Travel Trailers for the Toyota Highlander

Payload is the maximum weight your vehicle can carry: passengers, cargo, a hitch, and the tongue weight of any trailer. It is stamped on the driver-side door sticker and varies by configuration even within the same model year.

Tongue weight (roughly 13–15% of the loaded trailer’s weight for travel trailers) counts against your payload first, before passengers and gear. A trailer that fits within your tow rating can still exceed your payload budget.

Always verify your door sticker. Published payload figures are configuration-specific and may differ from our database records.

Tongue weight is the downward force the trailer exerts on the hitch ball. Industry guidance recommends keeping tongue weight between 10% and 15% of the loaded trailer’s weight for travel trailers.

Three limits apply simultaneously: the vehicle’s published tongue weight rating, the hitch receiver’s stamped rating, and the remaining payload after passengers and cargo. The most restrictive limit governs. This tool estimates tongue weight at 13% of loaded trailer weight.

For tongue weights above 500–600 lb, a weight-distribution hitch may be recommended (consult your owner’s manual).