2021 Audi Q3 Tow Capacity

[andytravel]

Hello Everyone,

Just recently got into camping and am considering picking up a camper trailer for a longer journey to explore US national parks.

I currently own an Audi Q3 2021 45TFSI. I am not sure how to calculate what kind of trailer I can purchase given the different max weight capacity ratings I've seen online.

Manual states 1,500lbs trailer with brakes up to 12% incline, Tongue weight of 154lbs, and permitted trailer weight of 6,022lbs.

On other sites there have been conflicting weights of 2,200lbs or 4,400lbs. RV trailer sites have calcuations based on vin number and/or car models and it states a max trailer tow capacity of 4,400lbs.

Can someone give me some guidance on how this is all calculated as I want to make sure I create a safe environment for myself and everyone on the road.

Thanks in advance.

 

[otherclive]

Hi and welcome to the Forum. It’s difficult to give advise as UK rules are very different cf to US. The cars label plate here gives the GVW and Gross Train Weight plus front and rear axle weights, which allows the trailer maximum weight to be deduced. But there are trailers and trailers. A low Center if gravity camping trailer is an easier tow than an equivalent weight caravan. Also our noseweight recommendation is for 4-7% of the caravan/trailer max weight.

It might be best to go with the car makers specification fir a US vehicle and then look at the various Federal and/or state laws governing trailers towing.

 

[andytravel]

Hi and welcome to the Forum. It’s difficult to give advise as UK rules are very different cf to US. The cars label plate here gives the GVW and Gross Train Weight plus front and rear axle weights, which allows the trailer maximum weight to be deduced. But there are trailers and trailers. A low Center if gravity camping trailer is an easier tow than an equivalent weight caravan. Also our noseweight recommendation is for 4-7% of the caravan/trailer max weight.

It might be best to go with the car makers specification fir a US vehicle and then look at the various Federal and/or state laws governing trailers towing.

Thank you for the quick reply.

This makes total sense as I've seen the same year car model with slightly difference specifications on the vehicle. I wish we had sites like this here in the US, but had to defer to this site as it was the only useful and informative place to go through.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Andy,

Welcome to the forum.

It seems you may be resident in the USA, Unfortunately most correspondents on the forum are based in the UK or the EU where how the maximum towed weights and tongue weights have to be set up differently. You cant just take the EU data and change the units to imperial.

You will have to see if any of our people do have the relevant information about the Stateside regulations.

I would think (and hope) the car manufacturer would be the most reliable source for the car details.

Its great to read you concerned about such things its better to be prepared than not.

Good luck.

 

[andytravel]

Thanks for the feedback. It would be great to have good resources here in the States, but unfortunately we don't have a useful forum like this.

I've given Audi a call and they weren't much help. They basically directed me to the manual. Even then the data given doesn't really correspond to what i've researched either.

Definitely want to be safe to myself, passengers, and those on the road. It's scary seeing how a wrong move with a camper in tow can be.

Thanks again.

 

[Jcloughie]

Hi Andy and welcome. I can't be of help for the reasons given above. But keep posting and please post pictures when you can get to travel. But avoid Florida at the moment. ☺

John

 

[andytravel]

Thanks for the warm welcome. Will definitely post in the near future when I am all set up.

Florida wasn't in the plans. =)

 

[Lutz]

The ultimatespecs website quotes a maximum towing capacity for the 45 TFSI Quattro, which appears to be the only variant of the Q3 on sale in the US, of 4630lbs.

 

[Beachball]

Hi Andy welcome to forum i also cannot help you for the reasons above but keep posting

 

[Raywood]

Towing weights over here are calculated on restarting five times on a 12% slope, given you may be forced to stop and restart at some time on a steepish hill, it is possibly the limit you should look at. It would be the legal limit here but I do not know the situation over there.
12% is very steep, about one in nine, so most people should get away with being able to restart on something less, but it depends on where you will be going. I have no idea where the other figures come from and normally I would say stick with the manufacturers figures as they know their product and will have tested it to arrive at that figure.
The ones available here may not be exactly the same so our figures may be different for a good reason.
6,000lbs seems a very high figure for the car to tow unless on a flat surface and I doubt the performance would be good.
154lbs looks about the same as 70kg which is common here.

 

[Lutz]

US towloads are determined differently to those on the other side of the Atlantic. Our figures depend more on a multiple restart capability on an incline whereas US figures concentrate more on engine cooling performance on a so-called Pikes Peak test, taking into account altitude effects at 14,000ft. As a result, US figures tend to be lower than ours for the same model.