Toyota RAV4 PHEV towing impressions

You mention an unsettled ride. The only time in towing a caravan since 2001 that I have ever experienced an unsettled tow was due to low tyre pressure. This was even when in my early towing years I had a very low nose weight.

Where is your water heater. If in front of the axle then you could tow with the water system primed so it would add some weight to the nose.

Colin

Why do I want to ADD weight when I am trying to get down to 70kg, not up to 70! And I always drain the water to help maximise useable payload. 

Your initial post was not clear, "The key issue is an unsettled ride and achieving the 70kg noseweight limit" to me reads you cannot achieve, ie get up to the 70kg.

Colin

... when I am trying to get down to 70kg

It's been a while since I was 70kg 🙄 😉

 ... was due to low tyre pressure.

car or caravan?

Caravan. Tyres set at book pressure advised by Hymer. They later admitted these were incorrect. Little consolation when you've been on the receiving end of a wobble.

Colin

Me too, thankfully! (For me below 70kg is an indicator all is not well). 

I am referring to the ride in the car, the caravan seemed to tow ok albeit we were not in holiday load mode. I have taken a few more items out of the front locker but only to the extent of 2-3 kg weight - however every little helps as they say! 

Having towed about 60 miles on Thursday I now have a better indication of how it feels. First off the power is superb, at least as good as any diesel I have had including my previous car, a 300bhp Volvo D6. Very easy to creep over the speed limit on the motorway and excellent acceleration. Stability when passing HGV’s or being passed is also very good with hardly any noticeable impact on the outfit. Economy is showing 27mpg in non EV mode towing and just over 50 when solo. Not bad for a 2tonne petrol SUV!

The 2 challenges still to resolve are nose weight and car ride comfort. It is jiggly and gives the impression of being over-firm. Whether it is possible to fit alternative shocks or springs or even after market self levelling has yet to be explored. I inflated rear tyres to their maximum albeit the payload in the car (including allowance for nose weight from the van) was probably around 300kg out of a payload limit of 470. I may reduce the tyre pressures slightly for the return to somewhere between normal and max. 
With noseweight I am really struggling. I got it down to 80kg and gave up. I do not want to simply put everything in the back of the van and end up with a tail happy outfit. The front locker is almost empty and very little in front under seat or overhead lockers. However the fridge and microwave are forward of the axle so stuck with those. I am not putting everything in the car to simply transfer it into the van on arrival. If it needs that to resolve the problem then either the car or caravan have to be changed. 

@ Flatcoat .... If it needs that to resolve the problem then either the car or caravan have to be changed. 

That sounds like it could be expensive 😯

Wow I hadn’t noticed this very low nose weight of 70kg when i was looking at the rav 4 I don’t think i have ever seen one that low, guess that’s due to the batteries in the rear.

Why this wasn’t addressed by Toyota at design stage is beyond me they have had a huge towing customer base for many years so you would think they would have designed this in with maybe a optional rear self levelling suspension for the towing customers to opt for.

hope you get this sorted at a low cost