How much can a Kia Sportage tow?
The Kia Sportage is a practical SUV, but can it tow? Find out more about the Sportage's towing capabilities
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The Kia Sportage is a practical SUV that’s packed full of tech, affordable and very fuel-efficient.
It can be had with either a petrol, diesel, hybrid or plug-in hybrid engine, but the true tugging power comes from the diesel.
Whether you own a caravan or use a trailer for work, the Sportage is a great choice for you.
What influences the Kia Sportage’s towing capacity?
Towing capacities are calculated in several ways.
You’ll need to check the kerb weight of the Kia Sportage and the maximum weight it can tow.
Key terms to look out for are: gross vehicle weight (GVW); maximum authorised mass (MAM); or Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass (MTPLM).
These are the names for the combination of the vehicle’s kerb weight and the weight of the load being towed.
As a rule of thumb, the load should be less than 85% of the kerb weight of the car. This is what experts recommend is safest, but it’s always worth checking the vehicle's guide, which can be found in the manual.
On top of this, there are several factors to consider when towing, no matter the car. These include brakes, suspension and tyres. If the fundamentals of the car can’t support the extra weight, then nothing can be done.
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How much can a Kia Sportage tow?
There are three different levels of towing:
Unbraked towing capacity – towing a trailer without its own braking system
Braked towing capacity – towing a trailer with its own braking system
Max braked towing capacity – the maximum weight a vehicle can tow when the trailer has its own braking system.
Therefore, the latest Kia Sportage can tow 750kg unbraked, 1,650kg braked, and 1,900kg maximum braked.
To put that into perspective, a Toyota Hilux can tow up to 3,500kg and a Ford Fiesta can tow up to 900kg, meaning the Sportage sits somewhere in the middle.
We say the ‘latest’ model because older Sportage models can’t pull as much weight, but all models since 2010 can tow 1,600kg maximum braked.
Is the Kia Sportage good at towing?
There are certainly more capable towing cars out there, such as the Volvo XC90 and Land Rover Defender.
But if you own a Sportage already or will be towing very occasionally, then there’s no reason to not consider it.
The Sportage is happiest pulling single axle trailers that don’t weigh all that much.
How to safely tow with your Kia Sportage
Towing should be taken with the utmost care because so much can go wrong if you’re not familiar/trained to tow safely.
First off, you’ll need to ensure you have the correct licence for the type of towing you plan to do.
Licences issued after January 1997 have restrictions on pulling loads that weigh more than 8,250kg, so make sure to check this before towing anything heavy – not that the Sportage can tow this much anyway.
If you need more information, the gov.uk website has the full rundown of limitations for towing and how they could affect you.
New to towing? You may not know that the Highway Code states that you shouldn’t exceed 60mph on the motorway or dual carriageway when towing a caravan to keep you and the load stable.
You’ll also need to avoid sudden braking where possible and make sure you move off gently and without any sudden movements.
The same goes for any sudden change of direction as this can throw off the balance of the vehicle.
You’ll also need to allow yourself some extra room when turning to ensure you don’t clip anything.
When is towing helpful?
Towing can be helpful for a wide range of reasons. The immediate reason for towing trailers for work or towing caravans for holidays.
This gives you the freedom to travel all over the country and into Europe without needing a hotel. There’s also the ability to tow horseboxes, which, for some of those in the countryside, is a necessity.