Everything from tow balls, torque, trailers, tyres and how to drive when towing - there’s a lot to know about towing you need to know before you hit the road.
Caravan
Best vehicles for towing in Australia
10 of the best cars for towing a caravan
Thinking about purchasing a new car that's good for towing? Here’s a guide to the best cars on sale today to tow a caravan or boat.
While most cars are rated to tow at least a box trailer, towing heavy caravans and boats requires something better suited to the task.
That typically means a ute or SUV.
Know the weight limits when towing a caravan
It’s crucial that you crunch some numbers before deciding on a tow vehicle to buy, as there are various limits you can’t breach from a legal or safety perspective.
The first is the tow capacity, which determines how much weight the car can tow. That tow capacity includes not only the caravan or boat, but everything in it, from dinnerware to water.
You also need to consider the gross combination mass, which is the weight of the car and trailer and everything in each.
Then there’s the GVM, or gross vehicle mass. It’s important because you need to consider how much weight from the trailer is pushing down on the tow ball of the car; it’s usually around 10 per cent of the overall weight of the trailer and that figure needs to be considered as part of the overall load of the vehicle.
It is important to know the tow capacity of your vehicle when towing a caravan. Image: Supplied
Is petrol or diesel best for towing a caravan?
Aside from the convenience, vehicles powered by diesel and petrol are best suited to towing in Australia. There are many of these vehicles with tow capacities of 3.5 tonnes.
Most are four-wheel drives, although some manufacturers take their 4WD designs and remove the hardware to drive two of those wheels as a way of offering a dedicated tow vehicle.
Can an electric vehicle tow a caravan or trailer?
Electric vehicles are loaded with the thing that makes towing easier: torque, which is like pulling power. Electric motors produce their torque almost instantly, making it easy to shift heavy loads.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 can tow up to 1600kg (or 1800kg for the Kia EV6 GT). The EV with the largest tow capacity is the BMW iX, rated to tow up to 2500kg. Late in 2023, the Kia EV9 will also go on sale with a 2500kg tow capacity.
But EVs have one big challenge when it comes to towing: range. Adding a large caravan to the back of an electric car means it will need more energy – or electricity – to keep things moving. EVs towing heavy loads may get about half the range they would if they were unladen, making it more important to be able to easily find your nearest EV charging station.
The Australian-developed Ford Ranger is one of the best vehicles to tow with. Image: Supplied
Best vehicles for towing in Australia
Here are some of the best vehicles for towing in Australia. We’ve included the key figures you need when towing, including how much weight you can have in the vehicle if you’re towing at the maximum rated capacity; it’s an important consideration because in many instances the vehicle’s payload is severely limited.
Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series VX
The new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series VX is a mighty tow machine, rated to carry up to 3500kg. With that much on board, the payload is reduced to a measly 300kg, limiting how many people - and their gear - you can take in the cabin. The LandCruiser 300-Series's V6 turbo diesel is a mighty motor that has no trouble shifting a few tonnes; thanks to 700Nm of torque. The LandCruiser 300 Series VX works nicely with the 10-speed auto, too, ensuring the engine can stay in its sweet spot for towing.
Price: $116,681, plus on-road costs
Engine: 227kW/700Nm 3.3-litre V6 diesel
Kerb weight: 2630kg
Towing capacity: 3500kg
Tow ball capacity: 350kg
Gross combination mass: 6750kg
Gross vehicle mass: 3280kg
Payload at max tow capacity: 300kg
Fuel consumption: 8.9L/100km
Estimated fuel consumption when towing: 17.8L/100km
Fuel tank capacity: 110L
Estimated range when towing: 618km
Nissan Patrol Ti
The Y62 Nissan Patrol, the traditional rival to the Toyota LandCruiser has been on sale for more than a decade. Not a whole lot has changed in that time, starting with the engine. There’s still a hefty 5.6-litre V8 engine beneath its sizeable bonnet, and it runs on petrol rather than diesel. Unsurprisingly, that makes the Nissan Patrol thirsty. The Nissan Patrol also gets a huge 140-litre fuel tank that at least ensures you won’t need to be topping up too regularly.
Price: $82,160, plus on-road costs
Engine: 298kW/560Nm 5.6-litre V8 petrol
Kerb weight: 2812kg
Towing capacity: 3500kg
Tow ball capacity: 350kg
Gross combination mass: 7000kg
Gross vehicle mass: 3500kg
Payload at max tow capacity: 338kg
Fuel consumption: 14.4L/100km
Estimated fuel consumption when towing: 28.8L/100km
Fuel tank capacity: 140L
Estimated range when towing: 486km
Toyota Prado GXL
The Toyota Prado is the stalwart of the off-road SUV towing brigade. Key to its appeal is bulletproof mechanicals, plus it’s quiet and comfortable. The Toyota Prado is also great at towing, albeit with a 3000kg tow limit that trails key competitors. Still, when it’s carrying its maximum, it can also accommodate 405kg of people and luggage. The Toyota Prado has a huge 150-litre fuel tank, so even with a decent caravan out back it can still get up to 1000km between refilling.
Price: $69,530, plus on-road costs
Engine: 150kW/500Nm 2.8-litre 4-cylinder diesel
Kerb weight: 2285kg
Towing capacity: 3000kg
Tow ball capacity: 300kg
Gross combination mass: 5990kg
Gross vehicle mass: 2990kg
Payload at max tow capacity: 405kg
Fuel consumption: 7.9L/100km
Estimated fuel consumption when towing: 15.8L/100km
Fuel tank capacity: 150L
Estimated range when towing: 949km
The Toyota Landcruiser 300 Series VX was made for towing. Image: Supplied
Isuzu Ute MU-X LS-U 4x2
The Isuzu MU-X is a popular choice with grey nomads, and with good reason. The vehicle’s 3.0-litre turbo diesel grunts away nicely and deals admirably with towing heavy loads. While the MU-X is a popular off-roader - with the availability of 4x4 - Isuzu also sells rear-wheel drive variants that have the same 3500kg tow capacity. While its payload at that load limit is reduced to 290kg, even if you lower the trailer load to 3000kg the MU-X only inches that up to 340kg.
Price: $61,400, plus on-road costs
Engine: 140kW/450Nm 3.0-litre 4-cylinder diesel
Kerb weight: 2060kg
Towing capacity: 3500kg
Tow ball capacity: 350kg
Gross combination mass: 5900kg
Gross vehicle mass: 2700kg
Payload at max tow capacity: 290kg
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Estimated fuel consumption when towing: 15.6L/100km
Fuel tank capacity: 80
Estimated range when towing: 513km
Ford Everest Trend RWD
As with the Ford Ranger, the Ford Everest was engineered and developed in Australia, something that ensures it’s up to the tough task of towing. A unique rear suspension system and extensive tuning have created one of the best driving off-road SUVs available. A Tow/Haul mode tailors the 10-speed automatic transmission to the task of lugging up to 3.5 tonnes and the twin-turbo four-cylinder engine has grunt where it’s needed.
Price: $60,590, plus on-road costs
Engine: 154kW/500Nm 2.0-litre 4-cylinder diesel
Kerb weight: 2278kg
Towing capacity: 3500kg
Tow ball capacity: 350kg
Gross combination mass: 6250kg
Gross vehicle mass: 3000kg
Payload at max tow capacity: 372kg
Fuel consumption: 7.1L/100km
Estimated fuel consumption when towing: 14.2L/100km
Fuel tank capacity: 80L
Estimated range when towing: 563km
Isuzu Ute D-Max LS-U+
It’s the basics done well with the Isuzu Ute D-Max LS-U+. A 3.0-litre turbo-diesel isn’t the most powerful engine in its class but pulls hard where it’s needed for towing. Plus, it can lug the full 3500kg, although keep an eye on your payload if you’re doing that; there's just 385kg of payload remaining at that limit, but if you lower the trailer load to 3000kg, which is still a sizeable caravan, the D-Max can carry a more useful 685kg.
Isuzu’s six-year warranty is also handy for those planning on some big explorations, even if it is capped to 150,000km.
Price: $63,500, plus on-road costs
Engine: 140kW/450Nm 3.0-litre 4-cylinder diesel
Kerb weight: 2115kg
Towing capacity: 3500kg
Tow ball capacity: 350kg
Gross combination mass: 6000kg
Gross vehicle mass: 3100kg
Payload at max tow capacity: 385kg
Fuel consumption: 8.0L/100km
Estimated fuel consumption when towing: 16.0L/100km
Fuel tank capacity: 76L
Estimated range when towing: 475km
Ford Ranger XLT bi-turbo
The latest Ford Ranger is one the top selling 4x4 vehicles in the country – and with good reason. The Ford Ranger drives well, with high levels of refinement. While the V6 is a tempting towing proposition, the four-cylinder also does a great job courtesy of 500Nm of pulling power. The 10-speed auto can sometimes be busy selecting gears, but it changes smoothly. Plus, there’s a Tow/Haul mode aimed at reducing those gear changes.
Price: $61,990, plus on-road costs
Engine: 154kW/500Nm 2.0-litre 4-cylinder diesel
Kerb weight: 2250kg
Towing capacity: 3500kg
Tow ball capacity: 350kg
Gross combination mass: 6350kg
Gross vehicle mass: 3230kg
Payload at max tow capacity: 600kg
Fuel consumption: 7.6L/100km
Estimated fuel consumption when towing: 15.2L/100km
Fuel tank capacity: 80L
Estimated range when towing: 526km
The Isuzu Ute D-Max might not have the most powerful engine, but it's still a good car for towing. Image: Supplied
Volkswagen Touareg 210TDI Elegance
The Volkswagen Touareg rides on an architecture created more for on-road motoring, something that translates to terrific driving dynamics when towing. It’s rated to tow up to 3.5 tonnes, although the 290kg tow ball limit may reduce that slightly, depending on the weight of what you’re carrying. In day-to-day towing, the 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel is a fine accompaniment, with loads of torque and an effortless nature.
Price: $108,240, plus on-road costs
Engine: 210kW/600Nm 3.0-litre V6 diesel
Kerb weight: 2218kg
Towing capacity: 3500kg
Tow ball capacity: 290kg
Gross combination mass: 6350kg
Gross vehicle mass: 2850kg
Payload at max tow capacity: 342kg
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
Estimated fuel consumption when towing: 13.6L/100km
Fuel tank capacity: 90L
Estimated range when towing: 662km
Chevrolet Silverado LTZ
The brash Chevrolet Silverado has respectable tow credentials. The maximum tow capacity is a huge 4500kg and the mighty 6.2-litre V8 has little trouble shifting it. Expect to use plenty of fuel, however.
But there’s a big catch with the Silverado’s towing ability. If you are utilising the maximum tow capacity, the payload drops to a pitiful 117kg; we doubt there would be many couples that have a combined weight below that - and that’s before they throw in luggage. In truth, the Chevrolet Silverado may have a monstrous tow capacity, but you won’t be taking off on the big trip unless it’s a solo mission.
Price: $121,000, plus on-road costs
Engine: 313kW/624Nm 6.2-litre V8 petrol
Kerb weight: 2543kg
Towing capacity: 4500kg
Tow ball capacity: 450kg
Gross combination mass: 7160kg
Gross vehicle mass: 3300kg
Payload at max tow capacity: 117kg
Fuel consumption: 12.3L/100km
Estimated fuel consumption when towing: 24.6L/100km
Fuel tank capacity: 91L
Estimated range when towing: 370km
Hyundai Santa Fe Highlander diesel
The temptation may be to head for the larger Hyundai Palisade when towing, but the still-sizeable Hyundai Santa Fe has a higher tow capacity. The four-cylinder diesel is a wonderfully effective engine that adds to the excellent driving credentials. Just be aware of the 200kg tow ball limit, which means you can utilise the full 2500kg tow capacity if you’ve got 10 per cent pushing down on the back of the car.
Price: $66,550, plus on-road costs
Engine: 148kW/440Nm 2.2-litre 4-cylinder diesel
Kerb weight: 1943kg
Towing capacity: 2500kg
Tow ball capacity: 200kg
Gross combination mass: 5110kg
Gross vehicle mass: 2610kg
Payload at max tow capacity: 167kg
Fuel consumption: 6.1L/100km
Estimated fuel consumption when towing: 12.2L/100km
Fuel tank capacity: 67L
Estimated range when towing: 549km
The information provided is general advice only. Before making any decisions, please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. As distributor, RACV Insurance Services Pty Ltd AFS Licence No. 230039 receives commission for each policy sold or renewed. Product(s) issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Ltd ABN 93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678.
