Towing

Can it tow a light camper? Yes. The problem is that the R-pod isn't a light camper. It's light for a travel trailer, but as a class those are all too heavy for towing with passenger cars like the Prius.

You'd do okay with a pop-up at about half that weight. It may still be over Toyota's published limit, but it would work fine.

 

toyotas published limit is 0.

read through the towing threads here, plenty of people towing with no issues.

how many miles on your car?

 

Pop up trailer can be deceptively heavy. The empty type with a tent might work but, not the kind with pull out beds and a solid roof that cranks up. If I tried to pull a camper it would be well under 1,000 lbs and not have much frontal area.

 

The reason a Prius (or any car) gets a zero tow rating, is not just because it may over-stress the propulsion system or cooling, it's brakes are designed to carry a maximum amount of passenger & cargo weight as well - and if you throw a trailers' weight on top of the equation, you are looking at much larger stopping distances - especially on a downhill run, where heat generated from downhill over speeds will further decrease stopping capabilities. The fact that you might get away with it is another issue, as many here have danced beyond the rules & lived to tell about it. Even so, it's still at your own peril.
That said, even lighter than the aluminum Teardrop Is this bad boy ......

..... somewhere in the 500Lb dry weight range ... but you didn't hear it from me

.

 

Just remember....
Pulling something is the EASY part.

It's the turning and stopping that usually get people famous (or infamous!) on the internet!

Read 10 threads about towing and get back with us.

Good advice above about considering frontal area and sticking with #1000 loads.

Would I personally tow a trailer with a Prius.

HECK yeah!

However (comma!) I would be much MUCH more worried about the safety of my fellow motorists than I would about the health of an 8 year old car with 170K on the clock - and I would consider my equipment and limitations accordingly (aux braking, load leveling, routing, speed, etc....)
In other words, I already KNOW how to tow.

Getting advice is wise.
Like i said before.....read all of the threads you can about towing.

Good Luck!

 

Good advice above.

Just for reference, and to add some numbers to support what others have said... here's the manufacturer's page for the R-Pod line of campers:


r-pod Travel Trailers by Forest River RV


Click on "Specifications" under the photo.

The smallest one has an Unloaded Vehicle Weight of 2342 lbs.
The Cargo Carrying Capacity is 900 lbs - which includes fresh water, waste water, propane, and all the supplies you'll be carrying.
That's a Gross Vehicle Weight of 3242 lbs. -- which would be right at the max for most mid-sized SUVs.

So no, there's no way you can safely tow an R-Pod with a Prius.

 

If you're really hooked on the R-pod, start with the 4runner. Even a late-model rav would struggle, and the earlier generation is so small you'd have stability issues.

A buddy of mine pulled his R-pod with (now) 10-year-old tacoma, and that worked well.