List of Flat Towable Vehicles: Best Cars & How to Tow Behind RV

Towing a secondary vehicle behind a motorhome gives you the freedom to explore tight campsites, mountain passes, and downtown streets without packing up your entire camp. Flat towing remains the most popular method for RV travelers who want quick hitching and minimal extra gear.

Finding the right vehicle requires careful research because modern transmissions, electronic steering locks, and all-wheel-drive systems eliminate many models from contention. This guide delivers a complete list of flat towable vehicles, explains the mechanics behind four-down towing, and walks you through the required hardware to get your setup road-ready.

What is flat towing?

What is flat towing comes down to how a vehicle contacts the road: flat towing (or four-down towing) pulls a vehicle with all four wheels rolling on the pavement. It connects directly to an RV hitch using a tow bar and base plate, eliminating the headache of storing bulky trailers or dollies at campgrounds.

However, flat towing is not compatible with every vehicle due to transmission lubrication. Many transmission pumps rely on a running engine to circulate fluid. Towing with the engine off forces internal gears to spin dry, quickly destroying the transmission.

How flat towing works

Flat towing requires a mechanical disconnect between the driven wheels and the stationary transmission components to prevent severe internal damage. To achieve this safely, several distinct systems must be properly configured:

• 4WD Transfer Cases: Shifting a 2-speed transfer case into true neutral separates the front and rear driveshafts from the output shaft. This allows the wheels and driveshafts to spin freely while the transmission gears remain stationary and protected.
• Manual Gearboxes: Many rely on passive splash lubrication, where the rotation of the countershaft safely circulates oil across bearings and gears without engine power.
• Unlocked Steering Columns: Electronic steering columns must remain unlocked so the front wheels can track naturally behind the motorhome through turns, rather than scrubbing against the pavement.
• Lighting Connections: An electrical bridge connects both vehicles. A dedicated wiring harness routes 12V signals from the RV to power the towed vehicle's tail lights and turn signals.
• Supplemental Braking: A dedicated system physically presses the car's brake pedal during deceleration. This preserves safe stopping distances and satisfies legal towing safety standards.

Vehicles that can be flat towed

Identifying vehicles that can be flat towed comes down to drivetrain engineering and manufacturer approval.

The recreational towing section of a vehicle owner manual is the single final authority. If the manual states recreational four-down towing is prohibited, attempting it voids your powertrain warranty and risks catastrophic mechanical failure.

Here is an overview of drivetrain designs and how they perform when towed four wheels down:

• Manual Two-Wheel Drive: Many older front-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive cars with manual gearboxes permit flat towing. The driver shifts into neutral, unlocks the steering column, and releases the parking brake.
• Four-Wheel Drive with Manual Transfer Case: These vehicles represent the gold standard for dinghy towing. A dedicated neutral setting on the transfer case isolates the automatic or manual transmission completely.
• Full-Time All-Wheel Drive: Most AWD platforms route power through continuous viscous couplings, multi-plate clutches, or complex differentials. These components overheat rapidly without active fluid circulation, making most AWD models incompatible with flat towing.
• Front-Wheel Drive Automatics: Standard FWD automatic transaxles rarely support flat towing unless equipped with an aftermarket transmission fluid lube pump kit.
• Electric Vehicles and Hybrids: Most EV models rely on permanent magnet electric motors linked directly to the drive axles without a physical disconnect. Towing them four wheels down forces the motors to generate electrical current without system cooling, causing severe inverter and battery damage.

To understand what cars can be flat towed, you must evaluate whether the vehicle can circulate fluid passively, disconnect its driveshafts, and keep its steering unlocked during transit.

List of flat towable vehicles

Vehicle manufacturers update their drivelines annually, which means a model towable in 2021 might lose that capability in 2024 due to a new electronic transmission shift module. Always verify the specific model year and trim package before purchasing a vehicle for dinghy towing.

Best flat tow vehicles

The best flat tow vehicles combine simple transfer case disconnects, reliable braking dynamics, and minimal pre-tow configuration steps.

Flat towable cars

Drivers who prefer passenger sedans and hatchbacks over trucks benefit from lower vehicle weight and improved fuel economy when disconnected. Finding factory-approved flat towable cars has become more difficult with the decline of manual gearboxes, but several notable models remain viable options.

Flat tow vehicles under 3,500 lbs

Compact motorhomes, such as Class C rigs on Mercedes Sprinter chassis or smaller Class B camper vans, feature gross combined weight ratings (GCWR) that limit hitch capacities to 3500 lbs or 5000 lbs. Utilizing flat tow vehicles under 3500 lbs protects the RV transmission and brake components from excessive strain.

How to tow a car behind an RV

Knowing how to tow a car behind an rv requires the right hardware and a strict, repeatable safety checklist. Missing a single step, such as leaving an emergency brake engaged or failing to lock a tow bar arm, results in thousands of dollars in mechanical tire scrub or dangerous hitch failure.

Tow Bar System Setup

The tow bar bridges your motorhome and towed vehicle, inserting directly into the RV's 2" or 2.5" hitch receiver and folding flat when stored.

• Match Hitch Height: Measure ground distance to the RV receiver and the car's base plate pins. Keep the height difference under 3" to 4" using a drop adapter to prevent leverage during hard braking.
• Align and Connect: Drive within 3 feet of the RV hitch. Extend telescoping arms, attach them to the base plate tabs, and lock with linchpins.
• Lock Arms: Drive the RV forward or reverse the car slowly until both arms click into their fully extended, locked positions. Never tow unlocked.

Base Plate and Safety Cable Installation

Every towed vehicle requires a rigid foundation to handle high pulling forces.

• Vehicle-Specific Base Plates: Base plates are custom-built to bolt directly to chassis frame horns, requiring temporary front bumper fascia removal.
• Removable Tabs: Quality base plates use twist-and-lock arms that detach easily to preserve factory front-end appearance.
• Cross-Pattern Safety Cables: Route cables rated for the car's gross weight beneath the tow bar in an X-pattern. If the hitch fails, the crossed cables catch the tow bar before it hits the road.

Auxiliary Braking System and Wiring Configuration

Dedicated control hardware prevents the car from pushing the RV during abrupt stops.

• Supplemental Braking: Auxiliary brakes are legally mandated for loads over 1,500 to 3,000 lbs. Options include portable pedal-clamp units or permanent proportional systems linked to RV brakes or sensors.
• Breakaway Switch: Mount an emergency switch to the front bumper with a lanyard tied to the RV. If the vehicle detaches, the lanyard pulls the pin to lock the car brakes immediately.
• Taillight Wiring: Run a 6- or 7-way electrical cord between vehicles. Diode kits protect factory electronics while running RV lights, and a dedicated 12V charge line prevents battery drain.

Choosing a compact SUV like the Wrangler or an ultra-light hatchback provides versatile mobility while keeping your towing routine simple and safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the easiest car to flat tow behind a RV? ▼

The Jeep Wrangler is widely considered the easiest vehicle to flat tow, making it the dominant choice among RVers. Its manual transfer case shifts cleanly into true neutral with a reliable mechanical lever, and the steering tracks smoothly behind any motorhome without dealing with complex electronic steering locks. Furthermore, the aftermarket provides hundreds of direct-fit base plates, integrated plug-and-play wiring harnesses, and custom off-road bumper tow points that significantly simplify the initial towing setup.

Does flat towing register miles on your odometer? ▼

Modern vehicles with digital odometers do not accumulate mileage while being flat towed because the electronic gauge cluster and vehicle speed sensors remain powered off or in a passive accessory mode. Conversely, mechanical cable-driven odometers on older pre-2000 vehicles will register rolling miles unless you physically disconnect the speedometer drive gear before your trip.

What are the disadvantages of flat towing a car? ▼

Flat towing adds tire and suspension wear to all four wheels and exposes the front fascia, grille, and windshield of the towed vehicle to rocks and debris kicked up by the RV, often requiring a protective shield. Additionally, it is mechanically impossible to back up the motorhome while connected because the car's front caster wheels will instantly pivot and jackknife, severely damaging the tow bar. The initial investment for the tow bar, base plate, and braking system is also quite expensive.

Do you need a supplemental braking system to flat tow? ▼

Yes, supplemental braking systems are required by law in most states and provinces for loads weighing over 3000 lbs, and several jurisdictions require them starting at 1500 lbs. Auxiliary brakes drastically shorten stopping distances, reduce motorhome brake fade, and provide emergency breakaway stopping protection.

What cars can be towed behind a motorhome? ▼

Vehicles with mechanical four-wheel drive low-range transfer cases, select manual transmission front-wheel-drive sedans, and specific manufacturer-engineered models from Ford, Chevrolet, Jeep, and RAM can be towed behind a motorhome without internal transmission damage. Continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) and automatic all-wheel-drive vehicles are almost never flat-towable.