Whether you tow a touring caravan, a car trailer, a glider, or just a load of garden rubbish, you’ll want one of the best cars for towing that doesn’t compromise on the day-to-day usability that marks out the best family cars. You also need to carefully match your car/trailer combination in both power and weight.
Of course, you need a car with the power to deal with the weight of your caravan/trailer. But it also needs to be big and heavy enough to provide the stability needed for a safe journey. That’s why experienced towers generally abide by the 85% rule – that means the trailer weighs no more than 85% of the car’s weight. Whether you stick to that or not, always make sure you don’t exceed your car’s maximum towing capacity. You also need to stay on the right side of the towing laws.
We’ve rounded up what we think are the best towing cars currently available to buy new. Our list covers a variety of budgets and a range of towing requirements, suiting everything from a small trailer or two-berth caravan right up to a car transporter or massive twin-axle tourer. We’ve focused on diesel-powered cars because frequent towers still favour them for their torque and fuel economy.
The ultimate towing car
There are question marks over the Defender’s reliability, but it’s a hugely capable car with loads of space, storage and charging ports in a carefully thought-through interior. Options quickly ramp up the price but do spec the towing pack, which includes a system that counter-steers for you when reversing.
To find out more, read our full Land Rover Defender review
Pros
- Genuinely great family car
- Useful trailer assist system
- Fabulous to drive
Cons
- Can get expensive
- Not cheap to run
A great small tow car for lighter loads
The Golf Estate isn’t short of other merits. It has loads of passenger and boot space – almost as much as a Skoda Octavia – it’s quiet, comfortable and very efficient. Mercifully, the previously infuriating infotainment was replaced with a vastly improved system in the Golf's 2024 facelift.
To find out more, read our full Volkswagen Golf Estate review
Pros
- Comfortable and stable to drive
- Strong and efficient diesel
- Loads of space
Cons
- Irksome infotainment
- Unengaging driving experience
Big SUV that’s hugely capable in any role
There’s much else to like about the CX-60, particularly it’s rather lovely interior, filled with tactile materials and unobtrusive tech. A car this size should have more passenger and boot space, and the ride can bouncy, but comfort is otherwise another strong suit.
To find out more, read our full Mazda CX-60 review
Pros
- Cracking diesel engine
- Fantastic, high-quality interior
- Excellent value
Cons
- Bouncy ride
- Boot on the small side
Do-anything mid-size SUV makes an excellent tow car
The Tiguan is among the best such cars. It has all the passenger and boot space a family of four needs, it's pleasant to drive, efficient and excellent value. Though the touchscreen-dominated interior can take some getting used to.
To find out more, read our full Volkswagen Tiguan review
Pros
- A really practical family car
- Efficient diesel engine
- Undemanding to drive
Cons
- Front-wheel drive only
- Some rivals have bigger boots
Big MPV is a great tow car
In many ways, the Multivan is the ultimate family car. It’s seven-seat interior is immensely spacious and has dozens of possible seating configurations; the tower of tables/storage is a work of genius. There’s a deeply appealing sense of adventure to the car, as well.
To find out more, read our full Volkswagen Multivan review
Pros
- Seats seven in comfort
- Incredibly flexible interior
- Makes every journey an adventure
Cons
- It’s a very big car
- Top-spec models are pricey
Nothing beats a pickup for work and leisure use
The Ranger is a viable substitute for a large SUV, especially in spacious Double Cab form. It’s more comfortable than most other pickups, the interior has a very car-like feel, as does the driving experience. It’s very big, of course, but you can get an awful lot of stuff in the load bed.
To find out more, read our full Ford Ranger review
Pros
- Shrugs off heavy trailers
- Surprisingly agile
- Car-like interior
Cons
- Bigger than the biggest SUVs
- High running costs
Brand-new version of the one of the best big estates
The Superb builds on and enhances its predecessor's many virtues. It's a big bigger, therefore even more spacious and practical, the combination of touchscreen and physical controls is really user-friendly and it's a consummate long-distance cruiser.
To find out more, read our full Skoda Superb Estate review
Pros
- So much space
- Interior still has buttons and knobs
- Deeply comfortable
Cons
- It is very big
- Some iffy interior materials
BMW X5
Towing in the lap of luxury
As you’d expect of a BMW, the X5 feels better to drive than all its rivals, apart from the Porsche Cayenne. Yet it’s a much more practical proposition than the Stuttgart car and comes more generously equipped as standard. Just try not to go mad with the pricey options.
To find out more, read our full BMW X5 review
Pros
- Great diesel engines
- Luxurious interior
- Surprisingly good value
Cons
- Price bloats with options
- No seven-seat version
Big SUV takes big trailers in its stride
The Touareg can’t match the interior quality of premium-brand rivals but its space, practicality and tech are right on the money. That the police are replacing BMW X5s with Touaregs is a great endorsement, as well.
To find out more, read our full Volkswagen Touareg review
Pros
- Can work hard for its living
- Genius trailer assist system
- The police like it
Cons
- Slightly downmarket interior
- Hefty price tag for a VW
Best used tow cars
You don’t have to buy a brand-new car to get a great tow car – there are loads of used cars to choose from as well. You could, of course, buy a used example of the cars listed above, but there are also some cars no longer in production that we think are well worth consideration. And that’s the kind of car we’re looking at here.
You can get a really good example of any of these cars for less than £30,000 – a lot less in some cases. The usual guidelines for buying a used car apply, but it’s particularly important to make sure any used car that’s fitted with a towbar has been serviced regularly. That’s because towing puts extra strain on a car’s engine, gearbox, brakes and suspension.
You could, of course, buy a car that doesn’t have a towbar and get one fitted. Whatever towbar you get, it must be homologated (legally certified) for use on that car, so make sure you use a reputable supplier/fitter.
If the cars here are beyond your budget, check out our list of the best cheap 4x4 tow cars, all of which are available in good condition for less than £10,000.
Why we recommend it: it’s one of the great ‘do everything’ cars
It’s on this list primarily because it comes as standard with an electrically deploying towbar, and its six-cylinder diesel engines – 258hp 350d or 340hp 400d – barely notice the 2,100kg towing capacity. The whole package just makes towing seem effortless.
The All-Terrain is a very rare car in the UK, so you may need patience to find one, and travel some distance to it. Cheaper examples have quite high miles, but owners seem to look after their cars very well. And we’re not aware of any particular issues this generation of E-Class is prone to.
To find out more, read our full Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain review
Pros
- Standard-fit towbar
- Enormous space and practicality
- Makes every journey seem effortless
Cons
- A rare car in the UK
- Only does about 40mpg
Why we recommend it: it’s the best family-size SUV to drive
In many ways, the Edge is purpose-built for towing. It’s a substantial car only available with diesel engines – some of which come with four-wheel drive – and a towing capacity of 2,200kg. Go for an engine with 180hp or more to make the lightest work of pulling that kind of weight.
The Edge holds onto its value surprisingly well for a big Ford, but it’s still great value as a used buy. All the mechanical components are tried and tested in many other Fords and are generally reliable, though diesels of this era do benefit from regular long drives to prevent the fuel injection and emissions control systems clogging up.
To find out more, read our full Ford Edge review
Pros
- Feels really good to drive
- Lots of passenger and boot space
- Not as big as it looks
Cons
- Styling may be too brash for some
- Not as efficient as it should be
Why we recommend it: it’s a high-performance SUV that can tow 3.5 tons
With so much power, the SQ7 pulls its full 3,500kg towing capacity without breaking sweat. Its sheer size and weight stabilises a big trailer really well, too.
There are quite a lot of SQ7s available for less than £30,000, but they all have 90,000 miles plus. These are very robust and reliable cars so that kind of mileage isn’t necessarily an issue, but it’s critical the car has a full service history showing its been properly maintained. Sadly, that’s not a given with this sort of car. We also recommend buying from a reputable dealer, so you get a proper warranty.
To find out more, read our full Audi SQ7 review
Pros
- Immense power and speed
- No loss of practicality for it
- Surprisingly efficient
Cons
- It’s a big old thing
- High miles under £30,000
Why we recommend it: huge towing capability in a compact package
Some may consider the Golf Alltrack too light to pull its full towing capacity of 2,000kg, but at 4.6 metres long it still provides a stable base. The Skoda Octavia Scout and SEAT Leon X-perience are essentially the same car as the Alltrack and worthy of consideration themselves.
The Golf Alltrack is rare in the UK, but it’s definitely worth putting in the effort to find one. Golfs stand up to high mileage well, so don’t let that put you off any particular car but do make sure the service history stacks up.
To find out more, read our full Volkswagen Golf Alltrack review
Pros
- Big towing capacity for a mid-size estate
- Lots of standard features
- Very big boot
Cons
- It’s a rarity in the UK
- Arguably too light to pull two tons
Why we recommend it: brilliant for big families with big caravans
The most capable Alhambras have a towing capacity of as much as 2,400kg; there are plenty of models that can tow at least 1,800kg. Ones with 170hp or more have the easiest time pulling that much weight.
The Alhambra is available with a bewildering array of trim levels and engines – we recommend getting the highest-spec, most powerful one you can afford. Alhambras wear high mileage well but, as ever, check the service history to make sure its been cared for. Also consider the near-identical VW Sharan.
To find out more, read our full SEAT Alhambra review
Pros
- Seats seven in comfort
- Covers a wide price range
- Diesels are very efficient
Cons
- Some badly neglected ones out there
- Confusing range of specs
This list has been compiled from our experience of testing these cars. If you want to find out more about what that involves, you can read about how Parkers tests cars.
FAQs
Can you tow with an electric car?
Electric cars can be very capable tow cars. The instant torque an electric motor produces can allow you to pull away from stationary more rapidly than a combustion-engine car, they’re very easy and relaxing to drive, and their extra weight provides better stability. However, there are some issues.
While their are plenty of EVs with a towing capacity high enough to pull a four-berth caravan, it’s always lower than an equivalent combustion-engine car. For instance, the Skoda Enyaq EV has a towing capacity of 1,400kg, whereas the diesel Skoda Kodiaq can pull 2,200kg.
There’s also the question of range. Towing can cut an EV’s range by half, or even more, so you may have to recharge very frequently. Possibly using public chargers, which generally aren’t laid out for cars with trailers.
Are hybrid cars any good as tow cars?
Plenty of people are switching from petrol and diesel tow cars to hybrids. However, hybrids do have their limitations. Their towing capacity is generally 500kg or so lower than that of an equivalent diesel car – even 1,000kg in the case of plug-in hybrids – and they don’t have the same kind of pulling power, so towing is harder work for them.
Can you tow with an automatic car?
We have no reservations about using an automatic car for towing. Indeed, none of the vehicles on this list is available with a manual gearbox; some old-school towers still prefer a manual as they feel like they have greater control over the car. Some automatics have a towing mode to put the gear box, or there may be a specific procedure for pulling away – consult the owners’ manual. Towing puts greater strain on a car’s gearbox, so it’s vital to have the transmission fluid and filter changed regularly in any automatic car used for towing.
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