The Toyota Highlander is one of the most common family SUVs on the road. With a published tow rating that looks reasonable on paper, many owners assume it can handle a small travel trailer with no problem.
In reality, the answer depends far less on tow rating and far more on payload and tongue weight.
Tow rating assumes an almost empty vehicle. Real-world family SUVs are rarely empty.
Everything below counts against payload:
Once payload is exceeded, stability, braking, and handling all suffer — even if the trailer weight itself looks “within limits.”
Most travel trailers place about 10–15% of their loaded weight on the hitch.
Let’s look at a common family camping scenario:
Total payload used: ~1,195 lb
Depending on the exact Highlander configuration, this can leave very little margin — or exceed payload entirely.
Yes — but only with smaller, lighter travel trailers and careful attention to loading.
The safest Highlander towing setups:
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 problems.
View tongue weight scale on AmazonCan improve stability and reduce rear sag on certain setups. Choose the correct rating range.
View weight distribution hitch on AmazonTrailer tire issues are common on longer trips. A TPMS provides early warning before a failure.
View trailer TPMS on Amazon