Trailer hitch on a Prius - Bad Mileage?

I don't think the mileage hit is significant, maybe 1 or 2 at most. (I've had a hitch on 2 Prius so far).

Check the CURT hitch, available from hitchweb.com.

Yes, the cargo cover comes off easily, just lift it off. It can even store under the trunk floor, just lift the cover and you will see a notch on each side of the plastic bin. The cover fits into those notches.

 

The hitch bolts on using the same 4 bolts that hold the rear tow-hooks on. You remove the tow-hooks and bolt on the hitch in it's place. You have to enlarge the driver side tow-hook hole in the thin plastic pan to allow the hitch to fit. Overall, it shouldn't take more than about half an hour to install if you have a decent ratchet set.

 

If you see any drop at all I would be surprised. The hitch weighs perhaps 10 pounds, and has almost no effect on the aerodynamics.

We've had one on for over a year and get in the high 50's without trying too hard. The Curt is very easy to install, a few bolts and a good scissors.

Icarus

 

The Curt and the Hidden-Hitch look identical in the drawings, but the Hidden hitch is listed as 34 pounds while the Curt is listed at 30. I have a much older Curt. I would expect either would be fine.

 

Have a salad for lunch, and you should make up the difference. Seriously, there is no mileage difference after installing a hitch. I've done all kinds of "bad" things to my car: Heavy hitch, permanent rack-mount warts on the roof, big ol' splash guards on all four wheels. Sometimes I even drive with the windows down and/or the AC on. I tow all kinds of crap, and put more on the roof. My average mileage is still above 50.

I've fit three full-size mountain bikes in the back (rear seats down) without issue.

 

I've had lowered mileage with my hitch, but with the following:
- THULE roof rack with a full-size THULE container
- Almost always two or three adults riding, never alone
- Pulling a small trailer or using the bicycle hitch with two bikes attached

I'm in KM (Canada), the "drop" is 5.8 instead of 5.6 l / 100 km.

Fully loaded last summer (similar to above) highway driving from Montreal (Quebec) to Moncton (New Brunswick), a 3000 KM trip, hills, avg of 110KPH (69MPH), I was at 5.9. On the way back, went around Gaspé region, was still at 5.9.

Also, I was easily able to pass the slow pokes dragging huge trailers (boats, 5th wheelers, tent trailers) on the uphill roads with a pass lane.

IOW, the cruise control works miracles, use it.

Without the "extra" weight and drag, a trip back & forth Montreal / Québec city with just my wife, and it's very flat, cruise control at speed limit was a low 4.8. Then it rained like hell, and it shot up to 5.4/5.6.

 

The class of the rack only determines how strong IT is. The more the better in that regard. The class of the hitch just determines how much weight it can carry - doesn't matter what the class is of what it is carrying.

 

maybe a stupid question, but how do you figure that a hitch weighs 10 pounds when it's been mentioned in this post that the hitches on hitchweb weigh 30?

 

Here's a picture of where the cargo cover stores. Also note that the metal bar on the left side of the lower storage box is in fact a brace to hold up the floor of the cargo area when loading the lower storage box.

 

Keep in mind that all of that weight is hanging off a fairly long lever arm on the hitch itself. That can be a bigger load than your typical small utility trailer since a well ballanced trailer puts most of the weight on it's wheels, not the tongue. I can lift the tongue of the small trailer that I use with one hand very easily. It probably puts 15 or 20 pounds downforce on the hitch worst case. Hanging 2 30 pound bikes plus a 20 pound rack on a hitch can easily get close to the 200 pound tongue rating when you consider the leverage of the arm the rack hangs on plus the bouncing the rack is subjected to.

 

i love it, seriously whoever designed these little things really thought it through. IE what you showed us, the pocket in the arm rest that props the arm rest, etc....really a lot of little things that make life easier

 

Hey guys,

This is great! I'm about to trade my Chevy Silverado for a much better mileage vehicle. I need a hitch for light trailering and was wondering if a hitch could be put on a Prius.

Now that I know it can be done... I have a few other questions.

Does the electric motor stay on while pulling a few hundred pounds? Or will a load engage the gas engine?

I'm in the northeast. If I'm on slippery ice or snow do I really have to put the AC on to get the gas engine engaged? Brrr...

Thanks a bunch!

 

Also, could someone post a pic of a hitch you've installed, say from a low angle?

Thanks again!