Best towing vehicles - the heavyweights

These cars have no weight limits, they are just the best towing vehicles full stop.

Land Rover Discovery TDV6 HSE
The Discovery has been awarded best towcar for 2 years running by Whatcar, the camping and caravanning club and practical caravan. Its simply an awesome towcar and as a large family go anywhere vehicle has a blend of talents unmatched by anything else on the road. The Discovery scored highly in practicality tests having full size spare wheel, high noseweight with quality towing electrics and a well written manual. With 7 seat capacity (proper 7 seats as in 7 adults can remain comfortable even on long trips), refined drive with low engine, wind and suspension noise, huge boot with 12V socket and rock solid image the Landy is the one to beat!

Volvo V70 D5 AWD
Although the V70 has now been replaced it is interesting to note that even a V70 at the end of its shelf life was still voted as one of the best tow cars on the market last year - wonder how good the new one is? Well the latest model is bigger all round with better legroom, space for passengers and luggage and traditional large, square Volvo boot. The D5 engine is strong and has proved very durable with few problems reported even with high mileages, although not the last word in refinement it settles down to a distant murmur when cruising. The V70 handling is controlled and smooth with or without a caravan and is easy to start on a hill with push button handbrake.

Audi A6 Allroad 3.0TDI Quattro geartronic
If you need 4 wheel drive with plenty of space but dont want a big 4x4 on your driveway then the Audi allroad should be on your shopping list. Its not cheap but the built quality is sublime, it feels like you are sitting in a work of art! Performance and roadholding are also impressive, precise roadholding and strong grip will endear it to enthusiastic drivers when solo and when towing also keep both caravan and car well controlled. Hill starts are easy with electronic handbrake and luggage space is plentiful if not class leading.

Best large towing cars for caravans and trailers

This class includes large executive cars and MPV’s along with smaller 4x4’s up to around the 2 tonnes weight limit to hekp you choose best towcar for caravan holidays in the Uk or abroad..

Jaguar XJ 2.7 TDVI sport
Although the Jaguar is a much more expensive vehicle than any others on this page it is so far ahead in the depths of its abilities that it had to be included. Executive vehicles such as the Jaguar are not normally considered when it comes to towing but it is just so capable its worth consideration if you are in the fortunate position of being able to afford one! The XJ is one of those rare cars which combines limo like comfort when solo and composed stability when towing. The 2.7 diesel engine produces 204bhp and 321lb ft of torque and is so quiet and smooth that its easy to drive at a much higher speed than you intended either solo or with caravan attached - you really need the cruise control in this car to prevent speeding, its just so refined. For a large executive car 35mpg on the combined cycle is nothing short of amazing and although the emissions are higher than a family hatchback they are a lot lower than most 4x4’s. A max towing weight of almost 2 tonnes also means you have a huge choice of rigs.

Nissan X-Trail dCi 173 Adventurer Explorer
The Nissan is near the top of the class here, its gutsy 266lb ft of torque giving more than enough pulling power for any matched caravan. This new engine is also much more refined than the previous unit (which was also prone to turbo failure). A big car the Nissan gives a reassuring feel of stability when towing and for a 4x4 is remarkably agile when solo. A huge boot and spacious modern interior make this an ideal family holdall with reasonable economy for such a large vehicle. There is no doubt the new X-trail is a huge improvement over the old model in every respect despite the previous model being a very respectable tow car in its own right!

Citroen C5 2.7 HDI Exlusive
This latest Citroen is an attempt to dispell the reputation Citroen has in the UK of poor build quality and cheap cars. As can be seen by the latest TV adverts Citroen are keen to show the new C5 is up there with the Germans in terms of build quality and refinement. The C5 is indeed a veryrefined car, not just the smooth, strong engine but road and wind noise are also impressively low. Whether the car is as robust as the premium executive brands remains to be seen but it certainly appears well built. The 2.7 HDI engine is perfectly suited for towing, in fact in this car you have to be careful not to forget you have a caravan on the back! The C5 is also very stable at speed when towing and changes direction without any snaking from the van.

The following are the best cars from the large family car class for towing touring caravans on holiday and use as an everyday family car.

Ford Mondeo estate 2.0TDCI Auto
As a family car the mondoe has wonmany an award for its comfort, refinement, stability and practicality. Its a large car for the class and has plentyof room fora family and all the associated paraphenalia. As a driverscar it also excels with accurate steering and a well controlled, supple ride.The taut suspension that makes the Mondeo a good drivers car also make it a remarkably stable tow car, with van attached no matter how much the road twists and turns, the caravan follows true behind it with no weaving or snaking.Even though this automatic version has a lower powered version of the fantastic TDCI engine it has plenty of grunt and can pull a caravan uphill without problems. The cavernous boot ensures that nothing needs to be left behind on your caravan holiday, its absolutely huge even with rear seats up.

Subaru Outback 2.0D R and Subaru Legacy sports tourer 2.0D Ren
The Outback has long been popular with caravanners due to its permanent 4WD and excellent reliability, essentially offering all the advantages of a 4x4 without the size. The only downside to Subaru’s in the past however was the lack of a diesel engine which made fuel costs high particularly when towing. This has all changednow with the new 2.0D diesel unit - and its a beauty! Smooth, refined and powerful, with a combined fuel consumtion of almost 50mpg, 4wd just became much cheaper! Composed asured handling in all weather and road conditions, roomy estate body and legendary Subaru reliability make this a superb option as a tow car, never get stuck towing your caravan out of a muddy field again! The legacy sports tourer is essentially the same car but without the raised suspension of the Outback. The lowered ride height of the sports tourer actually make it a more stable tow car but obviosly less able off-road. However, unless you regularly use your vehicles on challenging off road terrain the sports tourer is the better car, solo or towing.

Mercedes C220CD1 Sport Estate Automatic
The sheer grunt of the Mercedes diesel engine (168bhp and 295lb ft of torque) means it pulls strongly up hills as if there is no caravan attached! The automatic transmission and parking brake make heavily laden hill starts easy too. A spacious car well able to take all the families clutter and sumptous interior quality (a return to form at last for Mercedes). Spacious boot comes with handy 12V socket and manual has clear towing instructions (unlike many other manufacturers). The only slight downside is that the 220CDI engine, although quiet and refined for the most part,becomes a bit noisy when extended.

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