Learn me... what can I flat tow vs need dolly

Long story short, my wife and I are now on the road 30-35 weeks per year, all over the country.  We are also going to have a 8-9 week break where we can do whatever we want.  When we travel now, we board our dog and fly.  We miss her too much and are shopping for a used class A or C motorhome.  We want to have a vehicle to tow so we don't need to drive the RV all around.  It needs to be big enough for my 80lb dog to hang out in most of the day.  I'm not clear on what can be flat towed and what needs a dolly.

RWD automatic needs full trailer.  What about FWD?  Obviously they can go on a dolly but flat tow?  RWD manual?  AWD? 

In the RV world, these flat towed vehicles are know as a dinghy or toad (a play on the word towed)

Using those terms bring up lots of RV resources.  Samples:

https://www.roadmasterinc.com/products/media/dinghy_guides.php

https://www.fmca.com/motorhome/videos/player/24/38

https://images.goodsam.com/newmotorhome/towguides/DinghyGuide2020.pdf

The Honda Fit makes the list.  That might be a good all-arounder giving you a vehicle that can be "sporty" and utility.

You can flat tow any 4WD vehicle that has a transfer case that shifts into neutral.  e.g.  Jeep, 4WD pickups etc.  Also many RWD cars with manuals.  We flat tow a Suzuki Grand Vitara and our gasser doesn't know its back there.

We have used a tow dolly in the past for minivans and Honda Civics.   I like flat-towing because its easier, quicker, and cleaner to hook-up and un-hook.

I live in a highly touristed area with light offroad driving. I see so many Class A/C motorhomes go by towing Jeeps. Love my Jeeps and think they are fantastic for towing and driving.

Thanks!  I'm not necessarily looking for a "what car" so much as I'm looking for what type of vehicle is safe to flat tow vs what requires a dolly or full trailer.  FWD, RWD, manual, auto, etc... 

In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :

It's unfortunately not that simple.

For instance, S series Saturns are FWD, but are designed to be able to be flat towed (even the automatics)

If you have a Jeep YJ, certain years can't be used on a tow dolly with the transfer case in neutral.  (And  can't be flat towed if you put a traction-aiding differential in the front axle)

Jeep CJs with a Dana 300 will seem to flat tow just fine with the transfer case in neutral.   Until the transfer case catches fire because the bearings don't get enough lube from gear splash.

Some manual transmission RWD vehicles can be flat towed or dollied, but many more can't due to aforementioned bearing lube issues.

I could go on for the next two pages with examples and exceptions, but you get the idea.

Copy that.  Maybe just a "consult your owners manual" situation? 

Also a product like this will let you dolly tow any 2wd or 4wd.

just one comment ......do not store heavy stuff in the back seat th!at might shift forward and push the gear shift !

Don't ask how I learned that !

Finally, question where miata isn't the answer. 

In reply to californiamilleghia :

Been there, done that!

You could always just do this:

It really is a case-by-case basis.  You'll find that some that you think would be fine, aren't, and vice versa.

You can pretty much bet that most vehicles with a manual transmission are ok, and a handful of automatics are ok.  There are also "locking CV axles" for some cars that allow you to crawl under and decouple the wheel from the CV axle to convert a non-toad to a toad.

John Welsh has a few links that should help you out.  I'll add this:

https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/what-cars-can-be-flat-towed-behind-an-rv.html

Yeah, it basically is a case-by-case basis. Most manufacturers publish info in the owner's manual, and some require extra hardware or software flashes to allow flat towing. Random list off the top of my head: air-cooled VWs are fine, 4x4 Trackers, Sidekicks and Samurais are fine. E30s, Miatas and water-cooled Porsches are not. Isuzu Troopers aren't towable, either. IIRC Honda Elements and CRVs are towable. 

Don't forget the brakes - there are controllers that will "push" on the brake pedal in concert with the brakes on the motor home.

I hear you on not leaving the dog at the boarder's, I would hate that too!