Can A Toyota Yaris Pull A Trailer? (Explained)

Do you love to go sightseeing during the summer, or take a fishing trip to a lake town? Or perhaps, you are moving to a new city for a long-awaited dream job and want to carry your belongings along with you instead of shipping them?  

That means you will need a trailer or caravan to haul all that luggage or equipment. And you’ll also have to tow it behind your vehicle.

Is that possible with your Toyota Yaris? Let’s find out. 

Sure, you can attach your caravan behind your Toyota Yaris, but after that, can you pull? And just how safe will that be? All this depends mainly on the size of the trailer you intend to pull. Toyota Yaris towing may prove challenging as the vehicle is small and not built for hauling. So yes, a Toyota Yaris can pull a moderately-sized trailer.

Can a Toyota Yaris Pull a Small Trailer?

Your Toyota Yaris can pull a small trailer, lightweight caravans, and small campers. However, this depends on the size or weight of whatever you are hauling.

There is the risk of damaging your engine and other components of your Toyota Yaris hatchback. 

If you want to tow something, like a small pop-up trailer or caravan, it is safer and more suitable to go for a larger or mid-sized car as most such vehicles can handle that towing. 

While hitching a trailer to a Toyota Yaris may not be the best of ideas, car users and automakers have continued to use this vehicle to tow trailers over the years.

The reason is that many people love the idea of towing. Caravanning is a well-enjoyed activity by many people all over the world.

So even though there are some risks involved, some people dive headfirst in hitching trailers to their Toyota Yaris without any thought of safety or legality. 

I wouldn’t recommend using your Toyota Yaris to tow a trailer, not even a mini-trailer.

But if you must pull, you should follow guidelines given by the manufacturers of your vehicle and the policies of the state you’re in. Any idea about Toyota Venza? & Toyota Echo? if it can pull the trailer?

How Much Weight Can a Toyota Yaris Carry?

Most Toyota Yaris cars have a towing capacity of not more than 500 pounds.

Thus, your vehicle can tow any weight successfully provided such trailer, pop-up trailer, caravan, or camper is under 500 pounds.

However, this is tricky as many caravans (even the small ones)  may be over 1200 lbs. The simple solution is to do proper research and consider your vehicle type or model when purchasing or renting a trailer.

Also, make sure to work with a seasoned caravan dealer who has proficient skills in trailer towing. 

People often complain about their campers being faulty or about some other problem with the caravan. Usually, this is due to no fault in the caravan but for one crucial reason of incompatibility.

For example, a Kia Seltos, which has a maximum towing capacity of about 1250kg, will not suit many caravan types. 

Thus, one of the things you must consider before you hitch a trailer to your car is its towing capacity. Towing capacity refers to the maximum weight your vehicle can pull or haul.

This knowledge is essential because not all Toyota Yaris models can tow a trailer.

For example, models such as Toyota Yaris 1.0 VVT-i Edition 5dr hatchback special editions and Toyota Yaris Hatchback 1.5 Hybrid Design Platinum Bronze 5dr CVT [Nav] can not tow a trailer. 

On legality, in Europe, a Toyota Yaris onwards (2011) 1.0 VVT-i Active (07/14-) 3 model has 550kg as the max towing weight unbraked and 730 kg as its max towing capacity braked.

Braked here means the trailer has its brake system, which allows for a more stable towing. In the U.S, towing with the Toyota Yaris is not recommended. 

On the other hand, Canada allows towing with a limit of  70lbs tongue and max 700lbs load; this includes both the trailer and the cargo.

As a result of this provision,  the extent of liability you can incur differs among states.

Such that in the event of an accident, a contravention of the provisions of any manual may attract severe disadvantages which you may not be ready for.

So you can see that different regions have distinct regulations on towing. Some are a bit lax, while others are pretty rigid.

It would be best if you tried to stick to the guidelines to ensure your safety and the safety of your car also while towing. 

Read our post about Can A Toyota Verso Pull A Caravan? 

Can You Put a Tow Bar on a Toyota Yaris?

There are full ranges or tow bars and towing electrics to fit your vehicle. The Toyota Yaris also has its unique tow bar, which you can put on it.

On the specifications of the car manufacturer and the approved type,  the tow bar is mounted to the fixing points on your car. 

A tow bar (also known as a tow hitch or trailer hitch in North America) is a device that is attached or fitted behind a vehicle used in towing a caravan or a trailer.

Every car is different, and so also the tow bar fittings are to each peculiar vehicle. It will be best to follow the instructions for every towbar. 

Which Toyota Is Best for Towing? 

Toyota vehicles are unarguably one of the most popular cars, seeing as sales of Toyota products increase each year. They are also arguably the best in the world as they have been around for a long while.  

While Toyota is well known for its durability, reliability, and overall safety in the automotive market, it also has an excellent towing function.

Notwithstanding, this depends on the various types and models of Toyota vehicles. 

The Toyota Tundra is one of the extraordinary trucks in hauling and has a towing capacity of 10 200 pounds. 

The Toyota Tacoma has a towing capacity that ranges from 1500 lbs to 6800 lbs but still depends on the kind of Toyota Tacoma model in question. 

The Toyota Sequoia has power like a truck even though it is a traditional SUV and it can handle towing between 7100 lbs and 7400 lbs. Variation also exists among the different models of the Toyota Sequoia. 

The Toyota 4-runner is roomy and powerful enough to move in any train, rough or smooth, and still, keep the trailer safe and intact. Its towing capacity is 5000 lbs. 

Toyota Highlander has a towing capacity between 1500 lbs and 3500 lbs, all determined by the different models of the Toyota Highlander. Toyota Highlander can be used for towing Boats, caravans, motorhomes, etc.

Moreover, Highlander can go off-road without any issues as it has an all-wheel-drive system.

Conclusion

Towing trailers or caravans are quite possible with different vehicles. And each car has its towing capacity.

The Toyota Yaris has a towing capacity of 500lbs, and in some regions, the limit may be as small as 550kg to 1050kg.

The Toyota cars are well built, and you can see from the yearly rise of patronage of the Toyota company that it is well used and is in high demand worldwide. 

The Toyota Tundra has one of the highest towing capacities (10 200 pounds)  among the Toyota brands. The Toyota  Tacoma follows closely with a towing capacity of 6800 pounds.

In conclusion, it is best to follow the guidelines of towing provided for your vehicle to enjoy your activities and ensure your safety and that of your Toyota Yaris during different hauls.