Can Toyota Corollas Tow A Trailer/Camper?

A car needs to be practical. Because of this, most people will look for a car that has some towing capability. This raises the question, is the Toyota Corolla able to pull a trailer or camper?

A Toyota Corolla manufactured before 2014 is capable of towing 990 pounds unbraked. If the trailer or camper is braked, the Corolla can tow one that is up to 1,500 pounds. 

However, Corollas that were manufactured after 2014 are not designed to be used for towing anything at all according to Toyota. 

That means your older Corolla can tow a small popup camper or a trailer with a small ATV, mower, or snowmobile on it whereas your new one should not. 

You should verify these figures with your manual for the exact year and model you have. To start towing, you’ll need to get your Toyota dealership to install a towbar.

The Toyota Corolla is known for being a reliable family vehicle. But it can also be great for taking on a family vacation. It isn’t capable of towing a large load but you can use it to tow a small trailer or camper for your next weekend trip. 

Read on to learn more about the towing capabilities of the Corolla.

Towing With A Corolla

The Toyota Corolla is designed to be a passenger car and it certainly isn’t the first vehicle that springs to mind when thinking about towing something. But that doesn’t mean that it is incapable of doing some heavy lifting.

Finding The Amount Of Weight A Corolla Can Tow

The first thing that we need to establish is the amount of weight that the car will be able to tow. In most models, made between 2001 and 2014, it will be able to tow around 1,500 pounds, if the trailer is braked. For a car of this size, this is a remarkable amount of weight.

If the camper or trailer is unbraked, you will have a towing capacity of 990 pounds.

This amount can vary slightly from model to model. The best way to find out exactly how much your model can tow is by looking at the owner’s manual. This will list the amount that your car can handle. 

You mustn’t exceed this load. If you do, you could be risking damaging the vehicle or being unable to control the camper.

What Things Can The Corolla Tow?

There are plenty of things that your Corolla will be able to tow. If you are thinking about heavier loads, you’ll need to think about whether they are braked or unbraked. 

Braked means that the trailer or camper will have its own braking system, so it doesn’t need to rely on the stopping power of the car. 

Here are some of the things the Corolla should be able to tow:

• Cargo trailers. These will weigh around 900 pounds when they are empty. This will allow you to fill them up with 600 pounds worth of gear.
  
• Small trailers. A small trailer will weigh between 1,200 to 1,300 pounds.
  
• Teardrop trailers. These are lighter than a regular trailer. They can weigh as little as 300 pounds
  
• Boats. You should be able to tow a small boat or a jet ski.
  

Finding The Weight Of A Camper

When trying to determine whether you are capable of towing a camper or trailer, you’ll need to know the gross weight. This is how much it will weigh without anything in it. 

On most trailers, this will be listed on the plate. It will be the figure next to GW. Alternatively, you might need to refer to the manual.

If you are still unsure, you can take it to a weigh station. Once you have a clearer idea of how much the camper will weigh, you know how much weight you will be able to add. 

You don’t want to overload the Corolla.

Do Corollas Come With A Tow Bar?

Not all Toyota models will come with a tow bar. You will however be able to get these installed. But they aren’t available on Toyota Hybrids. 

If you want to get them installed, it’s best to go to your Toyota dealership. If you try to fit it yourself, you might be voiding the towbar’s warranty.

Tips For Towing With A Corolla

If you want to tow using your Corolla safely, there are a few things that you will need to do. These include:

• Attach the camper or trailer properly. Make sure that you are limiting the amount that is on the hitch. Ideally, it should be less than 15 percent of the total weight of the trailer. It’s also important to check that the brake lights and indicators on the camper or trailer are working properly.
  
• Load the camper properly. When you are using your camper, it’s important to make sure that you have loaded it correctly. You want to try and distribute the load as evenly as possible. If one side is heavier than the other, it will make steering more difficult.
  
• Take care of the car. The Corolla is a sedan, it isn’t built for regularly hauling heavy loads. There are a few simple actions to make sure that your car is prepared. First, you’ll need to install a high-quality coolant. The factory-standard option might not be strong enough for this purpose. It’s also important to keep your tires full, this will make hauling a load easier.
  
• Leave plenty of space in front of you. It’s important to drive more carefully. You might notice that the handling isn’t as good as it normally is. It will also take longer for you to stop. Because of this, you will need to make sure that you are leaving plenty of space between you and the car in front.
  
• Use a lower gear on the hills. If you have a choice of gears, it’s a good idea to switch to a lower gear before tackling a steep decline. This will allow you to slow the camper and will ensure that you don’t need to use heavy braking when you are taking on this hill.
  

Other Ways A Corolla Can Transport Items

If you aren’t comfortable towing in your Corolla or you have a newer one that Toyota doesn’t recommend it on, but still want to increase the storage, you can ask for roof racks to be installed. 

Your local Toyota dealership will be able to do this for you. This will be suitable for things like bikes, extra luggage, and more. 

When you are using these, you’ll need to make sure that the load has been evenly distributed. If you do this, it should be able to carry up to 165lbs. 

Final Thoughts

The Corolla seems like a compact, reliable sedan. But when it wants to, it can deliver a lot of power. 

This will allow it to tow a trailer or camper if you have a model made prior to 2014. The Corolla is capable of providing a maximum of 1,500 pounds of towing power. This will give you a lot of towing options to explore.