Climbing a steep hill

What's the best way to climb a moderately steep (20-25 degree) hill? I went to Gatlinburg in the summer and found myself facing a steep gravel hill leading to an Airbnb cabin. The instruction from the owner said to put your vehicle in low gear to climb up the hill. For the trip, we were going to take my Tacoma, but my wife's Honda CR-V 2WD was more comfortable over the 15+ hour trip, so we took it instead.

After reaching the foot of the hill, I wished I had my 4WD Tacoma. Holy crap, it looked steep.

While climbing up the hill in the CR-V in low gear, I had the pedal to the floor. It was a white-knuckle drive the whole way. I didn't think I was going to make it. Others who made it up the hill just had their vehicles in drive and didn't have any problems.

Where did I go wrong in the CR-V? Should I have just put it in drive?

If I was in my TRD Offroad 4WD, what would be the best approach for this hill climb? 4WD Low or High? Crawl mode or just put it in drive and don't worry about it?

 

Low range, its why trucks are superior offroading, it means more torque and more control.

Crawl isn't effective up a long hill and you want to maintain some speed.

For the CRV, 1st gear is best and you just chug up the hill.

 

4lo and 1st or 2nd gear. 4hi would probably be fine as well unless it’s super steep or loose rock.

 

Can’t answer for your crv. But I’d try it in drive first, then if you can’t. Safely back down and try it in the lower gear as recommended by the Airbnb owner.

in your 4wd yota? If it’s auto do 4 hi. If you can’t climb. Stop, switch to neutral, switch to 4lo. Put it back in drive and go.

you’ll be amazed what a 4wd can do, let alone 4LO.

**edit**go slow, chug up the hill, no need for a lot of gas.

 

It wouldn't have made a difference if the hill was that steep - the ECM would've kept it in 1st gear in Drive anyway.

4Low would be the most "comfortable", since the engine wouldn't work as hard with the 2.57x torque multiplication in 4Low. Don't need crawl mode unless the surface is really slippery.

 

If I were to guess your crv was cutting power to maintain grip with your traction control system.

 

Is it a newer crv with the cvt? I think that's normal if so. You should see Subaru's trying to climb steep hills, foot to the floor, nothing. I think the car doesnt tell you when the cvt is overheating either which is really bad.

People who really off road their Subaru's toast their cvt's by doing that. They cant overcome a hill so they keep their foot down, they do it so many times that the cvt goes bye bye. You have to have momentum to get up a steep hill.

 

Your 2wd C-RV is front wheel drive. Literally the absolutely worst combo you can have for driving up a hill. Weight shifts to the rear, the front unloads and ''fun'' ensues. While C-RV's have no low range, AWD is a stupidly cheap option in Honda's [$1200-$1500 or so in the C-RV or H-RV] and the best deal going if you want one. Staying in one gear [low] is the best as long as you don't need more speed then low can give you. in line 4 has far less torque then the V6 does so you need to be higher in the RPM range.

 

Sounds like me, took the Rogue the first time to Gatlinburg and regretted it. Have taken the Taco ever since. I usually Just leave it in s4/s5 and use 4hi when needed. Some of those roads up there are sketchy as hell.

 

That’s why he should climb it in reverse

 

Awesome replies, everyone. Thanks!

 

Wait,, you chose the FWD CRV over the Tacoma, to go to a cabin?
That's where you went wrong.

 

Don't see why you'd want to gun it up the hill unless you absolutely have to. Gone up plenty steeper just by keeping it in 4hi/lo depending on situation and light throttle to keep a steady pace. Unless it's a race, then slam it home.

 

Leave it in Drive and go. The CRV made it in 1st but the computer would have left it there if it needed to anyway.

 

You know it is a "steep" hill when all you can see is sky.

 

It was a tough choice, however the CRV is more comfortable for 4 people for a 15 hour drive.

 

With a front wheel drive i would have backed up the hill keeping the drive wheels under load and traction.

 

In the 3rd gen that's just about any hill.