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Toyota Hybrid towing: your questions answered

By Joe Clifford

As part of Toyota’s desire to engineer greater driving appeal into its cars, most current generation Toyota Hybrid models have the capacity to tow trailers and caravans. This might lead owners to wonder how about hybrid towing and how much their car is able to tow.

The regulations surrounding towing can be quite complicated to understand. So while this post is not designed to explain all the rules on this subject, we hope it clears some confusion by supplying straightforward answers to important, frequently asked questions.

Within this post we have also supplied relevant links to official government pages, related associations, and Toyota resources.

Prius towing 12

1) Hybrid towing – Which Toyota Hybrid models can tow?

The latest generation Yaris, Corolla, Toyota C-HR, RAV4 and Prius.

Moving upwards in towing ability, the latest Yaris has a towing capacity of 450kg. The Prius and Toyota C-HR share a recommended towing capacity of 725kg for both a braked or unbraked trailer. You can read more about this in our special feature on towing with a Prius. Meanwhile, all Corolla models – Hatchback, Touring Sports and Saloon – have an unbraked capacity of 450kg and a braked towing capacity of 750kg.

All RAV4 models have a legal towing capacity of 750kg for unbraked trailers. But with regard to braked trailers (where the trailer has its own braking system), the front-wheel drive RAV4 has a recommended towing capacity of 800kg and the all-wheel drive RAV4 has a 1,650kg capacity. Straddling the two is the new RAV4 Plug-in, which has a braked trailer maximum set at a 1,500kg.

For more information on how legal towing capacities are calculated, please see question four.

2) Hybrid towing – Can I tow with a Toyota Camry?

The current generation Camry has not been homologated to tow in the United Kingdom.

Some hybrid Camry models in other markets have been specially configured to tow light loads but these models are not available in the UK. Their cooling systems are different and the components cannot be retro-fitted to UK-spec cars.

Prius towing 02

3) Hybrid towing – What am I allowed to tow?

It depends on when you passed your driving test, the weight of your car and what you are towing.

You can get the latest rules and restrictions on the government services and information website.

4) What is my car legally allowed to tow?

The figure authorities use to enforce the maximum towing capacity of a vehicle can be found on the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) plate. This goes for all cars, not just those capable of hybrid towing.

Not all vehicles have been homologated to tow, but those that have will display either three or four sets of figures on the VIN plate. Reading from top to bottom, these will be the gross vehicle weight (the maximum mass of the vehicle including occupants, fuel and load), the gross vehicle train weight (the combined maximum mass of the vehicle and trailer) and the maximum loads across the front and rear axles respectively.

In order to create a recommended maximum towing capacity, vehicle manufacturers usually deduct the gross vehicle weight from the gross vehicle train weight.

For more advice on your specific Toyota model and hybrid towing, please follow this link to the My Toyota site where you download a copy of the owner’s manual for your car.

See more: Towing the line with the new Toyota Prius
Further information: National Trailer & Towing Association
Further information: AA guidance on towing

372 comments

    1. Hi, thanks for your query.

      Please can you provide your vehicle registration so that we can look into this for you.

      Thanks.

      Reply

  2. We are awaiting delivery of a new Toyota Yaris Hatchback 1.5 Hybrid Excel 5dr CVT in the next 2-3 weeks from Toyota in Worcester. Can we fit a towbar to it to carry a Thule 22-bike Easyfold XT to it.

    Reply

    1. Hi Hazel, thanks for getting in touch.

      Congratulations on your Toyota purchase!

      We recommend contacting your local Toyota centre to discuss additional packs and accessories.

      Thanks.

      Reply

      1. It has not got one yet. It is due for delivery on 14 August. I keep asking the dealer the same question and they have been unable to answer me.

      2. Hi Hazel,

        We would recommend re-contacting your Toyota Centre once your vehicle has been delivered.

        The technicians are best placed to assist you with this query.

        Thanks.

    2. Hi my name is Trevor I have a 5 mitre caravan I would like to pulll it with my new2023 plate tayoto carrollla my caravan is1450kgwill it pull it

      Reply

      1. Hi Trevor, thanks for your comment.

        Please can you provide your vehicle registration so that we can look into this for you.

        Thanks.

  4. Hello Toyota,
    I have a 2020 hybrid RAV 4 which is two wheel drive. I also have trail mode on this vehicle which puts it into 4 wheel drive. The towing capacity of a two wheel drive is 800kg, the towing capacity of the 4 wheel drive is 1650kg. It does not say why 1650kg can be towed with the 4 wheel drive. Is it weight, or power or what. Do you have to be in trail mode to tow a braked caravan of 1160 kg, or can you drive safely in two wheel drive? I have been to a Toyota garage today and they informed me that it would be correct to tow in two wheel drive, and use trail only for slippy, gritty road surfaces. Can you please advise.
    Many, many thanks.

    Reply

    1. Hi Peter, thanks for your question.

      Our Toyota Centre technicians are best placed to answer this question. Therefore we would recommend following the advise they have provided.

      Thanks.

      Reply

      2. Hi Maurice, thanks for getting in touch.

        Please provide your vehicle registration so that we can look into this for you.

        Thanks.

  5. Interested in a Yaris cross hybrid excel. Need to have a 2 or 3 bike carrier. Is a tow bar and bike carrier possible ?

    Reply

  7. I have a RAV4 Excel 2.5 HSD 4×4 bought in UK and exported to Australia when I moved. I have bought a caravan within the towing weight capacity,: Tare: 1250kg. ATM: 1550kg. I have a Toyota PW960-0R001 – Towing hitch, detachable horizontall, fitted before leaving showroom at purchase. However, whilst organising to pick my caravan up, and checking my RAV4 manual it was pointed out to me that I am unable to tow my caravan due to towbar/ball weight only being 70kg. The rule of thumb in Australia is the towbar/ball weight is 10% of the ATM. It has been suggested I put on another towbar.
    Question, if I change the towbar, will I be able to tow my caravan, or can the towbar/ball weight capacity be changed?
    How can towbar/ball weight be so low for 1650kg towing capacity.

    Reply

  9. I’m looking at buying a Rav4 hybrid 21plate from Toyota, they seemed very very keen to push this one on me although it was much higher price and ignored other rav4’s in my original price range. Makes me wonder why so keen to shift this car that has been untaxed since September 2023. It has a towbar, I’ll want a towbar anyway but if the gearbox has problems can or does this affect Toyota warranty? Thanks

    Reply

    1. Hi John,
      As per the terms and conditions of the warranty, for any repair to be considered under the warranty it needs to go to one of our franchised Toyota Centre’s for investigation.
      We rely on the trained Technicians there to carry out the necessary investigations to confirm whether a repair would be deemed to be a manufacturing defect or not.
      Once it has been inspected by the Toyota centre, they would then put a claim through to the warranty team to determine if it is something that would be covered by the warranty or not.
      If the issue is not confirmed to be a manufacturing defect, then any associated repairs would have to be paid for.
      We hope this helps.
      Thanks.

      Reply

  10. What tow bar and hitch should be fitted to my toyota corolla sport estate GD19YCK to carry an electric bike please .

    Reply

    1. Hi Barbara,
      The Parts Department at your nearest Toyota Centre would be best placed to assist you further with this query and get these parts ordered.
      Thank you.

      Reply

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