Best Midsize SUVs With Towing Capacity
The best midsize SUV for towing depends on the trailer, not just the vehicle’s maximum tow rating. A properly equipped midsize SUV can be an excellent choice for a small camper, boat, utility trailer, or motorcycle trailer, with many models falling in the 3,500- to 5,000-pound tow-rating range. Some truck-based midsize SUVs can rate higher in specific configurations.
For safe shopping, compare the SUV’s tow rating with its payload, tongue weight, GVWR, axle ratings, hitch rating, and tow-package equipment. The number in a brochure is a maximum for a particular engine, drivetrain, body style, and equipment combination. It is not automatically the amount every version of that SUV can tow.
Top midsize SUV types for towing
Unibody midsize SUVs: best for everyday use
Most midsize crossovers use a unibody platform shared with passenger vehicles. They generally provide a quieter ride, easier parking, better fuel economy, and comfortable family-hauling manners. Properly equipped examples commonly support trailers in the 3,500- to 5,000-pound range, although some base trims or smaller engines may be rated lower.
Examples of midsize crossover families that shoppers often consider include the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, Ford Explorer, Subaru Ascent, Mazda CX-90, and Volkswagen Atlas. Their tow ratings vary significantly by model year, engine, drivetrain, trim, and factory equipment. Treat these names as a starting point, then verify the specific vehicle’s rating.
These SUVs are usually a good match for pop-up campers, lightweight travel trailers, aluminum fishing boats, jet skis, and utility trailers. They may be less comfortable towing a tall, heavy trailer near the rating, especially over long grades or in strong crosswinds.
Body-on-frame midsize SUVs: better for demanding loads
Truck-based midsize SUVs typically use a separate frame and are designed with more emphasis on durability, low-speed traction, and trailer control. Depending on the engine and tow equipment, some can tow well above the common crossover range. The Jeep Grand Cherokee, Toyota 4Runner, Ford Bronco, and similar truck-oriented SUVs are examples of vehicles shoppers may evaluate in this category, though their ratings differ by configuration and model year.
A body-on-frame SUV can be the better choice for a heavier enclosed trailer, a larger boat, frequent mountain towing, or use on rough access roads. The tradeoffs can include a firmer ride, more fuel consumption, greater purchase cost, and less interior efficiency than a crossover.
What makes a midsize SUV good for towing?
- Adequate tow rating: The vehicle’s rated maximum should exceed the trailer’s actual loaded weight, not merely its empty or advertised dry weight.
- Payload capacity: Payload must cover passengers, luggage, aftermarket accessories, the hitch, and the trailer’s tongue weight.
- Useful wheelbase and stability: A longer, heavier SUV generally feels more settled than a short, lightly loaded vehicle when a trailer pushes or encounters crosswinds.
- Factory tow package: This may include a hitch receiver, wiring, upgraded cooling, a higher-capacity alternator, trailer-sway control, a tow/haul mode, and software or hardware needed for the published rating.
- Trailer-brake compatibility: A trailer with electric brakes should have a properly installed brake controller or an approved integrated system.
- Appropriate tires and hitch hardware: Load range, speed rating, receiver class, ball mount, safety chains, and wiring must all match the job.
Tow rating is not the same as payload
Tow rating is the maximum trailer weight a particular SUV configuration is allowed to pull under specified conditions. Payload is the total weight the SUV itself can carry. Payload includes people, cargo, roof loads, accessories, the hitch hardware, and the trailer’s tongue weight.
For example, a trailer weighing 4,000 pounds may place roughly 400 to 600 pounds on the hitch when loaded to a typical 10% to 15% tongue-weight target. Add two or three adults, camping equipment, a cooler, and a weight-distribution hitch, and the SUV’s available payload can disappear quickly.
Find the yellow-and-white certification label on the driver-side door jamb. It commonly states that the combined weight of occupants and cargo must not exceed a specified number. That is the vehicle-specific payload limit. Do not substitute a generic payload figure from a website or brochure.
Understand GVWR, GCWR, and axle limits
GVWR, or gross vehicle weight rating, is the maximum allowed weight of the SUV itself when loaded. The SUV must remain below its GVWR after passengers, cargo, tongue weight, and accessories are added.
GCWR, or gross combined weight rating, is the maximum permitted weight of the loaded SUV plus the loaded trailer. It can become the limiting factor before the advertised tow rating, especially with a full vehicle, a heavy trailer, or high-elevation travel.
Front and rear axle ratings also matter. A heavy tongue load, cargo stored behind the rear axle, or a weight-distribution setup can place too much weight on one axle even when the total vehicle weight appears acceptable. For close-to-limit towing, use a public scale and compare the measured axle weights with the ratings on the vehicle certification label and in the owner’s manual.
How to choose the right midsize SUV
- Weigh the trailer as used. Include water, propane, batteries, food, tools, sports gear, and personal items. A camper’s brochure dry weight is not its travel weight.
- Estimate tongue weight. Plan around 10% to 15% of the loaded trailer weight for a conventional ball-hitch trailer unless the trailer or vehicle manufacturer specifies otherwise.
- Calculate SUV payload. Add tongue weight, every occupant, luggage, hitch equipment, roof cargo, and accessories. Compare the total with the door-jamb payload label.
- Confirm the exact configuration. Check model year, engine, transmission, axle ratio where applicable, drivetrain, wheelbase, seating layout, and trim. Ratings can change between versions.
- Verify the factory tow package. A receiver added by a dealer or owner does not necessarily provide the cooling, wiring, software, or rating of the factory package.
- Leave a margin. Do not plan to operate continuously at the published maximum. A practical target is to keep the loaded trailer comfortably below the SUV’s rating and preserve payload for passengers and gear.
Trailer size guidelines for midsize SUVs
For occasional towing, many midsize SUVs are most comfortable with a small utility trailer, personal-watercraft trailer, lightweight boat, or pop-up camper. A travel trailer in the approximate 3,000- to 4,500-pound loaded range may be feasible for a properly equipped SUV, but its frontal area, tongue weight, and payload demands deserve close attention.
Near the upper end of a crossover’s rating, a tall enclosed trailer or boxy camper can create more aerodynamic drag than its scale weight suggests. It may accelerate slowly, require frequent downshifts, and feel tiring in wind or on grades. A truck-based SUV with a longer wheelbase, stronger cooling system, and appropriate trailer controls may be a better fit for frequent heavy towing.
Features worth paying for
- Integrated trailer brake controller: Gives the driver better control over trailers equipped with electric brakes.
- Trailer-sway control: Can help detect and reduce yaw, but it cannot correct excessive speed, poor loading, or an improperly balanced trailer.
- Tow/haul mode: Adjusts shift behavior and may improve engine-braking control on descents.
- Transmission and engine cooling: Important for repeated pulls, hot weather, steep grades, and high elevation.
- Surround-view or hitch-view cameras: Useful for lining up the receiver and monitoring the trailer.
- Full-size spare and suitable tires: A tire with the correct load capacity is essential when towing far from home.
Safety checks before every trip
Load heavy items low and near the trailer’s axle, secure all cargo, and keep the tongue weight within the manufacturer’s recommended range. Inspect the coupler, hitch pin, safety chains, breakaway cable, lights, tires, wheel bearings, and trailer brakes. Inflate SUV and trailer tires to the specified pressures, not the maximum molded into the sidewall.
Allow extra stopping distance, reduce speed in wind and rain, and use lower gears on long descents. If the trailer begins to sway, do not make a sudden steering correction or accelerate. Hold the steering wheel steadily, ease off the accelerator, and apply the trailer brakes manually if the system allows it. Stop and correct the cause before continuing.
Bottom line
The best midsize SUV with towing capacity is the one that has enough real-world rating and payload for your loaded trailer, passengers, and equipment. Crossovers are usually the strongest all-around choice for lighter campers, boats, and utility trailers. A truck-based midsize SUV is worth considering when you tow heavier, taller, or more frequently.
Before buying or hitching, read the vehicle’s owner’s manual, inspect the door-jamb certification label, and check the window sticker or manufacturer towing guide for the exact configuration. If the numbers are close, weigh the loaded combination and choose a larger tow vehicle rather than relying on the brochure maximum.