Honda Fit, also known as Honda Jazz, is a supermini car known for its decent built quality and performance. But does it have a decent towing capacity? Can it tow a large-sized loaded trailer? Do you have a better option for this purpose? In this article, we’ll discuss everything in this regard.
In the United States, Honda does not recommend the Fit for towing purposes, and doing so will void your vehicle’s warranty. However, in other markets, the Fit (known as the Honda Jazz) has an unbraked towing capacity of 992 pounds and a braked towing capacity of 2200 pounds.
Now that we have identified the towing capacity, let’s discuss what you can do with this power. In this article, we have computed three tables; the first mentions the change in the towing capacity over the years. The second one mentions the weighing limits of several trailer types and compares them against the towing capacity of this car. And lastly, the third one mentions the towing capacities of its counterparts.
Also read: How To Flat Tow A Honda Fit?
Maximum Towing Capacity By Year
The following table contains the towing capacities of several generations of the Honda Fit. Remember that these figures are obtained from the owner’s manual of the Honda Jazz (same car in non-US markets). Honda does not recommend using this car in the United States for towing purposes.
We suggest that you don’t test these limits unless it is essentially required in an emergency. Regularly towing a trailer with this car may damage its engine and seize its warranty.
It is unclear why Honda doesn’t recommend the Fit for towing purposes in the USA, while it doesn’t have problems with this on other continents. It could be that Honda is being cautious given the fact that Americans tow more often, and therefore, they try to avoid getting in trouble in the long run.
| Year | Engine | Towing Capacity Unbraked (lbs) | Towing Capacity Braked (lbs) |
| 2020 | All | 992 | 2,200 |
| 2019 | All | 992 | 2,200 |
| 2018 | All | 992 | 2,200 |
| 2017 | All | 992 | 2,200 |
| 2016 | All | 992 | 2,200 |
| 2015 | All | 992 | 2,200 |
| 2014 | All | 992 | 2,200 |
| 2013 | All | 992 | 2,200 |
| 2012 | All | 992 | 2,200 |
| 2011 | All | 992 | 2,200 |
| 2010 | All | 992 | 2,200 |
| 2009 | All | 992 | 2,200 |
| 2008 | All | 992 | 2,200 |
| 2007 | All | 992 | 2,200 |
Trailer Nose Weight
Again, the stated trailer nose weight applies to the owner’s manual of the Honda Jazz, but, since this is the same car, we thought it was valuable to mention it here as well.
The trailer nose load should never exceed 95 kg (209 lbs). This is the weight the trailer puts on the towbar when fully loaded. As a rule of thumb, for trailer weights of less than 450 kg (992 lbs), the trailer nose load should be 10 percent of the total trailer package.
Can It Tow a Trailer, Boat, or Jet Ski?
Lots of trailers with varying weights and sizes are available for towing purposes. In this section, we have identified the weighing limits of different types of trailers. We have then matched these weight limits against the towing capacity of the Honda Fit.
All new and old generations of the Honda Fit can tow empty small and medium-sized trailers with a maximum weight limit of 2,200 pounds. These include canoe/kayak, jet ski, teardrop, and small open utility Trailers. The towing capacity of this car is not suitable for towing empty or loaded large-sized trailers.
| Trailer Type | Average Empty Weight (lbs.) | Average Loaded Weight (lbs.) |
| Canoe / Kayak Trailer | 200 | 400 |
| Jet Ski Trailer | 300 | 1,800 |
| Motorcycle Trailer | 500 | 2,400 |
| Teardrop Trailer | 1,700 | 2,400 |
| Small Open Utility Trailer | 700 | 2,500 |
| A-Frame Camper | 1,700 | 2,900 |
| Small Enclosed Utility Trailer | 1,000 | 3,200 |
| Fishing Boat Trailer | 600 | 3,300 |
| Pop Up Camper | 2,300 | 3,400 |
| Small Travel Trailer | 2,800 | 3,600 |
| Tow Dolly | 600 | 4,000 |
| Large Enclosed Utility Trailer | 2,700 | 7,100 |
| Small Horse Trailer | 2,900 | 7,200 |
| Large Travel Trailer | 6,700 | 8,300 |
| Car Trailer | 1,900 | 9,000 |
| Large Flatbed Trailer | 3,000 | 10,400 |
| Large Boat Trailer | 2,200 | 13,600 |
| Dump Trailer | 4,500 | 16,900 |
| Toy Hauler | 7,600 | 17,900 |
| Large Livestock Trailer | 7,300 | 18,700 |
| 5th Wheel Camper | 12,700 | 18,700 |
| Gooseneck Flatbed Trailer | 7,200 | 23,200 |
- Kayak: All Honda Fit models will be able to tow a kayak trailer. On average, an empty kayak trailer will weigh 200 pounds. A loaded kayak trailer will weigh an average of 400 pounds with a maximum of 800 pounds which is well within the range of the Honda Fit.
- Jet Ski Trailer: All Honda Fit models will be able to tow an empty jet ski trailer. On average, an empty jet ski trailer will weigh 300 pounds. A loaded jet ski trailer weighs an average of 1,800 pounds with a maximum of 3,000 pounds which is outside the range of the Honda Fit.
- Motorcycle Trailer: All Honda Fit models will be able to tow an empty motorcycle trailer. On average, an empty motorcycle trailer will weigh 500 pounds. A loaded motorcycle trailer weighs an average of 2,400 pounds with a maximum of 3,500, which is outside the range of the Honda Fit.
- Teardrop Trailer: All Honda Fit models will be able to tow an empty teardrop trailer. On average, an empty teardrop trailer will weigh 1,700 pounds. A loaded teardrop trailer weighs an average of 2,400 pounds which is outside the range of the Honda Fit. Some teardrop trailers will weigh a maximum of 6,000 pounds, which is also outside the Honda Fit’s limits.
- Small Open Utility Trailer: All Honda Fit models will be able to tow an empty small open utility trailer. On average, an empty small open utility trailer will weigh 700 pounds. A loaded small open utility trailer weighs an average of 2,500 pounds with a maximum of 3,000 pounds which is outside the range of the Honda Fit.
- A-Frame Camper: All Honda Fit models will be able to tow an empty a-frame camper. On average, an empty a-frame camper weighs 1,700 pounds. A loaded a-frame camper weighs an average of 2,900 pounds with a maximum of 3,600 pounds which is outside the range of the Honda Fit.
- Small Enclosed Utility Trailer: All Honda Fit models will be able to tow an empty small enclosed utility trailer. On average, an empty small enclosed utility trailer weighs 1,000 pounds. A loaded small enclosed utility trailer weighs an average of 3,200 pounds with a maximum of 7,000 pounds which is outside the range of the Honda Fit.
- Fishing Boat Trailer: All Honda Fit models will be able to tow an empty fishing boat trailer. On average, an empty fishing boat trailer weighs 600 pounds. A loaded fishing boat trailer will weigh an average of 3,300 pounds with a maximum of 6,000 pounds which is outside the range of the Honda Fit.
- Pop-Up Camper: No Honda Fit model will be able to tow a pop-up camper. On average, an empty pop-up camper weighs 2,300 pounds. A loaded pop-up camper weighs an average of 3,400 pounds with a maximum of 4,000 pounds which is outside the range of the Honda Fit.
- Small Travel Trailer: No Honda Fit model will be able to tow a small travel trailer. On average, an empty small travel trailer weighs 2,800 pounds. A loaded small travel trailer weighs an average of 3,600 pounds with a maximum of 4,500 pounds which is outside the range of the Honda Fit.
- Tow Dolly: All Honda Fit models will be able to tow an empty tow dolly. On average, an empty tow dolly weighs 600 pounds. A loaded tow dolly will weigh an average of 4,000 pounds with a maximum of 5,000 pounds which is outside the range of the Honda Fit.
- Large Enclosed Utility Trailer: No Honda Fit models will be able to tow an empty large enclosed utility trailer. On average, an empty large enclosed utility trailer weighs 2,700 pounds. A loaded large enclosed utility trailer weighs an average of 7,100 pounds with a maximum of 10,000 pounds which is outside the range of the Honda Fit.
- Small Horse Trailer: No Honda Fit model will be able to tow a small horse trailer. On average, an empty small horse trailer weighs 2,900 pounds. A loaded small horse trailer weighs an average of 7,200 pounds with a maximum of 8,000 pounds which is outside the range of the Honda Fit.
- Car Trailer: All Honda Fit models will be able to tow an empty car trailer. On average, an empty car trailer weighs 1,900 pounds. A loaded car trailer weighs an average of 9,000 pounds with a maximum of 15,000 pounds which is outside the range of the Honda Fit.
- Large Flatbed Trailer: No Honda Fit model will be able to tow a large flatbed trailer. On average, an empty large flatbed trailer weighs 3,000 pounds. A loaded large flatbed trailer weighs an average of 10,400 pounds with a maximum of 26,000 pounds which is outside the range of the Honda Fit.
- Large Boat Trailer: All Honda Fit models will be able to tow an empty large boat trailer. On average, an empty large boat trailer weighs 2,200 pounds. A loaded large boat trailer weighs an average of 13,600 pounds with a maximum of 34,000 pounds which is outside the range of the Honda Fit.
Also read: 10 Common Problems Of A Honda Fit
Can You Install A Hitch On A Honda Fit?
From the factory, Honda Fits do not come with a trailer hitch. However, you can install an aftermarket class 1 hitch on your Fit. Class 1 hitches are rated for a maximum towing weight of 2,000 pounds and a maximum tongue weight of 200 pounds. Expect to pay around $150 – $200 for a class 1 hitch.
How Well Can It Tow Compared to its Competitors?
In the supermini car category, we can witness decent competition in the towing capacities of various cars. These cars are not primarily built for towing purposes; their manufacturers have repeatedly communicated this. Yet, customers expect a decent tow rating for their car. The following table highlights the towing capacities of several cars in this category.
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