Who is excited for a Subaru to tow your Escape?

[Sheepdogger]

We are picking up our 17B tomorrow, and have already looked into the Ascent for our next vehicle. I have a Forester, which I love, but 3 dogs in crates and all my dog trial paraphernalia barely fits. I want to tow with something besides our truck, which is needed on the farm, anyway.

[Oldtimer]

Just read Johns post and yes it would be the highlite clip in towing follies Subaru’s are NOT made for towing ........... but then that’s my opinion. We have a 2017 loaded outback 6 which we use just for road trips and visiting family they are perfect for that but nothing else

[steve dunham]

Not me , not interested in the least .
We have a small car for commuting & shopping and a truck for towing
Works well for us

[David Reeves]

We Love our Subaru Outback but we would never consider it for towing. It's just not designed for it. We have a "smaller" pick up which is perfect for the "smaller" trailer. We discovered that there is a whole lot more to it than what you read on a specifications sheet.
Happy Caamping!

[Bobbie54]

This new one is designed for towing, though it remains to be seen how good a job it will do. It has plenty of torque and HP. I've done fine towing with my Forester (2000 and now 2012) as long as I stay within specs.

[gbaglo]

We shall see. I owned a Subaru for 13 years before I replaced it because I needed to tow a tent trailer safely. All Subaru vehicles to date have had a maximum tongue weight capacity that is below accepted standards for their maximum tow capacity.

[Brian B-P]

Ascent specs are now listed on the Subaru.ca website; I just saw them and thus the reason for the timing of this post...

Originally Posted by gbaglo

All Subaru vehicles to date have had a maximum tongue weight capacity that is below accepted standards for their maximum tow capacity.

But not the Ascent. As mentioned earlier, the maximum hitch weight for the Ascent is 227 kg (500 pounds) for all variants. The variants with higher towing ratings are good for 5,000 pounds of trailer, so that's the usual 10%.

This is confirmed in the owners manual (also now available online):

Ensure that the trailer tongue load is from 8
to 11 percent of the total trailer weight and
does not exceed the maximum value of
500 lbs (227 kg).

And also from the manual, since this usually comes up...

Use the hitch only as a weight carrying hitch. Do not use with any type of weight distributing hitch.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by War Eagle

They also brag on the drive train and braking system handling trailers so well that one doesn't even need a brake controller. Guess they're not concerned with related DOT laws in various states.

Yes. Tell your friend to find a knowledgeable and reputable dealer that doesn't mislead their customers or attempt to place them in potentially dangerous sitiations.

[Bobbie54]

They have a video out showing the Ascent towing a smaller Airstream. Unfortunately, it only shows how it handles on a level course- no hills. I want to see someone's actual experience towing.

[Bobbie54]

Here's one report: https://www.ascentforums.com/forum/1...ler-yet-2.html

His trial was without a brake controller on a 3000lb trailer.

Here is the Airstream video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywMwLW0PFXI

[Dave&Jane]

Originally Posted by War Eagle

They also brag on the drive train and braking system handling trailers so well that one doesn't even need a brake controller. Guess they're not concerned with related DOT laws in various states.

In several places the Ascent manual specifies trailer brakes for loads over 1000 pounds. Only a "genuine SUBARU trailer hitch" my be used, however, and as mentioned, no weight-distributing hitches are allowed.

[cpaharley2008]

Interesting video, the Airstream supposedly weighs 4400 lbs and no w/d set up? No rear end squat is noticeable either for a single axle trailer?

[Bobbie54]

The lack of rear squat doesn't surprise me- my 2012 Forester doesn't do that with a 200 lb tongue weight. It levels itself across all four wheels.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Tell your friend to find a knowledgeable and reputable dealer that doesn't mislead their customers or attempt to place them in potentially dangerous sitiations.

Absolutely sound advice!

At the very least, look at Subaru's published specs and/or the owners manual, rather than listening to the blathering of sales floor idiots.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

Here's one report: https://www.ascentforums.com/forum/1...ler-yet-2.html

His trial was without a brake controller on a 3000lb trailer.

The person who towed this trailer without trailer brakes is obviously not competent, and so should be ignored.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

The lack of rear squat doesn't surprise me- my 2012 Forester doesn't do that with a 200 lb tongue weight. It levels itself across all four wheels.

No, the tow vehicle has no way to distribute weight across all four wheels.

Adding the tongue weight to the hitch adds load to the tug's rear axle, and even transfers load from the front axle to the rear axle (because the hitch is behind the rear axle). Nothing can change that, other than a WD system.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Interesting video, the Airstream supposedly weighs 4400 lbs and no w/d set up? No rear end squat is noticeable either for a single axle trailer?

A 4300 pound (according to the video's audio) trailer's tongue weight can fit within the Ascent's 500 pound hitch weight limit (although many trailers of that weight would have more than 500 pounds of tongue weight). It should work, but there will be some squat.

Whether the trailer has a single axle or tandem axles makes no difference to how much the rear of the tug squats - only the weight on the hitch, the dimensions of the vehicle (wheelbase and overhang to the hitch), the use (or not) of WD, and the stiffness of the tug's suspension (or suspension adjustability such as air springs).

The Ascent is quite large. The long wheelbase reduces load transfer due to hitch load, so as long as the overhang to the hitch is not to long, squat won't be as bad as with shorter vehicles. It also has lots of passenger and cargo weight capacity, so the rear suspension might be relatively stiff.

I don't see any reference in Subaru's online features or specifications listings to air springs, or any other form of self-leveling suspension.

[John in Santa Cruz]

this last weekend, I saw several 'smaller' trailers towed by the likes of subaru, lexus, acura, even an audi midsized crossovers, NONE of them looked safe, except maybe the couple mini teardrop trailers. On the way home yesterday I passed a R-Pod being pulled by a late model Subaru Forester up Sunol Grade (southbound 680, just north of Fremont), he'd been doing 60 mph on the flat, with a hint of sway so I had stayed well behind him just in case... I passed him mid-grade, he'd slowed to below 40, and I heard his engine screaming as I cruised by going 60 still in top gear (f250 diesel). the highway was packed with people returning from Labor Day Weekend trips, all going the limit plus.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

Here is the Airstream video ...

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Interesting video, the Airstream supposedly weighs 4400 lbs and no w/d set up? No rear end squat is noticeable either for a single axle trailer?

While there was no good before-and-after comparison (or any other useful information), the rear suspension does appear to be moderately lower while towing to me. It's hard to judge visually.

Again with the incompetent people... did anyone notice the safety chain slack? These people should not be advising anyone on towing.

[gbaglo]

Mikey... you go first.