Your average sedan can tow surprisingly well – Jalopnik

Pickup truck makers hate this one simple trick: You can tow a surprising amount of weight in an average sedan. Okay, so you’re not going to tow many boats with a Camry, but don’t think that just because you don’t have a pickup you can’t get that load of mulch from your local garden nursery. Some sedans on sale today can literally tow a ton of weight, making them much more useful and versatile than their owners might think.

Admittedly, towing a sedan isn’t as easy or convenient as a pickup or large SUV. You’ll have to do a little more homework and a little more math, but it’s certainly possible for many situations. So if you’re the owner of a sedan (or even a minivan) and you’re feeling paralyzed by what you thought was your car’s lack of usability, you might be in luck, because many sedans have surprising official towing capacities.

There are a few things you should know before towing your sedan. First you need to know if your car has a tow bar at all. It’s usually pretty obvious since they usually stick out from the back of the car. However, some cars offer retractable tow bars that hide when not in use, such as the Volvo V60 Cross Country (yes, that’s a station wagon, but it’s based on a sedan). If your car doesn’t have a tow bar, it’s always possible to add one, but you should make sure you get one from the manufacturer so you know it’s safe.

Another thing you need to know, and this may seem obvious, is how much your sedan can tow. If in doubt, consult the user manual. A Toyota Camry can only tow 1,000 pounds, but the smaller, less powerful Corolla can tow 1,500 pounds. The V8-powered Chrysler 300 is also limited to just 1,000 pounds. However, a 2025 Volvo S60 can tow a maximum of 2,000 pounds with its four-cylinder engine. The Volkswagen Arteon can do the same.

The final homework you need to do is find out if your car’s towing capacity is suitable for trailers with or without brakes. Trailer brakes help you slow down so your car’s brakes can’t handle all the extra weight on their own. Not every trailer has its own brakes, and state requirements can vary as to how much the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the trailer can be before it needs its own brakes. So check your vehicle’s owner’s manual to see if it specifies trailer brakes.

What makes your neighbor’s F-150 so much better at towing than your Camry? Simply put: because it was made. Towing takes a lot out of your car, much more than just pulling some extra weight in a straight line. So trucks and heavy-duty SUVs have sturdier chassis that can handle the strain of towing extra weight, stronger brakes that can slow everything down repeatedly, and gearing that allows them to accelerate consistently without damaging anything.

Towing heavy weight mechanically loads vehicles in specific ways, so manufacturers must pass certain tests on their maximum towing capacity. Since 2008, truck manufacturers must meet specific requirements and pass various tests established by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). These “SAE J2807” standards began in April 2008, but have been updated periodically since then, most recently in 2024. They are described as the “Performance Requirements for Determining the Gross Weight of a Tow Vehicle and the Weight of the Trailer.”

One of those performance requirements is the ability to accelerate a certain distance uphill several times within five minutes at maximum pulling power. Vehicles towing trailers must also climb the Davis Dam incline – which rises 3,500 feet over an 11-mile stretch of highway – at 100 degrees Fahrenheit, with the air conditioning on full blast.

While small sedans, minivans and crossovers may never experience such difficult towing tasks, they do provide an idea of ​​how different situations can affect towing problems. So even if you’re towing a motorcycle you just bought, or a piece of paving for a landscaping project, remember that your car may have trouble going uphill or braking quickly if you’re close to reaching the weight limit.

If you want to tow with your sedan, you obviously want to stay below the manufacturer’s maximum towing capacity. To stay on the safe side, Kelley Blue Book recommends not exceeding 80% of that rating so you don’t push your car to its limits as variables can change. All the weight in the trailer can shift to the hitch during braking, which can put pressure on the tongue weight of your vehicle. Or maybe you get stuck on a hill in traffic, putting a strain on your car’s drivetrain and brakes. So it’s best to give yourself some breathing room.

However, there are a few practical towing applications that fall under the 1,000 to 2,000 pound weight limit of most sedans. You can tow a jet ski – maybe even two, depending on the type of jet ski – or even a few dirt bikes on a small trailer. You can also squeeze about a cubic yard of dry mulch under that weight limit, depending on the weight of the trailer. Need a trailer to grab a few sheets of plywood or drywall from Home Depot? Your sedan can probably do it. So there are some very real, very useful towing applications for your humble four-door that you might not otherwise have thought of.

Small crossovers are great too. Both the Subaru Crosstrek and Mini Countryman can carry 3,500 pounds. Heck, the Fiat 500X can tow 2,000 pounds. However, that doesn’t mean that you should just drag everything around. It might be funny to hitch a trailer to a Corvette, but sports cars are designed for a completely different purpose and it’s best to keep them in their lane.

So if you’re wondering how to get the building materials you need, how to get your jet ski on the water, or what to tow with a small caravan, don’t be afraid to use your sedan. It may not be a heavy transporter, but it can do more than many people think.