White 2019 Subaru Forester

Subaru Towing

What are the towing capacities of Subaru vehicles? This guide aims to answer that question so that you can purchase a Subaru that matches your lifestyle needs. Once you've determined which Subaru towing capacity suits you, investigate our new inventory in Moline, IL, and find a lease offer to help you save. Please feel free to call a McLaughlin Subaru specialist at (866) 960-7363 or contact us online if you have any questions.

Key Towing Terms

Towing can seem like a daunting task, especially when faced with unfamiliar terminology. However, with some research, you can become a towing expert. The towing terms to know in order to tow safely are: gross vehicle weight rating, gross axle weight rating, gross trailer weight, and tongue weight.

Possibly the most common term you'll see in a towing brochure, GVWR refers to the total weight that your vehicle can hold, as specified by Subaru. This maximum includes the actual vehicle's weight, all passenger weights, plus cargo weight.

GAWR refers to the maximum weight that either the front or rear axle of your Subaru vehicle can hold.

To know how much you can tow, you need to know your GTW. This equals both the weight of your trailer and the cargo inside the trailer.

TW is the amount of force applied to the back of your Subaru SUV by the cargo within the trailer. If your tongue weight is too high, you can reposition the cargo within the trailer so that less weight is pressing down on the tongue.

Crosstrek

When properly equipped, expect to tow between 1,000-1,500 lbs. with the 2019 Subaru Crosstrek. This is enough to tow a lightweight aluminum boat or pop-up tent trailer.

Blue 2019 Subaru Crosstrek on road
Red 2019 Subaru Forester on cliff

Forester

With the 2019 Subaru Forester, you are able to tow up to 1,500 lbs., providing the same trailer capabilities as the Crosstrek.

Outback

With the addition of the XT trim lineup, the 2020 Subaru Outback has an increased towing capacity from previous model years. The Outback Onyx Edition XT, Limited XT, and Touring XT all tow a maximum of 3,500 lbs. All other Outback trims tow 2,700 lbs. maximum.

Green 2020 Subaru Outback on cliff
White Subaru Ascent towing boat

Ascent

The base trim of the 2020 Ascent only allows for 2,000 lbs. of towing capacity, but higher trim levels all offer 5,000 lbs. towing capability. 5,000 lbs. is more than enough to tow a small horse trailer, lightweight ski boat, or RV.

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