Meaning & use
towing capacity
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable or uncountabletechnical
The maximum weight that a vehicle can pull safely.
Grammar: Often used with a number: a towing capacity of 2,000 kg. Can be countable: different towing capacities.
Patterns
- towing capacity of a vehicle
- have a towing capacity of ...
- exceed the towing capacity
Before buying a trailer, check your car's towing capacity.
This truck has a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms.
Exceeding the towing capacity can damage the engine and is dangerous.
Word forms
| plural | towing capacities |
|---|
Common combinations
- maximum towing capacity
- The maximum towing capacity is listed in the owner's manual.
- towing capacity of
- What is the towing capacity of this SUV?
- exceed the towing capacity
- Never exceed the towing capacity, or you could lose control.
- increase towing capacity
- You can increase towing capacity by adding a cooler to the transmission.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tow rating
- A less formal term with the same meaning, often used in car reviews.
Word family
Commonly confused: towing capacity or payload capacity?
towing capacity vs payload capacity
Payload capacity is the weight a vehicle can carry inside, not the weight it can pull.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'towing capacity' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Towing capacity refers to how much weight a vehicle can pull, not carry inside (payload) or hold (fuel) or seat (passengers).
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “towing capacity”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.