I'm considering buying a new vehicle and while I do not think I will often consider towing something with my cars, it is something that might come up. I've noticed many new cars come with no or very little tow rating in Canada even though the equivalent vehicle, with equivalent engines/transmissions in other countries are rated much higher. Are there any laws in Canada or the US that say you actually need to follow whatever the "official" tow rating is? I know you have to have a hitch rated properly but what about the vehicle? I realize that overloading a vehicle could damage it or create an unsafe situation but the tow rating numbers seem like a lot of BS if they are significantly (sometimes as much as 10x) higher in other countries.
I tried to Google this but all I could find was information about how you had to have the proper rated hitch and safety chains and whatnot but nothing mentioned following the rating of your vehicle.
Even going by the GVWR, it seems with several vehicles I checked I could actually exceed the GVWR without even filling the car with passengers (I've seen some with below 600 lbs on top of the weight of the vehicle which could easily be done with 3 adults and the car will hold 5) so that number also seemed like BS for most vehicles.
Thanks.
PS If anyone could suggest what they think the cheapest, most fuel efficient, and smallest vehicle capable of happily flat towing a 1987 Porsche 944 with brake actuators, that would be appreciated.
I tried to Google this but all I could find was information about how you had to have the proper rated hitch and safety chains and whatnot but nothing mentioned following the rating of your vehicle.
Even going by the GVWR, it seems with several vehicles I checked I could actually exceed the GVWR without even filling the car with passengers (I've seen some with below 600 lbs on top of the weight of the vehicle which could easily be done with 3 adults and the car will hold 5) so that number also seemed like BS for most vehicles.
Thanks.
PS If anyone could suggest what they think the cheapest, most fuel efficient, and smallest vehicle capable of happily flat towing a 1987 Porsche 944 with brake actuators, that would be appreciated.
