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I looked for the rating for the SQ5 on Audi's web site but couldn't find it either.
You can download the Q5 sales brochure from the Audi USA website. It says the max tow rating is 4400 lbs and may be less depending on equipment. I'm not sure what equipment they mean and how much lower the rating might go though.
This is a concerning thread. The sale brochure I received when ordering my Macan Turbo says that the towing capacity is 5,291 braked. If that's not accurate, then I may need to cancel my order and keep the Cayenne Diesel a bit longer.
Last edited by Racer_Ex; Sep 24, 2014 at 11:05 PM.
This is a concerning thread. The sale brochure I received when ordering my Macan Turbo says that the towing capacity is 5,291 braked. If that's not accurate, then I may need to cancel my order and keep the Cayenne Diesel a bit longer.
They very quietly lowered the tow rating without telling anyone (including the dealers who were still quoting the 5,291 number to customers). I notified my dealer of the change who then went to PCNA to get confirmation.
When I ordereed the Macan, I based my decision on the 5,291 number. My GT3 and Featherlite open trailer will be about 4,300 so seemed to be OK. Post order, found out (through these forums) that the rating had been reduced. Put a nice decorative hitch cover in the receiver - doesn't look like I will be towing anything with the Macan after all.
918 ownership has its benefits. One of which is that I can get answers very quickly. Here's the scoop from PCNA on the towing rating:
"... after checking with my Product Managers, I can confirm that the tow rating is 4,409 braked. Please allow a bit of time for me to follow up on where exactly the discrepancy may have come from. I will be sure to circle back with you! Stay tuned. "
This kind of sucks. For me it's not a major issue as I had begun to add more an more features to my Macan build with the intention of making it my daily driver. And I prefer not to tow with my daily driver. Bad stuff often happens to tow vehicles, usually of my own doing.
That is not really an answer (which is typical for PCNA - I have found them to be totally incompetent when it comes to customer service and comprehending brand loyalty) - they changed it, they didn''t tell anybody. The discrepancy came from Porsche.
Folks, take the ratings with a grain of salt. Only you can decide whether you can safely trailer your intended loads. There is no question that the Macan has plenty of power to occasionally tow over 4400 pounds in certain conditions.
- do you live in the plains or in hill country?
- is your trailer an open low deck or a huge boxy thing?
- will you need to tow at highway speeds or will you be traveling on secondary roads?
- are you willing to spend more effort on maintenance (more frequent transmission fluid, brakes, oil, etc checks)?
- with a trailer, do you drive smoothly or do you tailgate like a maniac?
- how often and how far do you plan to tow?
Bottom line, the Macan tow rating has been downgraded for some particular reason that may not apply to you. You and you alone can assess what your situation/ability/comfort level is.
IMHO, it is plainly clear that the Macan/Q5 are NOT properly equipped for serious towing in mountainous areas. Get a Touareg/Q7/Cayenne or a diesel truck if you tow large loads regularly.
The ball head of this electrically extending towbar system disappears under the rear at the push of a button when out of use. A 13-pole socket is also included. The towbar is approved for a substantial braked trailer load of 2,400 kg and 750 kg for unbraked trailers. A noseweight of 96 kg is supported. As standard, the vehicle comes ready equipped with all the necessary preparations.
The ball head of this electrically extending towbar system disappears under the rear at the push of a button when out of use. A 13-pole socket is also included. The towbar is approved for a substantial braked trailer load of 2,400 kg and 750 kg for unbraked trailers. A noseweight of 96 kg is supported. As standard, the vehicle comes ready equipped with all the necessary preparations.
Optional for all Macan models.
So, 2400 kg = 5,280 lbs.
That Towbar is a Europe option, not for USA. US gets the Class IV receiver. Max tongue weight for that (USA) receiver is 600 lbs IIRC. (That figure is for the receiver/hitch portion ONLY, if the vehicle's rating is lower use the vehicle's rating, 600 refers to what the HITCH can handle)
How they get away with only using 96kg (211 lbs) on the tongue while towing a 2,400 kg (5,291 lbs) trailer is beyond me though. That doesn't jive with any towing/distribution formula I've ever seen.
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