Featured Camp Inn - a PRIUS MotorHome

That's very interesting - I wasn't aware that the Gen 4 was tow rated in other regions. That's great!

North American bias I suppose....

There are nice features in other regions, like our Primes don't offer the solar roof (which is really cool but not really that useful overall given the low amount of charge it produces), and the power folding mirrors or the old Prius V (Alpha?) with a third row. But I digress and don't want to hijack the thread, lol..

 

Toyota say the Prius can’t tow. In reality it absolutely can!

My Prius can’t tow. Because in New Zealand, Toyota said it isn’t suitable for towing. So, if I fit a tow-bar, and get caught towing anything, I am in big legal trouble!

The thing is; my Prius is ‘New Zealand New’. Meaning it was imported by Toyota brand new, and registered here when brand new. It isn’t rated for towing so it is illegal to tow.

An identical NWH20 Prius imported secondhand from Japan (or anywhere) is a ‘used import’. Now these are different. They can tow. You can fit a tow bar and tow whatever you want Totally legal.

That is the law in NZ - it really is!

Now my Hiace van ‘jumbo’ super long wheelbase, widebody, high-roof, ‘Grand Caravan’ definitely can tow. I’m converting it into a high spec stealth camper. Maybe tow the Prius (wheels off the ground) behind it - that or my manual Insight 1st Gen (but that is too rare - someone might rear-end it).

My NZ NWH11 Prius is a Japanese import - so that will be allowed to tow!

 

State legality for towing is different than the manufacturer giving the car a tow rating. Did the gen1 Prius have a tow rating in Japan? I thought the gen4 was the first Prius to get a tow rating from Toyota in any market.