Dinghy towing, or flat towing with all four wheels down, lets an RV owner bring a second car along without a trailer. Approval depends on the exact model, and often on the transmission, drivetrain or engine, as three towing guides spell out. Here are twelve crossovers and cars with manufacturer approval and the conditions attached.
1. Nissan Sentra: Manual Gearbox Only
RV Life’s 2025 dinghy towing guide lists the Sentra as manufacturer-approved for four-down towing, but only in one form, marked ‘Manual Transmission Only.’ The approval does not extend to the automatic-transmission Sentras that make up much of what dealers sell.
Flat-towing an unapproved transmission with all four wheels down can destroy it long before the trip ends, so the gearbox decides everything here. The owner’s manual notation for recreational or flat towing remains the final authority for any individual car.
2. Nissan Versa: Same Terms As Its Sibling
The Versa Sedan lands on the same RV Life approved list under identical wording, ‘Manual Transmission Only,’ which rules out most of the examples sitting on dealer lots. Nissan’s small sedan therefore qualifies only when equipped with the stick shift.
Buyers hunting for a cheap tow-behind car should confirm the transmission before anything else, since an automatic Versa belongs on a trailer or a dolly rather than behind a motorhome. A missing four-down notation in the manual is a clear stop sign.
3. Nissan Z: Even The Sports Coupe Qualifies
Even a sports coupe makes the cut: the Nissan Z appears among the manufacturer-approved vehicles in the 2025 approved list, and again the condition reads ‘Manual Transmission Only.’ Nissan’s sports coupe therefore sits on the same list as its economy sedans.
A Z towed behind a coach is an unusual sight, but the restriction mirrors the sedans: the manual-transmission version is the one cleared for the job. Anyone eyeing the automatic should expect a firm no from the manufacturer’s towing notes.
4. Buick Envista: No Drivetrain Fine Print
The Envista shows up in the 2025 dinghy guide with no drivetrain restriction attached, unlike several of the Nissans above. That makes the Buick one of the simpler entries to shop for, with no transmission or powertrain qualifier to chase down.
A clean listing still does not replace paperwork. The owner’s manual of the specific model year must carry the recreational, four-down or flat-towing notation, and equipment such as a base plate and braking system still has to be sorted out separately.
5. Chevrolet Trax: Clean Listing On The 2024 Roster
The Trax is listed among 2024 manufacturer-approved flat-tow vehicles in the RV Life 2024 guide, again with no drivetrain condition. The guide only includes vehicles weighing at least 2,000 pounds, a floor that every listed model has to clear.
For owners wanting a small, inexpensive tow-behind, the lack of a drivetrain qualifier simplifies the search. Model-year differences still matter, so the manual for the exact vehicle should be checked before any hitch hardware is bought.
6. Chevrolet Trailblazer: AWD Versions Only
The Trailblazer is approved for flat towing in one configuration only, flagged ‘AWD Vehicles Only’ in the 2024 dinghy towing list. Front-drive versions of the same crossover do not carry that approval.
The distinction can be easy to miss on a used-car listing, where trim and drivetrain are not always spelled out. Verifying the drive layout from the window sticker or VIN before purchase avoids buying a Trailblazer that cannot legally be towed with all four wheels down.
7. Buick Encore GX: All-Wheel Drive Required
The Encore GX is approved ‘AWD only’ on the 2024 approved roster, so only the all-wheel-drive version of the small Buick qualifies. Front-wheel-drive Encore GX models sit outside that approval.
Dealers often stock both layouts, and the badge on the tailgate may not make the difference obvious. RV owners planning to tow the Buick should confirm the drivetrain and then look for the four-down language in the owner’s manual before mounting a tow bar.
8. Lincoln Corsair: The Plug-In Hybrid Exception
Only one Corsair qualifies: the RV Life 2024 listing marks it ‘Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) Only.’ The conventional gasoline Corsair does not receive the same approval for four-down towing.
That is an unusual twist, since plug-in hybrids are rarely associated with flat towing. It leaves a narrow target for shoppers, who would need to find the plug-in variant specifically and confirm the towing notation in its manual. The guide states the condition in plain capital letters, leaving little room for interpretation by a shopper comparing trims.
9. Honda CR-V: A Window That Closed
RV.com notes in its most-popular dinghy round-up that the CR-V was ‘manufacturer-approved for recreational towing from 1998-2014,’ a window that closed on later model years. That range spans seventeen model years.
Owners shopping for a used CR-V therefore need to match the model year against that range rather than assume the badge guarantees approval. A newer one found at a lower price may not be cleared for four-down towing at all.
10. Honda Fit: Light Enough To Tow Easily
The Fit is one of the lightest approved dinghies: RV.com’s dinghy vehicle round-up says it ‘weighs less than 2,600 lbs’ and that ‘the 2019 manual-transmission models are approved for dinghy towing.’ Low weight eases the load on a motorhome’s rear hitch.
The approval is specific to the manual transmission, so an automatic Fit is not covered by that statement. Shoppers should treat the 2019 manual as the reference point and verify other model years in the manual.
11. Chevrolet Equinox: Towable Since 2008
According to RV.com’s most popular dinghy list, the Equinox ‘has been dinghy-towable since 2008,’ making it one of the longest-running approved crossovers. Few competitors can point to a track record that long.
Longevity helps on the used market, where plenty of older examples exist, but approval can still change with a redesign. The recreational-towing notation in the specific year’s owner’s manual is the only reliable confirmation. A 2008 starting point also means a very large pool of used examples sit inside the approved window.
12. Ford Edge: Narrowed To One Engine
The Edge has been ‘manufacturer-approved for flat towing since 2007,’ per RV.com’s most-popular dinghy guide, and RV Life’s 2025 list narrows current approval to ‘2.7L Ecoboost Models Only.’ Engine choice now decides eligibility.
Edge shoppers face a split between long-running history and a tighter present-day rule. Anyone buying one for towing should confirm the 2.7-liter engine is under the hood and find the flat-towing line in the manual before committing. The guide’s wording, ‘2.7L Ecoboost Models Only,’ leaves other engines outside the current approval.
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