The Subaru Outback is extremely popular for camping, road trips, and light adventure use. With standard all-wheel drive and a published tow rating, many owners assume it can comfortably handle a small travel trailer.
In practice, most Outback towing setups are limited not by tow rating, but by payload and tongue weight. This example explains why.
Tow rating only describes what the vehicle can pull under ideal conditions. It does not account for the weight added to the vehicle itself.
All of the following count against payload:
Because the Outback has relatively limited payload compared to trucks or large SUVs, this adds up fast.
Travel trailers typically place about 10–15% of their loaded weight on the hitch.
Let’s look at a common weekend camping scenario:
Total payload used: ~985 lb
Depending on the exact Outback trim and payload sticker, this can leave almost no margin — or exceed limits outright.
Yes — but only very small, lightweight travel trailers and with careful loading.
Outback towing works best when:
Use the towing calculator to estimate payload usage, tongue weight, and remaining margin.
Use the Towing CalculatorMeasuring tongue weight once can prevent most payload-related issues.
View tongue weight scale on AmazonKeeping hitch hardware weight low helps preserve payload margin.
View lightweight hitch accessories on AmazonTrailer tire failures are common on longer trips. A TPMS provides early warning before a blowout.
View trailer TPMS on Amazon