Towing with 2019 Highlander

The only thing worse than the hill climbing power of old VW's was their crappy brakes. The solution for old VW's or for going down a long grade towing an rPod is to assume you have no wheel brakes and only use engine braking.  Even good brakes aren't designed to dissipate all the energy from a 3000 ft descent, they're only designed to handle one or two stops from 60-70 mph. The heat generated from the descent is about 30x what you get in a stop from 60 mph. Your brakes would theoretically be white hot by the time you got to the bottom, but in the real world they would fade way before then.  

Never driven over Sonora but I've been on CA120 over Tioga Pass many times. Piece of cake.  Starting from Lee Vining its just one 3000 ft climb of about 5 miles.  Pretty much all downhill from there. You'll get crappy fuel economy for that 5 miles but after that it will be pretty normal. Compare that to say US 250 from Elkins WV to Staunton VA. 8-10 2000 ft grades to climb in 100 miles. 

With the Tahoe the v8 downgrades to a v4 on the highway.  On our way back from picking up the car  in Boise, we were hitting 25+ consistenly and hit 30 a few times.  Won't expect that with the pod on.  The one time I pulled the pod I saw lots of 15's.  We are heading to Lake Powell and Monument Valley for spring break this year.  I'll have better data after that trip.

Originally posted by Wood River Pod When it was time to consider a new rig, we wanted to go with a v8 and higher tongue capacity which also provides higher tow capacity.  The Tahoe has 8,100 capacity with transmission tow mode and rear axle ratio better suited.  Also has the integrated break controller.  I've towed the pod once with the Tahoe.  Don't even know it was back there.

You don't necessarily need a "V8". I would put our 3.5L EcoBoost up against any normally aspirated V8 up to about 6 liters. It has the torque/pulling power of a diesel without the diesel hassles, as well as the performance characteristics of a V8. On the highway, not pulling the R-pod we get mileage in the 21 MPG range. Pulling the pod, we get 12-14 MPG. With the 36 gallon tank, our bladders give out before the tank runs dry.

My taller gearing should make it downshift sooner. So maybe it does downshift but then finds a more efficient sweet spot in the next lower gear?  To be honest I haven't paid much attention, but I will next time I tow. I carry a honda 2kw genny in the Highlander but usually not a cooler.