I'm confused about why people are saying the auto should only tow 3,000 pounds. I'm no expert, with years of towing experience as advertised by others here (well, except towing a fishing boat for the last 10 years, oh, and a quad trailer, oh yeah, and an occasional car hauler, and I guess I should include the 24' prowler camper trailer I pull every winter throught the Columbia River Gorge in Wa State).
BUT...I'll put my GM lawyer hat on for a moment.
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>Let's publish the H3 can tow 4,700lbs
Bob decides to tow a 4,500 lb trailer.
Bob wrecks and kills the son of a lawyer (Bob lives in California)
Said sad lawyer sues GM for $250 million in California and the jury decides to throw in an extra $100 million because they can.[/list]
Why would GM be stupid enough to put 4,700 lbs in the manual if there was even a small remote chance it was unsafe in any normal condition?
I can't think they would do that - so I think SAFE towing capacity comes solely down to the driver. I've got video of some jerkoff pulling a camper trailer in the snow backwards and upside down in the Blue Mtns of eastern Oregon - I passed him pulling a ~4k hunting boat with chains on (my Suburban, not the H3). I've pulled over the rated tow weight of the vehicle, but I do it slow and safe, not 60mph in the snow.