I’ve got a 2023 Forester Sport with a towing capacity of 1500 lbs. There’s a pop-up camper I’m interested in that weighs just under 1700. Is that limit strict or is there a little wiggle room?
Nope, there’s no room for wiggle here. That 1700 lbs is likely the dry weight. Once you throw in gear, you’ll be way over. If you end up in an accident, they’ll hold you responsible.
Wouldn’t risk it. If this were a pickup truck, maybe, since those numbers are often more flexible. But for a mid-size SUV like yours, that limit is there because the vehicle can’t safely handle more.
This isn’t just a short trip back from the store. Sounds like you’re planning real travel with this setup. That car isn’t built for that kind of work.
With a CVT, you really don’t have any leeway. Stick to the limit.
I always count every person besides the driver, all the luggage, and then the trailer. If I’m barely within the max, I think about where I’m going—like hills and road conditions. I wouldn’t push it with the CVT. I baby mine and don’t tow anything serious anyway.
If you’re in America, forget it. If you’re in Europe, sure—tow your boat to the beach.
You can get close to the limit, but don’t go over. Doing that again and again will wreck your car and possibly get people hurt.
I wouldn’t, especially if you plan to keep your car a long time. The Wilderness model gets extra cooling for the CVT that the regular versions don’t have. That tells you something. Plus, don’t forget to check the tongue weight and add in anything else you pack.
@Vale
The Wilderness also has a lower gear ratio that helps. But yeah, I think 1500 lbs is already pushing it for something that size. It might feel okay on a calm day, but if you get hit with strong wind on the freeway, it can get ugly. A lot of people tow more than they should—it doesn’t make it safe.
@IvankaMoore
The CVT and brakes are what limits towing on that car. Many trailers do have their own brakes, so the CVT ends up being the main weak spot. That thing will overheat quick if you go over and hit a hill. Wind isn’t the big issue—it’s load. What are you even talking about?
@Clove
That’s why the extra cooler matters. Doing hard launches in a WRX with a CVT probably stresses it more than towing 1500 lbs.
@Clove
Can we keep this a little more reasonable? No need to yell.
I never towed with my Forester, but I used to tow with my old Matrix. It had the same rating. I pulled a 1200 lb trailer once and swore I’d never do that again. Maybe I’d haul some yard waste short distances but never on the freeway. The trailer was swaying and dragging the car around. There just wasn’t enough grip. I also have a 10k lb Transit van, and I feel much safer towing with that even at its full capacity.
Tow ratings are more about stopping than pulling. If you’ve got trailer brakes and a good controller, you might be okay. Without them, I’d skip it. You could wear out your brakes fast or fail to stop in time. Trailer brakes can be added after the fact, and there are wireless ones like the Echo from Curt that work fine.
@Ode
Makes sense, thanks for that info.
There are actually a bunch of pop-up campers under 1500 lbs that are really nice.
https://trailandsummit.com/pop-up-campers-under-1500-lbs-7-lightweight-favorites/
@Lex
Don’t forget to include the hitch weight when figuring your total load.
@Lex
Thanks, that’s helpful!
My brother burned out the transmission on his Ascent towing a trailer for three weeks across the country. And that was within the supposed limits. I’d say don’t do it.