Hybrid Towing trip report & MPG stats

[mercube]

Just got back to Georgia after helping my aunt move down from Tennessee. I’ve got a 2023 Hybrid Maverick and here’s my stats from the trip. Overall the truck pulled and drove well. I don’t know how much weight I had total but there was a lot of stuff.

I was towing a 5x9 U-Haul open air trailer. In the trailer was 2 smaller dressers, a king size bed, a lazy boy chair and some other small items. Plus the truck bed had boxes in it and there were boxes in the cab. Normally I average about 40 mpg. MPG with the trailer took a serious hit (almost 20 mpg) but I was still happy with the way it performed.

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[mav47]

Similar experience here:

I average the same 20mpg on the hybrid Maverick towing our little camper trailer, which is about 2,000 lbs fully loaded.

The hybrid actually tows much better than expected. I keep it in tow/haul mode, and it feels fairly quick accelerating from a stop (seems quicker than our 300hp Highlander Hybrid towing the same little rig). On inclines you do notice the 100+ hp difference and there the Highlander has it, but the Maverick hybrid does plenty well enough for my liking.

The truck's stiffer suspension helps make it feel better as a tow vehicle versus the soft sprung Highlander.

 

[Oscarcat]

Similar experience here:

I average the same 20mpg on the hybrid Maverick towing our little camper trailer, which is about 2,000 lbs fully loaded.

The hybrid actually tows much better than expected. I keep it in tow/haul mode, and it feels fairly quick accelerating from a stop (seems quicker than our 300hp Highlander Hybrid towing the same little rig). On inclines you do notice the 100+ hp difference and there the Highlander has it, but the Maverick hybrid does plenty well enough for my liking.

The truck's stiffer suspension helps make it feel better as a tow vehicle versus the soft sprung Highlander.

Hi from down the road - Encinitas. Question: Do you have trailer brakes and a trailer brake controller? What is the make of your trailer? Thanks in advance. [I have a '24 hybrid now, sold the EB in the photo]

 

[KimDP]

I am about the same 43 without and 26 with camper trailer. Tows great, but lacks power going up steep grades

 

[Samcat13]

Hi from down the road - Encinitas. Question: Do you have trailer brakes and a trailer brake controller? What is the make of your trailer? Thanks in advance. [I have a '24 hybrid now, sold the EB in the photo]

I also would like to know the make and model of the comper

 

[mav47]

Hi from down the road - Encinitas. Question: Do you have trailer brakes and a trailer brake controller? What is the make of your trailer? Thanks in advance. [I have a '24 hybrid now, sold the EB in the photo]

Hello neighbor,

Our camp trailer is a Jayco Jay Feather Micro 12SRK, and it comes standard with electric trailer brakes on the axle. It weighs about 1,600lbs dry, but I built out the kitchen a bit, remodeled the interior somewhat, and with stores and everything loaded it should weigh around 2,000lbs.

On the Maverick I installed a 7-pin plus 4-pin trailer connector (removed the stock 4-pin and had to cut a new hole for the new connector block), and I also installed a Redarc Tow-Pro Liberty brake controller.

I had experience with the Redarc because about two years ago I also installed it in our Highlander Hybrid and found it works well.

This brake controller has a nice small rotary dial that installs cleanly next to the Maverick's light switch. The brake controller itself I installed behind the back seat, roughly behind the driver, which also puts it conveniently close to the battery. Redarc uses a standard Cat-5 Ethernet cable between the brake controller and the rotary dial (!). The controller needs +12v, a ground and a brake switch input, and since I installed the controller in the back I picked up the brake signal from the Maverick's center brake light (remove the light, T-splice in a wire and run it behind the headliner and then down behind the seat). I used protective sleeving and lots of zip ties running the wiring, especially back underneath the vehicle to the trailer connector. The continuous +12V feed to the trailer comes directly from the battery + terminal (used a waterproof fuse block with a 30A fuse) And then I picked up the reverse light feed on the trailer connector from the LH taillight on the Maverick.

This Redarc brake controller works great, installs easily and cleanly in these hybrids (with the battery back there) and it is easy to dial in the trailer brakes, but unfortunately it is quite expensive at around $160.

 

[Oscarcat]

Hello neighbor,

Our camp trailer is a Jayco Jay Feather Micro 12SRK, and it comes standard with electric trailer brakes on the axle. It weighs about 1,600lbs dry, but I built out the kitchen a bit, remodeled the interior somewhat, and with stores and everything loaded it should weigh around 2,000lbs.

On the Maverick I installed a 7-pin plus 4-pin trailer connector (removed the stock 4-pin and had to cut a new hole for the new connector block), and I also installed a Redarc Tow-Pro Liberty brake controller.

I had experience with the Redarc because about two years ago I also installed it in our Highlander Hybrid and found it works well.

This brake controller has a nice small rotary dial that installs cleanly next to the Maverick's light switch. The brake controller itself I installed behind the back seat, roughly behind the driver, which also puts it conveniently close to the battery. Redarc uses a standard Cat-5 Ethernet cable between the brake controller and the rotary dial (!). The controller needs +12v, a ground and a brake switch input, and since I installed the controller in the back I picked up the brake signal from the Maverick's center brake light (remove the light, T-splice in a wire and run it behind the headliner and then down behind the seat). I used protective sleeving and lots of zip ties running the wiring, especially back underneath the vehicle to the trailer connector. The continuous +12V feed to the trailer comes directly from the battery + terminal (used a waterproof fuse block with a 30A fuse) And then I picked up the reverse light feed on the trailer connector from the LH taillight on the Maverick.

This Redarc brake controller works great, installs easily and cleanly in these hybrids (with the battery back there) and it is easy to dial in the trailer brakes, but unfortunately it is quite expensive at around $160.

Thank you, thank you thank you for the excellent photos and details! Very nice install all the way around. The brake controller looks great where you mounted it and $160 for a good system is not unreasonable. Well done!

 

[The Real Maverick]

Hello neighbor,

Our camp trailer is a Jayco Jay Feather Micro 12SRK, and it comes standard with electric trailer brakes on the axle. It weighs about 1,600lbs dry, but I built out the kitchen a bit, remodeled the interior somewhat, and with stores and everything loaded it should weigh around 2,000lbs.

On the Maverick I installed a 7-pin plus 4-pin trailer connector (removed the stock 4-pin and had to cut a new hole for the new connector block), and I also installed a Redarc Tow-Pro Liberty brake controller.

I had experience with the Redarc because about two years ago I also installed it in our Highlander Hybrid and found it works well.

This brake controller has a nice small rotary dial that installs cleanly next to the Maverick's light switch. The brake controller itself I installed behind the back seat, roughly behind the driver, which also puts it conveniently close to the battery. Redarc uses a standard Cat-5 Ethernet cable between the brake controller and the rotary dial (!). The controller needs +12v, a ground and a brake switch input, and since I installed the controller in the back I picked up the brake signal from the Maverick's center brake light (remove the light, T-splice in a wire and run it behind the headliner and then down behind the seat). I used protective sleeving and lots of zip ties running the wiring, especially back underneath the vehicle to the trailer connector. The continuous +12V feed to the trailer comes directly from the battery + terminal (used a waterproof fuse block with a 30A fuse) And then I picked up the reverse light feed on the trailer connector from the LH taillight on the Maverick.

This Redarc brake controller works great, installs easily and cleanly in these hybrids (with the battery back there) and it is easy to dial in the trailer brakes, but unfortunately it is quite expensive at around $160.

I did something very similar, and tow something a little larger.

The hybrid is more capable than most people give it credit for. Towing over the Sierras on a 95 degree day with A/C on, not a problem.

Pro Tip: any road and speed an 18 wheeler can do, the Mav Hybrid can do better. Some people pass me, but I can still pass Semi's. Even towing.

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