If I purchase a 2019 Kia Sportage with front-wheel drive, can I flat-tow it behind my RV? I was planning to get one of those two bar towing setups to put all four wheels firmly planted. Will it accrue miles while being towed if it can be pulled in that way?
Expert Reaction:
When describing the flat and dolly tow processes for the 2019 Kia Sportage, the owner’s manual was not exactly clear-cut, but if I understood it properly, the FWD vehicles can only be dolly towed with the front two wheels off the ground, which would make sense when compared to earlier years.
Sadly, you would be unable to employ a tow bar because your Sportage’s front two wheels would need to be suspended in the air. The Demco Kar Kaddy SS Tow Dolly part # DM9713045, on the other hand, is a really beautiful tow dolly with self-steering wheels to assist maneuverability and a higher weight capability than most thanks to the disc brakes, making it the perfect pick for your Sportage.
A review video is also added for your convenience. You would need to consult the manufacturer since the owner’s manual was silent on the subject, but most do not.
In This Article...
Can you flat tow a 2002 Kia Sportage?
Question:
Yes, sir. I have a 2002 Kia Sportage 2 door with a manual transmission and no four-wheel drive. Please let me know if I can tow this car with a tow dolly or four flat tires.
Although your 2002 Kia Sportage with a manual transmission may tow flat, towing at speeds exceeding 55 mph is not advised. In order to lubricate the transmission, it is also advised to start the engine every 400 miles and let it run for 5 minutes.
What Automatic SUV is capable of flat towing?
The kinds of automobiles that can be flat hauled depend on a few distinct parameters. It all depends on if they have particular manufacturer-installed features like a steering lockout override or a transmission disconnect. AWD and 4×4 cars are more common and preferred for flat towing, in general.
The most well-known flat-towable cars are listed below. Always refer to your owner’s handbook as the ultimate authority when determining whether a vehicle should be flat-towed.
AWD vehiclescan they be flat towed?
These days, there are numerous ways to tow a 4-Wheel-Drive vehicle. There are several ways to tow, including using a flatbed vehicle, trailers, dollies, or flat towing using a triangle bar. It’s not always possible or financially feasible to pull with a flatbed or trailer, but there are occasions when you are left with no other option. In the section that follows, we’ll go over towing your four-wheel drive with an RV or motorhome while using a dolly or a triangle bar.
- It’s crucial to read your owner’s manual for towing instructions and safety precautions before flat towing a 4WD car.
- Activate the neutral position on the transfer case.
- To prevent harm to the transmission and drivetrain while being towed, put your manual transmission in neutral (N).
- The powertrain is severed from the axle once the transmission is in neutral (N).
If done correctly, flat towing your 4WD is achievable without running the danger of harming the drive-train, transfer case, or transmission. (READ: Are 4WD Transmissions the Same as 2WD Transmissions) Towing is not always possible, though, if you have an AWD with all 4 wheels locked into 4H and unable to be disconnected. Due to the fact that all 4 wheels are driving wheels, AWD cars present unique difficulties. Unfortunately, an AWD vehicle can only be transported on a flatbed or pulled behind an RV with a tow trailer. AWD is a permanent configuration, so flat towing is not an option, hence none of the wheels should be left on the ground.
Can a Kia Soul be towed behind an RV?
If it has a manual transmission, the 2021 Kia Soul can be flattowed with all four wheels down, claims Kia. The EZ5 Base Plate Kit is a perfect match for your Soul and will provide you detachable arms for a neat appearance when it’s not being towed.
Since the DCT may disengage and shift into neutral, the Kia Soul GT is the best solution for flat towing. In addition, it has a weight of 2,800 pounds, making it lightweight enough to be readily pulled by any RV.
Which vehicle is the simplest to tow behind a motorhome?
A list of cars that fall under one or more of the aforementioned categories has been compiled. The top five vehicles for towing an RV are as follows:
Honda CR-V
Towing behind our camper is easy and convenient with our Honda CR-V.
We have to start with the Honda CR-V because, well, we’ve been towing the exact same one behind our RV for almost 20 years, and it’s been the ideal tow vehicle for us. We still adore the brand-new RV that we purchased particularly to travel in an RV full-time.
How Great They Are: This midsize SUV provides reasonable space (for passengers and/or cargo), comfort, good fuel economy, and simple agility on city streets or over more difficult terrain. It works well for day excursions and running errands. Depending on the year and drivetrain, the Honda CR-V can be flat, dolly, or trailer towed. All-wheel-drive models must be flat towed or trailer towed, whereas front-wheel-drive models can use all three options. Be sure to check tow guides and the owner’s manual for the particular model year to be sure.
They are useful, practically indestructible, and reasonably priced. Ours has never failed to deliver. Anywhere. Ever. Never once. You’d be shocked… or frightened… at some of the places we’ve taken ours! And when fitted with all-wheel-drive, are a remarkably capable all-weather and off-road vehicle, though they undoubtedly have their limitations.
ONE MASSIVE, DARK CAVEAT
Be warned that Honda CR-Vs manufactured after the 2014 model year are NOT flat-towable owing to changes made to the powertrain (Continuously Variable Transmissions). Come on Honda, we’d love to get a new CR-V as our toad, but we can’t get behind something that can’t be flat-towed. Even so, if you can find a decent pre-2015 model or don’t intend to flat tow, a CR-V can be the perfect vehicle for you.
Jeep Wrangler
When pulling an RV, the Jeep Wrangler is a popular choiceespecially if you want off-road excursions once you arrive at your destination.
How Great They Are: Off-road wizardry is the Jeep Wrangler. Jeeps can withstand some rough terrain if you intend to go off-roading while traveling in your RV. They are designed for incredibly difficult adventures while also offering cozy (and enjoyable!) transit for regular tasks. Any Jeep Wrangler may be flat-towed, and there are also options for towing a dolly or a trailer. As with any vehicle, make careful to confirm that towing is permitted in the owner’s manual for the model year and transmission combination you intend to use (and what procedures to follow).
Ford F-150
Tow it behind a motorhome OR use it to tow a travel trailer or fifth wheel! The Ford F150 is a flexible alternative! That’s especially useful if you’re unsure if you’ll stay with one type of RV for an extended period of time.
How Great They Are: The Ford F-150 is comfortable for daily use as well as great for venturing off the beaten path. When towing this vehicle behind your RV, the four-wheel-drive variants can be flat-towed and have more storage room in the truck bed. Additionally, you have all the convenience and adaptability that a pickup truck provides when it’s not being used as a towing vehicle, which may be essential for your “non-RVing existence!
Honda Civic
The Honda Civic is a wonderful daily driver and a great tow vehicle thanks to its light weight, comfort, and fun factor.
How Great They Are: The Honda Civic is a small, economical car that gets great gas mileage and has a smooth ride. It’s a fantastic automobile for both daily home driving and traveling with you on your next RV vacation.
All Civics have front-wheel drive, therefore you can dolly tow any of them, and you can flat tow some of the manual transmission cars in various model years. The towing capacity can be found in the car’s manual. And it’s true that Peter has a particular fondness for Hondas; he has owned SEVEN of them, including two exquisite motorbikes, and has never experienced any issues with any of them.
Mini Cooper
The Mini Cooper is not only cute and enjoyable to drive, but it also makes a fantastic toad!
Why They’re Great: The Mini Cooper is a great option if you’re searching for a sporty, entertaining, and fuel-efficient tow vehicle. You might look forward to coming to your destination so you can go out and explore in this entertaining car, making it the ideal travel partner for your RV! We advise dolly towing the Mini Cooper because there are no model years that we are aware of that are officially permitted for flat towing.
Which automobiles can be pulled by a motorhome?
Almost any vehicle can be hauled behind an RV using two-wheeled dollies and four-wheel trailers, as long as the combined weight of the car, truck, and anything else being utilized to facilitate the tow doesn’t exceed the motorhome’s recommended towing capacity.
How is a 2007 Kia Sportage towable?
Can I tow a 2007 Kia Sportage, which I believe is front-wheel drive, behind my motorhome with a car dolly? If so, can the front wheels go on the dolly? If that’s any assistance, the Sportage is the EX model.
According to the owner’s manual, a tow dolly can be used to tow a 2007 Kia Sportage that is a 2WD. It must be towed with all four wheels off the ground if it is a 4WD variant. Before investing in a tow dolly, I advise you to confirm which ones you already have.
Use Roadmaster # RM-2050-1, rated for 4,250 lbs, for a tow dolly. It has electronic brakes, but in order to use them from your RV, you must connect a 6-Way # PK11604 or 7-Way # PK12706 trailer plug.
If your owner’s manual contains any special instructions for towing a dolly, be sure to read them.
Can a flat trailer tow any Hyundai?
While on a road trip in your motor home, flat towing (also known as dinghy towing) is a terrific way to make sure you’ll have a smaller vehicle that takes up less space whether running errands or sightseeing in a town or city. This article is for you if you have a Hyundai Santa Fe and are thinking about doing this. In our investigation into whether or not a Santa Fe can be flat-towed, we discovered the following.
Hyundai claims that any of their two-wheel drive, manual transmission vehicles with all four wheels on the ground may be flat-towed. Hyundais with automatic or CVT transmissions and four-wheel drive should not be flat towed as this will result in the transmission breaking. Therefore, you can flat tow it if it has a manual two-wheel-drive Santa Fe.
Would you like additional information on flat towing your Santa Fe? Continue reading as we cover several subtopics related to the topic, like which Hyundai is ideal for towing, other Hyundai vehicles that can be flat towed, if a tow hitch can be installed on a Hyundai Santa Fe, and many more.
Which Honda CR-V models may be toted flat?
With one crucial qualification, the answer to this question is a resounding YES. The model and model year will determine this. Our 2003 CR-V can be flat towed, and for many years, that’s how we’ve opted to tow it. Unfortunately, only Honda CR-Vs from before the 2015 model year can be flat-towed due to drivetrain changes (as in 2014 and older). So, if you can find a Honda CR-V that was manufactured before 2015, you can flat tow it. You cannot flat-tow newer models.
For almost two decades, we have flat towed the same 2003 Honda CR-V, and it has served as the ideal toad for us.
Is towing an automatic vehicle in neutral acceptable?
Make sure you know what to do to protect your car’s transmission if it breaks down and you have to be towed. The layout of the vehicle dictates how it should be correctly hauled to prevent gearbox damage. In particular, whether your car is front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive, automatic or manual, matters. Here are some tips for towing your car from the experts at Matt’s Transmission in Murfreesboro, Tennessee:
Consult the owner’s handbook first. There will be a segment focused on towing your car safely. Some vehicles can be simply towed, while it’s advised never to tow others. In this case, your manufacturer is advisable to follow their advice. Simply park the vehicles on the trailer or truck if all four wheels are going to be immobile while being towed, like on a trailer or the back of a truck.
If your car has front-wheel drive and an automatic transmission:
The front two wheels will be elevated if utilizing a vehicle dolly. Just put the car in park and start the tow. Your car must have a suitable towing system if all four wheels are on the ground in order to prevent the transmission from turning without the required lubrication. No amount of shifting the car into neutral will stop it from getting hurt. In an emergency, you can start the car and leave it running while it is being towed while the transmission is in neutral. While doing so will keep the transmission oiled, prolonged towing is not advised.
If your car has front-wheel drive and a manual transmission:
Put the car in first gear and tow it if it’s on a dolly. Put the car in neutral and tow if all four wheels are on the ground. Manual transmission cars may often be hauled without the engine running, with no danger to the transmission.
If your car has automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive:
The most challenging vehicle to properly tow is this one. Unless you leave the car running or have a vehicle with the necessary equipment installed, you must disconnect the driveshaft whether you are using a dolly or “flat towing” with all four wheels on the ground.
If your car is manual, rear-wheel drive:
Leave the transmission in neutral while towing, whether you’re flat towing or utilizing a dolly. You don’t need to leave the engine running or use any specialized equipment.
Before towing your car, truck, or SUV, be careful to check with your owner’s manual or the manufacturer as there are some cars that are an exception to these guidelines. Come to Matt’s Transmission whenever you need maintenance or repairs. Our highly skilled mechanics are capable of servicing any transmission and are committed to giving the best possible customer service.
We appreciate you coming to Matt’s Transmission in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. You can rely on our ASE-certified Transmission professionals to keep your car, truck, SUV, or van operating safely and longer on the road.