Help Cheapest/Smallest Easiest car to tow

[Scubawise]

Chevy sonic 2020 is the only year or can folks research all
Years for used?

[Scubawise]

Well expert team all my research notes


After some search looking for a practical vehicle that was less than 3000lbs with an automatic transmission we settled on the Chevy Sonic. It turned out to be a great choice and we love this little car. Only thing is 2020 is the last year GM is making the Sonic but you should be able to find a used one or a 2020 s

2013 Chevrolet Spark. 2200 pounds and 34 mpg. Only 60,000 miles.

Try to find a '04 to '06 Scion xA or xB [Toyota] with* manual trans.

Ford C-Max and Fusion Hybrid and plug-in Hybrids (Energi models) are flat towable.

I'm looking at 2014's and earlier Chevy Equinox and Honda CRVs. Very little mods required, manufacturer approved.

2015 Chevy Sonic

2013 Chevrolet Spark

08 Toyota Yaris for a few years. It’s standard shift
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Here's ours, we tow a 2002 Mazda Miata, 6 speed. Over 50,000 miles so far. Blue Ox tow plate and bars, Protect-A-Tow rock skirt, and US Gear Unified Tow Brake. Tail and turn lights connected from the coach to the car lights.
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This one is easy...*
2016 Smarts can,be towed
four-down...
But we put ours on an Aluma UTR-12 Trailer

True, but the Automatic model is not the "Easiest" to tow 4 down.
It actually is!
You just put it in 6th gear, and hook it up !
(Look up the YouTube video on it.)


2016 Smart
2200 lbs
108" length.
78" Wheelbase

Lots of folks towing Jeep wranglers out there and for all intents and purposes in a 2 door they are pretty much a 2 seater. Shopping around you may find a Wrangler already set up to tow*.

most 2013-2015 or so Ford FIESTA and FOCUS models, with automatic transmissions, are easily towable - put into neutral and tow. I've had one of both and towed easily over 50,000 miles each.

__________________



Other possibilities include Fiat 500s, Miatas, Minis, Sparks, Sonics, Fiestas, Focus, etc, BUT not all trims of the above models can be flat towed.

[Mike from Alabama]

I bought a new 2014 Spark for 12,000 because it is a standard shift and it looked like the dealer was glad to sell it because no one wanted a standard.
I installed the tow package myself. We use a brake buddy too.
I made a couple of changes: I ran wires back to the tail lights and installed separate brake lights that work when the coach brakes are applied.
I also ran a charge line to the battery with a resettable breaker in line. I found that sometimes when you plug the cable in, it would spark and burn out the in-line fuse.

[Edki45]

I just wonder how much all of you are paying for tow bar, tow plate and auxiliary brake system. The brake system I had alone cost $2,500. The tow bar was $600 and the tow plate was $400. I have not included any labor here.

[JamieGeek]

Originally Posted by Edki45

I just wonder how much all of you are paying for tow bar, tow plate and auxiliary brake system. The brake system I had alone cost $2,500. The tow bar was $600 and the tow plate was $400. I have not included any labor here.

I use a dolly since we've been leasing cars which means we're not sure which car will be the toad.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Scubawise

Chevy sonic 2020 is the only year or can folks research all
Years for used?

Probably any year Sonic. I tow a 2016 and I know of several previous years that are toads as well. There is one Sonic configuration that is not flat towable, maybe the smaller turbo charged 4 cylinder hatchback? Anyway, as I said before, check the Owners' Manual before committing.

[Bob Denman]

We decided to put our Smart on a 12' Aluma trailer for a couple of reasons:
1. The cost of the trailer was only about $1500 higher, and it gives us the option of taking the Golf Cart instead.
2. I didn't feel comfortable bolting all that hardware to the Smart. It is a super-compact little critter, and there's simply not much to it.
3. Who doesn't need a good utility trailer,? Between hauling crap around in our yard, and hauling other crap up to the kid's hose: we're always moving crap somewhere...

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Edki45

I just wonder how much all of you are paying for tow bar, tow plate and auxiliary brake system. The brake system I had alone cost $2,500. The tow bar was $600 and the tow plate was $400. I have not included any labor here.

I've laid this out there before. I have two toads now.
Baseplates on both were about $450 each.
Tow bars on both were about $75 each. I can't justify multi-hundred dollar tow bars.
Lights and safety chains about $100 each, but I use the same safety cables for either one.
I didn't use a braking system on the Sonic but the Colorado is too heavy to tow without one. So I got a Patriot 3 system for $1225 and use it on both toads now.

Everything was self-installed so no out of pocket for labor.

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by Edki45

I just wonder how much all of you are paying for tow bar, tow plate and auxiliary brake system. The brake system I had alone cost $2,500. The tow bar was $600 and the tow plate was $400. I have not included any labor here.

I paid about $800 for a top of the line Blue Ox tow bar, $400 for a Blue Ox base plate and $1200 for a “permanently mounted” Stay In Play brake system. Also about $70 for a prewired plug in brake light hookup. I did all of the installation myself.

[CHS]

Chevy spark. Standard transmission.
We own the automatic transmission version and.love it but cannot tow it .

[CHS]

Originally Posted by Bob Nodine

Lots of folks seem to be suggesting vehicles that they don't actually have experience with. Here is my suggestion and I own one and tow it. We have owned a 40 diesel pusher for 13 years and decided to downsize. We were towing a 6000lb truck and new that was not going to work. After some search looking for a practical vehicle that was less than 3000lbs with an automatic transmission we settled on the Chevy Sonic. It turned out to be a great choice and we love this little car. Only thing is 2020 is the last year GM is making the Sonic but you should be able to find a used one or a 2020 still on the lot some where.

Bob

A corned owns one bit cannot use it because it is the RS model. I think it has something to do with the transmission.

[Bob Denman]

Towing a Smart with an automatic transmission: easy-peasey!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FagHBa786E

[Bob Nodine]

Originally Posted by CHS

A corned owns one bit cannot use it because it is the RS model. I think it has something to do with the transmission.

Ours is the RS model and GM says it has to be the RS model to tow. I don't know why. Ours has the 4 cylinder with the Turbo and is very peppy. It feels and rides like a bigger heavier car. Blew my mind when I first drove it. I could not believe what I was experiencing. We purchased it because it was light weight and towable four down with the automatic transmission. Expected it to be a crude riding and uncomfortable vehicle but it is not.

Bob

[jabrabu]

I tow a 2012 CR-V. It meets all my requirements -- AWD, automatic, enough room in the back for 2 large dogs, good daily driver, good fuel economy, reliable. And I already owned it when I bought the RV, so that was lucky. It's not under 3000 lbs., but it's not too heavy either.


Here is what it cost to set up for towing. I did all the work myself. About half of the cost was the braking system.


Blue Ox BX2258 baseplate 360

Blue Ox BX7365 Alpha Tow Bar 543

Blue Ox BX8875 Tow Bar Cover 37

Blue Ox BX88206 7 to 6 pin cable 77

Blue Ox BRK2016 Patriot II Brake System 1091

Blue Ox BX8869 Bulb and Socket Tail Light Kit 53

Red Loctite 8

Trim clip tool 5

Hopkins 39332 Towed Vehicle Battery Maintainer 24

Protect-A-Tow rock guard 243

TOTAL $2441


You can't flat tow CR-Vs after 2014 since they switched to the CVT trans. The closest new vehicle that meets all these requirements is the Jeep Cherokee.


If my CR-V got totaled or the engine blew up, I'd probably look for the nicest, lowest mileage 2012-2014 CR-V and get another one.

[Chance]

I didn’t tow either, but got to drive a rental Spark and a Sonic on consecutive weekends recently and was surprised to enjoy the tiny Spark more than the larger and nicer Sonic. I wouldn’t want a car that small for everyday use, but for occasional transportation as a toad, I would consider it — I’d want to test manual transmission first of course. It was fun due to small size, almost like why driving a go-cart is fun. The back seat was larger and more useable than I expected also.


I had wanted to test drive a Spark for a while because they reminded me of the old tiny Honda Z600 cars of the early 70s, except much larger, and safer. They were about the same size as original Mini.



P.S. — Size comparison:

https://autotrends.org/2019/11/15/ch...t-spark-sonic/

[Scubawise]

Thx Jabrabu now I need to research a low price Honda crv
And I have 2 golden retrievers

[taylorbob1]

Originally Posted by Chance

I didn’t tow either, but got to drive a rental Spark and a Sonic on consecutive weekends recently and was surprised to enjoy the tiny Spark more than the larger and nicer Sonic. I wouldn’t want a car that small for everyday use, but for occasional transportation as a toad, I would consider it — I’d want to test manual transmission first of course. It was fun due to small size, almost like why driving a go-cart is fun. The back seat was larger and more useable than I expected also.


I had wanted to test drive a Spark for a while because they reminded me of the old tiny Honda Z600 cars of the early 70s, except much larger, and safer. They were about the same size as original Mini.



P.S. — Size comparison:

https://autotrends.org/2019/11/15/ch...t-spark-sonic/

2020 Spark Activ with 5 speed: $13,888
Made in South Korea

[Mike from Alabama]

We have the classic Brakebuddy and new is probably now $1500. The tow bar around $600 and tow brackets were $400
We are on our second Brakebuddy as the air compressor on these units are not the best. As far as I can tell the more expensive brake units do not have a better quality air compressor and I did not see the higher price as a plus. Some of the higher priced ones are easier and faster to set up, but for $1000 difference it was a no brainer.

[jannnda]

Originally Posted by Mike from Alabama

We have the classic Brakebuddy and new is probably now $1500. The tow bar around $600 and tow brackets were $400
We are on our second Brakebuddy as the air compressor on these units are not the best. As far as I can tell the more expensive brake units do not have a better quality air compressor and I did not see the higher price as a plus. Some of the higher priced ones are easier and faster to set up, but for $1000 difference it was a no brainer.

I have a brakebuddy and early on I had an issue. They were great to deal with. They paid for me to send it to them and had it back to me 2 weeks later. It works good for me.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by taylorbob1

2020 Spark Activ with 5 speed: $13,888
Made in South Korea

That's a really nice, big car!
(Relatively speaking... )