Can A Honda Civic Pull A Trailer?

The Honda Civic is one of Honda's most iconic models. It has continuously performed as the best-selling sedan for the Japanese automotive giant and is a huge crowd favorite, especially for car enthusiasts.

In this article, we have researched and asked the experts if a Honda Civic can pull a trailer. Let's discuss!

Honda Civics won't usually be able to tow; they are sedans, after all. But with the help of a trailer hitch, a Honda Civic can pull a very light trailer with light cargo on it.

This is important to note as it could be easy to test a Honda to its limit due to its reputation over the decades of building cars that endure the test of time.

Are you interested to learn more exciting details and facts about the Honda Civic?

Well, stick around as we dive deeper and discuss topics like tow hitches for the Civic, the best Honda for towing, tongue weight, and many more. We will also suggest some informative and related articles at the end of this write-up, so finish reading!

A yellow Honda Civic Type R in a parking lot, Can A Honda Civic Pull A Trailer?

Can A Honda Civic Tow A Trailer?

Honda designed and manufactured the Civic to be a sedan, and with its type R model, performance was in mind.

Therefore, if you are looking for qualities of a truck like towing, hauling, and off-road capabilities, then the crowd favorite Civic is the wrong car for you.

Sedans do best on regular roads or highway driving. Their ground clearance is not that high. The engines on this type of vehicle can be powerful with high horsepower ratings but with lower torque (standard sedans like the civic).

A grey Honda Civic emblem

They also lack provisions for proper towing, and their tongue weight is minimal, making their capabilities in that very limited.

Most people would not even consider using their sedans to tow for a good reason. Not only will it be an unpleasant driving experience, but it will also be unpleasant for your car, especially on heavier payloads.

The possibility of your car over squatting is also very high, which can cause some parts to scrape on the road, like your exhaust pipe and differentials for rear diff cars.

But the Civic is still rated to tow at least 1,000 pounds, so if ever you decide to use your Civic for towing, ensure that you do not exceed this weight as this can spell trouble for your car.

Do You Need To Have A Tow Hitch To Tow?

It is not needed, but it helps. Tow hitches are usually on vehicles that can tow things. This car part makes towing easier by offering stability and efficiency to the car pulling.

Although you can still tow without having a tow hitch, this can be dangerous, primarily if you do it often.

This is because of the high stress caused by the pulling force applied to the part where the hitch is attached, more so with a heavy payload.

If you are required to do some towing and even hauling cargo more often than not, a car like the Honda Civic might not be the one for you.

We suggest getting a dedicated vehicle designed to take on such a task to maximize your cargo and enjoy hauling stuff.

That said, not a passenger car with low clearance and low tow rating.

What Other Honda Sedans Can Tow A Trailer?

A black high strength tow hitch

If you insist on pulling a trailer with sedans, there is good news for you.

All other Honda sedans like the Accord, Insight, and Civic Si can tow small and very light trailers, as long you use the right equipment.

But again, we reiterate that if you can use a bigger and more capable vehicle like a Honda Ridgeline or a Honda C-RV (BRV), then go for it.

Earlier, we said that sedans usually have a low torque rating. The 2022 Honda Civic has a torque rating of only 138lb-ft, coupled with a 158hp standard 2.0-liter engine.

This is relatively low compared to the 262 lb-ft of torque at 4700 revolutions per minute for the pickup Ridgeline—a hundred-plus disparity.

Torque is the ability of a vehicle to accelerate or lunge forward. A higher torque makes it easier for a car to move forward even if it is dragging a heavy load.

An example of tremendous torque on one-ton trucks, some of which rate at a whopping 1,075lb-ft of torque.

Towing With Your Sedan

So if you forego towing with a Honda Sedan, you might experience difficulty, particularly on inclined roads. You will also be putting extra stress on your engine, so avoid doing it on long drives.

Be mindful also, as you must consider how heavy the trailer is and its cargo.

As much as possible, give an allowance of a few hundred pounds from the thousand-pound weight rating, as you would not want to drive your sedan near or at its tow limit on the highway.

Towing with a sedan can be tricky, so we advise that as much as possible, weigh in the trailer you will be using along with the cargo.

Which Honda Vehicle Is Best For Towing?

A stainless steel tow hitch

Honda is more known for making sedans and compact SUVs and was never really keen on releasing powerful work trucks and large SUVs like its other Japanese counterpart, Toyota and Nissan.

The best towing vehicle you can get for a Honda is their only truck in current production, the Honda Ridgeline. The Ridgeline is rated to tow at a maximum of 5,000lbs for any of its configurations.

It is a compact truck that feels more like an SUV when you drive it compared to other trucks like the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier.

This also makes the Ridgeline the lowest tow-rated truck in the US market.

For the Ridgeline, towing with a small trailer is possible. You can even pull small camper trailers out for RVing, but we would still advise you to practice with caution.

The Ridgeline is a competent truck with a payload capacity of 1,583lbs powered through a 3.5-liter direct-injected VTEC V6 outputting 280 horsepower.

For some, these numbers might be disappointing.

But you always have the option to upgrade to a more powerful vehicle to take on tasks like towing, hauling, and even off-roading.

Check out this article on the best towing half-ton trucks available on the market:

What Half-Ton Trucks Have The Best Towing Capacity?

What Is Tongue Weight?

Your car's tongue weight is the force that is applied by the trailer tongue on your car's hitch ball.

For reference, if the vehicle is towing a 3,000lb trailer with a payload of 1,000lbs, the tongue weight would be between 400-550lbs, roughly 10% to 15% of the trailer and the cargo's total weight.

To simplify, below is a quick summary of the formula:

Tongue weight=10%-15% of the sum of payload+trailer weight.

Another quick step to getting the tongue weight is to take the gross weight of the car and subtract it from its total weight while being towed to the trailer. The difference that you will be computing will be the tongue weight.

To simplify, below is a quick summary of the formula:

Weight of vehicle plus trailer - Gross weight of the car.

Being aware of your tongue weight is very important. The main reason for this is safety. Excessive tongue weight could potentially damage the tow hitch of your car, which can result in the trailer disconnecting mid-driving.

This could have fatal implications, especially on a busy freeway.

Oversquatting is another telltale sign that you are above your tongue weight limit. This could raise your front wheel while moving.

Proper pay loading by evenly distributing the weight of your cargo in your trailer is also essential.

The uneven weight distribution can affect your towing even if you are not overloaded. A good tip is to use the heavier load closest to your vehicle. This greatly improves the stability of your car while driving.

How Long Will A Honda Civic Last?

A white Honda Civic parked on the side of the highway

Honda consistently makes the list of the most durable car brands today.

That is why it's no surprise that the Civic will last 200,000 miles-300,000 miles. If the average American drives 14,263 miles per year, it will take the Civic 21 years to reach at least 300,000 miles!

It's also vital to drive safely, to prevent damage to your Civic.

Of course, no matter how highly rated or well-built the Civic is, or for any vehicle if you disregard routine maintenance such as regular oil changes, the vehicle's life expectancy would not be that good.

How Well Does A Honda Hold Up In Value?

A Honda Civic will only depreciate 16% from its original value after five years of purchase. Assuming a sticker price of $28,992, the Civic will still be valued at $24,353 after half a decade of ownership.

You also want to consider other factors such as repair history, cosmetic issues, engine issues, and even legal history.

But if all goes accordingly, the Civic is one of the best value holders in the car market today.

Conclusion

A yellow Honda Civic Type R in a parking lot

The Honda Civic is not great for towing trailers, but it can if needed. Although a sedan, Honda still released a tow rating for the Civic, meaning you can tow with it, but only very light load. Honda is known for making great sedans and mid-size SUVs like the Civic, Accord, C-RV, and B-RV.

Made it this far? Check out these helpful related posts below!

How To Reset Tire Pressure Light [TPSM] On A Honda Civic?

My Honda Civic Key Is Stuck In The Ignition – What To Do?

How Do I Know What Engine Is In My Honda Civic?

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