Has anyone towed with the new RAV4 4wd yet?

[Oscarmax]

Has anyone towed a caravan with the 4WD Toyota RAV4 yet, as we are caravaners we would be very interested in any feedback.

[MrNuts]

I'm towing with mine tomorrow, 200 odd miles, not a caravan but wieghts the same.

 

Shame its only new today 

[DaveKA]

Hi Oscarmax,

I have towed our caravan (1600 Kg) for 1250 miles with our Excel AWD hybrid since getting it in May.  I think it is a great towcar, better than my previous 2017 Excel.

The most impressive thing is the massive torque from start courtesy of the characteristics of the electric motors and its responsiveness covers the entire speed range (up to 60mph of course), much better and quieter than the previous model.

It has proved very stable as a towcar and has averaged 25mpg, although this varies with road conditions and headwinds. It is factory fitted with the vertical detachable towbar.

In 42 years of towing and 36000 miles I can state it is the best towcar I have had.

Enjoy your towing

Dave

[PeteB]

16 hours ago, DaveKA said:

...I think it is a great towcar, better than my previous 2017 Excel...

Just out of interest, was your last Excel a Hybrid too?

[MrNuts]

Towed with my 100 mile old dynamic awd, very good and comfortable, economy showed 38mpg with trailer weighing 1300kg, did 260 miles towing. 

[Oscarmax]

55 minutes ago, MrNuts said:

Towed with my 100 mile old dynamic awd, very good and comfortable, economy showed 38mpg with trailer weighing 1300kg, did 260 miles towing. 

Wow that is good. the best I have ever achieved out of my Ford Kuga Powershift 150 bhp diesel towing a 1454kg caravan is 33 mpg, we could not get on to site to 12.00 so was towing @ 50 mph, normal towing around the 29 - 30 mpg mark.

[DaveKA]

On 10/16/2019 at 11:05 AM, PeteB said:

Just out of interest, was your last Excel a Hybrid too?

Yes, PeteB, it was. I don't have accurate towing consumption figures, but around 19-20 mpg towing 1600Kg over 1900 miles.

Dave

[PeteB]

16 hours ago, Oscarmax said:

Wow that is good. the best I have ever achieved out of my Ford Kuga Powershift 150 bhp diesel towing a 1454kg caravan is 33 mpg...

To be fair, I suspect the air resistance on a caravan will be at least as significant as the weight, if not more so.

Plus aerodynamic drag will be worse the lower the air temperature as the air becomes more dense.

That's one reason I'm bracing for my RAV to take an even bigger mpg hit in the winter that I'm used to after over 300,000 miles in very slippery Prius.