Welcome to the dark side. Happy hour's at 4.![]()
Alan, I tow my 17B with a 2016 Sorento EX with the same engine. There is NO shortage of power. If you haven't yet learned about driving it in Sport mode, do it. It's basically like having a manual transmission with no clutch and is amazing for towing. I keep my rpm around 3000 and it doesn't lose much speed on big hills/mountains.
My concern is with how much the rear end drops with the trailer hooked up - the chains almost drag on the ground, even with tires inflated to max pressure. I've been told there aren't air bags for the vehicle. My advice would be to have ETI install a WDH - I wish I had now - might bring it up a little, and their installed price is less than I can get the hitch for.
There is one other member towing with a Sorento - I think they have a 19. Might want to do a search for "Sorento". Good luck! I love my Sorento, and it tows way better than my Nissan Xterra did!
I checked the manual, but didn't see it. The GVWR and both GAWRs will be on the placard (typically on the driver's door frame) but few if any vehicles have the GCWR shown there. I would call Kia customer service (the company, not a dealership) and ask; that worked for me with Ford for my Focus.I keep reading I need to find out the GCWR on a Sorento, but I haven't found it. Any thoughts?
Google.I'm not able to find the GCWR. I'll keep looking.
No, unfortunately that is not correct in general. That F-150, for instance, will almost certainly have a GCWR equal to only the curb (empty) weight (or curb plus driver allowance) plus the tow rating, so any payload carried in the truck (beyond a driver of standard weight) will cut into the available capacity for trailer weight.Payload rating plus empty weight of car plus tow rating = GCWR.
Google.
Sorrento Payload Rating
Payload rating plus empty weight of car plus tow rating = GCWR. You will run out of tongue weight rating long before running out of GCWR, which is common. My F150 has a tow rating of 9,800, but I run out of payload at less than 6,000 pounds.
Of greater concern is the maximum tongue weight. From light googling, looks to be 350 pounds. If so, a 19 footer is OUT, Escape 17B is marginal. More in depth googling should be undertaken to verify.
Whether someone else does it or not, does not make it right. I saw a Honda Fit towing a Boler recently.
Kia Sorento: Vehicle load limit - Driving your vehicle - Kia Sorento XM Owners Manual
GCWR of my F150: 15,200 pounds. Max tow rating: 9,800 pounds. Payload rating of 1,450 pounds.
Since the weight of my truck is ~ 5,400 pounds, lister above is correct, my GCWR is just the tow weight rating plus the weight of the truck. Payload comes out of the total.
Assuming that the manufacturer gave you the figure of 15,200, that works fine for your GCWR. That does not work out on countless other vehicles, especially many of the ones that are used to tow small fiberglass trailers.
...what about the manufacturers stated tongue weight max of 350 pounds?
YEs, I took it directly from the manufacturer. https://www.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/10FLMrvF150sep09.pdf
Regardless of the GCWR discussion, what about the manufacturers stated tongue weight max of 350 pounds?
I noticed discussion of the Sorento's tongue weight limit in a Kia forum. It was apparently mis-printed as 350 pounds in the owner's manual for a while, probably because someone missed updating it from its previous value (to go with a trailer weight rating of 3500 pounds) to the current value of 500 pounds (to go with a trailer weight rating of 5000 pounds).Of greater concern is the maximum tongue weight. From light googling, looks to be 350 pounds. If so, a 19 footer is OUT, Escape 17B is marginal. More in depth googling should be undertaken to verify.
Regardless, with a tongue weight max of 350 pounds, it runs out quick.
Good reasoning, but in this case the "350" value was just a typo. The owner's manual currently available online from Kia shows the tongue weight rating as 500 pounds for the version of the vehicle (those with the V6 engine) having a 5000 pound trailer weight rating.Well, often that number is about 10% of the towing capacity so perhaps that is a clue as to why no one has found the GCWR. 5000 and 350, can't say I have seen that before. Assuming that is for the very same model.
Good reasoning, but in this case the "350" value was just a typo. The owner's manual currently available online from Kia shows the tongue weight rating as 500 pounds for the version of the vehicle (those with the V6 engine) having a 5000 pound trailer weight rating.
;D
Am I off base to consider a 19 foot a bad idea?
I bought a 2017 Kia Sorento with a V6, 4wd, which means a 5000 pound towing capacity. With options and semi loaded I am thinking a 19 foot should come in around 3700 pounds. As one person noted, there are more factors than just towing capacity. The V6 seems fairly gutless.
I having driven a school bus and an ambulance that was really wide. I learned adding width scares me as much or more as length. I learned on the school bus, trying to avoid the heavy braking I can do with my car can get me nervous. So adding admittedly only 4 inches width but also more pounds and therefore less braking just seems like a bad idea.