Does anyone know if installing a hitch (for a bike rack) have any impact on the v aerodynamics (and MPG)? The v already takes a hit on aerodynamics compared to the liftback, does a permanent hitch have an additional measurable impact?
I doubt it would really be noticeable. If the ability to readily mount your bikes to the car will make your life better then I say to for it. Life is too short to quibble over a couple of gallons a year if even that much.
The impact will be almost negligible. A hitch-mounted bike rack and bikes will all be sitting out of the slipstream behind the car. The hitch itself with nothing mounted on it, no effect at all aside from the hitch's own 15-pound-or-so weight.
Can you actually put a hitch on the Prius V, and tow a trailer? How many lbs can I tow with a Prius V? I seen on the Toyota Canada website that you can't tow anything with a Prius V or a Matrix. Is this true or not, and is it advisable?
No one before you was discussing towing a trailer, they were discussing a hitch mounted bicycle rack. Toyota does it's best to insure you know they do not rate any Prius for towing. Hybrid Highlander can tow.
Yes, I realize that. I was just asking if anyone knew. The Prius V does great for a bike rack. I know that the Matrix is also rated not to tow according to Toyota Canada. Although I have seen Prius and Matrix both tow before, but is it safe to do?
Not according to the engineers who designed the car, who else could say "Sure, screw the designers, it is safe, you have my word on it"?
Or put a hitch on it for light loads (rated at 845 lbs) that you do not want inside the car with you. Bikes, kayaks, game animals, spare tire, etc.
Yeah, I was thinking of just the smallest Uhaul trailer which is a 4x8 covered, but anything bigger than that I wouldn't tow. I guess I will ask when it is time to buy my Prius V. It would mainly if we are going on long road trips to my sister in VA. But with the amount of cargo space that the Prius V has, I may not need to tow. One good thing is I was able to get my wife to change her mind from buying a minivan for now. What I am looking for is the either Sienna Hybrid or a Prius minivan if Toyota will do it. They already make the Highlander in the Hybrid.
I have a hitch on my 2009 Gen II Prius. After installing it I noticed no difference in mpg. I use mine for a bike rack and also occasional towing of my small sailboat - boat and trailer together are about 750lbs. My Prius tows just fine and I have even gotten pretty good mileage (mid 30's). If towing obviously you need to take it slow and carefully - the one thing that I really noticed was slowing and stopping - I really could feel the trailer pushing me as I slowed down.
Okay, then it is safe? I saw a 2003-2007 Corolla today which had a 4x8 uhaul trailer, and it look loaded down on the back suspensions. But I am sure the Prius V being a bigger car can handle even that? Thanks for that suggestion. I will keep it in mind when I get my Prius V. Cheers!
As others have said, the Prius is not rated to tow anything so you would need to decide for yourself if that is something that you want to do. All I can say is that I have used mine to tow in the past and will likely do so again in the future. Hard to say anything about the Corolla that you saw - there are a number of reasons why it could have been bogged down in the back - the trailer could have been carrying way too much weight or it could have been loaded badly. They could have had a hitch with the wrong drop, had the backseat loaded down with something heavy or the shocks in the back might have been bad. I would not draw any assumptions one way or the other.
Yea, I get it, but according to Toyota my tires should be inflated to 35 front, 33 back but mine are at 41/40 - does that get a sigh as well?
Feel free to look back at my tire recommendation threads of the past. I will use the word 'almost' a lot because I may have missed one. I almost always start by claiming that Toyota has made the very best choice for tire pressure, if you value comfort. I almost never advise you risk safety in a quest for better MPG, but instead maximize your tire contact patch, for safety. I almost always insist that you should not exceed the maximum safe pressure listed on the tire. I almost always advise you to maintain Toyota's 2 PSI difference between front and back, (the only sigh in your choices) as I suspect the engineers had a handling reason for it. (Can you find even more MPGs by ignoring my cautions? Yes, but at the risk of safety. I am only willing to risk comfort) I am not saying Toyota is wrong, only that they are maximizing comfort, not safety or MPG. A much better example of me advising that Toyota is wrong is Transaxle Fluid changes. Toyota is wrong. Change it every 60,000 miles, and perhaps change it at 30,000 miles then every 60,000. Compare this to towing. Independent standards for safe weight limits other than the Manufacturer are nonexistent. Unlike the safe max pressure text molded into the tire itself, there is no 'safe' sticker other than the one in the owner's manual. Owners who admit to towing even small loads caution the car handles worse. I have no way on earth at establishing safe limits for towing other than crashing Priuses, or stealing the Toyota CAD drawings. Barring some Toyota engineer who may not even read english, let alone post here, no one can honestly answer Supermonkey32 the way he wishes we would.
No No Jimbo, I am just asking if anyone has ever done it, and would they do it again? You guys have helped me tremendously! So, no worries! Thank all you guys for your help. I was only saying what I saw on the Corolla yesterday, and it is a smaller car than the Prius V. So, now I know what to do! Thanks guys for your suggestions! I don't always depend on the manufacturer, but on those who have the cars for they know how their cars operate!
I have a Northern Tool 4 x 8 trailer - to carry my two 14 ft Precision Carolina kayaks. The V got 45.8 mpg on a 50 mile round trip pulling it tonight.
