Respectfully-just because you have done it doesn't make it safe.
2026 Forester hybrid towing
- Thread starter millerbl00
- Start date
Yes, I have an oil temp monitor
It's an eCVT - no belt or chain. It is essentially Toyota's eCVT, which is a beast of reliability, in longitudinal form.
It is interesting that the tow rating is lower with the eCVT, that with the chain drive CVT with a transmission cooler? I guess Subaru just wanted to get the eCVT established and then they will figure out want needs to be done, if anything to up the tow rating. In this case the difference is irrelevant.
It maybe a platform limitation, IDK, but I can imagine the extra weight of the battery and hybrid system needs to be factored into the tow rating. Most of Toyota's eCVTs have a 3500 lb tow rating.
Low profile trailer will be behind the vehicle, where the air won’t catch it.
Load the trailer to be nose heavy to keep it stable at speed. It’s so small, load the nose really heavy. You may want to shim the drawbar with thin cardboard, like cereal box cardboard, because a lightweight load can rattle the bar which is annoying in a unibody vehicle especially, and make sure the hitch is adjusted reasonably snug, use light grease as needed.
At 75, those little tires are going to be spinning fast. So very fast. Make sure your axle grease is good. Is there a speed rating on the tires?
Load the trailer to be nose heavy to keep it stable at speed. It’s so small, load the nose really heavy. You may want to shim the drawbar with thin cardboard, like cereal box cardboard, because a lightweight load can rattle the bar which is annoying in a unibody vehicle especially, and make sure the hitch is adjusted reasonably snug, use light grease as needed.
At 75, those little tires are going to be spinning fast. So very fast. Make sure your axle grease is good. Is there a speed rating on the tires?
You want weight on the tongue of a trailer, but do NOT load it heavy. You ideally want about 200 pounds of weight on the hitch ball. Loading the trailer nose too heavy will tend to lift the front wheels of the vehicle. This can be very dangerous.
Sure. And good on you for improving this with some numbers. For an 800 pound trailer, the standard 10-15% rule would put 80-120lbs. at the tongue. 200 lbs would be double that, which I think would do well.
Tires are rated for 81 mph
On a side note, the "boxer" shake on startup takes some getting used to. Also had a about 3 to 5 sec "diesel" rattles. I guess it's the direct injection. Otherwise, been great. Ive heard the boxer engine is nosier on cold startup
My forester is 2018 FB25 and manual transmission. I have towed small cargo trailer with trailer brakes across country multiple times. Car tows well. I would plan on thicker oil than the 0w16 yours is recommended to use, especially without oil cooler. My towing oil temps are 225-260 and usually 230-245
I just reached 1000 miles so did a brief test run
Pulled my 800# trailer great plenty of power and no problems with wind buffing no problem merging
All temps normal
Will post on a longer trip
I’m impressed
Pulled my 800# trailer great plenty of power and no problems with wind buffing no problem merging
All temps normal
Will post on a longer trip
I’m impressed
You are towing half of rating , I would not worry. Guessing MPG will be impacted .
vehicle is rated for 150lb tongue weight /1500lb trailer
Regular forester is also 150/ 1500 (except wilderness)
my 2011 was 240/2400 tow ratings are a joke IMO.
starting in 2015 they went to 150/1500 but the newer vehicles tow better...
Wilderness without much changing gets 300/3000 rating.
The hybrid system is likely MORE durable than the regular forester but subaru never lets engineering write their manuals.
Sorta, You arent wrong, its definitely the best parts of the toyota system integrated in a uniquely subaru way that keeps the full AWD system.
Gen 4 though not gen 5 (current rav4) and the battery replaces the spare tire area.. maybe under the back seat next generation.
I was very impressed with the regen braking and how little the brakes get used even under moderate braking.
brakes should last forever or until they rust up.
Edit: Some edits for focus and clarity.
Currently the hybrid is almost the same price as gas with around 3000 off msrp.
you also get some extra features with the hybrid for example most sport hybrid come with the HK audio
which is decent from subaru who are notorious for bad base radio/sound.
PS. if you are still reading its Forester.
I was tempted to buy one, the hybrid system is very smooth. and it definitely complements the torque band vs the gas only model.
Not sure I want to give up the 2.4T in the outback though.
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I stand corrected they changed the tongue weight on some years but kept the trailer weight the same
1000lb or 1500lb braked.
Here is the new version of a 2015 manual
Wildly enough for the OP's vehicle they lower the tongue weight on unbraked to 100lb
but it is the same for gas or hybrid.
Hybrid excerpt:
Gas forester 2026 excerpt
Its all pretty silly IMO: I towed 1200lb+ with a MT equipped 2007 focus zx3 (lightest one)
That is a nothing trailer to a 4000lb CUV with over 50% more everything (brakes, engine, weight for stability etc)
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Wild. I would love to know the reasons for the minor changes. I remember reading the 17-18 had minor suspension geometry changes compared to 14-16. I feel the 6mt versions should've had higher tow ratings but if it is rear suspension limited, what determines that compared to other countries
its liability limited and they want to steer you to more expensive vehicles.
for example a base outback is 2750, the XT with bigger motor is 3500
but why does the XT have 75# more tongue weight..
because subaru manuals are written by marketing and lawyers little connection to physics.
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