Towing with Toyota Tacoma

At your altitude and terrain I would want a little more truck. My father in law has an 08 and just pulling a UTV on a single axle it struggles at altitude.

I think it would be fine for a pop-up, or some of the small teardrop/hybrid TTs. I think I would stay below 5000 pounds (and your hitch weight will likely limit you below that).

I would buy a Tundra if I planned on pulling anything other than a PUP or a utility trailer.

JMHO

thanks!

Jeremiah

We tow 3500 Gvwr with 378 hitch weight 16 feet with 2018 Tacoma long cab short bed. We use sway control but no weight distribution. It tows well with plenty of power.

I had an earlier version of the 3.5L in my 2008 Highlander, and I towed trailers in the 2700-3500 lb range for about 140,000 miles (yes, that many miles of towing, work and play). It held up well and performed decently. Towing up a long grade at higher elevation (Rockies), I liked to take it in 3rd gear at about 40-45 mph so the tranny wouldn't get too hot.

Keep in mind that 650 lbs hitch weight is not much. This will be your limiting factor. You should assume that a TT with 450 lb dry hitch will be about all you'd want, because once you add LP, battery, water and gear that tongue weight will climb fast. So you are going to be looking at trailers weighing probably less than 3500 lbs (dry weight) or so, and maybe no longer than 25' (if even that). I'd also recommend TTs no wider than 7.5' and not overly tall, to keep the frontal area as small as possible; frontal area is a bigger factor than weight when you tow on a typical highway, and weight becomes more critical going up and down steep grades. My TT was 7' wide and only 99" high; the other trailer for work was a 6x12 cargo.

I hope that helps.

For occasional towing within the specs, it will do fine.

We had a v6 tacoma pulling a 19 foot tt .. after one trip, traded up to a v8 tundra.. keep within limits, you may be ok on flat ground.. any little hill, though, with anything bigger than a popup, and you may quickly run out of power

I personally wouldn't tow anything more than a couple quads on a flat bed with a Tacoma. Tho there are many light trailers you can tow with a Tacoma and I have friends that do that. I just wouldn't after my years of experience. You can also get a half ton pickup for not really much more money and really not that much worse fuel economy.

“get a truck with ample capacity.”

And for all but the smallest trailers, the Tacoma is inadequate.

My suggestion is if you want to tow, get a truck with ample capacity.