Anyone tow with fuel efficient cars (not trucks or SUVs)?

donn0128 wrote:
That puny motor is going to really struggle trying to get any trailer up to the speed limit. Add in even the slightest hills and you will be in second gear motor screaming just to get to the top. Towing even the smallest of trailers is all about HP/torque.

You are correct that a puny motor (low powered motor) will struggle and HP/torque has a lot to do with towing.

But consider the power to weight ratio of some of the smaller rigs. Our mid sized car has 260hp/260tq and our rig weighs 8,500lbs. We are very aerodynamic. Our 0 to 60 MPH times are just a pinch over 15 sec. That is about 15 sec less than the SAE standard of 30 sec.

Also note that many smallish vehicle (like our Infiniti or the VW Golf are very stable when set up correctly). Check out the avoidance maneuver in the link I posted above. It works.

Have a friend who routinely tows 1200-1500# with his Toyota Prius. He says it is fine even on the climb from Boise to McCall. He does have brakes on his trailer.

I think you will have to look around to find a small car that can tow anything anymore.. i have some seat time towing with compact cars when i was younger i used to haul scrap metal for a side job regularly had several thousand lbs behind a chevette also towed an old apache tent camper with it..so if you have to go alittle over weight it should be doable just be sure to get brakes on the trailer if not equiped..and do maintenance on a severe duty rotation..

We have the same interest as you and wanted to tow with a fuel efficient vehicle. Our car gets over 25MPG solo. The Jetta diesels or Golfs can get over 30MP towing a full height trailer.

Golf/TT review

These folks are the experts at setting up cars for towing. Suggest you review their site for lots of good info on the subject.

Towing Specialist

Do you weigh less than a 150 pounds? Do you travel with less than a 1/4 tank of gas? Of you answered no to either question then that tow rating is totally unrealistic. There are two factors that dome into play when towing, weight and frontal area. For every pound a vehicle weighs above the base stripped vehicle with a 1/4 tank of fuel and one 150 pound person on board the towing capacity is reduced. Now, frontal area can be even worse. Think of trying to tow a sheet of plywood down the road. That puny motor is going to really struggle trying to get any trailer up to the speed limit. Add in even the slightest hills and you will be in second gear motor screaming just to get to the top. Towing even the smallest of trailers is all about HP/torque. Sufficient of both to move the designated load at a reasonable speed for a reasonable length of time. If you want an eco box, thats fine and dandy, keep it. Then go buy something that can actually tow to use for camping and leave it parked when you want to be frugal.

We have a 2009 Toyota Matrix (didn't even know it had a towing capacity-Ha!), but we do like. Mainly for the head room. Others small cars would have greater mpg rating. Not sure about towing capacities. At best we get low 30s mpg highway (more if the wind is going the correct direction). Middle to high 20's in town.

Check the Little Joe & Ponderosa TTs. Very small, yet large beds; made in Colorado. Interior height is at 6'.
Little Joe - not too bad, not as good as the Little Guy for tow weight. Lot more room.
APPROX. WT. 1,100LBS.
HITCH WEIGHT: 180LBS

Ponderosa - not so good.
WEIGHT APPROX 1,480 LBS
HITCH WEIGHT: 180 LBS

Something like a teardrop, a RoughNeck ---- half a Little Joe is very light weight.
Roughneck Specifications
5'3" Wide Body Only
9' Long Body
3' Tall Body Only
6'1" Over All Tall
13'4" Over All Long
Fiberglass Top
5'3"W x 9'L x 3'T - Top Only Size
500 lbs. total weight ---- This is much better.
2" x 3" Box Steel Frame
2 Windows
1 Rear Door

Sorry no experience towing with a small car. Hope you find your trailer.

There are several teardrop trailers manufactures it seems. Many people make there own from plans. Often teardrop trailer show up on craigslist. Not sure if they are lighter if not made of molded fiberglass or not.

The Little Guy Teardrops seem neat. Saw a very small one being towed by a motorcycle one summer.

Another option, an Aliner or Chalet hard sided folding trailers. But you have seem them already. Aliner Alite

Lightest of all Chalet A–frames — base weight of 1150 lbs. Most affordable Chalet. Can be towed by most automobiles. Easiest Chalet to maneuver around campsites and parking lots. Larger & not as light as the Aliner Alite 400, I see.
LTW

Our Daughter & husband have towed Aliners with their Hyundai Santa Fe (all wheel drive). I know you don't want an SUV - this is for the folding trailer quality, not the vehicle. Rented from the Air Force. They are very easy to set up. Our son also rented an Aliner for us to use in Alaska one summer (also from the Air Force). All of these were old & had had a lot of use. But they kept the rain out, even when you could sometimes see light through some 'seams'. Ha! A nice shelter in other words & pretty easy to tow.

An Aliner owner once told us the Chalet A-frames were better built, also more expensive.

A quick search I found this: 1 1/4” Class I Receiver hitch with 1400 lb towing and 200 lb tongue weight capacity. 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman. Not sure of mpg rating for Mini Coopers. Maybe 27/35 mpg?

2012 Hyundai Accent Hatchback Up to 28 cty/37 hwy mpg ? 2013 Towing Capacity:
200 Pound Tongue Weight
2000 Pound Towing
1-1/4 Inch Hitch Opening
But this was from Tow-Tite Hitches. ???

2012 Kia Rio 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Automatic 6-spd, mpg 28 city - 31 combined - 36 hwy
One mpg extra with manuel.
Like above: Trailer Hitch Size: 1-1/4 Inch Hitch Opening. Towing Capacity: 200 Pound Tongue Weight. 2000 Pound Towing. ???

2013 Chevrolet Cruze MPG City: 22 – 28 Highway: 35 – 42
MAXIMUM TOWING CAPACITY - 1000 lbs

2009 Chevy Cobalt towing capacity - 1,000 lbs. mpg is 25 city & 37 hwy.

2012 FIAT 500 with 30 mpg city - 38 mpg hwy. Trailer Hitch Size: 1-1/4 Inch Hitch Opening. Towing Capacity: 200 Pound Tongue Weight. 2000 Pound Towing. Info from etrailer.com - but FIAT USA | 2012 FIAT 500 says Not rated for trailer tow.

Now if you could snag a 2011 Volkswagen Golf 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Automatic or Manuel, Diesel
30 city, 34 combined, 42 Hwy mpg
Trailer Hitch Size: 1-1/4 Inch Hitch Opening. Towing Capacity: 200 Pound Tongue Weight. 2000 Pound Towing. ???

You would have to do a better search on towing capacities than I tried to be sure on any of this. I got most from etrailer.com which is maybe for the hitch not the vehicles.

Good luck with your quest. Should be able to find the right combination for you.