Can A Toyota Sequoia Tow A Travel Trailer?

Many families choose to own a Toyota Sequoia, and with kids, they need the space when vacationing! But they need to know how much their car can tow before they take it with them on adventures.

The Toyota Sequoia has a towing capacity that ranges from 7,000 to 7,400-pounds. The maximum capacity depends on if the drivetrain of the Sequoia is a two or four-wheel drive. The average travel trailer fits firmly in the range of things towable by the Sequoia.

This is fantastic news for Sequoia fans, but there’s more to it than just that. The Sequoia may be able to deal with the vast majority of travel trailers, but there are plenty of factors that you should consider between deciding on either a specific trailer or even the Sequoia itself.

Towing With Your Sequoia

The 2013-2020 iteration of the Toyota Sequoia has a towing capacity that ranges between 7,000 and 7,400-pounds. The difference depends on the drivetrain of your particular Sequoia. The 2WD V8 can tow between 7,200 and 7,400 pounds. The 4WD V8 can tow between 7,000 and 7,100 pounds.

But of course, that just won’t help you if your travel trailer is 7,401 pounds. So can you tow a travel trailer with a Toyota Sequoia? Almost always the answer will be yes. The average travel trailer weighs about 5,400 pounds, well within the Sequoia’s range.

Trailers heavier than that exist, and you’ll want to check your model to make sure that it isn’t too heavy (just in case), but the vast majority of travel trailers will be light enough for your Sequoia to handle.

There’s more to take into account when choosing a travel trailer than just its base weight. You will likely fill it with all sorts of decorations and furniture, which will certainly increase the total weight of the trailer. Because of this, you’ll want to choose a trailer that’s lighter than 7,000 pounds. This way you can make sure that you aren’t accidentally towing more than your car is ready for.

You’ll also want to make sure that your trailer has trailer brakes if it is more than 2,500 pounds. For an SUV like the Sequoia, 2,500 pounds is about where it starts getting tough to stop without devoted brakes for the trailer itself.

Remember, you can earn the money to get trailer brakes, but if you or someone you know is fatally injured because your trailer doesn’t have any brakes, you can never earn enough money to bring them back. So, the extra investment for safety is one hundred percent worth it.

Sequoia Features

First things first: the Sequoia isn’t quite as powerful as the Land Cruiser. The Land Cruiser is a wild car, and its towing capacity is pretty intense for an SUV. However, that doesn’t mean that the Sequoia can’t hold its own.

The Sequoia takes horsepower to the next level

Offering a towing capacity of 7,400 lbs., the Sequoia is no slouch when it comes to pulling the family camper to the lake or cross-country. While slightly lower in towing capacity, the Sequoia takes horsepower to the next level, generating 381HP from its 5.7-liter V8. The multi-mode 4WD system is a very nice feature. The Sequoia offers a roomy interior with real 8-person seating, and passengers in the third row will love the reclining seats. There is also a multi-function center console giving your passengers all the entertainment they need on those long drives.

Other SUV’s for Towing

If you already have a travel trailer that exceeds the weight limit for the Sequoia, then you will need to use a different vehicle for towing. Or maybe your Sequoia is on its last days and you need to find another SUV that will still be able to tow your trailer.

There are other SUVs that are comparable in price and towing capacity to the Sequoia:

	Toyota Sequoia	Lexus GX 460	Chevy Suburban	Chevy Tahoe	Nissan Armada	Ford Expedition	Land Rover Range Rover Sport	Land Rover Discovery
Towing max.	7,400 lbs	6,500 lbs	7,600- 7,800 lbs	8,200-8,400 lbs	8,500 lbs	5,900 lbs	7,716 lbs	8,200 lbs
Cargo space (2 seats)	120.1 ft^3	64.7 ft^3	105.4 ft^3	90.4 ft^3	95.4 ft^3	104.6 ft^3	51.7 ft^3	74.3 ft^3
Seat capacity	8	7	9	9	8	8	7	7
MPG (city/hghwy)	13/17	15/19	16/18	16/20	14/19	17/23	17/22	19/22
Base Price	$50,200	$53,250	$51,700	$49,000	$52,600	$49,995	$69,500	$53,900
Engine	5.7L V8	4.6L V8	5.3L V8	5.3L V8	5.6L V8	3.5L EcoBoost	5.0L V8	2.3L P300 i4
Torque output	401 @3600 RPM	329 @3500 RPM	383 @4100 RPM	383 @4100 RPM	413 @4000 RPM	470 @3500 RPM	416 @2500 RPM	295 @1500 RPM

Here is some more information on a few of the SUV’s listed in the chart above:

1. Ford Expedition: The Expedition has a towing capacity of 9,300 pounds which makes it able to tow any travel trailer at its base weight. Its 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine produces 365 horsepower giving the vehicle serious power. The Expedition has a Bind-Spot Information System that alerts the driver to other vehicles in your blind spot or next to your trailer. This is a great safety feature because towing trailers can be very dangerous.
2. Chevrolet Tahoe: The Tahoe’s towing capacity reaches 8,600 pounds because of its 355-horsepower, V8 engine. It comes with many features as well some of which include: heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, push-to-start ignition, navigation, a rear-view-camera, and a 6 speaker stereo. The power and comfort of this vehicle is sure to keep your passengers happy.
3. Nissan Armada: With a towing capacity of 8,500 pounds, the Nissan Armada is plenty powerful to tow most travel trailers. This SUV has the lowest cost and the highest horsepower at 390HP from its V8 engine. A great benefit is the fuel economy of this vehicle when towing, as SUVs typically have terrible miles-per-gallon. This is all because of its Tow/Haul mode with enhanced throttle response. This car will be ideal for towing large and small trailers on any adventure.
4. GMC Yukon: While the towing capacity on the Yukon is equal to the Nissan Armada’s 8,500 pounds, this SUV is a better vehicle for those towing for the first time. Each Yukon comes with a standard, heavy-duty towing package. This really makes towing easy as it includes: a hitch platform, a 7-wire harness with independent trailering circuits, a 2′ trailering reciever, and a 7-way sealed connector. Even though it is still powerful, it is good to know that the Yukon XL has a lower towing capacity of 8,300 pounds because of the larger wheelbase.
5. Chevrolet Suburban Another popular choice is the Chevrolet Suburban with a towing capacity of 8,300 lbs. It is powered by the same 355-horsepower engine generating 383 lb.-ft. torque found in the Tahoe. The Suburban offers a significant number of extra features including many USB ports for charging phones and other devices. It also comes with a larger screen TV in both the second and third-row seats; with HDMI ports to connect to your favorite devices. Finally, there is an option for 4G LTE Wi-Fi (also available in the Tahoe) to connect to the internet whenever coverage is available.
6. Chevrolet Suburban: The Chevrolet Suburban has the lowest towing capacity of these five options at 8,300 pounds. However, it is still very powerful as it also has a 355-horsepower engine and produces the same amount of torque that the Tahoe does. This vehicle features all kinds of amenities such as: USB ports, a larger screen TV in the second and third row seats with HDMI ports, and an option for 4G LTE Wi-Fi. With all of these features and a towing capacity that can handle many travel trailers, the Suburban is a great choice for any large family.

Tips for Towing

• Get a little help from a friend, one of the most challenging parts is parking, especially backing up. Pulling into a parallel parking space is as easy as parking an SUV. However, backing up requires a little patience, smart mirror placement, and the guiding hand of someone you trust to help you.
• You don’t want your trailer to sway to the music or otherwise: to avoid trailer sway, place heavier cargo forward, in front of the trailer’s axle. Also, center the cargo and tie it down, because shifting causes sway too. Balance the weight of the trailer with the placement and you’ll have a smooth ride.
• Ensure the tire pressure on both your tow vehicle and your trailer tires meet the specifications set by the manufacturer. Under-inflated tires will negatively affect handling and cause more of the tire’s surface to touch the ground. The result is more friction, which means the tires are more likely to overheat and blow out. You’ll get better fuel economy with properly inflated tires, too. Take a look at the tire pressure label (usually on the frame on the driver’s side) to find the correct inflation pressures for your vehicle. Then check the speed rating on the tires for the trailer and your vehicle, and stick a Post-it in the middle of your steering wheel, if you need to, to remind yourself to stay under that max speed.
• Check the backup systems and make sure the emergency breakaway cable is attached to your towing vehicle before you drive away. If the trailer somehow disconnects from the hitch, this cable is designed to trigger the trailer brakes and stop it quickly. Think of the emergency cable like an emergency cord on a treadmill – if it disconnects, it will stop the trailer quickly preventing damage to your car, your trailer, and you.
• Pay attention and watch the road a few cars ahead to anticipate any sudden braking ahead. Every time you brake, your vehicle and trailer push you forward more than if you’re just driving the vehicle by itself, so you’ll want to make sure your speed is steady and any acceleration and slowdowns are gradual, as much as possible.

Sources:

The Best SUV to Tow a Travel Trailer – RVBlogger