Escape 19 towing with a 2020 Tacoma

[kiwiyyc]

Hi all,
New to the forum but looking for real world feedback from Tacoma owners who tow an Escape 19. We have a 2020 Tacoma DCSB 6 speed manual and very much like the size and fit of the 19. I’ve read a bunch of posts on here and elsewhere but there’s conflicting feedback on the Tacoma’s towing ability with these trailers. We’re in Alberta so will be spending a lot of time towing in the mountains and we’re already at 3500 ft above sea level. Looking for any advice on towing setups and what kind of mpg folk typically get. Thanks in advance.

[diannelgraham]

Originally Posted by kiwiyyc

Hi all,
New to the forum but looking for real world feedback from Tacoma owners who tow an Escape 19. We have a 2020 Tacoma DCSB 6 speed manual and very much like the size and fit of the 19. I’ve read a bunch of posts on here and elsewhere but there’s conflicting feedback on the Tacoma’s towing ability with these trailers. We’re in Alberta so will be spending a lot of time towing in the mountains and we’re already at 3500 ft above sea level. Looking for any advice on towing setups and what kind of mpg folk typically get. Thanks in advance.

I tow my 19 with a 2016 Tacoma. It tows good but I’m not impressed on the high passes, wants to gear down to much. I get really good gas mileage otherwise and will keep it for my new 21C I have on order.

[George Johnson]

My setup is not an exact match for what you are looking for, but it is similar. I tow a first generation 19 with a 2017 Nissan Frontier 4 wheel drive, automatic transmission.

Torque and horsepower are about the same, but I think you have an advantage with the manual transmission. My experience is that the combo is not a world beater, but it gets the job done with some room to spare. Like you, I had the truck before I got the trailer, and I really didn't want to take to financial loss of getting a bigger, more powerful tow vehicle. I think the mixed reports we see are based on the owners' expectations as much as any "need" for a particular level of performance.

You might want to simply keep your current vehicle and tow your new trailer on a few trips. If you are happy with the result, you are good for the long term. You will wear out the truck long before you wear out the trailer, so if you like the trailer, there will eventually be a new truck in your future anyway. If you are not pleased with the combination, you will be able to identify the deficiencies that are important to you and you can go truck shopping with your specific needs identified.

Happy camping!

[hondasaurus]

Towing is far for Formula 1 speed. The only disappointment you can have with a Tacoma is the low payload capacity (near 1150#) and a drop in fuel economy (wish is gonna pleg any vehicle more or less).
The E19 can eat almost half of the payload before any passenger or anything sit in the truck.

Everything depend on your need and the time you will encounter them. Climbing mountain dayly ou just once in a while can make average performance truck look bad while on the otter had look good.
Remember: you buy a vehicle to suit a max of need not the exception.

So the answer is up to you to figure. Nether the less, you will have fun with you combo. Is the fun gonna be present most of the time or some of the time is up to your need an situation.

[JeffreyG]

The Tacoma can plausibly tow an E-19 within limits, but has two limitations that you are likely to encounter.


The 4x4 and Crew Cab options both restrict cargo capacity, and if you have a truck that is both a 4x4 and a CC, then your cargo capacity is probably 1155 pounds. Check the sticker on your drivers door jamb to be sure for your exact truck. The problem here is that considering a typical tongue weight and hitch, you will be left with only another 500-600 pounds in the truck. If you have a family or like to bring a lot of stuff camping, this can be limiting. But if you are just a couple and load carefully, it can be managed.


The Toyota 3.5L V6 makes good power, but it is all at high rpm. I have never driven a Tacoma with the manual transmission, but I don't much like the powertrain with the auto. My expectation is that in the mountains you will find that you need to drop two gears on hills and let the engine rev. That's what the auto trans does. It's fine for the engine to rev as needed getting up hills, but a lot of people don't like driving a vehicle like that.

[AllanEdie]

Originally Posted by kiwiyyc

Hi all,
New to the forum but looking for real world feedback from Tacoma owners who tow an Escape 19. We have a 2020 Tacoma DCSB 6 speed manual and very much like the size and fit of the 19. I’ve read a bunch of posts on here and elsewhere but there’s conflicting feedback on the Tacoma’s towing ability with these trailers. We’re in Alberta so will be spending a lot of time towing in the mountains and we’re already at 3500 ft above sea level. Looking for any advice on towing setups and what kind of mpg folk typically get. Thanks in advance.

We tow a 21 with our Tacoma. As you do, we already had the truck, and really like it, so decided to try the combination before considering another truck.



Bottom line is that with a better transmission cooler, it works fine other than having to be at higher RPM to climb hills. We do travel where hills are an issue, but still the amount of time climbing steep stuff is limited, so we continue to put up with it. Mileage sucks with the trailer, but the same will apply with any truck. At least with the Tacoma, the mileage is good when the trailer is parked, which is much of the time while we are camping.



When the time comes to replace the truck, we will likely buy a Tundra or F150.



My advice is to try your Tacoma and see how it goes. You will be better off with the manual transmission, at least you will not have to fiddle to keep the transmission from hunting between gears. You will not hurt the Tacoma, and if it does not do the job for you, you can replace it with full information.


One thing I would do different if I could is try the trailer out without investing in a weight distribution hitch until the decision on keeping the Tacoma is made. You will not likely need a fancy hitch with a larger truck, so buying one to try the performance could prove to be a waste of money. With its double axle and proper loading, trying the combination out with a normal hitch should be safe, and if you decide to keep the truck, you can upgrade the hitch later.

As others have pointed out, you need to watch your payload. My wife and I are small, and don't carry a lot of weight in the truck, so we find it easy to stay within official limits.

Good luck with it.

[Gasguy]

We have a 2016 6 speed manual DCSB 4wd it’s just okay. If your planning on short hauls ours does fine. Going long distance trips it’s a pain, fuel tank is on the small side for the poor fuel economy pulling mountain passes. One thing about needing a WDH, our rear axle towing the 19’ is nearly at capacity without WDH. Braking & steering on the front axle will definitely be poor without one. Check out TacomaWorld forums for real world towing by other Taco owners. I added Sumo Springs & Fastway E-2 WDH for a better safer tow.

[Sean Murry]

Originally Posted by JeffreyG

The Tacoma can plausibly tow an E-19 within limits, but has two limitations that you are likely to encounter.


The 4x4 and Crew Cab options both restrict cargo capacity, and if you have a truck that is both a 4x4 and a CC, then your cargo capacity is probably 1155 pounds. Check the sticker on your drivers door jamb to be sure for your exact truck. The problem here is that considering a typical tongue weight and hitch, you will be left with only another 500-600 pounds in the truck. If you have a family or like to bring a lot of stuff camping, this can be limiting. But if you are just a couple and load carefully, it can be managed.


The Toyota 3.5L V6 makes good power, but it is all at high rpm. I have never driven a Tacoma with the manual transmission, but I don't much like the powertrain with the auto. My expectation is that in the mountains you will find that you need to drop two gears on hills and let the engine rev. That's what the auto trans does. It's fine for the engine to rev as needed getting up hills, but a lot of people don't like driving a vehicle like that.

Just a bit of clarification. Cargo capacity is typically defined as what you can put in the bed of the truck. Ford makes this distinction when talking about slide in campers. Payload capacity is what you can put in the truck, including cargo, canopy, driver, passenger, dog, pack of gum etc

[JeffreyG]

Originally Posted by Sean Murry

Just a bit of clarification. Cargo capacity is typically defined as what you can put in the bed of the truck. Ford makes this distinction when talking about slide in campers. Payload capacity is what you can put in the truck, including cargo, canopy, driver, passenger, dog, pack of gum etc

Thanks for the clarification. I may be imprecise, when I use the term 'cargo' I'm just talking about everything carried by the truck itself.....tongue weight, hitch, people, stuff inside or in the bed, racks, roof loads, and (not to be forgotten) any aftermarket stuff added like a bed liner or steps.

[Sean Murry]

Originally Posted by JeffreyG

Thanks for the clarification. I may be imprecise, when I use the term 'cargo' I'm just talking about everything carried by the truck itself.....tongue weight, hitch, people, stuff inside or in the bed, racks, roof loads, and (not to be forgotten) any aftermarket stuff added like a bed liner or steps.

So important to remember the accessories, they are often not calculated. Often the hitch itself is forgotten when doing payload capacities. When you look at towing capacities of many trucks, they sound great, but the payload usually kills you long before you get to the maximum towing capability.

[mtnest]

Welcome to the forum, John. My wife and I tow our 2017 19 Escape with a 2017 Tacoma Off Road DCSB with automatic transmission. We like our Tacoma as a dual-purpose vehicle. We're at home more than we are towing.

But when it comes to towing we have experienced the same downsides others have mentioned. Like the less-than-desirable range of the smaller fuel tank. Its limited payload capacity requires prudent cargo planning. And yes, to achieve max power high revs are needed to ascend mountain passes. We get 12-14 mpg on the flat, less when towing uphill.

For us, the upsides of the Tacoma is that it cost less than a full-size pickup. It fits in our garage with room to spare. And (I assume) it's easier negotiate in congested traffic and tight parking spots. If we towed full time I'd want one of Ford's F-150s.

Final note: our Tacoma now has Sumo Springs and we use a Fastway E-2 WDH, two choices were glad we made.

[John in Santa Cruz]

I had a 2008 Tacoma 4.0L 4x4 Access Cab with a 6 speed stick shift, TRD Offroad Package. was a great little fun truck. BUT, it had 1200 lbs *total* capacity, and by the time I carried my usual 100 lbs of tools and jumper cables and compressor and junk, and put a 120 lb fiberglass shell on the back to protect my astronomy gear, and added 500 lbs of me+wife+personal stuff.... oops, almost nothing left. now, I had load range "E" LT tires on it, and had added airbags to the rear axles, this made it handle well when heavy.

we used this rig, running relatively light, to haul a nearly empty E21 (4000 lbs curb, 4500 lb gwr) from Texas to California mid winter. the truck handled just fine with the trailer, BUT the gas mileage was ATROCIOUS, as low as 9.6 MPG for 2 tanks crossing texas at the speed of the truckers in the right lane. this meant I was looking for gas every 150 miles.

got home, did the numbers for loads and gear I like to carry, and sold the Tacoma and bought a 2002 F250, total overkill but I'll never be worried about payload or tow capacity again, AND the diesel 7.3 gets better gas milage than the 4.0L gasser did. the 8' long bed is awesome when I need to carry bulkier gear, or lumber store runs (I had to put the 7' step ladder I use with my telescope on a roof rack with the Tacoma as the bed was only 6'1" long).

edit: and my truck has never been my daily driver. when I had the tacoma, I had a 1993 mercedes convertible for daily driving and my wife had a '94 wagon, now we are sharing a newer mercedes wagon.

[Vermilye]

I've posted on my towing experience before, however since it has been awhile, I'll do it again.

I started with a 2010 RAV4 V6 towing a 17B. Plenty of power, but too small gas tank and low ground clearance. Still, an enjoyable tow to Alaska.

Switched to a 2016 Tacoma Off Road when the RAV4 got a bit long in the tooth & to be honest, while I enjoyed the additional cargo & off road capacity & capability, in many ways I preferred the RAV 4 for maneuverability. Stability was about the same, mileage about 1-2 MPG less with the truck.

In 2017 I switched to a 21C. I really wanted the Tacoma to work, and tried it for 9000 miles, but in the end, I was 150 - 200 pounds over payload, was getting a bit over 10 MPG, stopping too often for fuel, and got tired of listening to the engine at 4000RPM. Would it tow the 21? Yes, and others here have been comfortable towing 21s with a Tacoma. I do long, cross country trips, and found it not up to the task. While I loved the truck, particularly for off roading & smaller size, in the end I switched to an 2018 F 150 Super Cab Off Road. Options included the 3.5 Ecoboost engine, towing mirrors, and the 36 gallon fuel tank. The result was better mileage (around 13MPG towing, 21 highway & 17 around town unhooked), the ability to choose where to shop for gas (450 miles per tank towing) and with 1823 pounds of payload, no problems with the fully loaded 21C. I don't like squeezing into standard parking spaces, and the larger turning radius, but the increased horsepower & low RPM & wide range torque combined with the 10 speed transmission makes towing very comfortable.

Since the 19 has a smaller frontal area & less weight (and less tongue weight), I suspect it will be an OK tow vehicle. You will still need to keep an eye on payload, and live with the 3.5 engine that gets its torque at fairly high RPMs.

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

I have a 2103 Tacoma and tow a 19'. I believe its about the max I would want to tow with the truck. My trailer has a lot of options and they add weight. my build sheet says 3850lbs empty. I did weight the truck and trailer loaded and it was 9400lbs. I assume my rig is loaded lighter than most.(just the way we pack) Next year I going to weigh just trailer loaded . I understand the newer trucks get there horse power at a higher RPM. One big issue is the payload of the truck. I can stay in the payload but only loading carefully. I do not use a WDH because of the extra 100lbs of tongue weight. no power jack either. I don't seem to have any issue without the WDH. You will need air bags or sumo springs . I use the Firestone air bags. Gas mileage in the mountain states 7-10MPG Back east 10-12MPG. as a comparison with my casita I would get 14-15MPG . I also have just the access cab witch gives me the most payload. I had planned on replacing the truck in the spring of 2022. My next TV will probably be full size pickup either a V8 or the ford Eco boost. I been looking lately at truck prices . The sticker shock has me thinking maybe I get another year out of the Tacoma and take it to 2023. I don't think you are going to know if your comfortable with you current truck until you tow the trailer with it. As you already found out there is mixed experiences. this makes since as everyone loads different and the trailer alone can vary almost a 1000 lbs depending on options.

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by NEWYORKHILLBILLY

I have a 2103 Tacoma and tow a 19'. I believe its about the max I would want to tow with the truck. My trailer has a lot of options and they add weight. my build sheet says 3850lbs empty.

Wow- my Gen1 21 is 3150 dry from factory. Goes to show the Gen2 19's are as much or heavier than Gen1 21's.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Wow- my Gen1 21 is 3150 dry from factory. Goes to show the Gen2 19's are as much or heavier than Gen1 21's.

hmmm, that sounds lighter than I thought. my first gen (2014) E21, the plate says GVWR 2090 kg (4600 lbs), cargo carrying capacity 350kg, with fresh tanks full (136kg cold + 27 kg hot).

so, 2090 - (350 + 136 + 27) kg is 3480 lbs. k, thats not quite as heavy as I thought, but still heavier than yours. still, 350kg is only 800 lbs, and I'm pretty sure my wife overpacks that :-/

[Timbo1]

I picked up my 19 in Chilliwack in June 2019. I tow with a 2013 4.0 liter 6 spd manual transmission Tacoma. I spent 11 months in it full time from the Canadian border and down through Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, California and Arizona and then back up to Washington State. There were a few times that I would have appreciated more power on the mountain passes but overall, I am happy with this set up. It was just me and my Black Lab for 11 months. I would have kept going were it not for the pandemic and the closure of so many public CG's.

[Red]

Originally Posted by kiwiyyc

Hi all,
New to the forum but looking for real world feedback from Tacoma owners who tow an Escape 19. We have a 2020 Tacoma DCSB 6 speed manual and very much like the size and fit of the 19. I’ve read a bunch of posts on here and elsewhere but there’s conflicting feedback on the Tacoma’s towing ability with these trailers. We’re in Alberta so will be spending a lot of time towing in the mountains and we’re already at 3500 ft above sea level. Looking for any advice on towing setups and what kind of mpg folk typically get. Thanks in advance.

Our rig is a Tacoma automatic Off Road Access cab pulling a 2018 19ft using an Escape installed E2 WDH without air bags or spring mods. We travelled from BC to Saskatoon and back through Jasper and Banff last year. It was averaging 17.5 miles per Imperial gallon on the flat lands and as high as 19 from North Battleford to Edmonton with a light tail wind. It can handle any steep grade but it will rev and you will need to drop gears and speed on the steepest grades on the Coquihalla and Rogers Pass. I would not be concerned about towing a 19 with a Tacoma to start with to see if you like it. Like you I really appreciate the size of the Tacoma when not towing as it fits very well with our retired life style.

Two years ago while driving to the Escape Rally I was travelling over the Coq Connector and came across an identical rig (tacoma pulling a 19) going to the same rally. The only difference was an automatic verses a standard transmission. The standard could out pull the auto on the climbs and could hold back more on the down hills. Both rigs arrived at Osooyos at the same time and we compared notes along with many other tacoma owners at the rally.
The consensus was yes a properly outfitted Tacoma can pull Escape trailers safely with good reliability. If you don't mind driving the standard I think it is a better tow vehicle.

[bjsmitty]

We towed our former 2015 Escape 19 w/ a Tacoma Prerunner, 2012 (V6) with the trailer tow package. It did just fine. Drove all over the mountains even up to see Mt. St. Helens, with no problems.

Not sure how a 4 Cylinder would work.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Red

It was averaging 17.5 miles per Imperial gallon on the flat lands and as high as 19 from North Battleford to Edmonton with a light tail wind.

Since fuel in Canada is sold by the litre ( nobody sells it by the Imperial gallon ), do you have to send your receipts back to Britain to get the fuel amount converted to Imperial?
Or do you convert it yourself, just to confuse everybody?