Toyota RAV4 and towing

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HBB

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I’m in the position of having to retire my old Freelander and have noticed a lovely Toyota RAV4 D-4D Invincible for sale locally. I’m keen to go and have a look but wondering if anyone on here has one and could tell me what they’re like for towing please?
I’ve got a Ifor Williams 506 and will only be travelling one 480kg pony at any time.
I’d be grateful for any advice good or bad as I don’t want to make an expensive mistake 😔
Thanks for reading 😁
 
@fairyclare Thank you so much 🥰
@phizz4 Thank you for the link. On other websites and the technical information for that model, i've found the max towing weight (braked) = 1800kg so I am hoping that would leave me enough extra kg's once trailer and pony are added?
 
HBB said:
@fairyclare Thank you so much 🥰
@phizz4 Thank you for the link. On other websites and the technical information for that model, i've found the max towing weight (braked) = 1800kg so I am hoping that would leave me enough extra kg's once trailer and pony are added?
Click to expand...

^^^^ Frankly I wouldn't even enter the debate with yourself of "perhaps" "if" or "maybe".......

1800kg isn't going to leave you with a lot spare tbh; and the best advice I was ever given re. towing vehicles which is basically "it isn't about what it can pull, it's about what it can stop with". THAT is your main concern, braking.
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
^^^^ Frankly I wouldn't even enter the debate with yourself of "perhaps" "if" or "maybe".......

1800kg isn't going to leave you with a lot spare tbh; and the best advice I was ever given re. towing vehicles which is basically "it isn't about what it can pull, it's about what it can stop with". THAT is your main concern, braking.
Click to expand...

I believe Ravs are very light.. and was told to avoid one when looking in terms of towing one horse.

Saying that I tow 1 with a 2013 Freelander 2, a 2 ton towing limit and it pulls well. It is nicer to tow with than our last Shotgun which had a 3 ton limit.

*Having looked they don’t weigh much different to my Freelander!
 
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I had one to tow my ifor single and a 480ish horse, it towed that combo quite well but I wouldn’t want much more weight, and I agree, it’s the braking that you need to be certain on

As far as my Rav was concerned I wish I’d never bought it, it was a proper sick note!
 
I have a Rav4 and it wouldn't be my immediate choice.
Plenty of grunt to tow but it's the stopping/down hills/blown about on the motorway.

Watch out for certain years (mine is one of the ones where the chassis rots and injectors blow). This is my second Rav4, first one was bulletproof, this one is a money pit.
 
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Honestly I'd never look at anything with less than a 2500kg towing capacity, even with one small horse. Hills are my nemisis...today was towing our very light CL trailer and 340kg pony and had to stop mid hill on a very steep climb as a biker had fallen in the road ahead. Was extremely glad of my 3500kg towing capacity of my VW Touareg to get going again from such a steep angle! Gives the horses a better ride too in my view if you have more power, braking is also better.
The VW Touareg is brilliant for towing by the way! X
 
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Quote from a friend,who had one for a short time
"It had trouble ,pulling the skin off a rice pudding".
 
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I towed with a 2:2diesel Rav reg in 2010, it was great. Single trailer one 500 kg horse. tack and stuff in back of car. Then I changed to a hybrid 2016 Rav, without thinking about it, and it can’t do it now. I assumed same sort of car be ok. But hybrids can’t tow much. So do your homework x
 
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