Towing with Toyota
If you and your family are in the market for a new truck or SUV to handle the weight of towing your travel trailer, you’re in for a treat! Toyota trucks and SUVs are designed explicitly for towing, boasting powerful engines and high towing capacities. Known for their reliability and longevity, Toyota models such as the Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Tacoma, and Tundra also showcase impressive power and performance.
When determining your towing needs, consider the weight of the item you will be towing, the curb weight of the vehicle—or the weight of the vehicle with all equipment and oil present—and the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). After determining your needs, let’s look at the Toyota model that meets those needs.
Tacoma
If you want a truck that can handle off-roading and tow your travel trailer anywhere you want to go, then the Toyota Tacoma is a great option. The Tacoma comes with a V6 engine and delivers up to 279 horsepower with 265 pound-feet of torque. This powerful machine will give you all the power you need to take any size travel trailer off-roading with its 6,800-pound towing capacity.
The Tacoma is made for off-roading and has unique features to enhance your driving experience. This model has features like multi-terrain select and crawl control. The multi-terrain selection has five modes that help regulate the wheelspin by adjusting the engine throttle and traction control.
The advanced crawl control system modulates the throttle and brakes at five low speeds to help you get out of tight spots and enable you to climb over rocks and hard ground with ease. You can crawl out of rocky areas and sand dips so you don’t get stuck spinning your wheels without getting anywhere.
Read more about towing and Oliver with a Tacoma on our Owner Forums.
Tundra
This full-size Toyota truck is built for power, with its 5.7L V8 engine delivering 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. This option is excellent for use on a job site or weekend traveling, with its available 10,200-pound towing capacity and 38-gallon fuel tank. The Tundra also has a deck rail system with four adjustable tie-down cleats to help secure your cargo.
The Tundra is not just about power; it’s about comfort, too. Its heavy-duty TripleTech frame with an integrated tow hitch receiver ensures a smooth and secure ride. The trailer hitch on the Toyota Tundra comes with 12-inch bolts that provide additional support and are integrated into the frame. The staggered outboard-mounted shocks absorb the bumps of rough terrains, making every journey comfortable.
The Toyota Tundra is equipped with a tow/haul mode that holds gears longer, ensuring the truck stays in the right gear when towing. This system also enhances throttle response and engine braking, providing a secure towing experience even when hauling large camper trailers on long drives.
Land Cruiser
This Toyota model brings power, with its 5.7L V8 engine delivering 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. It is well equipped with innovative technologies like dual independent variable valve timing with intelligence and an acoustic control induction system that helps maximize usable power even more.
The Land Cruiser has an independent double-wishbone suspension with coil springs, a stabilizer bar up front, a 4-link rear suspension with coil springs, and a semi-floating axle in the rear. This suspension system allows for a smoother ride, even when towing heavy-duty loads, and it’s also long-lasting so that you don’t have to worry about replacing it anytime soon.
This Toyota model also has skid plates in its undercarriage to help protect essential areas like the front suspension, radiator, fuel tank, and transfer case. These skid plates help keep the underside of the Land Cruiser safe from rocks hitting the fuel tank or from items that have fallen in the road from messing up the front suspension. This keeps your car in better condition and lasts longer.
Sequoia
If you are looking for an SUV that can tow your travel trailer when on the road with your family, then the Toyota Sequoia may be the perfect fit for you. This family-sized SUV has a 5.7L V8 engine that delivers 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. This model also has a towing capacity of up to 7,400 pounds, so you can tow whatever trailer size you need for your family.
The Sequoia comes with TRD-tuned FOX shocks specially designed for off-roading. The front has 2.5-inch internal bypass shocks with seven compression zones and two rebound zones, and the rear has a 2.0-inch rear shock setup. These shocks are built for off-roading and can handle the strain that rugged terrain puts on them, keeping your driving experience smooth, even in rugged areas.
This model also comes with TRD alloy wheels, made from black, forged aluminum BBS, 18 inches in diameter, and wrapped in all-terrain rubber. These wheels give the Sequoia a tough exterior look and reduce unsprung mass, improving cornering responses and enhancing the overall ride quality of the vehicle on or off the road.
Conclusion
Toyota is known for its long-lasting vehicle options, but it is now building a reputation for having some of the strongest and most powerful options for heavy-duty towing.
With high towing capacities, great suspension systems, and innovative technological features, these models can tow most travel trailers and campers for your next trip.
Whether you decide to get the family-size Toyota Sequoia SUV to fit the entire family in one vehicle for vacation, or you want a Toyota Tundra that can take you from the worksite to a weekend trip, you can find an option that works for you with a new Toyota truck or SUV.
See our article about the best 5 SUVs with a GVWR rating of over 5000 pounds.
