tow limits

[rln44]

We recently purchased a Kia Sorrento with the trailer tow package. It is rated to tow 5,000 lbs. Original plan was to purchase a small travel trailer with a dry wt of 3500-4000 lbs. I figured that if we were careful with what we put into the trailer and drained all of the tanks between stops we should be OK. Of course our first visit to a dealer led us to fall in love with a 22' Forest River Surveyor with a dry wt of about 4400 lbs. Common sense tells me that this is too much trailer for the Sorrento-I don't want to be the guy towing a trailer up a mountain climb at 30 mph. We've towed much heavier trailers in the past but with a Suburban and an F350 turbo diesel. Any comments?

[Jebby14]

I would pay VERY close attention to payload and frontal surface area limitations and stop caring about the 5000lb towing capacity because it doesn't limit you.

[atreis]

Try it with a good WD/sway control hitch sometime - you won't want to go back.

I tow with minivans - two trailers back we had a PUP and didn't use sway control or WD. This trailer and the last tow much better, despite being longer, taller, heavier.

[Olli]

Not sure if it's OK to bump old topics, but here goes.

We towed our 2010 K-Z 16bh some half dozen trips last summer with our 2016 Kia Sorento EX V6. No WD or sway control yet. I know this is not much, but couldn't get out more due to other commitments. No long trips with longest day being 350 km or so in NW Ontario. Obviously no mountains either. 90-100 km/h speeds while towing where comfortable, except one headwind tow where I chose to drop the speed down to 85 km/h to keep the revs down. The trailer tracked quite well even in one very windy day. My wife was comfortable driving as well. We always towed with empty tanks

Based on my experience with our specific set-up, travel and towing habits, Kia Sorento V6 can tow our small trailers on flat land at Canadian highway speeds. I know this is not ideal set-up, but it works for us right now.

[drsteve]

Marty wrote:
At the same time, the smaller rigs like a kia had 100-125hp, now many have 200-225HP and torque in the 200-300 ft lb range.

Horsepower will not be an issue, with the Kia or most other small SUV/people hauler/grocery getter type vehicle one might choose. Suspension, and in particular GVWR, will be the limiting factor.

[Olli]

We tow a 2010 K-Z Sportsman Classic 16BH trailer with our 2016 Sorento V6. Trailer specs are 2700 lbs GVWR and approximately 350 lbs tongue weight. That trailer tows quite nice without a weight distribution. It might be possible to tow bigger/heavier trailer mostly because of tongue weight becoming an issue.

[coolbreeze01]

Don't forget tow mirrors.

[blt2ski]

The new tow specs will be a min speed of 40 mph on a 5% grade with IIRC 60 sq ft of frontal area for this sized rig. An additional 20 or so ft will add an additional 20-25HP needed to the flat ground HP to stay going 60mph. This rig will probably surprise on in how fast etc it will do, as the smaller rigs like this have had power figures upped just as those of us with larger twucks have had power figures upped. Any on still remember when 160-200hp was a BIG HP rating in our diesels? now it is 350-400. At the same time, the smaller rigs like a kia had 100-125hp, now many have 200-225HP and torque in the 200-300 ft lb range. Approaching BB power of the late 70s and early 80's. Yes it will slow down with a more typical loaded 4000lb trailer that is around 80-90# of frontal area. You will be down a gear or two due to the motor needed to rev to get is HP. Realistically, you should be better than you think.

Renting a trailer which depending upon where you are for a week, would be a smart move if you can rent one.

Marty

[SoCalDesertRid1]

Grit dog wrote:
Easy solution. Go beg, borrow, rent a similar size and weight trailer and go see how it does on the hill N out of Anthem or E out of Mesa. Then you can see easily how big a trailer you can pull before you're the 30mph with blinkers on guy.

Or take the 89 up to Yarnell, then the white spar up to Prescott, then the 89A from Prescott, through Jerome, then onto Sedona and to Flagstaff... or the 87 up to Payson and the 260 to Heber/Snowflake...

[Grit_dog]

Easy solution. Go beg, borrow, rent a similar size and weight trailer and go see how it does on the hill N out of Anthem or E out of Mesa. Then you can see easily how big a trailer you can pull before you're the 30mph with blinkers on guy.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

rln44 wrote:
would rather go back to tent camping than use one of those tin coffins (tear drop trailers). We are now looking at rpods by forest river. The interior has some compromises but the rounded profile and 2700lb dry wt should keep us in the 3500lb plus area. Well within our 5000lb tow rating.

That right there, is a very good plan. 🙂

May the Force be with you! Or at least a good tail wind and a tall cold one when you get there 🙂

[IDoMyOwnStunts]

What do you think of the retro style trailers? Many of them are lightweight but fully functioning.

[rln44]

would rather go back to tent camping than use one of those tin coffins (tear drop trailers). We are now looking at rpods by forest river. The interior has some compromises but the rounded profile and 2700lb dry wt should keep us in the 3500lb plus area. Well within our 5000lb tow rating.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

I would look for one of those high-low collapsible trailers, or a teardrop style trailer, something that isn't shaped like a 9 foot tall cardboard box going down the road.

[ChooChooMan74]

There are a few things that you may not consider.

1) Hitch Capacity. What is the maximum hitch weight. My 4500lb hybrid has a 600lb or so hitch weight when ready to tow.
2) Does KIA recommend a Weight Distribution Hitch. I wouldn't tow without one. Definitely needed it with my Jeep Liberty Diesel.
3) Frontal Area limit for the Kia? Not sure if that is in the manual. Most smaller vehicles have frontal limit restrictions (the square footage of trailer cutting the wind). This has the biggest impact on the engine, especially at highway speeds. Pulling a 5000lb boat setup and 5000lb travel trailer are 2 totally different games.