Tow Vehicle - 2015 Toyota Highlander LEPlus

I agree that any vehicle you want to put a WDH on needs to be approved for that, as well as the specific hitch receiver. Don't care if its unibody or body on frame, either can be fine if designed for the application and not if they're not. Tacomas are body on frame but most only have a 3500 lb tow rating. 

Here is an interesting read for all you body on frame truck guys. Explains why SUV's (and the Honda Ridgeline) can do it while conventional pickups are more challenging:

https://jalopnik.com/mid-size-trucks-dont-need-frames-1785674405

I agree that FWD is not the best option for towing, and I wouldn't do it myself, but I stop short of telling others that they can't. 

I do think the best thing we can recommend to folks when selecting a tow vehicle and trailer combo is to use the GVWR of the trailer as a guide, not the empty weight, and use 15% of that figure for the tongue weight, not the "suggested" tongue weight or whatever the silly number in the trailer specs is. And to check all the limitations on both vehicles (axle ratings, GCVWR, tongue weight ratings, and to try to allow at least a little headroom on all these. I think the trailer loading calculator we've forwarded links to can be very helpful as well, particularly for the effects of the WDH. 

All this takes some time for new owners to digest but its really needed information for safety I think. Not understanding it is a lot like going flying without knowing your aircraft weight and balance are in the envelope, you can die if you screw it up. 

What really bugs me is how someone like the guy in mcarter's article can go to an RV dealer, buy an obviously oversized trailer for his TV, and then have them charge him to install a brake controller and a WDH on it, and then watch him roll out of the dealership with his new rig. IMHO in a fair world that guy should lose his business license, but I know that's not going to happen. As lostagain says, caveat emptor.  

So y'all need to get over this, its just the way this market segment is. I'm not biased toward Toyota, they have to earn my business every day. So far they have. But I do detect a bias against towing with anything other than good American body on frame trucks among some folks here. 

That's fine, but let's not scare off folks that choose to buy an rPod because they want to tow with a more car like vehicle that the feel meets their daily needs better.  That's OK too if done properly. Let's instead help them to be realistic about what their trailers really weigh loaded and what gear, like a wd hitch they need, how to set it up properly, and how to operate their rigs safely. 

They clearly often don't get that education from their RV or car salespeople. Might jeopardize a sale if they told them the truth, heaven forbid