Toyota Highlander towing performance and all wheel drive system

[cptnmcluvin]

Howdy,

I'm considering trading my 2004 GMC Envoy I6 4X4 for a new Toyota Highlander V6 AWD.

The Toyota Highlander V6 4WD specs say the optional tow package provide 5,000 lbs of towing capacity.

My Glastron GT 205 with trailer and gear weighs approximately 4000 lbs.

If you have towing experience with the Highlander, please let me know your thoughts.

I'm curious to know if the unibody construction and independent suspension will feel much different.

My understanding of the highlanders all wheel drive system is it is primarily front wheel drive

with open differentials in the front and rear axle. When the front wheels slip,

The center viscous coupling sticks and sends up to 50% power to the rear wheels.

Given this, does anybody has much deep snow or off roading experience

with the highlander. If so, let me know.


The Toyota Highlander V6 4WD has the following specs.

3.5L DOHC V6
Horsepower: 270 horsepower@6200rpm
Torque (ft.-lbs.): 248 torque@4700rpm
Wheelbase: 109.8''
Overall Length: 188.4''
Curb Weight: 4266 lbs.
Towing Capacity: 5000 lbs.
Payload Capacity: 1734 lbs.
Gross Vehicle Weight: 6000 lbs.
Tires (Std.): P245/65R17
Vehicle Stability Control (VSC),
Traction Control (TRAC),
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS),
5 Speed Automatic
All Wheel Drive

 

[bullcity101]

Re: Toyota Highlander towing performance and all wheel drive system

I have a 2006, 2 wheel drive Hybrid. Don't know if it is much of a comparision, but it pulls my 15' skiff just fine actually really well. No problems at the ramp at all and with the 4 wheel you should be just fine.Toyota makes a great car that you can neglect and it'll just keep on tickin'. My setup fully loaded might be 2500lbs with 15 gallons of fuel, the battery, cooler of beer and water, water toys, boat and trailer. The older highlander is rated to pull 3500 and I feel the power wouldn't be the issue it's the size of the suv. The newer ones are much larger and I feel could handle the weight.

How far is your typical tow? Will the trailer have brakes?

If it isn't cross country and the trailer has brakes I think you would be good to go, no issues at all. I just saw a newer Highlander towing a trophy walkaround at the lake. It did just fine pulling the boat off the ramp.

 

[dhof55]

Re: Toyota Highlander towing performance and all wheel drive system

I tow my 19' Stingray/4.3v6 with a 2009 Highlander v6 AWD w/tow package. My experience is it's a great tow rig. I live in Washington and pull the boat over the mountains a couple times a year. 4000'. The Highlander handles it very well. Plenty of power. And that's loaded with 4 people and all our "stuff".
I've been in a couple of slippery ramps and the AWD system locks up perfectly and I pull out without a slip.
I also use it for skiing. My experience is the AWD system does very well in snow. As good as my Subaru.
Not sure if I'd use it for off roading. Just not built for it.

 

[jkust]

Re: Toyota Highlander towing performance and all wheel drive system

My experience regarding vehicles that don't allow you to lock into 4lo or 4high aren't as good as ones where you have those options where offroading is concerned. The problem with cars such as Subarus with full time AWD as opposed to on demand AWD (like the selector switch on your truck based Envoy has) is they work well but here in MN but the lower height gets them hung up in deep snow a true suv could go through. Even new Silverados allow you to switch into on demand AWD. That's the complaint of the subaru drivers I know. That said some of the newer Subarus actually have decent ground clearance so that complaint on certain models isn't as valid.
I don't kow the Highlander well enough to comment on it's towing. What I do know is that car based suv's get wildly better marks for their ride quality and mpg's. Far less capable than their truck based cousins, but most people don't need the truckyness of their suv's anyway.

 

[cptnmcluvin]

Re: Toyota Highlander towing performance and all wheel drive system

Thanks for the info.

Dhof55, how much does your stringray weigh on the trailer?

My glastron is a little over 4000 lbs and the trailer has disc brakes. We go to Smith Mountain Lake several times a year and the terrain is hilly. The distance is 150 miles each way. My GMC Envoy handles the load with no problems. We also tow a 21 foot Searay that is about 5000 lbs on the trailer. Again, the GMC Envoy performs great even with a 5000 lbs load.

Id like to know more about how the current generation of highlander V6 AWDs handles trailer loads between 4K lbs and 5K lbs. That is the load size we'll be hauling. My concern is the chassis won't be up to the task. Are there any easy modifications that can improve towing performance?

It would great if a test drive could include towing the boat.

 

[cptnmcluvin]

Re: Toyota Highlander towing performance and all wheel drive system

Found this formula for calculating the maximum allowable trailer weight.

2012 Highlander AWD V6 Towing Capacity in LBS 5,000
Subtract 10% Safety Margin 4,500
Subtract Gear weight in boat (LBS) 100
Max Allowable trailer weight (lbs) 4,400

http://bamarv.blogspot.ca/2011/04/how-to-calculate-your-real-towing.html

But the question is can the Highlander really handle the weight it's rated for?

 

[ricohman]

Re: Toyota Highlander towing performance and all wheel drive system

I have a Highlander. I used it once to pull a 2500lb tent trailer.
After that I used my Land Cruiser or F350. The rear suspension squats and it goes down the road with excessive camber.
Plenty of power but I wouldn't tow near its rated capacity. I can't see how they rate it that high.
I have a set of winter tires and it goes really well in the snow but it does have open diffs at both ends. I think of it as a big station wagon. I actually prefer it over my F350 for the snow.

 

[Rancherlee]

Re: Toyota Highlander towing performance and all wheel drive system

I tow with an AWD IRS vehicle in Northern Minnesota. My Mountaineer has a "dumb" AWD just like the Highlander but mine is rear bias. The thing I don't like about it is the rear wheels have to spin a revolution or two before the viscous coupler sends power to the front. This REALLY sucks in deeper snow since this causes the back end to sink before the front starts getting power, not the best ice fishing rig. Also Independent Rear Suspensions are very touchy to tongue weight and more prone to sway than a straight axle rig.

 

[jkust]

Re: Toyota Highlander towing performance and all wheel drive system

Lets go back to your Glastron GT 205 and calculate the weight. The dry weight of that model is 2750lbs. How large is the gas tank? Do you have two batteries? Is the trailer a tandem? I'm thinking you are overestimating the trailer weight of it a bit. Have you ever had it weighed? Why are you looking to move away from the Envoy...the bad gas mileage? You strike me given your towing as a body on frame suv driver. Envoy is really a fantastic tow rig. You can pick up one of the final 2009 Denali models with the 303hp/330tq v8's and Displacement on Demand for a song.

 

[dhof55]

Re: Toyota Highlander towing performance and all wheel drive system

the boat dry weight is 2500. I'd guess the trailer is close to 800(guess)...plus fuel and stuff I'm easily pulling 4000 lbs. The vehicle handles it perfectly. I could easily maintain 60 over Steven's pass, sea lever to 4000', but then I"d suck fuel.

 

[gtochris]

Re: Toyota Highlander towing performance and all wheel drive system

At work we had a '10 Hybrid AWD model and this year, a Gas '12 AWD Limited, both are huge improvements over the previous generation!
The AWD system works well, vehicle has a good feel to it with confident power. I do recall- even though the '12 V6 AWD model we have doesnt have a tow hitch- it does have a "towing prep package" that includes the necessary cooling system hardware and I think the electrical connection- very important to have as without- the limit is rather low.

I think for a light weight bowrider it's a good match + it seems to get a consistant 21 MPG around town.

 

[cptnmcluvin]

Re: Toyota Highlander towing performance and all wheel drive system

Dhof55, Thanks for the pick. We test drove a highlander last weekend and we'd definitely like to buy one. I hoping a dealer will allow me to do a over night test drive so I can try it out towing the boat.

 

[dhof55]

Re: Toyota Highlander towing performance and all wheel drive system

My Highlander has the tow package but didn't come with the factory hitch. Crazy expensive.
Purchased an aftermarket CURT hitch(way cheaper) and installed it myself. Easy...and the car is pre wired for trailer lights. You just need to find the plug in location and buy the correct pig tail. In my case it is under the small storage compartement in the very back of the car...drivers side. Google it...lots on info ot there.

Good luck!