Tow Bar

[Barlow2038]

Can anyone help can you put a tow bar on a 56 plate Prius

[steverally]

Hi,

The Prius is not suitable for towing, so why the need for a tow bar, unless its for a cycle rack attachment!

[MLW2233]

Handbook says clearly, A Prius is not a towing car.

[cootuk]

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/what-car-q-and-a/can-i-fit-a-towbar-to-a-prius/218176

I would imagine short distance tows of a light load might be ok, but nothing like towing a caravan or heavier objects over a longer distance. It all dpends on the weight of the trailer and load - there's not much capacity by all accounts once you have the weight of the trailer.

For alternative views

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-main-forum/30122-tow-bar.html

[johalareewi]

Interestingly it is the same for the hybrid Auris. Although the normal Auris can have a towbar, Toyota say the hybrid version is not a towing car.

[Parts-King]

The vehicle does not have type approval for fitting of any type of tow bar

Kingo

[cootuk]

http://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/towbars/faq1.php

So everyone should refuse to fit a towbar,

and any with a towbar could be prosecuted.

Strange that it is illegal rather than just not recommended.

[Parts-King]

Looking at the VIN plate, you will see the max train weight that the vehicle can tow, if there is no max train weight, then the VEHICLE was NOT submitted for type approval for towing (regardless of the make/model)

Kingo

[cbcdesign]

http://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/towbars/faq1.php

So everyone should refuse to fit a towbar,

and any with a towbar could be prosecuted.

Strange that it is illegal rather than just not recommended.

I don't see what's strange about preventing people from doing something that represents a potential safety issue for other road users!

[cootuk]

I should rephrase - strange that there's no towing type approval whatsoever.

Must be to protect the drivetrain.

Now as more cars go hybrid, will that mean they too won't be able to tow.

Are the Lexus ct200h and rx certified for towing?

[britprius]

Tow bars are readily available for the Prius in the US rated at 200LBS hitch weight and 2000LBS towing capacity. In Europe we can not tow with a Prius not for safety reasons but because Toyota did not want to have guaranty claims for the transmission when cars are used for towing, so they set a tow limit of 0.This makes the Prius in Europe have less towing capacity than a bicycle. You can tow with a 125cc motorbike but not a Prius. The Directgov web site stops short of saying its against the law, but says the tow bar must be approved within the EU for the vehicle, and from my research no manufacturer in the EU makes one.

One other question springs to mind does this also mean you cannot tow another car with a Prius with the tow eyes provided on the car.

[britprius]

Have a look at Etrailer.com they even have a video on how to fit there tow bar on a Prius, should take 30 minuets tops no drilling electrics extra. They may ship you one cost 150$ or about 90-100£.

[Parts-King]

Have a look at Etrailer.com they even have a video on how to fit there tow bar on a Prius, should take 30 minuets tops no drilling electrics extra. They may ship you one cost 150$ or about 90-100£.

Without the risk of repeating myself, I can only stress that the Prius in the UK comes with NO type approval to tow. If you do fit a towbar and need to make an insurance claim, then you might find yourself in trouble and your insurance would be void

Kingo

[britprius]

Have a look at Etrailer.com they even have a video on how to fit there tow bar on a Prius, should take 30 minuets tops no drilling electrics extra. They may ship you one cost 150$ or about 90-100£.

Without the risk of repeating myself, I can only stress that the Prius in the UK comes with NO type approval to tow. If you do fit a towbar and need to make an insurance claim, then you might find yourself in trouble and your insurance would be void

Kingo

While I agree with your statement tow bars are used for purposes other than towing, cycle racks, camping boxes,and support for canoe carriers, ladder racks, and hang gliders come to mind, but I also feel it unacceptable for Toyota to limit the use of a vehicle not on safety grounds but on the possibility of failure of the transmission. Surly the transmission should be capable of handling the torque that engine and electric motors fitted in the car produce, after all it has so called traction control, and if overheating of the transmission is a problem then why not an add on transmission cooler as with many other auto transmissions. I know the Prius is a low emissions high fuel efficient vehicle but this should not stop it from being used for towing small camping or utility trailers occasionally if owners wish to take the risk with there transmission. Many people in the US tow with the Prius and as far as I am aware know problems have come to light and in the US as we all know litigation is the norm for any problem. Sorry end of rant.

[Parts-King]

I have no idea why Toyota limit towing on the European Prius, it is Toyota Japan that ultimately own the warranty policy so I doubt it has anything to do with warranty on the transnission or similar

There is very little towing done in Japan, in fact most grey imports do not have type approval for towing, even though people buy the equivalent European bar and stick it on. I have seen the back end fall off a grey import Landcruiser that had a tow bar fitted, it wasnt supposed to have one but somebody just stuck a UK bar on it, ooops

So anybody thinking of just sticking a bar on I would say dont bother, get a Toyota that DOES have type approval

Kingo

[steverally]

I have no idea why Toyota limit towing on the European Prius, it is Toyota Japan that ultimately own the warranty policy so I doubt it has anything to do with warranty on the transnission or similar

There is very little towing done in Japan, in fact most grey imports do not have type approval for towing, even though people buy the equivalent European bar and stick it on. I have seen the back end fall off a grey import Landcruiser that had a tow bar fitted, it wasnt supposed to have one but somebody just stuck a UK bar on it, ooops

So anybody thinking of just sticking a bar on I would say dont bother, get a Toyota that DOES have type approval

Kingo

If Toyota UK intended the car to be used for towing anything, ie. a small trailer, etc they would be selling the fitment kit.

As'Parts-King' rightly says stick it on at you own peril, I bet it would be a great get out clause for most insurance claims 'unauthorised modifcation'.

Also under the rear of mine is plastic tray obviously designed to minimise the drag such that the car obtains such a low drag coefficient, mods will certainly affect the air flow.

[Jan&tone]

Towing somerhing has never been an ambition of mine, but I cannot for the life of me understand why someone would buy a Prius and then try and tow something with it??? A RAV perhaps, or even an Avensis Tourer... But an Auris or Prius???

Next someone will want to put a towbar on a Yaris!!!

[britprius]

Towing somerhing has never been an ambition of mine, but I cannot for the life of me understand why someone would buy a Prius and then try and tow something with it??? A RAV perhaps, or even an Avensis Tourer... But an Auris or Prius???

Next someone will want to put a towbar on a Yaris!!!

There are those of us that prefer to make our own decisions about life styles and what we use our vehicles for, why scoff at someone if they wish to put a tow bar on any particular vehicle, and yes I have seen a tow bar on a Yaris and a Fiat500 and a Mini and I am beginning to understand why Grumpy Cabby left this forum. Some of us try to help with information on hear, while it seems others just like to jibe.

[kithmo]

Also under the rear of mine is plastic tray obviously designed to minimise the drag such that the car obtains such a low drag coefficient, mods will certainly affect the air flow.

I think you've probably hit the nail on the head there, that together with the weight of the towbar would probably take the emission over the magic 100 g/km, taking it into the next VED band.

[Parts-King]

There are those of us that prefer to make our own decisions about life styles and what we use our vehicles for, why scoff at someone if they wish to put a tow bar on any particular vehicle, and yes I have seen a tow bar on a Yaris and a Fiat500 and a Mini and I am beginning to understand why Grumpy Cabby left this forum. Some of us try to help with information on hear, while it seems others just like to jibe.

I think the use of an emocion at the end of Jan&Tones comment would lead me to think he was trying to inject a bit of humour and not make a jibe. Nobody is scoffing the fact you want to tow, the problem is it will be ILLEGAL to tow with a Prius, if you want to tow, then you need a car with a towing capability, the Prius does not have that capability in Europe, regardless of what it can do in the USA

Kingo

[britprius]

Thank you Kingo for your interjection of some sanity, but if you check through my posts not once did I state that I wish to tow with my Prius. What I did do was agree with your statement and had a bit of a rant at Toyota for not giving the Prius a tow capacity when it is clearly capable of towing. I also pointed out that tow bars are also used for other legal purposes, bicycle racks ect. I also pointed out to the original OP who did not say he wanted to tow with his car (although I agree with the implication of towing) To a company that makes tow bars and that includes a legal one to fit the Prius and for use in the EU. Some of the comments about tow bar weight and drag I can put down to ignorance of the true facts. To finish and this is only to substantiate that I do have knowledge of what we have been debating. I have a PHD in both electrical and mechanical engineering and design as well as 40 years of experience in many industrial fields including automotive.

[kithmo]

Some of the comments about tow bar weight and drag I can put down to ignorance of the true facts.

Do enlighten us. So you're saying that adding 30-40kg of weight to the back of the Prius won't affect fuel economy & emissions, I beg to differ.

[britprius]

Some of the comments about tow bar weight and drag I can put down to ignorance of the true facts.

Do enlighten us. So you're saying that adding 30-40kg of weight to the back of the Prius won't affect fuel economy & emissions, I beg to differ.

what happens when you put 200kg of passengers and luggage in the car or even for that matter just a driver, does that take the car into the next VED band, by the way the tow bar weighs 13kg and fits inside the plastic under tray!

A full tank of fuel weighs approximately 50kg,do I need to go on.

[timberwolf]

Some of the comments about tow bar weight and drag I can put down to ignorance of the true facts.

Do enlighten us. So you're saying that adding 30-40kg of weight to the back of the Prius won't affect fuel economy & emissions, I beg to differ.

what happens when you put 200kg of passengers and luggage in the car or even for that matter just a driver, does that take the car into the next VED band, by the way the tow bar weighs 13kg and fits inside the plastic under tray!

A full tank of fuel weighs approximately 50kg,do I need to go on.

IMHO you could have stopped going on and on about it many posts ago, but then equally I could have stopped reading this thread many posts ago!

[kithmo]

Some of the comments about tow bar weight and drag I can put down to ignorance of the true facts.

Do enlighten us. So you're saying that adding 30-40kg of weight to the back of the Prius won't affect fuel economy & emissions, I beg to differ.

what happens when you put 200kg of passengers and luggage in the car or even for that matter just a driver, does that take the car into the next VED band

In a word, Yes, as does fitting a solar roof and 17" alloy wheels, which is why you're stuck with the only 15" wheels as standard with the solar roof.

But they don't do the emissions test with a 200kg passenger and luggage in do they, if they did it would be in the next band.

I concede, if the Prius towbar only weighs 13kg then it may not affect the emissions enough to move it up a band, but every tow bar I've ever fitted has been a lot heavier than 13kg.