"jim beam" <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in message
news:_5udnQjHmeeB1ojVnZ2dnUVZ_hmtnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> Jeff wrote:
>> R.J. Babin wrote:
>>> Anyone out there attempted pulling a trailer with a Civic Hybrid? I have
>>> a 400 pd trailer that I pull 2 to 3 hundred pounds of kayak gear with.
>>> Anyone have some feedback?
>>> R.J. (Bob)
>>> Babin
>>
>> Look in your owner's manual for the towing limits. I think the limit is
>> 1000 lbs. However, keep in mind that the car is not meant to tow stuff.
>>
>
> i gotta say, as someone that's lived in europe for a while, the concept we
> have here of needing a honking great truck to pull a tiny little
> wheelbarrow is just bizarre. in europe, the exact same vehicles as we
> have here have up to 3 times the rated towing capacity, same transmission,
> engine, everything. and what do we see? europeans hauling honking great
> trailers with tiny little cars. the hybrid will tow a trailer just fine.
> just look up the towing capacity on an european or even japanese website.
>

I've towed a ~2500 lb boat and trailer behind my 2950 lb Volvo 240, it
handles fine, though you certainly can feel something is back there. The
hitch design has more to do with it than the vehicle. You don't want to
exceed the rated towing capacity though, if an accident does happen, it will
be a legal nightmare. A 400 lb utility trailer will be towable by pretty
much any car on the road no problem.