I’m trying to figure out the towing capacity of the 2024 Santa Fe XRT. I’ve seen it listed as ‘4,400 lbs,’ but does that include the weight of the car (people, household goods, etc.) when towing a full trailer? I’m planning a trip from AZ to PA next May, and I’ll be crossing some mountains, so I want to make sure I’m within the limits. Any advice is appreciated!
You’re talking about trailer capacity and payload here. You could be over the payload but still under the towing limit, or vice versa. Make sure you check the trailer rating for both braked and un-braked trailers. Trailer tongue weight is part of the payload, so keep that in mind. Also, check the gross combined vehicle weight rating (GCVWR). With mountains involved, I’d recommend staying under 75% of the rated towing capacity. The DCT transmission isn’t ideal for towing, and you’ll need to consider downhill braking too—make sure your trailer brakes are properly set up. Lastly, if you’re wondering whether this is a good idea, it might be best to rethink it.
@Arlo
Oh, I thought the tongue weight was just how much weight is applied to the hitch at the front of the trailer. Is that not right?
@Arlo
Thanks for the info! It’s always good to learn something new. I’ve helped over 13,500 people through my firearm training courses, many of whom carry daily. So I guess I can say it’s a good idea after all 
@Arlo
Okay, now I’m more confused, but I appreciate your help! Here’s the breakdown:
2024 Santa Fe XRT
1,400 lbs inside the car, towing a 1,950 lb trailer with 2,400 lbs of content. That totals 4,350 lbs being towed (under the 4,400 lb limit) but I’ve got 1,400 lbs inside the car. Is that still within the limits? Will I be okay cruising at 80 through Texas, and can I make it up some 6% grade hills?
@Arden
I’m not an expert, just found this online, but according to my research, it looks like you’re over the weight limit. The weight in the car impacts how much you can tow. Every vehicle has a Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR), which is the combined weight of the car, everything in it, and the trailer with its load. For the XRT, if the curb weight is 4,486 lbs., the GCWR would likely be around 8,986 lbs. So, if you have 4,350 lbs in tow and 1,400 lbs in the car, you’re hitting that 8,986 lb limit before adding anything else. To tow the full 4,400 lbs, the car would need to be empty except for the driver.
@Benn
That was amazing! I didn’t have all the right numbers to do the math myself. I’ll go check the manual for the GCWR and figure out the real numbers. And if you’re ever in Arizona before mid-April, let me know, I’d love to invite you to my private outdoor range for some firearms training on me.
@Arden
I’ve been working long hours, so I can’t dive into this right now, but based on your experience level, this doesn’t seem like a great idea. You might want to check with someone who has more towing experience.
Honestly, you’re pushing it with that vehicle. You might want to just rent a pod and drive to PA instead. Check out this link for more info.
Luca said:
Honestly, you’re pushing it with that vehicle. You might want to just rent a pod and drive to PA instead. Check out this link for more info.
Thanks for the suggestion. We’ve already got a moving company handling the heavy lifting, but this is just for some steel targets, firearms, and valuables that I don’t want to ship.
We tow a 4,000 lb boat and trailer with our 2024 XRT, and we use the highest tow mode. It handles it pretty well. The trailer also has electric brakes, which is definitely a must.
Wei said:
We tow a 4,000 lb boat and trailer with our 2024 XRT, and we use the highest tow mode. It handles it pretty well. The trailer also has electric brakes, which is definitely a must.
Yes, I’ve started looking for a 5x8 or 6x10 enclosed trailer with brakes, but I haven’t found much online yet. I’ll be calling a local dealer in the morning. Thanks for the tip!