve and Zhe,

    What do you use for hitches?

    Steve,

    I'm surprised the 750# trailer has such a large effect on you mileage. What do you get not towing and how fast do you drive when towing?

    Thank you both for your help

    Norm


     
    #10 Honda03842, Mar 12, 2011
  11. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    Re: Prius aas Tow Car

    As has already been stated, the recommended tow rating of the Prius is 0 lbs. I would NOT want to tow 2500 lbs. with it. Look to another vehicle. The 3rd gen Prius itself barely weighs over 3000 lbs. and has a max cargo + passenger weight in the ~800 lbs. range.

    Besides the extra continual loads of the engine and 2 motor/generators, think about the brakes, suspension, tires (and their weight rating), what happens if a gust of wind blows on/picks up the trailer, and loads on the car when going over bumps, when making turns, esp. sharp ones, etc.

    What if you have a failure of a warranted part like the inverter or power split device (transaxle) or suspension while towing? The dealer and Toyota will have every right to deny coverage as your towing will be considered abuse.

    If Toyota thought it was safe to tow something, they'd have given it a non-zero tow rating. FWIW, I know of no unibody cars (non-light trucks) that are midsized and have even a 2500 lb. tow rating.
     
    #11 cwerdna, Mar 12, 2011
  12. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    Re: Prius aas Tow Car

    Yes, full torque soon as they start moving, but they don't have much power.

    That's why the gas engine kicks on a soon as power is called for, like accelerating.

    Hybrids, EV and PHEV will pretty much never be good solutions for towing except in the larger versions like Highlander hybrid which has a substantial gas engine.

    Towing goes directly against the point of high efficiency vehicles.
     
    #12 cycledrum, Mar 12, 2011
  13. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    Re: Prius aas Tow Car

    My Honda Accord with 2.4L engine has tow rating of only 1k lbs. It's not exactly a power demon climbing over the Santa Cruz mountains unloaded.

    I couldn't imagine trying to tow 800 lbs with a 134 HP Prius up hills. It is simply not made for that.
     
    #13 cycledrum, Mar 12, 2011
  14. Honda03842

    Honda03842 New Member

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    Re: Prius aas Tow Car

    Thank you all for your input.

    Norm

     
    #14 Honda03842, Mar 13, 2011
  15. twittel

    twittel Senior Member

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    Re: Prius aas Tow Car

     
    #15 twittel, Mar 13, 2011
  16. stevemcelroy

    stevemcelroy Active Member

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    Re: Prius aas Tow Car

    OP - I have a Hidden Hitch that I got from etrailers.com that I originally got for my bike rack and my trailer does not have breaks. I was very happy getting low 30's with the boat - I figured that I was still getting better mileage than just about every car on the road. I was on 95 thru CT, RI and then 295 in Mass - most of the way the speed limit was 55 and I drove the speed limit.

    Personally I would not make a habit of towing the boat. Now that it is safely at home on Cape Cod I'll only be towing it to and from the boat launch - about 5 miles away, on mostly flat roads with speed limits under 30 the whole way - on the way I pass another ramp - it is very steep into the water and the one I use is very shallow.
     
    #16 stevemcelroy, Mar 13, 2011
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