Rav 4 hybrid towers? subaru outback?

[Cordelia]

Hi there. I am looking for a new tow vehicle, and am wondering if anyone has had experience towing with the rav 4 hybrid and the outback. I am most curious about the hybrid. I would be towing a 77 surfside, and I weighed it this spring. With my camping stuff in it, it weighed 1540 lbs. The tow rating for the toyota is 1750, which is cutting it pretty close. I am also considering the subaru outback, which should have a generous enough wiggle room at 2700 lbs rating. Thoughts?

[Glenn Baglo]

It's worth checking the range on the electric motor, because once you run out of that, you are running on a small, underpowered gas engine until you can charge.

I have range issues towing my trailer with a V6 gas engine and small gas tank. I generally use 15 litres / 100 kilometres when towing ( that's about 15 mpg US ).

[Cordelia]

This would be the non plug-in version. The plug in is coming in 2020

[Glenn Baglo]

I'd go with internal combustion, especially towing close to maximum.

[Cordelia]

Forgive my ignorance, but what do you mean by going with internal combustion?

[Lynn Eberhardt]

There is often confusion re: what a hybrid car is. In cars powered only by an internal combustion engine, that engine must be sized and adjusted to provide adequate power for cruising as well as the much greater power demands of acceleration. A hybrid dive vehicle uses a smaller (gas) engine, optimized for efficiency, and uses stored electrical energy and an electric motor for acceleration needs. The battery is recharged during deceleration and when the gas engine has extra power available, such as at a stop. The gas engine shuts down and restarts, very smoothly, when more power is required. This results in less fuel needed, especially in stop and go traffic.

We have towed our 2,400 lb. Scamp very successfully for ten years with a Highlander Hybrid, rated for 3,500 lbs. towing.

[Ttocs M]

Here's what my local subaru dealer posts online for towing capacity:
https://www.wilsonvillesubaru.com/ho...my-subaru-tow/

I pull a 13 ft Scamp Deluxe with bathroom, 2kayaks/gear plus 2 weeks worth camping supplies with my 2002 Outback 3.6 thru Cascade & Rocky Mts...no problem.

[Radar1]

We towed our 16' Scamp with our 2.5 engine Subaru Outback for a couple years. It worked well, but it was a struggle keeping the weight on the tongue down to 200 lbs. Your camper is much lighter so you shouldn't have that problem. The 2020 Outback raises the tongue weight limit to a much better 270 lbs (or 350 with the turbo).
Our Outback was always a joy to drive either towing, or solo.
Had to quit towing with it because our retirement travels are longer and our former 2500 lb Scamp now weighs 3,000 lbs on trips.

[Jon in AZ]

I'd absolutely choose the Outback.

Far better AWD system and... something to consider... Subaru redesigned the chassis for 2020 to carry more tongue weight. The base 2020 2.5L Outback is rated 2700/270#, perfect for a 13-15' trailer. Also new for 2020 is an upgraded 2.4L turbo engine (from the Ascent), rated 3500/350#, perfect for a 16'er. Stop sweating every pound.

This is a no brainer for me, especially if you live in the snow belt.

[Raspy]

Jon,

Are those numbers for the CVT transmission?

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Raspy

Jon,

Are those numbers for the CVT transmission?

That's the only kind of transmission Subaru offers on their mainstream models now, from the Impreza all the way to the Ascent (rated 5000/500#). It's impossible to tell from the specs whether there are different versions of their "Lineartronic" CVT transmission in different models and engines (2.0L, 2.5L, and 2.4L turbo). Probably are.

Take it leave it, I guess. Lots of Outbacks towing Scamp 13’s and few reports of issues.

With one teen on the verge of her license and another a couple of years out we're looking at adding another vehicle to our garage . We love our '06 Honda CR-V (195K) and would like another, but I've been restricting my search to '12-'14. That's the last generation with the bulletproof 2.4L with chain-driven valvetrain and conventional 5-speed automatic. Call me a late adopter.

[Tony D]

I tow a Scamp 13 with the 2014 Outback, six cylinder five speed automatic. The 200 lb tongue limit is the only challenge. I put a metal luggage rack in the receiver on the back of the Scamp to help lighten the load up front. I weighed it at a CAT scale last time out and it came in at just over 1900 lbs. the bathroom scale on my driveway said the tongue weighed over 180 lbs. Kind of an interesting balancing act, both literally and figuratively.

It appears Subaru is getting away from their solid horizontally opposed 6 cylinder engine which is a shame. I doubt that I’ll opt for the 4 cylinder with the CVT in the future.

[Tony D]

The whole trailer weighed 1900 lbs, not just the luggage rack.

[Mike J. L.]

We have a 13’ Scamp. We began with a 4-cylinder Outback, which worked fine but dig drag in mountain passes or in strong headwinds. We bought an Outback H-6 and it has no problem at all towing the Scamp, even in the high Sierra passes. Yes, it slows down above 9000’ but most vehicles do and should.
Our H-6 was the last year without the CVT transmission. I’m not sure how a CVT handles towing.
I’d absolutely avoid towing with a small hybrid. The gasoline engines that come with smaller hybrids are weak. I’d never tow even close to capacity in any vehicle.

[Cordelia]

Thanks to everyone for your responses. May I ask if anyone has looked at the specs for the 2019 rav hybrid? It is considerably different from previous versions, so I just want to make sure that we're talking about the same car. I was able to track down a friend who had the new hybrid, as they are pretty much sold out across North America right now, and you have to pre-order if you want one. My friends went shopping and I got to take it for a one hour test drive..lol I drove the regular Rav XLE one day, and the hybrid XLE another day and there was a considerable difference in power, with the Hybrid being the more powerful of the two, which is perhaps why it has a higher tow rating than the non-hybrid. I had heard that, but could definitely feel it. On the other hand, it was a really windy day, and I found the car pulled a fair bit in the wind, and that the steering was quite sensitive, making me wonder how that would feel with a trailer behind me. If I was not going to be towing, it would be a no-brainer, I would buy one. It was a nice car for the price, it's great on gas, and it gets really good reviews. However, my towing consists of the 1550-lb surfside, (weighed with stuff in it, while still attached to my car), taken out roughly 9/10 times, within a mostly 250 km radius, on primarily flat prairie. That doesn't mean I never want the option to go to the mountains, as I go to Calgary every summer, but the majority of my towing is local. So, I am constantly going back to, considering my trailer and my usage, is 200 lbs enough of a cushion? I am currently pulling with a 2012 Santa Fe Sport V6 (Piece of crap..don't buy), but I will credit it with straightforward no-effort pulling. I've always felt that I over-bought for my needs, to the detriment of gas mileage, and I don't want to do that this time around.

While I absolutely hate pulling the girly 'help me line', may I ask for that help from people who better understand the dynamics of towing- all the torque, hp, weight ratings, etc? (Make sure it's the hybrid model specs you look at ) [url]https://www.toyota.ca/toyota/en/vehicles/rav4/models-specifications

I have been told that I am over-thinking this by someone who very much knows cars, but does not have real-life towing experience. The toyota salesperson says that their tow ratings always err on the low side to be safe, which I have read in a few places. The one towing review I have found is this: https://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/editorial/details/toyota-rav4-hybrid-2019-tow-test-119784/

Anyway, I am curious to know your opinions, and truly appreciate all of you taking the time to respond. With the RAV4 hybrid's popularity, it might be a good conversation to be having, not just for me, but for future tow car buyers. Thanks!

[Mike J. L.]

Towing with a hybrid, unless it's a big hybrid SUV or truck, you risk quickly running out of battery and being forced to tow with a small gasoline engine. I have read two accounts of people being stranded with the car simply couldn't make it up a hill, and they were both towing below stated capacity.
If the dealer says that it's fine I'd get that in a separate document in writing, signed and notarized. You may well be fine in prairie but also, you won't generate a lot of electricity without going downhill. Braking does produce some but restarting with a trailer requires more power. Also, hybrid vehicles are often heavier than their gasoline counterparts due to battery weight.

[Glenn Baglo]

If you wait long enough, somebody might think a hybrid is a good idea.

[trainman]

If you want any hybrid vehicle, lease it, I don't think on down the road you will want the expense of batteries, etc. that a hybrid would cost to keep it going. I see the older hybrid vehicle dropping in value at a high rate as the newer models offer so much more then say a three old hybrid. Buy the Subaru, time tested and good resale and not a hybrid model if they offer one. I'm not a fan of anything under a V6 gas engine for pulling a travel trailer, it just makes more sense overall.

trainman

[Jon in AZ]

Toyota hybrids have proven to be reliable and no worse in resale than other models from the same manufacturer. The hybrid components, including the battery pack, are warranted for 8 years and 100K miles, and most go well beyond to 200K or more.

The problem is hybrid automobiles are optimized for urban and suburban driving conditions, not long-distance rural driving and certainly not towing. Sure, vehicles can perform tasks for which they are not optimized, but it’s less efficient and often results in accelerated wear and tear.

If most of your everyday driving fits the hybrid profile, if you only tow occasionally on short vacations, and if the hybrid vehicle is adequately rated for your trailer and gear, then it might make sense.

If you’re planning a lot of towing and less urban commuting, it’s the wrong tool for the job.

I believe trains are using hybrid technology now, too. But it’s an entirely different version of the concept optimized for long distance heavy hauling.

[Cordelia]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply. I've got a little while before I need to make a final decision, so I'll keep all your comments very much in mind.