I know you're not the creator of the car by any means, but you may be able to help me understand why my fiancé's 2019 Subaru Forester Sport with a 4-cyl engine and CVT transmission can tow less than my 2016 Ford Fusion with a 4-cyl engine and a 6-speed automatic. My Fusion tows 2,000 lbs.
Any ideas from your years of experience?
Towing capacity, like fuel mileage or reliability, is the result of a hundred or more decisions by the vehicle's engineers, and not just the drive train - cooling system, brake size, gauge of sheet metal used in the key parts of the body, etc. The Ford Fusion engineers compromised somewhere else than towing capacity.
The CVT can't handle more than that, it would burn out. I wouldn't tow anything with it if you want it to last.
