Towing with a Toyota Highlander?

T

Tortuga

New member
The old Sienna has 173000 miles on it and it may be time to start thinking about a new car. The new body design in 2007 (thru the current model year) is rated to tow 5000 lbs with the V-6.

Seems like a nice car -- comfortable to drive with reasonable MPG. More towing capacity than a minivan and not as big as a truck based SUV so good for the daily kid runs.

Anyone towing with a Toyota Highlander? I'm pulling a 22.

Thanks!

Matt
 
No I haven't towed with a Highlander but have towed with 06 Pilot(about the same size and weight) and it was terrific for the c- 22 cruiser Mine weighed in at about 3800lb . We had it on a single axcel trailer .In fact we have towed the cc-23 about 50000lb with the 4500lb tow rating Pilot . We now have a 07 Toyota sequoia no problems
 
We towed some short distances with a 2008 Highlander when we owned a 22. You knew it was there and it had to work pretty hard to get up the long hill near home. I'm not sure I would use it for long distances.
 
Not with a Highlander but we used to tow the 22 with an Isuzu Trooper (also a V6 rated for 5000lbs). We had no issues at all with the Trooper but I did add air springs to it to keep the rear end from dropping with the tongue weight.
 
Just a reminder that the ability to drag it up the grade isn't the whole story - you still need to be able to control it going down the other side.

Paul Priest
Sequim
 
We used to tow travel trailers with a late model Rav4 V6 that shared that motor with the later Highlanders. We towed up to 3300lbs with electric brakes with no real trouble up and over many passes but I will say that load was always felt and while it had plenty of power and braking for it, the windage and length was not always comforting. When we switched to a smaller 2200 lb trailer, I was able to forget it was there most of the time and just relax and enjoy. The highlander is a bit heavier but not that much more vehicle that the latest Rav4 with equal motor so that may give you a really rough idea.
 
I bought my Mazda B4000 V6 expressly to tow C dories. I've run Mazda for 20 years and I like them. I was assurred several times that I could tow 4500 lbs. Max capacity is 5600. In reading the fine print though it's only 3500 lbs dropped on the hitch. I need a weight distributing hitch to get to the max load. So I got one to bring Kerri On home. In reading the fine print on the trailer warranty if I modify the trailer in any way (like a weight distributing hitch I void my trailer warranty) My Mazda was pulling fine over the hump from Port Alberni but definately larger throttle settings than normal. Got me thinking about lake powell and the tetons, high and hot hmmmm. Towing near or at capacity is not a good idea for health and safety. If I caused an accident or was in one with my "modified" trailer guess who would be at fault? As I plan on dragging this boat around a lot I just got serious and got the right tool for the job. I swapped "little blue" my nice little mazda for a 2007 Ford F150 Lariet with a 5.4 triton V8. This truck will haul c dories with no problem. Life is short just giter done. Fuel economy looks about the same as the v6 in the mazda was no fuel sipper. Carry On Kerri On. George
 
I have been using a Toyota 4runner with the V-8 which they do not come with anymore. I have to say it towed excellently. I would be reluctant towing with a 6 cylinder. I originally was towing with a chevy blazer S-10 and it just didn't do the job.
 
George,

I would doubt that a weight distribution hitch would void your warranty. It's a bolt on device which doesn't "modify" the trailer. They're standard devices used on one heck of a lot of small trailers with cars and light trucks.

They make a special weight distribution hitch the specifically accommodates surge brakes. When I used a weight distribution hitch to tow a EZ loader with surge brakes, I didn't have the special hitch, and never had a problem.

Boris
 
Just going thru some posts looking for info on Weight Distribution Hitches for boats and came across this one. I'm sure by now the original poster found a new tow vehicle. But in case anyone else is looking..... I've been towing my CD-22 for a few years now with the 2010 Toyota Highlander, with the 6 cyl and a tow package. It's not only met my expectations, but has surpassed them. Towing has included two trips out west over the Rockies. Ie. 10,000'+ in elevation and grades of 7% and more. It has done a great job, and hardly slows down on the big hills. I will warn however, that if you get big trucks constantly cutting you off as they pull out to pass other trucks, you will eventually overheat the tranny if you have to re-accelerate more than two or three times back up to 55-60mph on those high elevation and steep grades! My boat weighs in around 4800 lbs on the trailer, which is right up against the 5000 lb capacity of the Highlander. I also have electric brakes on both trailer axles to help with the downhill side of the mountains, but the Highlander brakes are pretty good too! I am looking at possibly adding a weight distribution hitch at this time, to help with the rearend "squat" from the 400 lbs of tongue weight. Colby
 
I would say the sales department has more control over the company than the engineering department....until risk management gets involved.....and then the lawyers.

With that said, my personal opinion is a highlander (a fine vehicle) is over-rated and should safely tow 3500 pounds at most. Will it do more? Mostly certainly and it seems it is legal to do so. I would be very reluctant unless that boat ramp is very close.
 
The towing rating for most crossovers, SUVs, and passenger cars are actually to the contrary. If you take a look at vehicle specifications in other countries for a global model such as a Honda CRV for instance. You will find the USA rating is typically half of the international rating.

So the CRV it is rated to tow 1500lbs here and 3300lbs in Europe and elsewhere given the same gas engine/transmission package. The USA ratings are cut short by being an Un-braked rating likely due to our state by state rule variances while the international sites list both braked and un-braked ratings for better clarity.

As a person who does not want to own drastically more vehicle that we need, I have always found it frustrating that I can only legally/responsibly tow ### here, but with the same vehicle in another place, I could tow double that.

Most americans think you need a large truck to tow just about anything and why would a dealer, salesperson, or automaker want us to think any differently?

The newer high torque/low rpm turbo motors in some of the small to midsize SUVs are some the slickest lightweight tow vehicles out there, but that is not what the advertisements will say. More like... turbo=sporty!

I have towed with enough different vehicles over enough years and miles to know the truth is a mix of math and marketing with math playing the much more relevant role.

We currently tow our 4000lb load with a long wheelbase Hyundai Sante Fe rated for 5000lbs. That model is not even marketed overseas due to its "huge" relative size, but would likely be rated to tow 8k_+ lbs elsewhere.

The Subaru Forester I drive everyday is rated for 1500lbs here and 4000lbs in other countries. Bummer for us, but you can rest assured that the passenger vehicles we have available in our market are generally much more capable than advertised, and that comes from engineering and not sales staff. If people "feel" better driving a large truck for their towing needs, all the better for an automakers bottom line.

Other countries suffer from various pressures keeping vehicles smaller and pushing those smaller rigs to do more for their owners. We drive monsters largely because we can and not because we need to.
(my opinion)

Just take a look at the RV market in Europe and Australia and you can easily see differences in our towing behavior.

I would personally tow a 22 with a newer Highlander, without hesitation.

Greg
 
If you want to tow with a Highlander make sure you get the factory tow package AND hitch. The aftermarket hitches - like U-Haul - do not have as many attachment points to the uni-body "frame". They also hang low under the rear valence.

The factory hitch is better engineered and comes with a replacement rear valence with a hole in it so the hitch can be installed higher which in turn means the receiver will be about 2-3 inches higher. You'll appreciate that in a vehicle that tends to squat down with weight on the tongue.
 
In 2012 we purchased our CDory 22 and a Highlander with full tow package to tow it. It has been 4 seasons of towing with short and long distances with no issues. Our normal tow weight for the 22 is about 4600 lbs. Most of our towing is along the east coast form Maryland to the Carolinas and Florida. On the highway we normally travel around 60 mph and if you don't look in the rear view mirror you forget your towing a boat. We have not experienced any type of stability, sway or breaking issues in many thousands of miles towing. In addition with our Highlander there is no appreciable squat, no more than about 2 to 2.5 inches.

We do plan to do the Eire Canal this summer so we will be doing some more hilly conditions than we have experienced to date. I will try and update this thread after that trip.
 
My Highlander does have the factory tow package and hitch. I'd really like to know why Bauer seems to think the rated capacity of 5000 lbs is over-rated on the Highlander. As I said, I have been towing my boat with this vehicle all over the country, and it feels very solid in the process. I have also towed a 9800 lb boat behind a Dodge Ram 1500 Quad cab (locally), and that was like the tail wagging the dog. Now, I don't tow above 60-65 max with the highlander, but any one towing faster than that when matching weights between the vehicle and trailer is probably taking a chance. I do have my Highlander and trailer set up with electric brakes, which to me is a no-brainer. However, the brakes on the Highlander are also very good. (Much better than what my earlier Ford Excursion had). I also have a twin axle trailer, which probably helps as well. The only thing I do get a little concerned with is the amount of squat in the rear of the Highlander. I did put some helper inserts in the back coils, as I was unable to find any air springs that would work. I am aware that I'm pretty much right up against the specified capacity of towing with this vehicle, but I've never felt the boat pushing the Highlander, and I have done a lot of towing, including semi truck. Colby (P.s., the squat was around 2.5-3", but got that to about 21/4" with the inserts. Still more than I would like, thus why I'm looking at a WD hitch.)
 
Colby,

I'm pretty well set up with my rig now, and not shopping, but I'm curious about something. When I was shopping for my 22, I had only a station wagon rated to 3,000#, so buying a tow vehicle was part of the process, and I was pretty open to options. I considered everything from a Honda Pilot or Jeep Liberty, up to a full sized van or truck. I decided against a smaller SUV for a number of reasons, but one of them was that I thought a shorter wheelbase might not be as "relaxing" to tow on long, cross-country type trips. I just thought it might be a bit ... active, I guess you could say. (Although I was looking at 5-7 year old models of the various rigs and a lot of the SUVs got larger after my date range - say in 2012 or so.)

I ended up with a longer wheelbase than a typical SUV (full-sized van, 136" wheelbase), and never even tried towing with one. Since you've done a lot of towing/hauling, I was wondering what you've experienced in this department? (2016 Toyota Highlander has ~109" wheelbase; not sure if yours is the same.)
 
I tow my 22 with a Toyota Sienna w/tow package. Where I live this works out very well (mid Atlantic). When I tow the boat I average about 13.9MPG. Around town it is a little over 16 without the boat.
 
I was the op of this thread and in the end I did buy the highlander -- a 2011 with 6 cyl and tow package. I really could not be happier with the car. I've towed several times from So California to the San Juans, Tahoe, etc. I also made these trips with the Sienna. The highlander is much better.

Every car or truck is a compromise -- since I always tow with my family the one thing I wasn't willing to compromise was safety. I felt that the Sienna was a safe tow vehicle, but drove 60 mph and always left a lot of room. Had a blowout coming down from Tahoe on the trailer with no issues what so ever. Always had the car and trailer (including brakes) serviced before any trip out of the area.

The Highlander has sufficient power and weight to it to provide a safe ride while towing. As Click and Clack once said when comparing a Volvo to a sportscar -- the most important safety device is the driver. That said, I'd put the Highlander up to any Volvo, or larger truck for safety any time. And, since my wife uses the highlander 98% of the time as a family car, I'd rather her drive the kids in that than a truck since the Highlander is much safer as an every day driver than a pick-up.

But, of course, everyone has to calculate the tradeoffs for themselves. For me, the Highlander is a peach. YMMV.

Happy Holidays everyone. Drive safe!
 
Sunbeam, I've found the Highlander actually rides better than the Excursion I had. Some roads are always going to be worse than others. In both the Excursion, and when I towed with a 31' Winnebago Class A motorhome (which was even worse, but I think it has a lot to do with tire pressures also. The motorhome ran 100 lbs of air in the tires, the Excursion 80, and the Highlander 36.), there were times where I tried to stay in the left lane when possible, as the right one would shake your teeth out! With the Boat/Trailer in tow, at certain speeds, depending on the number of and distance of cracks or frost heaves in the highway, you can get an uncomfortable "harmonic", but I suspect every other car loaded down on the road is going to feel that. I've been impressed at a few boat ramps also, where the Highlander has done a fine job pulling the boat out of the water. I've recently been going back in forth about maybe getting a pickup and camper or smaller motorhome. I just drove a F250 Crew Cab yesterday. The average mileage showing on the electronic screen was 10.3mpg. Now I realize that's mostly from driving it around the lot and some other test drives in town. That was the 6.2 V8 Gas. My Excursion with the V10 Gas averaged about 9 towing, otherwise 14-15 mpg highway. My Highlander averages anywhere from 9-13 towing, 22-24 on the Highway. Need I say more in that department. I'm 6' tall, and hate the middle console that my knees constantly rub against! A large truck or large SUV like the Excursion, does give one a lot more space. But it also takes up a lot more space to park and maneuver. I really have been impressed with how capable, and other than the center console issue, which seems to be true anymore in any of the mid size SUV's, comfortable, the Highlander has been at towing my CD22. And when I'm not towing, it's a great family car. Colby
 
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