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2023 Toyota RAV4 towing capacity

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 tows 1,500 lbs to 3,500 lbs depending on how it's built. The top number needs the 2.5-liter Dynamic Force 4-cylinder, Adventure grade/TRD.

✓ From 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Product Information, p. 5 ↗Checked 2026-09-272026202520242023202220212020

Toyota RAV4
Photo: Retired electrician, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
3,500
Max towing, lbs
1,500
Lowest rating, lbs
3
Configurations
7
Model years

Try it

Will it pull your trailer?

Use the trailer's GVWR (on its VIN sticker) if you don't know what it weighs loaded — the dry weight leaves out water, propane and gear.

Only 1 of 3 configurations

It takes the 2.5-liter Dynamic Force 4-cylinder — pick your configuration below to be sure.

▲ top rating 3,500 lbs

  • Tongue weight ≈ 190 lbs. Ford sizes it at 10% of the loaded trailer (no more than 200 lbs up to 2,000 lbs). It counts against your payload, together with passengers and cargo.
  • ✓ up to 90% of the rating · ! 90–100% (little room for cargo, hills, wind — common advice, not a Toyota rule) · ✕ over the rating.

Read this before you buy

Why the numbers differ

  • Engine choice moves the top rating from 1,750 lbs (2.5-liter Dynamic Force 4-cylinder Hybrid) to 3,500 lbs (2.5-liter Dynamic Force 4-cylinder).

  • The trim counts too: Adventure grade/TRD is rated 2,000 lbs higher than LE, XLE, XLE Premium and Limited with everything else the same (2.5-liter Dynamic Force 4-cylinder · Adventure grade/TRD). p. 5 ↗

  • Same top rating as the 2022 model (3,500 lbs).

In real life

What 3,500 lbs means in trailers

Toyota's own guide sorts trailers into four classes. With the right configuration the RAV4 reaches:

  1. Class I✓ Yes

    up to 2,000 lbs

    Small folding camping trailers and trailers for small boats, motorcycles and snowmobiles.

    2026 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide, p. 4 ↗

  2. Class II✓ Yes

    2,001–3,500 lbs

    Large folding camping trailers, single-axle, small- to medium-length (up to 18-ft.) trailers.

    2026 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide, p. 4 ↗

  3. Class III✕ No

    3,501–5,000 lbs

    Dual-axle or large single-axle travel trailers.

    2026 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide, p. 4 ↗

  4. Class IV✕ No

    over 5,000 lbs

    Largest travel and 5th-wheel trailers made for recreation.

    2026 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide, p. 4 ↗

Real trailers

Can the RAV4 pull these?

10 heavier trailers the RAV4 isn't rated for

Weights are what each trailer maker publishes (retrieved 2026-09-27). We compare the trailer's GVWR — the most it may weigh loaded — with each RAV4 configuration's rating, and never a dry weight when a GVWR exists.

Compare

Towing capacity by engine

2.5-liter Dynamic Force 4-cylinder1,500 – 3,500 lbs

2 configurations

2.5-liter Dynamic Force 4-cylinder Hybrid1,750 lbs

1 configuration

Orange = the range across that engine's configurations. Bars start at zero.

Fine print, made plain

What the rating assumes

Every rating assumes a 150-lb driver and passenger and no other cargo. Add people, gear or accessories and the trailer you can tow goes down by the same amount.

New to towing?

The five weights, in one picture

Tongue weightLoaded trailer weightPayloadGVWR: the loaded truckGCWR: truck + trailer together
Loaded trailer weight — must stay under the towing rating
The rating “It assumes a towing vehicle with any mandatory options, no cargo, tongue load of 10% (conventional trailer) or king pin weight of 15% (5th-wheel trailer), and driver and passenger (150 lbs. each).” Weight of additional options, passengers, cargo and hitch must be deducted from this weight. p. 7 ↗
Tongue weight — the part of the trailer pressing on the hitch
“For trailers up to 2,000 lbs., tongue load not to exceed 200 lbs. For conventional trailers over 2,000 lbs., tongue load is 10% of loaded trailer weight. For 5th-wheel trailers, king pin weight is 15% of loaded trailer weight.” p. 7 ↗
Payload — people and cargo the truck can carry
“Payload is the combined maximum allowable weight of cargo and passengers that the vehicle is designed to carry. It is the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating minus the Base Curb Weight.” And: “When towing, trailer tongue load or king pin weight is also part of the Cargo Weight.” p. 6 ↗
GVWR and GCWR — the two ceilings
“Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) is the maximum allowable weight of the fully-loaded vehicle (including passengers and cargo).” “Gross Vehicle Weight PLUS Loaded Trailer Weight EQUALS Gross Combination Weight (GCW) GCW must not exceed GCWR.” Your GVWR is on the label on the driver's door jamb. p. 6 ↗

From the maker's table

All 3 configurations

Conventional towing:
EngineTrimMax trailerGCWRSource
2.5-liter Dynamic Force 4-cylinderAdventure grade/TRD3,500not listedp. 5 ↗
2.5-liter Dynamic Force 4-cylinder Hybrid—1,750not listedp. 4 ↗
2.5-liter Dynamic Force 4-cylinderLE, XLE, XLE Premium and Limited1,500not listedp. 5 ↗

Weights in lbs. “Not listed” means the maker printed no GCWR for that configuration — we don't estimate one.

More Toyota towing capacities

Questions people ask

What is the towing capacity of the 2023 Toyota RAV4?

From 1,500 lbs to 3,500 lbs, depending on engine, axle ratio, body and drive. The 3,500 lbs top rating is for the 2.5-liter Dynamic Force 4-cylinder · Adventure grade/TRD.

Does the 2023 Toyota RAV4 need a tow package?

Toyota's guide lists no separate package requirement for this model.

How much tongue weight can the 2023 Toyota RAV4 handle?

Not listed in the maker's guide.

Citing these numbers?

Can Tow That. "2023 Toyota RAV4 Towing Capacity." From 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Product Information, PDF modified 2022-12-08. https://cantowthat.com/toyota/rav4/2023

Source: 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Product Information (Toyota Motor North America, PDF modified 2022-12-08; retrieved 2026-09-27). Page links open the PDF at the page each number is printed on.

3 ratings checked against the PDFHow we verify