How much can a RAV4 tow? Every 2019 to 2026 RAV4, and which campers fit

Quick picks

RAV4 towing capacity by year, trim and powertrain, 2019 to 2026

So the reason towing numbers don't agree anywhere online is that Toyota has used four different towing ratings on the RAV4 since 2019. You'll see 1,500, 1,750, 2,500 and 3,500 lb, and every one of those numbers is right for some RAV4. Basically, the towing rating (Toyota calls it the trailer weight rating) is the heaviest trailer Toyota says your RAV4 can pull, with the trailer fully loaded. Here's which number goes with which RAV4.

Now a few notes on that towing chart:

• There's no gas RAV4 for 2026. Every 2026 RAV4 is a Hybrid or a Plug-in Hybrid, so the 1,500 lb gas RAV4 ended with the 2025 model year.
• The 2025 gas RAV4 is 1,500 lb across the board. Toyota dropped the gas Adventure and TRD Off-Road for 2025, so even the 2025 gas Limited with torque vectoring AWD is rated for 1,500 lb.
• The 2026 GR SPORT has no towing rating. Toyota.com shows a dash instead of a number for the 2026 Plug-in Hybrid GR SPORT, and Toyota hasn't said why. One dealer listing shows 3,500 lb for a GR SPORT, but Toyota's own site wins. So Toyota gives the GR SPORT no towing rating, and I wouldn't tow with a GR SPORT.
• The 2027 RAV4 towing ratings aren't out. As of October 15, 2026, Toyota hasn't announced a 2027 RAV4 in the US.

And keep in mind that Toyota works out each towing rating with only a driver and a front passenger in the RAV4, plus the hitch. Basically, every extra person, bag, roof box or added accessory lowers what your RAV4 can actually tow. I go through that weight math in the payload section below. And if you want to see every trim before you pick one, I go through the lineup in my RAV4 trims guide.

Is the RAV4 Prime rated lower than the Hybrid?

So no, the RAV4 Prime was never rated lower than the RAV4 Hybrid from the same year. From 2021 to 2025, the Prime was rated for 2,500 lb and the Hybrid for 1,750 lb. And for 2026, the Plug-in Hybrid SE, XSE and Woodland are rated for 3,500 lb, the same as the AWD Hybrid.

Now here's where the "Prime is rated lower" idea probably comes from. A 2021 to 2025 Prime at 2,500 lb is rated lower than a 2026 AWD Hybrid at 3,500 lb. A 2021 to 2025 Prime is also rated lower than the 2019 to 2024 gas Adventure and TRD Off-Road at 3,500 lb. And the 2026 Plug-in Hybrid GR SPORT has no towing rating at all. Also, back in February 2020, before Toyota announced the Prime's towing rating, one reviewer guessed the Prime would be rated lower than the Hybrid because the Prime is heavier. Toyota then rated the Prime higher, at 2,500 lb.

And why is each rating 1,750, 2,500 or 3,500 lb? Toyota has never said. What Toyota does say is that every RAV4 meets a towing test standard called SAE J2807. Basically, SAE J2807 tests a loaded car and trailer climbing a long hill in the heat, speeding up, braking, handling and the strength of the hitch. And the weakest result sets the rating. So my reading, which isn't Toyota's explanation, is that power on a long, hot climb is the big difference. The 2019 to 2025 Hybrid has the least power of the three. The Prime has 302 hp and a big battery. And the 2026 Hybrid AWD (236 hp) and Plug-in Hybrid (324 hp) got stronger hybrid systems.

So ultimately, if you're comparing a Prime with a Hybrid from the same year, the Prime always tows more. I compare the Hybrid, the Prime and the electric bZ in my 2019 to 2025 hybrid vs plug-in vs electric guide. And for the 2026 models, see my 2026 hybrid vs plug-in vs electric guide.

Toyota's towing rules from the owner's manual, as a checklist

So these are the rules in Toyota's RAV4 owner's manuals, put in plain words. The 2019 to 2025 gas, 2019 to 2025 Hybrid and 2026 manuals say the same thing, except where I note a difference.

• Trailers over 1,000 lb need their own brakes. The 2019 to 2025 gas and Hybrid manuals, the RAV4 Prime manuals and the 2026 manuals all give an "unbraked" rating of 1,000 lb. Basically, that means a trailer heavier than 1,000 lb needs brakes of its own. And Toyota says never to tap into your RAV4's brake lines to run the trailer's brakes.
• Always use safety chains. Safety chains connect the trailer to the hitch, so the trailer stays attached if it comes off the ball.
• Put 9 to 11 percent of the trailer's weight on the hitch ball. Basically, tongue weight (Toyota calls it hitch weight) is how hard the front of the trailer pushes down on the hitch ball. I put the numbers in pounds in the tongue weight table below.
• The limit for people and cargo includes the tongue weight. The 2019 to 2025 gas, 2019 to 2025 Hybrid and 2026 Hybrid manuals list 900 lb for people and cargo. The 2021 to 2024 RAV4 Prime and 2026 Plug-in Hybrid manuals list 970 lb. Either way, the tongue weight counts against that limit. I explain the math in the payload section.
• Use a sway control device over 2,000 lb. Basically, a sway control device is a hitch add-on that stops the trailer from swinging side to side. The gas manual (for the Tow Prep trims) and the 2026 manual require one for a trailer over 2,000 lb.
• Use a trailer with two or more axles over 3,000 lb. Toyota recommends two axles for trailers over 3,000 lb on the 3,500 lb RAV4s.
• Don't tow for the first 500 miles. Toyota says not to tow until your new RAV4 has more than 500 miles on the odometer. Then for the next 500 miles, tow under 45 mph and avoid flooring the gas pedal.
• Stay at or under 65 mph. Toyota's limit when towing is 65 mph on a flat, straight, dry road. And if a lower towing speed limit is posted, or your trailer's own limit is lower, go by the lowest one. If the trailer sways at a certain speed, stay below that speed.
• Turn off these driver aids when towing on a 2019 to 2025 RAV4. Toyota says to turn off Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), the feature that steers to keep you centered in your lane. And Toyota says not to use dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range, which is the cruise control that keeps a set distance from the car ahead. Toyota also says to turn off PKSB (Parking Support Brake, the automatic braking when parking), Blind Spot Monitor, Intuitive Parking Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA).
• On a 2026 RAV4, don't use any cruise control when towing. The 2026 manual says "Do not use dynamic radar cruise control or cruise control when towing." So for 2026, that rules out the regular cruise control too, not just the radar kind.
• Watch the heat on long climbs. The Hybrid manual warns the hybrid system may overheat on hot days, over 85°F, going up a long or steep hill. If the engine temperature gauge shows overheating, turn off the air conditioning right away, pull off the road and stop.
• Slow down before long downhills. Slow down and shift to a lower gear before a steep or long downhill, instead of riding the brakes. Toyota says not to leave the RAV4 in D when you're using engine braking.
• Leave a lot more room. Toyota says to leave at least one car-and-trailer length for every 10 mph of speed.
• Don't tow on the small spare tire. Toyota says not to tow a trailer when the compact spare tire is on the RAV4.
• Never bolt a hitch to the bumper. Toyota says never to install a hitch on the bumper. Retighten the hitch ball and bracket bolts after about 600 miles of towing. And take the ball off when you're not towing.
• If the trailer sways, don't hit the brakes. Hold the steering wheel straight and ease off the gas very slowly. The RAV4's Trailer Sway Control, which is part of the stability control, helps too.
• Towing means more frequent maintenance. Toyota says a RAV4 that tows needs more frequent maintenance, and the details are in Toyota's Scheduled Maintenance Guide. I list the gas RAV4's towing intervals in my RAV4 Hybrid vs gas guide.
• Commercial towing isn't covered by the warranty. Toyota's warranties don't cover damage from towing a trailer for commercial purposes.
• Don't flat tow the RAV4. If you're thinking of towing the RAV4 itself behind a motorhome with its wheels on the ground, Toyota says never to do that.

And something to note is that some popular RAV4 towing videos show the driver using cruise control while towing. That goes against Toyota's manual. The 2019 to 2025 manuals say not to use the radar cruise control when towing, and the 2026 manual says no cruise control of any kind. If you need help turning PKSB off before you tow, I show the steps for every year in my guide to turning off the RAV4's automatic braking. And if PKSB shows an "unavailable" message after you hook up a trailer, I explain why in my PKSB unavailable guide.

Tongue weight in pounds at Toyota's 9 to 11 percent

Now Toyota doesn't print a separate maximum tongue weight in these manuals. So when a hitch site quotes a "175 lb" or "350 lb" max tongue weight for the RAV4, that's just 10 percent of the 1,750 or 3,500 lb towing rating.

The 900 lb and 970 lb payload math most owners miss

So payload is the weight of everything you put in the RAV4: people, the dog, bags and the cooler. Toyota's manuals list 900 lb for people and cargo on every 2019 to 2025 gas RAV4, every 2019 to 2025 Hybrid and every 2026 Hybrid. The RAV4 Prime and the 2026 Plug-in Hybrid get a little more, at 970 lb. And because the trailer's tongue pushes down on the RAV4, the tongue weight comes out of that same 900 or 970 lb.

Here's an example. Let's say you have a 2026 RAV4 Hybrid XSE and a 3,500 lb trailer with 10 percent on the tongue. That's 350 lb on the hitch ball, which leaves 550 lb. Two adults at 180 lb each leave 190 lb for the dog, the cooler and the bags. And with four adults in the RAV4, you'd already be over the 900 lb limit.

Now say you have a RAV4 Prime and a 2,500 lb trailer with 10 percent on the tongue. That's 250 lb on the hitch ball, which leaves 720 lb of the Prime's 970 lb. Two adults at 180 lb each leave 360 lb for everything else. And on a 2025 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid, the limit should be the same 970 lb as the Prime, but check the tire and loading sticker in your driver's door frame to be sure.

Also, the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) on the sticker in your driver's door frame is the most your loaded RAV4 can weigh. Toyota says never to go over the GVWR.

The other towing numbers in your RAV4 manual

And your manual has a few more towing numbers. The most useful one is the GCWR, or gross combined weight rating. Basically, that's the most the RAV4, everyone and everything in it, and the loaded trailer can weigh all together.

Something to note is that the RAV4 Prime's numbers stayed the same every year from 2021 to 2024: 2,500 lb towing, 1,000 lb without trailer brakes, an 8,030 lb GCWR and 970 lb for people and cargo. The 2025 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid most likely has the same numbers as the Prime, but double check the towing pages in your 2025 Plug-in Hybrid's glovebox manual. And the 2026 Plug-in Hybrid manual says Toyota doesn't recommend towing with one model code, AXAP64L-ANXZBA, which you'll find on the sticker in the driver's door frame.

Go by the lowest rating in the whole setup

So your real towing limit is the lowest of these: your RAV4's towing rating, the hitch's rating, the ball mount and ball's rating, and the trailer's coupler rating. And for a trailer without brakes, the limit is 1,000 lb. Toyota's manual says to find the hitch maker's rating and never go over the hitch maker's rating.

And the lowest-rating rule works both ways. A hitch rated for 4,500 or 5,000 lb doesn't raise a 1,750 lb RAV4 Hybrid to 4,500 lb. Curt even says on its own hitch page that "Trailer hitch weight ratings are limited to vehicle manufacturer's stated capacities."

Does the RAV4 Hybrid have a tow package, and is the Hybrid missing the coolers?

So a common worry is that towing will wreck the Hybrid's eCVT because the Hybrid doesn't get the transmission cooler that the gas tow trims get. Basically, the eCVT is the Hybrid's transmission, which blends the gas engine and electric motors without regular gears. And the "no cooler" worry is wrong for 2020 and 2021 at least.

• 2020 and 2021 RAV4 Hybrid: Toyota's dealer books are called SourceBooks. For every 2020 and 2021 Hybrid trim, the SourceBooks list the Tow Prep equipment as an "Engine oil cooler, automatic transmission fluid cooler, and hybrid system cooler."
• 2021 to 2025 RAV4 Prime: Toyota's dealer books list the same three coolers.
• 2022 to 2025 RAV4 Hybrid: Toyota's dealer books just say "Available tow hitch receiver and wiring harness." Toyota didn't announce removing the coolers. The dealer books just stopped listing them.
• 2019 to 2024 gas Adventure and 2020 to 2024 gas TRD Off-Road: Tow Prep on the Adventure and TRD Off-Road meant two coolers and a bigger alternator. Those were an engine oil cooler, a transmission fluid cooler and a 150-amp alternator. The alternator is the part that charges the 12-volt battery and powers the electrics.
• 2019 to 2025 gas LE, XLE, XLE Premium and Limited: Toyota's 2022 to 2025 dealer books list a 100-amp alternator and a transmission fluid cooler. A 130-amp alternator, a hitch and a wiring harness were available.

So the Hybrid and the Prime were never "missing the cooler." The gas Adventure and TRD Off-Road's extras were the bigger alternator and the higher weight ratings. And for 2026, Toyota doesn't sell a named tow package on the RAV4. The 3,500 lb rating just comes with the trim.

Now will towing hurt your RAV4 Hybrid? None of the owner reports below describes a breakdown caused by towing within the rating. And I compare towing on the gas RAV4 and the Hybrid in my RAV4 Hybrid vs gas guide.

Why one RAV4 Hybrid manual says 1,500 lb

So one Toyota RAV4 Hybrid owner's manual from around 2019 to 2021, numbered OM0R025U, prints a towing rating of 1,500 lb and a GCWR of 6,420 lb. Every other Toyota source says the 2019 to 2025 Hybrid is rated for 1,750 lb and 6,670 lb. That includes the 2019 brochure, the 2020 to 2025 dealer books and three other Hybrid manuals.

That 1,500 lb manual is most likely an early print. But that early manual means some 2019 and 2020 Hybrid owners will see 1,500 lb in their glovebox manual. So if your manual or your door sticker says less than this page, use the lower number.

Hitches and wiring for each RAV4 year, with prices

So from 2019 to 2025, the hitch itself was an add-on. Even on the gas Adventure and TRD Off-Road, which had Tow Prep, the hitch was a dealer or port option on most cars. For 2026, only the Woodland (Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid) comes with a 2-inch hitch and a wiring harness from the factory. On every other 2026 trim, the hitch is a dealer accessory.

Basically, the hitch is the square tube (called a receiver) that bolts under the back of the RAV4. The ball mount slides into the receiver and holds the hitch ball. And the wiring harness connects the trailer's lights to the RAV4's lights.

Toyota's own hitch and wiring

And a dealer adds labor on top of those parts prices. Shops quote about 1 to 2 hours to put a hitch on, and owners say the dealer install of Toyota's hitch is "pretty expensive." Something to note is that Toyota's own wiring harness for the 2022 to 2025 RAV4 has no listed price, since the PK5D0-42R00 kit is listed for 2019 to 2021.

Bolt-on hitches from Curt and Torklift

So keep in mind that a hitch rated for 4,500 or 5,000 lb is still limited to your RAV4's own towing rating. And if your RAV4 has the kick sensor that opens the power liftgate, a hitch can get in the way of the kick sensor. Toyota says a hitch "may require disabling or removing the kick sensor." Torklift says its hitches keep the kick sensor working, but that's Torklift's claim. I go through what owners found in my power liftgate guide's hitch section. I also list the Curt hitch on my RAV4 accessories page.

Wiring for the trailer lights, by year

So the RAV4 needs a powered wiring harness for trailer lights, which means the harness gets its own power wire from the battery. And the right harness changes by year.

• 2019 to 2025 RAV4: the Curt 56434 is a plug-in 4-flat harness with a power wire to the battery, at $100.95 list (checked Oct 15, 2026). The Torklift T-Connector WH43465 fits 2019 to 2025 too, at $102.53 (checked Oct 15, 2026). Curt also lists the Curt 56581 for "Select Toyota RAV4" at $101.95 (checked Oct 15, 2026), but Curt's page doesn't show which years. So check Curt's vehicle lookup before buying the 56581.
• 2026 RAV4: etrailer said in September 2026 that the Curt T-Connector C34FR62FT, at $101.89 (checked Oct 15, 2026), is the harness for a 2026 RAV4 Hybrid. You'll find the C34FR62FT harness through etrailer's answer page, which links the harness. It plugs into a factory port in the cargo area, with a power wire to the 12-volt battery in the back. Back in July 2026, etrailer said no plug-in harness existed yet and suggested the splice-in Curt 59236 converter kit, at $112.95 list (checked Oct 15, 2026). The newer answer is the plug-in one, but I'd confirm with etrailer using your VIN.
• The Curt 56496 doesn't work on the RAV4. An etrailer answer says the Curt 56496 ($49.95 list, checked Oct 15, 2026) won't work with the RAV4's lights, because the RAV4 uses pulsed (PWM) light circuits.

And Toyota's manual says "Do not directly splice trailer lights," because splicing may damage your RAV4's electrical system. The 2026 RAV4's factory harness also cuts off power on its own above 8 amps for the tail lights and 5 amps for each brake and turn light. So LED trailer lights are the safe choice, since LED lights draw much less power.

4-flat vs 7-pin, and trailer brakes

So every RAV4 harness above is a 4-flat plug, which only runs the trailer's lights. And any trailer over 1,000 lb needs its own brakes, according to Toyota. Boat trailers often have surge brakes, which work on their own when the trailer pushes against the RAV4, so a surge-brake trailer doesn't need anything extra in the RAV4.

But a camper with electric brakes needs a 7-pin plug and a brake controller. Basically, a brake controller is the box that tells the trailer's electric brakes how hard to brake. No RAV4 comes with a brake controller or a 7-pin plug from the factory. One 2020 RAV4 owner told NHTSA that their state inspection required a 7-pin plug for their 3,000 lb trailer, and Toyota only offered a 4-pin. So if your camper has electric brakes, plan on adding a 7-pin plug and a brake controller. The Curt Echo mobile brake controller plugs into a 7-pin plug and runs from a phone app, at $319.95 list. And the Curt Echo under-dash brake controller is $363.95 list (both checked Oct 15, 2026).

Does a hitch void the RAV4 warranty?

So no Toyota source says a hitch voids the RAV4 warranty. Toyota's manual only rules out warranty coverage for damage from towing for commercial purposes. And under a US law called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, Toyota would have to show that an aftermarket part caused a failure before denying a claim. No owner reports turn up of a warranty claim denied because of towing within the rating or because of an aftermarket hitch.

Which campers fit under each RAV4 towing rating

So there are two traps when you shop for a camper to pull with a RAV4.

• The dry weight leaves a lot out. A camper's "dry weight" is the empty camper, without water, propane, your gear or the options you add. Water alone weighs about 8.3 lb a gallon. For example, the Vistabule weighs 1,440 lb empty but 1,696 lb with every option. So compare the camper's GVWR, which is the most the camper can weigh fully loaded, with your RAV4's towing rating. Or weigh the loaded camper at a truck scale.
• The tongue weight comes out of your RAV4's payload. The payload is 900 lb on the gas RAV4 and the Hybrid and 970 lb on the RAV4 Prime and the 2026 Plug-in Hybrid. So a camper with a 250 lb tongue leaves 650 lb for everyone and everything in a gas RAV4 or Hybrid, and 720 lb in a Prime or 2026 Plug-in Hybrid. I explain that math in the payload section above.

And something a lot of shoppers miss is that some popular light campers and boat packages weigh over 1,000 lb loaded. But some of those campers and boat packages don't come with brakes, or only offer brakes as an option. Toyota says any trailer over 1,000 lb behind a RAV4 needs its own brakes. So if a camper's page says brakes are optional, order the brakes. And if the page doesn't mention brakes at all, ask the dealer before you buy.

Also, a lot of owners like to stay around 80 percent of the towing rating. That's an owner habit, not a Toyota rule. So 80 percent works out to 1,200 lb on a 1,500 lb RAV4 and 1,400 lb on a 1,750 lb RAV4. And 80 percent is 2,000 lb on a 2,500 lb RAV4 and 2,800 lb on a 3,500 lb RAV4.

Here are campers and trailers sorted by the lightest RAV4 towing rating each one fits. All prices were checked October 15, 2026.

Trailers that can stay under 1,000 lb with no brakes (every RAV4)

So keep in mind that the SylvanSport GO is a good example of the brakes trap. The GO is light empty, but loaded up to its 1,650 lb GVWR, the GO would be well over the 1,000 lb no-brakes limit.

Campers that fit the 1,500 lb gas RAV4 (2019 to 2025), with brakes

And keep in mind that only the empty weight of the Rockwood Tent 16OTG and the Vistabule fits under 1,500 lb. Once loaded, the Rockwood Tent 16OTG and a Vistabule with options can go past the 1,500 lb gas RAV4's limit. So for those two, a 1,750 lb Hybrid or a heavier-rated RAV4 gives you more room.

Campers and boats near the 1,750 lb Hybrid limit (2019 to 2025 Hybrid, and the 2026 LE and front-wheel drive SE and XLE Premium)

So the Scamp 13 Standard and the nuCamp TAG are both close calls on a 1,750 lb RAV4 once you load them up.

Campers that fit the 2,500 lb Prime and 2025 Plug-in Hybrid

Campers that fit the 3,500 lb RAV4s

These campers fit the 2019 to 2024 gas Adventure and the 2020 to 2024 gas TRD Off-Road. These campers also fit the 2026 AWD Hybrid SE, XLE Premium, XSE, Woodland and Limited, and the 2026 Plug-in Hybrid SE, XSE and Woodland.

Now the Casita Spirit 17 and the Airstream Basecamp 16X can both be loaded right up to 3,500 lb, which is the RAV4's full limit with nothing to spare. And the owners who tow the Basecamp 16X with their Adventure say their payload is maxed out.

Two popular light campers that are too heavy for any RAV4

• The inTech Sol Dawn weighs 3,300 to 3,700 lb dry with 490 lb on the hitch. That tongue weight alone takes more than half of any RAV4's payload, which is 900 lb on the gas RAV4 and the Hybrid and 970 lb on the Prime and the 2026 Plug-in Hybrid.
• The Jayco Jay Feather Air 15MRB, the lightest 2027 Jayco, weighs 3,675 lb, which is over every RAV4's towing rating.

So ultimately, a small teardrop or pop-up camper fits most RAV4s, as long as you go by the camper's loaded weight and the camper has brakes over 1,000 lb. But a 2,500 to 3,500 lb travel trailer only fits the 3,500 lb RAV4s with room to spare. And if you're still deciding between a trailer and sleeping on or in the RAV4, I cover tents that go on the roof in my rooftop tents guide. I cover sleeping inside the RAV4 in my RAV4 car camping guide.

What RAV4 owners report when towing

So here are six owner and tester reports from 2019 to 2026 RAV4s. None of them describes a breakdown caused by towing within the rating. Most of these owners and testers say the engine revs hard on long climbs but holds its speed. And in most of the Prime and Hybrid reports, towing mileage lands in the low to mid 20s, and in the mid to high teens on climbs.

Now one reviewer test with real numbers covers the 2026 RAV4. The Fast Lane Car towed about 3,100 lb with a 2026 RAV4 Hybrid Woodland and a Mazda CX-50 Turbo Meridian in September 2026. The Woodland went 0 to 60 mph in 16.48 seconds while towing, vs 14.19 seconds for the Mazda. The Woodland was "droney," but the Woodland squatted less and had the easier hitch to reach. The testers picked the Mazda for feeling more refined. But keep in mind that their trailer's brake controller wasn't working on the RAV4 run, and Toyota's manual doesn't allow towing a trailer over 1,000 lb without its own brakes.

What changed for towing on the 2026 RAV4

• Higher towing ratings: every 2019 to 2025 Hybrid was rated for 1,750 lb. For 2026, the AWD SE, XLE Premium, XSE, Woodland and Limited are rated for 3,500 lb. The 2026 Plug-in Hybrid went from 2,500 to 3,500 lb, except the GR SPORT, which has no rating.
• No more gas RAV4: there's no 1,500 lb gas RAV4 for 2026, and no more gas Tow Prep trims.
• A factory hitch on the Woodland: the 2026 Woodland (Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid) comes with a 2-inch hitch and a wiring harness.
• No cruise control of any kind when towing: the 2026 manual rules out both the regular and the radar cruise control when towing.
• New trailer features on the Blind Spot Monitor: Auto Trailer Detection notices a trailer with the radar or rear camera and asks you to confirm on the gauge screen. Once you pick YES, the 2026 RAV4 turns off RCTA, PKSB, the rear cross-traffic braking and the rear parking sensors. And the blind spot zone stretches up to about 50 feet behind the bumper. Trailer Length Detection estimates the trailer's length after two 90-degree turns, and Trailer Merge Warning flashes the mirror lights. Toyota designed these trailer features for trailers up to 8.5 feet wide and 39 feet long. And you can turn the trailer mode for the Blind Spot Monitor on or off in the settings.
• A higher GCWR: the 2026 Hybrids rated for 3,500 lb have a GCWR of 8,420 lb, and the 2026 Plug-in Hybrids rated for 3,500 lb have a GCWR of 9,205 lb. That's vs 8,205 lb on the old gas Tow Prep trims and 8,030 lb on the 2021 to 2024 RAV4 Prime.
• 2027: Toyota hasn't announced the 2027 RAV4 in the US. Torklift and etrailer already list their 2026 hitches for 2027, which suggests the body isn't changing, but that isn't a Toyota statement.

And I cover every other 2026 change in my 2026 vs 2025 RAV4 guide. If you're comparing the RAV4 with the Honda CR-V Hybrid, which is rated for only 1,000 lb, I cover that in my RAV4 Hybrid vs CR-V Hybrid guide. And when you back up to a trailer, the RAV4's camera shows a green guide line for lining up the hitch ball. I explain that guide line in my 360 camera guide.

Videos worth watching about RAV4 towing

So these are the most useful RAV4 towing videos. Under each video, I've put a quick summary so you can decide whether it's worth your time. Keep in mind that the first two drivers use cruise control while towing, and Toyota's manual says not to.