What Hyundai says about Elantra trailer towing

The Trailer towing section of the 2026 Elantra owner's manual is one line: Do not use this vehicle for trailer towing. The manual gives no trailer weight or tongue weight rating for the Elantra.

This guide covers the gasoline Elantra in the 2026 manual (Smartstream G2.0 with IVT and Smartstream G1.6 T-GDi with DCT). The Elantra Hybrid and Elantra N are not covered here.

For towing, look at an SUV or truck instead: see our Tucson towing guide and Santa Cruz towing guide.

Elantra weight ratings

From the Volume and weight table of the 2026 Elantra owner's manual on Hyundai's owner's manual site, read November 12, 2026. IVT is the intelligent variable transmission and DCT is the dual clutch transmission.

The manual defines GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) as the maximum allowable weight of the fully loaded vehicle, including all options, equipment, passengers and cargo, and says it is shown on the Certification Label on the driver's door sill. The total load on each axle must never exceed its GAWR (gross axle weight rating). For curb weight by trim, see our Elantra weight guide.

How to tow an Elantra after a breakdown

If towing is necessary, Hyundai recommends contacting an authorized Hyundai dealer or a commercial tow-truck service. The manual's towing service guidance for the Elantra:

• Wheel dollies or a flatbed are recommended.
• The manual says 2WD vehicles can be towed with the rear wheels on the ground (without dollies) and the front wheels off the ground.
• Do not tow it with the front wheels on the ground. If a loaded wheel or suspension part is damaged, use a towing dolly under the front wheels.
• Do not lift it by the trailer hitch or by body and chassis parts, and do not use sling-type equipment; use wheel lift or flatbed equipment.
• It is not designed to be dinghy towed (with four wheels on the ground) behind a motor home.

When it is towed without wheel dollies, the manual says to turn off the engine, place the ignition switch in LOCK/OFF, shift to N (Neutral) while pressing the brake pedal and release the parking brake. Always shift to N (Neutral) before towing to prevent damage to the transmission.

Emergency towing with the tow hook

If a tow truck is not available in an emergency, the manual says the Elantra can be towed for a short distance with a cable or chain secured to the removable towing hook, which is stored in the trunk tool case. Key precautions from the manual:

• Tow only on hard-surfaced roads, for a short distance and at low speed, with the wheels, axles, powertrain, steering and brakes in good working condition.
• A driver must be in the Elantra to steer and brake, with no other passengers. Place the ignition in ACC, shift to N (Neutral) and release the parking brake.
• Expect to press the brake pedal harder than normal and to use more steering effort.
• Use a vehicle heavier than the Elantra to tow it, and use a cable or chain less than 16 ft. (5 m) long with a white or red cloth about 12 in. (30 cm) wide in the middle.
• Always pull straight ahead, not from the side or at a vertical angle, and do not use the hooks to pull the car out of mud or sand.
• Limit speed to 10 mph (15 km/h) and distance to less than 1 mi. (1.5 km) to avoid serious transmission damage. If transmission fluid is leaking, a flatbed or towing dolly must be used.

After any tow, our service team at Hyundai of Goshen can check your Elantra.

Hyundai of Goshen service hours

From the service department hours in Hyundai of Goshen's website structured data, November 12, 2026. No Sunday service hours are listed. Holiday hours can differ.