RV FEATURE
The brutal reality is , with most vehicles , including the 200 Series , you can ’ t load up to GVM without exceeding the GCM , and you can ’ t meet the GCM requirements without exceeding GVM . That leaves the owner with no choice but to adhere to the lower of the two figures .
So , is 260kg enough ? Unless your touring solo with only the bare minimum of luggage on board and very few aftermarket accessories , the answer is no .
2022 D-MAX LS-U + Towing capacity : 3500kg Towball maximum : 350kg Kerb weight : 2112kg GVM : 3100kg GCM : 6000kg
What happens when we apply these same calculations to another popular tow vehicle : the D-MAX LS-U +?
Again , assuming the van weighs 3500kg fully loaded , its that pesky 350kg of weight now being supported by the towbar that lets us down .
Calculated against GVM , the D- MAX has 638kg of payload capacity . But against GCM , that figure becomes 388kg . Being the lower of the two , that ’ s the maximum in-vehicle payload capacity of the D-MAX LS-U + when hitched to precisely 3500kg of van with a 350kg laden ball weight .
Not wonderful , but surprisingly better than the Cruiser , and roughly on par with many of its competitors .
THE REAL WORLD
The above scenarios are obviously worst-case , detailing what happens to in-vehicle payload when towing their maximum allowable weight . They are certainly not the only vehicles with significantly reduced payload capacities when towing 3500kg . The Ford Ranger is another culprit .
Further , none of this means that they are unworthy tow vehicles . In fact , I have a very high opinion of both the D-MAX and the 200 Series . Additionally , it seems unrealistic that you ’ d tow exactly 3500kg or that the loaded ball weight would be precisely 350kg .
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