# Toyota RAV4 towing



## hbrooke (Jul 8, 2019)

Hey guys,

Has anyone ever towed a boat with a RAV4? I'm upgrading from a corolla (which can't pull anything) to a RAV4 and am curious if anyone has tried. Thinking about getting a little 12ft with a frame and trailer. Thoughts?

Hally


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## theusualsuspect (Apr 11, 2014)

Think Andy here tows with a Subaru. Rav 4 can probably tow something like 2k pounds, it would be in your manual. Simple trailer is a few hundred pounds, small raft and frame another few hundred. I'd imagine it would be fine. May tow like a dog at high elevations or something but can't imagine it being a huge issue. There are several people on here that are very mechanically inclined and can give you data points and things to consider. Don't overthink it, you aren't actually hauling that much weight.


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## zaczac4fun (Mar 21, 2018)

My gal's Rav4 (2012?) has manufacturer rated capacity at 1500#


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## jaffy (Feb 4, 2004)

My VW GTI isn't designed to tow at all, and it pulls my trailer with a 12' raft easily, with no problem maintaining highway speeds over the passes. I don't like to haul more than 1000lbs with it, although I hauled 1100lbs of rock with it last week. The landscape supply place overloaded me a bit. I can't imagine a RAV4 would have any problems at all since it has a higher tow capacity.


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## Mtnbuzzer (Feb 5, 2016)

I towed a trailer fully loaded to rig a 14' raft for a multi-day trip with a Rav4 with no problems. This was a 6 cylinder sport model as opposed to the 4 cylinder model. The shuttle folks weren't happy with the clearance but since the road to the launch had been recently graded and there was no risk of rain they were ok doing the shuttle. The trailer was 8' long and probably weighed less than longer or bigger trailers I've seen out there.


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## pmillerblaster (Jan 3, 2012)

You are good with a Rav4. I use to have a Honda CRV and towed a trailer with a 13ft boat all over the place for years. Is a Rav4 AWD? A trailer with 12ft raft total is easily under 1,000 pounds so small SUVs pull that no problem. Have at it and have fun. There is no need for a bigger rig unless you get into a much bigger boat with a bigger trailer and even then you could probably still pull almost any raft setup with a Rav4. Money. You're gold.


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## villagelightsmith (Feb 17, 2016)

I towed a 12' stock trailer crammed full of mules and pack gear all over the Wallowa and Cascade Mountains for quite a number of years, with an old 4-cylinder B2200 Mazda (=Ford Ranger) pickup, 5spd std trans. If the grade was too steep for one gear, I grabbed a lower gear and keep on truckin'. You can only go uphill for just so long; then it's all downhill. Check your brakes! Make up your mind how fast you need to go. I had a Ford 1-ton 2WD van with a 300-6 for some years. Couldn't get out of its own way, and got 12 miles per gallon from Or. to Az. & back on a GC trip. A friend ran the same trip with me in a similar van, but with a 460 V8 and 4WD. He got 14 MPG to my 12. At present, I'm back to another old Mazda 5spd B2200. Running light it gets a true 34-36 MPG on the highway. Figure your cost for an actual 100,000 miles. It'll scare you, how much we pay for transport!
I've never towed with my 3 cyl. Geo Metro. It's geared too high and the clutch is too weak. (So's the engine!)


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## spokanefisherman (Sep 28, 2018)

hbrooke said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Has anyone ever towed a boat with a RAV4? I'm upgrading from a corolla (which can't pull anything) to a RAV4 and am curious if anyone has tried. Thinking about getting a little 12ft with a frame and trailer. Thoughts?
> 
> Hally


My experience towing with a Rav is contrary to everyone else. I had a 2018 adventure series that was rated to 3500lbs. I towed a 143d on a tightlines trailer. Total weight was probably a hair over 1k. It was a dog. I was running 4500-5000 rpm in 3rd gear at 45mph climbing the mountain passes in north Idaho. 

I think it was more about air resistance than weight. I upgraded to a highlander. The bigger footprint of the vehicle combined with the V6 made all the difference.


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## cmsolo (Apr 19, 2017)

I'm not sure what kind of clearance a RAV4 has but I would take that into consideration. 

My Crosstrek (similar class as Rav4) can tow 1500 pounds but I've only tested it around 1000 pounds for day trips with empty coolers and dry boxes. Pulls a small mountain pass at around 60mph (as pictured) which is fine for my local run near Boise but I do miss my Wrangler which was handy for take outs like the Owyhee or San Juan.


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## mwrench (Apr 23, 2005)

You should be fine with a Rav. I use our 4 cylinder 2016 Honda CRV all the time to tow a 4x8 trailer with 14' raft and wooden box with a week's gear up and over Loveland, Vail and Cameron passes. The gas mileage drops from about 24 to about 19 mpg but it has plenty of power still.


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## Clancaster (Sep 26, 2020)

hbrooke said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Has anyone ever towed a boat with a RAV4? I'm upgrading from a corolla (which can't pull anything) to a RAV4 and am curious if anyone has tried. Thinking about getting a little 12ft with a frame and trailer. Thoughts?
> 
> Hally


Why wouldn’t you get something better than a RAV4? But I would bet any RAV4 that’s not part electric would be fine.


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## Aarondenal (Feb 16, 2014)

hbrooke said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Has anyone ever towed a boat with a RAV4? I'm upgrading from a corolla (which can't pull anything) to a RAV4 and am curious if anyone has tried. Thinking about getting a little 12ft with a frame and trailer. Thoughts?
> 
> Hally


 I pull my 15 footer with a Prius, I'd think a rav4 would be fine.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Well, my 2¢ for what it's worth. If you had the 6 cyl option, you'd likely be okay, but the little 2.5L 4 cyl would be a dog. I had a Jeep Wrangler with the 3.8 in it, was a complete and total dog, would almost overheat going over the passes here in Central CO. It's not the weight that would kill the performance, but a raft on a trailer is a lot of things, but aerodynamic isn't one of them, the wind hits it with force that increases as your speed does. Fuel mileage is abysmal, it knocked the jeep down to about 6, turning 5000 rpm in second and third gear with a top speed of about 65 on the flats. That being said the jeep itself has the aerodynamics of a brick, so that likely didn't help any. Can you do it ? Yep. Should you do it, and will you be happy with the performance and mileage ? Probably not, especially if you're in a hurry to get somewhere. 

If you haven't upgraded yet, you might consider a Chevy Colorado with the Duramax. I've been driving one for the last almost 2 years, 30 to 35 MPG empty, 20 MPG towing my raft, Dory, enclosed motorcycle trailer up and over passes as fast as I want to go, cruising at 75 is no problem, has an exhaust brake for the descents, a very inpressive little truck that's easy to drive, comfortable and pretty damn reasonably priced for what you get. I haven't been this happy with a vehicle in a long long time. 

FWIW


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Horses for courses.

Why not an inexpensive old v8 F150 for towing and trips, and a 35-40mpg commuter car for everyday driving?
Pay cash for the pickup and you'll never spend more on fuel at 13mpg than you would on payments on a new car that can do everything.


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## theusualsuspect (Apr 11, 2014)

That or just buy any engine with a turbo on it.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

MT4Runner said:


> Horses for courses.
> 
> Why not an inexpensive old v8 F150 for towing and trips, and a 35-40mpg commuter car for everyday driving?
> Pay cash for the pickup and you'll never spend more on fuel at 13mpg than you would on payments on a new car that can do everything.


But think of the repair costs, and the wrecker bills when it breaks... Like they say on the TV ads, it's only built Ford tough (Bwahahahahaha)

Couldn't help myself !!!


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## Daniel prall (Aug 27, 2020)

MNichols said:


> But think of the repair costs, and the wrecker bills when it breaks... Like they say on the TV ads, it's only built Ford tough (Bwahahahahaha)
> 
> Couldn't help myself !!!


I actually have the exact setup you are asking about A 2015 rave4 axle with a nice tow bar and I have a 14feet Sea Nymph ,only 8 horse mercury, but it was a gift ! No problems at all, just put bearing buddies on. and can use pair of led lights on back, good luck, my brother !


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## peernisse (Jun 1, 2011)

hbrooke said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Has anyone ever towed a boat with a RAV4? I'm upgrading from a corolla (which can't pull anything) to a RAV4 and am curious if anyone has tried. Thinking about getting a little 12ft with a frame and trailer. Thoughts?
> 
> Hally


hi hally. I tow my rig loaded in my 2010 rav4 All the time. It is a v6 though which I don’t think they make anymore. Main thing is watch the tongue weight , and since the rav is a light vehicle I just drive and brake easy With the trailer. My buddy also tows with his rav and seems to do great also. My trailer and fully loaded oar rig is right around 2000 lbs I estimate.


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## villagelightsmith (Feb 17, 2016)

This is why you were given the lower 1st 4 gears and a low range. 
It's not rocket science, People!


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## hbrooke (Jul 8, 2019)

hbrooke said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Has anyone ever towed a boat with a RAV4? I'm upgrading from a corolla (which can't pull anything) to a RAV4 and am curious if anyone has tried. Thinking about getting a little 12ft with a frame and trailer. Thoughts?
> 
> Hally


Thanks so much, everyone! Prius and cross treck were inspiring. I just bought at 2009 with the V6 and am SO excited about it. Don't have a boat to tow yet (if anyone you know is selling an overnight rig let me know). But from what yall have said and the power that V6 has I feel pretty confident. Thanks for the encouragement friends! Hope to see you all out there!  -Hally


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## nolichuck (Mar 11, 2010)

hbrooke said:


> Thanks so much, everyone! Prius and cross treck were inspiring. I just bought at 2009 with the V6 and am SO excited about it. Don't have a boat to tow yet (if anyone you know is selling an overnight rig let me know). But from what yall have said and the power that V6 has I feel pretty confident. Thanks for the encouragement friends! Hope to see you all out there!  -Hally


You made an excellent choice. My friend has a 2008 RAV4 with the 6-cylinder and he tows his 4-wheeler and motorcycle in the mountains with no problem. He says his RAV is only slightly slower in the quarter mile than his mustang!


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