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What Vehicles Can Be Flat Towed?

what types of vehicles can be flatbed towed

The vehicles that can be flatbed towed include passenger cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, vans, motorcycles, luxury vehicles, classic cars, exotic vehicles, electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid vehicles, AWD vehicles, 4WD vehicles, front-wheel drive vehicles, rear-wheel drive vehicles, manual transmission vehicles, automatic transmission vehicles, and vehicles with mechanical damage. Flatbed towing is the safest method of vehicle transport because all 4 wheels remain off the ground during transport, which helps reduce drivetrain, transmission, suspension, and tire wear. Flatbed towing is commonly recommended for luxury, classic, exotic, AWD, 4WD, electric, and low-clearance vehicles because it eliminates wheel movement during transport.

What is Flatbed Towing?

Flatbed towing is a method of vehicle transport where the entire vehicle is loaded onto a hydraulic flat platform and secured using straps or wheel restraints. Unlike wheel-lift towing, no wheels remain in contact with the road.

Flatbed towing is considered the safest towing method because all 4 wheels stay off the ground during transport. This setup helps protect the drivetrain, transmission, differential, suspension, tires, and steering components. Flatbed towing is commonly used for luxury cars, classic vehicles, exotic cars, motorcycles, electric vehicles, AWD vehicles, 4WD vehicles, and vehicles involved in accidents.

What Types of Vehicles Can Be Flatbed Towed?

The types of vehicles that can be flatbed towed are listed below.

Passenger Cars

Toyota Camry
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Avalon
Honda Accord
Honda Civic
Honda Fit
Honda Insight
Nissan Altima
Nissan Sentra
Nissan Maxima
Hyundai Elantra
Hyundai Sonata
Kia Forte
Kia K5
Volkswagen Jetta
Volkswagen Passat
Mazda3
Mazda6
Subaru Legacy

SUVs and Crossovers

Buick Enclave
Buick Envision
Cadillac Escalade
Cadillac SRX
Chevrolet Blazer
Chevrolet Equinox
Chevrolet Traverse
Chevrolet Tahoe
Chevrolet Suburban
Dodge Durango
Ford Bronco
Ford Edge
Ford Expedition
Ford Explorer
GMC Acadia
GMC Terrain
GMC Yukon
Honda CR-V
Jeep Cherokee
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep Liberty
Lincoln MKX
Lincoln Navigator
Toyota RAV4
Toyota Highlander
Toyota Sequoia
Toyota 4Runner
Subaru Outback
Subaru Forester
Subaru Ascent
Mazda CX-5
Mazda CX-9
Mazda CX-90
Volkswagen Atlas
Volkswagen Tiguan
Hyundai Palisade
Kia Telluride

Pickup Trucks

Chevrolet Silverado
Chevrolet Colorado
Ford F-150
Ford Ranger
GMC Sierra
GMC Canyon
Ram 1500
Ram 2500
Toyota Tacoma
Toyota Tundra
Nissan Frontier
Jeep Gladiator

Luxury Vehicles

Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
BMW 3 Series
BMW 5 Series
BMW 7 Series
BMW X5
BMW X7
Audi A4
Audi A6
Audi A8
Audi Q5
Audi Q7
Audi Q8
Lexus ES
Lexus RX
Lexus GX
Genesis G80
Genesis GV70
Genesis GV80

Exotic Vehicles

Lamborghini Huracan
Lamborghini Aventador
Ferrari 488
Ferrari F8 Tributo
Ferrari Roma
McLaren 720S
McLaren Artura
Porsche 911
Porsche Taycan
Aston Martin DB12
Bentley Continental GT
Rolls-Royce Ghost

Classic Vehicles

Ford Mustang (Classic)
Chevrolet Chevelle
Chevrolet Bel Air
Pontiac GTO
Dodge Charger Classic
Plymouth Barracuda
Chevrolet Camaro Classic
Buick Riviera
Cadillac Eldorado

Electric Vehicles (EVs)

Tesla Model 3
Tesla Model Y
Tesla Model S
Tesla Model X
Tesla Cybertruck
Rivian R1T
Rivian R1S
Ford Mustang Mach-E
Ford F-150 Lightning
Chevrolet Blazer EV
Chevrolet Equinox EV
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Hyundai Ioniq 6
Kia EV6
Kia EV9
Volkswagen ID.4
BMW i4
BMW i5
BMW iX
Lucid Air
Polestar 2
Note: Most EV manufacturers recommend flatbed transport because towing with wheels on the ground may damage electric drive components.

Hybrid Vehicles

Toyota Prius
Toyota Camry Hybrid
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Honda Accord Hybrid
Honda CR-V Hybrid
Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
Kia Sportage Hybrid
Ford Escape Hybrid

Motorcycles

Harley-Davidson Touring Models
Honda Gold Wing
Yamaha R1
Kawasaki Ninja
Suzuki Hayabusa
Ducati Panigale
BMW Motorrad Models

What Vehicles Cannot Be Flatbed Towed?

Almost every vehicle can be flatbed towed when the correct loading procedures and equipment are used. Flatbed towing is the transport method recommended by many manufacturers for vehicles with AWD systems, electric drivetrains, low ground clearance, transmission damage, suspension damage, collision damage, or mechanical failure.

Situations that migth require a specialized towing equipment include:

Vehicles with locked wheels
Vehicles with severe suspension collapse
Vehicles missing wheels
Vehicles with structural damage
Vehicles stuck in mud, sand, or ditches
Vehicles with seized brakes
Vehicles with extensive collision damage

How to Know If A Vehicle Can Be Flatbed Towed?

Any vehicle can be flatbed towed. However, flatbed towing is the preferred option for vehicles with specific drivetrain, transmission, clearance, or damage considerations.

Check the following vehicle attributes before selecting a towing method:

Transmission type
Drivetrain setup
AWD or 4WD system
Electric or hybrid powertrain
Vehicle ride height
Accident damage
Suspension condition
Steering condition
Tire condition

Can an Automatic Transmission Car Be Flatbed Towed?

Yes, automatic transmission vehicles can be flatbed towed. In fact, flatbed towing is often the safest transport method for automatic transmission vehicles because all wheels remain off the ground and the transmission does not rotate during transport.

Can Electric or Hybrid Vehicles Be Flated Towed?

Yes, electric and hybrid vehicles can be flatbed towed and many manufacturers recommend flatbed transport as the primary towing method.

Can Motorcycles Be Flatbed Towed?

Yes, flatbed towing is highly recommended for motorcycles.

Why Flatbed Towing is Recommended?

Flatbed towing is recommended because it transports a vehicle with all 4 wheels off the ground. Unlike wheel-lift towing, no tires roll on the road during transport. This helps protect the drivetrain, transmission, suspension, tires, and steering components from unnecessary wear. Flatbed towing is commonly used for AWD vehicles, electric vehicles, luxury cars, classic cars, motorcycles, and damaged vehicles because it provides the highest level of vehicle protection during transport.

Prevents Drivetrain Damage: Flatbed towing helps prevent drivetrain damage by keeping the drive wheels off the road. AWD, 4WD, front-wheel drive, and rear-wheel drive systems contain components that rotate when the wheels move. Transporting the vehicle on a flatbed eliminates wheel movement and reduces stress on the drivetrain.
Keeps Wheel Off the Ground: The main feature of flatbed towing is that all 4 wheels remain off the ground. This prevents tire wear, wheel damage, alignment issues, and unnecessary movement of mechanical components. Keeping the wheels off the road is one reason flatbed towing is considered the safest vehicle transport method.
Prevents Transmission Damage: Flatbed towing helps protect the transmission because the wheels do not rotate during transport. Automatic and manual transmissions may suffer damage if a vehicle is towed incorrectly with drive wheels on the ground. A flatbed removes this risk by carrying the entire vehicle on the truck bed.

Baptiste Towing & Transport provides 24/7 towing, flatbed transport, vehicle recovery, and roadside assistance across Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties.