Blue Ox 2013 Dinghy Towing Guide - Manual (Page 13)

without causing damage to the drivetrain or
otherwise voiding the warranty. Second, the
vehicle must be towable without requiring
significant mechanical modification (such as
disconnecting the driveshaft, for example).
Lastly, the vehicle must be towable at a speed
of at least 55
mph
for no fewer than 200 miles
before some sort of prescribed startup proce-
dure is required to circulate fluid through the
transmission and/or transfer case.
You’ll note that some vehicles will
appear and disappear from the list every year,
and that’s largely because of changes to the
vehicle and/or its drivetrain. In other instances,
a manufacturer may not have had time to test
a new vehicle’s dinghy towing worthiness in
time for last year’s guide, and has since deter-
mined that the vehicle is towable.
Keep in mind that we’ve made every effort
to check, and double check with each manufac-
turer to make sure that our listings are correct
and current. However, much of the information
we receive is preliminary when the guide is com-
piled, and can change by the time this issue goes
by Chris Hemer
to press. Therefore, we cannot stress enough
that you check with the dealer to be certain
that the vehicle you are considering is
dinghy towable. Ask to see a copy of
the owner’s manual; somewhere
in the index, there should be
a notation for “recreational,”
“four-down,” or “flat” towing.
If the owner’s manual states that
the vehicle is not towable, consider
something else, or be prepared to
modify the vehicle and probably void any
stated warrantees.
With all that being said, let’s take a look at
some of the new flat-towable offerings for 2013.
DODGE DART
With old model names like Charger and Chal-
lenger making a comeback at Chrysler Corp.,
it should come as no surprise that it has added
another to the list: the Dodge Dart. All-new for
2013, the Dart is the first child of the Chrysler/
Fiat marriage, based on Fiat Group architec-
ture. Built in the U.S., the Dart is available in
five trim levels, 12 exterior colors, 14 interior
color and trim combinations, six wheel op-
tions, three engine options and three trans-
missions, although only the six-speed manual
version is deemed towable. It also was engi-
neered with more than 60 safety and security
features, including 10 air bags, four-wheel
anti-lock disc brakes, stability control, hill start
assist and more. Inside, the Dart features a
class-exclusive “floating island bezel,” which
houses an available 7-inch thin film transistor
(TFT) LED customizable gauge cluster display
or the available Uconnect Touch 8.4-inch
touchscreen Media Center — the largest
touchscreen in its class, according to Chrysler.
FORD C-MAX HYBRID AND
C-MAX ENERGI PLUG-IN HYBRID
The Ford C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi
Plug-In Hybrid are two new environmentally
friendly choices on this year’s list. Designed
specifically to compete with Toyota’s popular
Prius v, the C-MAX Hybrid combines a 1.4 kW
lithium-ion battery and a 2.0-
l
four-cylinder
Atkinson cycle engine to achieve 47
mpg
city/
highway mileage. Standard features include
seven air bags, AdvanceTrac traction control
with Roll Stability Control and Sync with My-
Ford Touch, an infotainment system that offers
multiple ways for customers to manage their
phone, navigation, climate and entertainment
functions. The C-MAX Energi is mechanically
similar, but with its larger 7.6 kW lithium-ion
battery, it gets an EPA-estimated 108 city/92
highway
mpge
(miles per gallon equivalent). The
battery can be charged at home with a 120-volt
AC outlet in roughly seven hours, or just 2.5
hours with an available 240-volt AC charging
station. It offers the same standard features as
the C-MAX Hybrid, plus an interesting remote
control feature. Using Ford’s MyFordMobile
smartphone app, owners can receive instant
vehicle status information, perform key func-
tions, monitor the vehicle’s state of charge
and current range, get alerts when the vehicle
requires charging or has finished charging,
program charge settings and download vehicle
data for analysis — all remotely. For those
interested in a more familiar form, Ford is also
offering its Fusion in plug-in hybrid form with
the introduction of the Fusion Energi. Using
the same drivetrain as the C-MAX Energi, Ford
projects that the Fusion Energi will be the most
fuel-efficient midsize car in America.
HYUNDAI VELOSTER TURBO
Last year, the unusual Hyundai Veloster made
the list, and this year it’s followed by the even
sportier Veloster Turbo. Powered by a 201-
hp
,
1.6-
l
direct-injected turbocharged four-cylin-
der engine, Hyundai claims the 2,800-pound
3
Ford FUSIoN ENErGI
3 dodGE dArT
3 hyUNdAI vEloSTEr
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