Just because you can tow 5,000 pounds doesn’t mean you should.
Many popular three-row crossover SUVs such as the Kia Telluride and Volkswagen Atlas have maximum tow ratings set by their manufacturers of 5,000 pounds, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should hook up 5,000 pounds of boat and trailer and drive away. It’s more complicated than that.
First, some housekeeping. The common towing terms should be understood before considering hooking up a trailer to a vehicle:
– GVWR stands for Gross Vehicle Weight rating, and it refers to the maximum loaded weight of a vehicle including passengers, pets, and gear.
– GCWR stands for Gross Combined Weight Rating, and it refers to the combined maximum weight of the vehicle, passengers, trailer, and whatever’s on said trailer including the gear and fuel.
– Tongue weight refers to the amount of weight directly applied to the…
