Can a Subaru Outback tow a 16’ Scamp?
By
Elaine Knight
In this blog post, we will answer the following question: Can a Subaru Outback tow a 16’ Scamp? We will review the towing capacity and performance of the Subaru Outback. We will discuss why the Outback is a good choice for towing a Scamp trailer and also present you a few alternatives for towing a 16’ Scamp with success.
Can a Subaru Outback tow a 16’ Scamp?
The Subaru Outback should manage just fine with towing a 16’ Scamp trailer. Outback proves to be a very successful car as the wheel’s slightly high position gives you an overview of the road. Although it has paddles for manual gear shifting, the continuously variable automatic transmission doesn’t appreciate kick down attempts.
Subaru Outback Towing Capacity
| Year of manufacture | Unbraked trailers | Braked trailers |
| 2021-2020 | 3300 lbs | 4400 lbs |
| 2019-2004 | 3300 lbs | 3900 lbs |
| 2003 and older | 3000 lbs | 3000 lbs |
16’ Scamp Trailers Dry Weight
| Version | Dry Weights |
| Standard version | 1,750 to 2,000 lbs |
| Deluxe version | 2,200 to 2,600 lbs |
To find out how much your Subaru Outback can tow you have to look for the MAM of your vehicle. Normally the maximum allowed weight is stipulated in the technical sheet, this usually varies in the brand, model, design, among other aspects.
You can also search for Maximum Authorized Mass (MAM) and in this way, you will find the authorized weight capacity that your vehicle can carry.
Why Subaru Outback is a good choice for towing a 16’ Scamp
In 2019 the Subaru Outback was honored with the Safety Award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
In addition, it won the award for “Best Safety Selection”, an award given to all Outbacks that were built after October, as well as models prior to this date that are equipped with basic headlights instead of those that adapt to curves.
It also earned perfect grades in crashworthiness evaluations, as well as frontal crashes and pedestrian accidents.
The multiple awards, as well as the safety of the Subaru Outback place it above the Honda Passport, a 5-seater SUV with a large space and that its price starts at $ 34,000; While its direct competition, the Toyota SUV, an off-roader is priced under $ 38,000.
The price, the multiple awards, the safety and your comfort say it all …
- First of all, practicality. In the Subaru Outback, form follows function. Take a look at its silhouette, for example, with a huge glass surface and profile 65 tires, mounted on 16-inch wheels. Had it followed SUV canon, it would have a lot less glass and sports tires mounted on 19-inch wheels.
This is proof that functionality and onboard well-being are important in the Subaru Outback, even if at the cost of a less attractive design than that of its rivals. All in all, its front end, large grille and rear lights look no-nonsense, and we can’t say the Outback is “an ugly car.”
- Second, we must highlight its spaciousness. In all its dimensions, and in all its seats, especially in its rear seats, with impressive legroom. Its trunk is also correct, with 512 litres of maximum cargo volume and 1,580 litres folding down the rear seats. These seats fold down with a handle, located very handy.
The Subaru Outback retains a full-size spare wheel, a wonderful rarity these days. It is a cabin with a sober design, without frills, focused on daily use and without margin for imagination.
- The Subaru Starlink infotainment system clearly lags behind the offerings of other rival manufacturers. The layout of the controls follows a logical order, and I only miss that the instrumentation numbers – organized in deep clocks – were larger in size, and therefore better readable.
- A premium ride and has more off-road efficiency than an SUV. The only diesel boxer engine on the market, a 2.0-litre four-cylinder and 150 hp. This engine is the option for which almost all Outback customers choose, which is also available with atmospheric gasoline, with 2.5 litres and 175 hp.
Returning to our diesel, it develops a maximum torque of 350 Nm – constant between 1,600 and 2,800 rpm – and in association with the Lineartronic gearbox of our unit.
Although it may not seem so a priori, the continuously variable change perfectly complements the character of the diesel engine of the Subaru Outback. Weighing in at three-quarters of a ton, it is not a particularly fast car, nor can we expect great performance.
However, its 150 hp are sufficient to confront any interurban route with guarantees and negotiate overtaking on secondary roads, even when towing. It is precisely on these routes that the Outback feels at home.
How much can your Outback actually tow?
It is very important to verify this before buying a trailer or caravan. The last thing you want to do is wear out your suspension, engine, and transmission. Vehicle specifications are actually available to help keep your vehicle in peak condition. Your vehicle will indicate a few things: conventional/caravan capacity, fifth wheel caravan, gooseneck caravan and payload capacity.
A conventional caravan means pulling the bumper with a frame-mounted hitch. It would be really unwise to tow from a ball mounted directly to your bumper, as the brackets from the bumper to the frame are not that strong. With a frame-mounted hitch, there are a few other things to keep in mind.
The conventional caravan will be more common for most beginner caravans as this is the best way to start. to camp. You will find it most common with tent caravans and your standard enclosed caravan.
The fifth wheel camper will mount directly to your truck bed. This will provide a greater caravan capacity by providing greater weight distribution on the rear wheels and suspension. You’ll start to see this in your 3/4 and 1-ton trucks. The fifth wheel camper will also provide you with the best driving comfort when hitting roads and going up and down hills more easily.
The gooseneck caravan will generally be intended for towing horse caravans and the actual hitch itself will be a ball and coupler. This bracket will remain in the centre of the platform between the wheel wells to help distribute the weight of the caravan. This and the fifth wheel will generally be similar on the caravan capacity documents of the vehicle you own or purchase.
What other cars can tow a 16’ Scamp?
Almost any car can tow a Scamp trailer, as long as you respect the towing capacity of your vehicle indicated by the manufacturer.
In the table below we will present some car models that are perfectly capable of towing Scamp trailers (loaded or unloaded).
Popular models that can tow a Scamp trailer
| Car model | Towing Capacity (lbs) |
| Dodge Journey | 2500 |
| Cadillac XT5 | 3500 |
| GMC Canyon and GMC Terrain | 3500 |
| Chevrolet Equinox | 3500 |
| Hyundai Santa Fe | 3500 |
| Chrysler Pacifica | 3600 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan | 3600 |
| Dodge RAM | 4970+ |
| Chevrolet Suburban | 6000 |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | 6400 |
| GMC Sierra | 5400 |
| Nissan Armada & Nissan Titan | 8500+ |
The bottom line
To know the weight of the trailer that your SUV, van or pickup truck can tow, you will naturally go and check the manufacturer’s recommendations. This information is usually written on the edge of the door of your tow vehicle. Can’t find the information? Contact your dealer, he will get back to you quickly.
Always check with the manufacturer’s manual whether your car can tow a caravan/trailer and what is the maximum towing capacity for both unbraked and braked vehicles. And lastly, don’t overload the trailer. You may feel confident enough to go above 85%, but this will only create unnecessary risks, especially if we are talking about an unbraked trailer.
Be safe on the road and please let us know if you have any questions or comments on the content.
FAQ on Can a Subaru Outback tow a scamp 16?
What kind of trailer can a Subaru Forester pull?
With an average towing capacity of 1600 -1800 kilograms, a Subaru Forester can pull a small or medium-sized caravan, horse trailer with one horse, a small boat or sports equipment.
What weight can a Subaru XV tow?
The weight that a Subaru XV can tow is between 1250 and 1400 kg braked capacity.
What weight can the Subaru Crosstrek tow?
Subaru Crosstrek has a towing capacity of 680 kg or 1500 pounds, making it great for towing small campers, a flatbed or a bicycle trailer.
Is the Subaru XV a good car?
Overall, Subaru XV is a very good car, quite comfortable on high-speed and the torque has a good value, of 350 Nm, being reached very low, from 1,600 rpm.
Can a Subaru Outback pull an Airstream Bambi?
A Subaru Outback can pull the basic version of an Airstream Bambi (which weighs only 2585 lbs/1172 kgs); but once you add some camping gear an Airstream Bambi can easily get to 4000 lbs (1814 kg), which can be too much for our Subaru Outback.
References
- Subaru Outback + Scamp 16?? Doable, or a mistake? – Fiberglass RV
- Towing 16′ Scamp with 2005 Outback
- Towing Your Scamp
