Towing 2000 to 2500 lbs with a Tacoma V6 or a Rav4

Bad Pete

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I have a 2014 Rav 4 and I'm thinking of getting a 15 to 17 foot whaler or equivalent. LBS without passengers and luggage is 1500 to 1800 lbs. With adding brakes to the trailer do you think I'd be ok on a long one way 800 mile flat trip. The 2014 rav 4 (4 cylinder) has a lot of HP 161HP I don't think they make the 6 cylinder anymore. The truck prices are ridiculous, but I was looking at Tacoma's V6 AWD I might be able to get a used on at a good price. Anyone have any advice on these 2 platforms.
 

CV16

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Myself, I wouldn't tow that weight with a Rav4. Maybe if it was all flat land, but even then I'd do it when there is no other traffic. If that ever got to swaying or have a tire blow out it wouldn't be pretty.
 

Blind Date

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The truck prices are ridiculous, but I was looking at Tacoma's V6 AWD I might be able to get a used on at a good price. Anyone have any advice on these 2 platforms.

A Tacoma is actually one truck I'd recommend buying new because the prices of used ones are borderline ridiculous. Way back in '93 I went new with my Toy compact PU because financially it made more sense than paying top dollar for the used stuff (mostly junk) I had looked at. In 23 years I don't think that has changed.

That said I towed close to 3K pounds with mine (4WD/Extra Cab) and the 3.0 V6 ( which was pretty gutless) handled it just fine. 2500 lbs. behind a current V6 Tacoma would be nothing.

Can't comment on towing with the RAV but I'm sure there is a forum someplace where you could pose the question.
 
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thumpar

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I would for sure go with the Tacoma over the Rav4. I am not a fan of AWD for towing anything more that a little utility trailer but of the 2 it would be the Tacoma all the way.
 

pckeen

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No issue with the Tacoma towing that. Took a quick look online - the towing capacity of the Rav 4 on all models is 1500 lbs, so you would be well over at 2000-2500. Towing with that vehicle isn't recommended. If it's a single 800 mile trip, just rent a vehicle. If you want to tow this boat regularly, a different vehicle is required.
 
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Bad Pete

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I would for sure go with the Tacoma over the Rav4. I am not a fan of AWD for towing anything more that a little utility trailer but of the 2 it would be the Tacoma all the way.

Thanks I thought for towing AWD was preferred as long as you did not use overdrive
 

Bad Pete

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No issue with the Tacoma towing that. Took a quick look online - the towing capacity of the Rav 4 on all models is 1500 lbs, so you would be well over at 2000-2500. Towing with that vehicle isn't recommended. If it's a single 800 mile trip, just rent a vehicle. If you want to tow this boat regularly, a different vehicle is required.

the research I did says if you use trailer brakes the RAV will pull around 2000 lbs fine, but you are right the Tacoma looks like the preferred vehicle especially for 800 flat miles (NC to VT)
 

thumpar

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Thanks I thought for towing AWD was preferred as long as you did not use overdrive
I like selectable. With Awd there are always more parts moving than if you can select AWD/2WD/4WD since you can drive around in 2WD. It saves on fuel too.
 

Sprig

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I have a Tacoma double cab 4x4 with the v6. My boat and trailer and equipment weigh about 3500lbs and my truck pulls it no problem. On flat and mountains no problem. It's tow capacity is rated for between 6500 to 7000lbs. I installed heavy duty 4 leaf leaf springs which increased the stock tow capacity. I do not have brakes on my trailer and my truck stops with the boat in tow just fine. Toyota trucks are generally the most dependable and reliable trucks on the road
I would not pull the boat you plan to get with any 4 cylinder. In fact for towing anything I'd go with a v6 or v8.
I would go with 4wd and not awd for towing and slippery conditions and off road for lots of reasons I won't go into here. One thing though with awd that many are not aware of is that if you blow a tire or puncture a sidewall you have to replace all of the tires, you can't replace just one. I know this from experience. I have a awd suv that I had a nail go through the bottom of the tire and puncture the sidewall. I couldn't just replace the tire had to replace all 4. 6 months later I hit a road hazard and blew a tire. Again had to replace all 4 tires. $2000 in tires in less than a year. Also the original tires still had lots of tread and probably had 30000 miles left on them.
 

Horigan

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Aside from the AWD issues noted above, another consideration is the Highlander if you're looking for more interior space. I frankly haven't had any issues pulling out of a slippery ramp and the traction control system seemed to have less slip than other 4WD trucks at the same slippery ramp. It has a 5000lb towing capacity with the two package and it has been hauling my 4000lb boat/trailer with no issues around town and on long flat drives. It exceeded my expectations towing-wise, as well as all other areas.

Rich
 

H20Rat

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I like selectable. With Awd there are always more parts moving than if you can select AWD/2WD/4WD since you can drive around in 2WD. It saves on fuel too.

Almost ALL AWD systems disengage one axle when not needed. I personally am very familiar with subaru AWD systems, and subaru with an auto transmission becomes FWD at speeds above 20 mph, if it doesn't detect any wheel slip. RAV4's are similar, they are natively FWD systems that will open up clutchpacks to disengage the rear. (older rav4's were really bad about re-engaging, they usually didn't until it was too late.) Although 4x4 has advantages, active AWD systems are so much better on snow/ice than 4x4 could ever hope to be.
 

444

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The Tacoma would be fine. The RAV's problem is the short wheel base. The shorter the wheel base, the more prone you are to whipping at highway speeds when under load. I have owned two short wheel base suv's. They are very sensitive to trailer weight and trailer balance(tongue weight). Too much trailer weight and the back of your suv will want to sway at highway speeds. Each sway seems to compound on the previous one so if you don't slow down quick it can get fairly violent. Too little or too much tongue weight, same problem.

I like selectable. With Awd there are always more parts moving than if you can select AWD/2WD/4WD since you can drive around in 2WD. It saves on fuel too.

Only if you have locking hubs. If your 4x4 system uses a front axle disconnect like most do, you still end up spinning much of the 4x4 system at highway speed. An awd does too, however usually the rear is also just freewheeling unless from wheel slip sends torque to the viscous coupler. If mpg is your concern, stick with the strictly 2wd models.
 

thumpar

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For weather and towing I want all 4 wheels to spin when I need it. I would much rather have the selectable than straight AWD. I have had both the 2wd and AWD versions of the same model Safari van. The AWD ate up about 3 MPG. When I went to the Yukon with bigger motor the MPG is about the same as the AWD Safari when I run the Yukon in 2wd.
 

thumpar

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Almost ALL AWD systems disengage one axle when not needed. I personally am very familiar with subaru AWD systems, and subaru with an auto transmission becomes FWD at speeds above 20 mph, if it doesn't detect any wheel slip. RAV4's are similar, they are natively FWD systems that will open up clutchpacks to disengage the rear. (older rav4's were really bad about re-engaging, they usually didn't until it was too late.) Although 4x4 has advantages, active AWD systems are so much better on snow/ice than 4x4 could ever hope to be.
My 4wd Yukon has the AWD option.
 

Bad Pete

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ok let me ask a dumb question boat weight with no engine 1100 lb, engine 234 lbs (60 HP) what would the trailer weight for a 16 ft boat and does that go into the calculation or is it just the weight on the trailer

rather ask a dumb question than be sorry
 

thumpar

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The weight is everything towed plus everything added to the vehicle too. So you add up the boat, engine, everything added to the boat (gear, fuel, etc.), trailer (probably around 600lbs or less), people in the vehicle and all the stuff that is added to the vehicle too.
 

D&J

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We're on our second RAV4. The most I ever towed with either one is a 5 x 8 utility trailer with a 48 inch cut lawn tractor, can of gas, and a tool box. Whole load was about a 1000 lbs. They handle that ok but I wouldn't go much more than that. That 161 hp really isn't that much and when push the go pedal they just get louder they don't go any faster. Good commuter and take the grand kids to the mall cars but not work horses. Even a 15 foot boat will probably put you over 2000 lbs on a good day. I use an F150 to haul around an 18 ft Penn Yan. with a 100 horse Johnson.
 

drrpm

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A newish Tacoma with a V6 has a higher tow rating than my 1996 Suburban had. I bought a new 2007 Tacoma in August of that year and have towed my 5,000 lb boat/trailer combo without difficulty since then. Its also been used to tow a 6 x 12 UHAUL trailer several hundred miles when moving my daughters into their apartments.
 

bajaunderground

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A newish Tacoma with a V6 has a higher tow rating than my 1996 Suburban had. I bought a new 2007 Tacoma in August of that year and have towed my 5,000 lb boat/trailer combo without difficulty since then. Its also been used to tow a 6 x 12 UHAUL trailer several hundred miles when moving my daughters into their apartments.


Yup, I had a 2007 Tacoma SR-5 Off-Road Double-Cab...I have pulled my camper (~6,200lbs) all over the mountains of Colorado. The truck, when properly prepped will tow 6,500lbs...you know it's there, but had plenty of power...one time I passed a Ford F250 pulling a 5th wheel heading up Highway 24 out of Woodland Park at about a 5% grade...he looked at me like " how's this guy passing me?" Granted, the 5th wheel was about twice my weight...it was also my daily driver...once I got my company car, I got rid of the Tacoma...it had 168K on the odometer without any major repairs...brakes, tires and u-joints over the 7.5 years I owned it. Great little truck.

I now have a 2003 Yukon XL 2500 with the 8.1L...can tow 12,500lbs...Same camper, I believe my Tacoma towed it better!
 

dlngr

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Towed weight includes trailer. Also fuel,coolers,fishing equipment,etc. My sister has a Rav4,and I can't imagine towing a 17 ft boat with it. maybe it would handle it,but how long would the transmission last? And if you leave it out of overdrive,that's a lot of gas wasted and extra wear and tear on the vehicle.
 
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