RVs can be a great way to see the world, but they do have at least one big drawback: their large size. That's great when you want to make roughing it a little less rough, since they can provide relatively sturdy shelter from the elements along with many of the conveniences of an actual home, including stoves, showers, bathrooms, and beds. The issue comes if you want to leave the campsite. Driving an RV can be a challenge even out on a clear highway, and trying to maneuver one through city streets or the roads of a national park can be enough to ruin a vacation.
It's a problem a lot of folks solve by towing another vehicle behind them, although there's much you need to know before towing your car with an RV. One way is to tow with the vehicle connected to the RV with a tow bar and all four of its wheels on the pavement. But this brings up another issue, because not all vehicles are made for that.
The easiest cars to flat tow — also known as dinghy towing — are ones with a few key characteristics of their own. The most important is the ability to truly, totally disconnect the transmission from the wheels. Otherwise, when the towed car is rolling down the road, the wheels are turning the transmission. And with the engine off for towing, it can't drive the pump to keep things lubricated, which leads to transmission damage.
Read more: These Are The Car-Related Movie Mistakes That Really Bother You
The Transmissions Of The Easiest Cars For Flat Towing
That transmission business means that no vehicles with continuously variable transmissions can be flat towed, and very few with a traditional automatic make the cut. You should always check a vehicle's owner's manual to verify if and how it can be flat towed, but the easiest choice is usually a rear-wheel drive vehicle with a manual transmission or a four-wheel-drive machine with either kind of transmission and a manual transfer case that can be put into neutral (like the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 that's all the truck you'll ever need, pictured above).
It's true that there are some ways around those limitations, letting you flat tow vehicles that aren't really meant to be pulled that way. For example, you can get an add-on lubrication system for the transmission and/or a driveline decoupler that makes sure the wheels are completely disconnected from the transmission. But now we're starting to get away from the "easiest" part of the equation because you have to search for vehicle-specific accessories in the aftermarket, pay up to purchase them — and a driveline decoupler can cost more than $1,000 — and then you'll usually have to find and pay for an expert to install them.
Some Of The Easiest Cars For Dinghy Towing
When we get down to the best cars for being flat towed, it's going to depend on your exact needs. That said, one of the most popular picks is the Jeep Wrangler. It's available with both a manual transmission and a manual transfer case, relatively compact in size, and it's ready for all kinds of adventure when you park your RV. The same goes for the Wrangler's crosstown rival, the Ford Bronco. The versatile Honda CR-V turns up on multiple lists as well, although that brings up another disclaimer.
Some model years and trims of the same vehicle may be suitable for flat-towing, and others may not. The 2026 Honda CR-V's TrailSport Hybrid trim, for instance, may be a fine choice for today's drivers, but the only CR-Vs meant for dinghy towing are the ones from the 1987 to 2014 model years, like the 2007 edition shown here. As we mentioned before, this is where owner's manuals come in handy.
It's also where out-of-production names can come into play. If you want to flat-tow a lightweight small car to get better efficiency from your RV as you tow, and have a nimble runabout when you reach your destination, something like a used Ford Focus or Chevrolet Sonic can be worth a look. Just remember to look for ones with manual transmissions.
Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox...
Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Comments