The rated capacity also includes weight of passengers and gear in the van, stuff and fluids in the trailer, and weight of your new hitch.

There are threads here on this subject.

 

It certainly includes everything connect to the receiver hitch, ie everything in the trailer, fluids in the trailer, and weight of the new hitch, but does not include what is inside the SF Limited such as passengers, and other gear inside the SF GLS or Limited long wheel base. The difference between gross weight and curb weight (ie about 1600 pounds) would make up all fluids in the SF, passengers, gear inside the SF and any weight shifted from the trailer through the leveling hitch to the SF. So between trailer and SF you have flexibility in where you put the weight. I would not load up the SF to the max and trailer weight but you could get close. Certainly fuel mileage would be a lot less with the trailer. I expect up hill speeds and acceleration at maximum weights would be degraded but that V-6 is a hot rod without the trailer so should do fine.

 

I have towed a 4,000 lbs travel trailer in 90F air temperature, hilly roads up to the mountains and the transmission fluid temperature went as high as 270F for about 1 hour trip. The measured mpg was about 10 mpg. Not ideal but it is ok for occasional weekends. No problem pulling the trailer, the V6 is capable.

 

Interesting mileage. Our 32,000 pound 40 foot motorhome gets 9 MPG, unless there is a day with strong headwinds. When towing a 5000 pound vehicle it drops to about 8.5 MPG. Now that is diesel not gas.

 

I've been towing a travel trailer close to the 4500 lbs. for a year now without problems. The Santa Fe seems to have more pulling power than my previous tow vehicle, a 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada that had 275 hp. and 270 ft/lbs. torque with an inline 6 cylinder engine. Gas mileage is better too. I haven't tested it on hills or mountains yet.

 

I tow my travel trailer that weights 3600 dry, so with all the stuff in it must be close to 4200+ pounds. I didn't encounter any hill that I had problems with. Just make sure you follow Hyundai's recommendation to go maximum of 70 km/h on third gear when going up hill (for long hills).

 

Yes, they say it will tow 5,000 but what the local dealer neglected to tell me was anything over 1,800 lbs requires the trailer have trailer brakes. I would hope a 3,700 travel trailer would have trailer brakes but what do I know.

So I'll throw out the question - Who's towing well over 1,800 lbs WITHOUT trailer brakes and what do you think?

FYI my Santa Fe is FWD only.

 

Yes, they say it will tow 5,000 but what the local dealer neglected to tell me was anything over 1,800 lbs requires the trailer have trailer brakes. I would hope a 3,700 travel trailer would have trailer birakes but what do I know.

So I'll throw out the question - Who's towing well over 1,800 lbs WITHOUT trailer brakes and what do you think?

FYI my Santa Fe is FWD only.

It depends a bit on the US state you are towing in. In Wa state the weight limit needing brakes is 3000 pounds. I purchased a new boat trailer for my son's 7000 pound boat. The empty boat trailer weight was well below the 3000 pound requirement. After towing the trailer about 80 miles from the factory, we never planned for it to ever be on the road again, only private property. I asked the mfg that no brakes be installed. Mfg said they had to put the cheapest brakes on they could as even the temporary tag had to be for the total gross weight including the boat. The boat was not going on the trailer until the trailer reached private property. Brakes on a boat trailer are disabled when launching on a boat ramp.

 

Here are a couple PDF showing limits by state: http://onlinetowingguide.com/pdfs/StateTowingLaws.pdf

http://international.trophyfishing.com/pdf/towing-guide8.pdf

As one site reminded me, doesn't matter what your state requirements are, you have to follow the rules of any state you are towing in. Luckily NC & VA are the only states I tow in.