Kia Sportage: Driving your vehicle / Trailer towing

If you are considering towing with your vehicle, you should first check with your country's Department of Motor Vehicles to determine their legal requirements.

Since laws vary the requirements for towing trailers, cars, or other types of vehicles or apparatus may differ. Ask an authorized Kia dealer for further details before towing.

WARNING - Towing a trailer

Always check your towing equipment to confirm correct equipment size and installation before use. Using incompatible or incorrectly installed trailer equipment can affect the vehicle operation and endanger you and your passengers.

You may require an additional wiring harness connector to install a trailer hitch. Please contact an authorized Kia dealer for more details.

WARNING - Weight limits

Before towing, make sure the total trailer weight, GCW (gross combination weight), GVW (gross vehicle weight), GAW (gross axle weight) and trailer tongue load are all within the limits.

CAUTION - Trailer installation

Follow instructions in this section when pulling a trailer. Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by your warranty.

Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you should read the information in “Weight of the trailer” that appears later in this section.

Remember that trailering is different than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes in handling, durability, and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering requires correct equipment, and it has to be used properly.

This section contains many timetested, important trailering tips and safety rules. Many of these are important for your safety and that of your passengers. Please read this section carefully before you pull a trailer.

Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle, wheel assemblies, and tires are forced to work harder against the load of the added weight. The engine is required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under greater loads. This additional burden generates extra heat. The trailer also adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing the pulling requirements.

• Hitches
• Safety chains
• Trailer brakes
• Driving with a trailer
• Maintenance when trailer towing
• If you do decide to pull a trailer