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The best cars for towing a caravan in 2026
Buying a caravan is a hefty investment, so is getting the right vehicle to tow it.
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14 min read
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Media duration: 14minutesmins
Drive
10 min readDrive
Buying a caravan is a hefty investment, so is getting the right vehicle to tow it.
Published
14 min read
Text size
Published
Text size
Australia has always had solid options when it comes to cars capable of towing caravans, but 2026 has seen the update and release of even more new tow vehicles. And not all of them are large SUVs or utes.
The range covers off vehicles suited to everything from small or light caravans right through to a ute like the Ford Ranger Super Duty, which has been specifically designed by Ford Australia to bridge that gap between cars that can tow 3500kg and big, cumbersome American pick-ups that can tow 4500kg or more but don’t make great city cars.
To help you make a more informed choice when it comes to picking your towing vehicle, here are some worth considering across several different towing ranges.
Note: This list is a snapshot of vehicles currently available on the Australian market as tow vehicles that are also among the more reliable and capable. While the list is not exhaustive, it provides an overview of some of the better choices for most buyers.
The market for small, light caravans isn’t as massive in Australia as it is in Europe, but there are still plenty of people who don’t want, or can’t really justify, a large SUV just to tow a caravan twice a year. For those interested in towing a lighter van (maybe something close to vintage, or something European), there are still some good options amongst the mid-size SUVs or even bigger EVs. While many of the most popular small tow cars in Europe don’t have the tow ball download limits to suit Aussie caravanning, the following vehicles are ideal for trailers less than two tonnes.
2026 has seen a complete overhaul of the Outback line-up and the all-new models are now squarer and more SUV-like, moving away from the wagon-esqulike shape it’s been so well known for, for over 30 years. With more design freedom, Subaru has strengthened the chassis and, in the top-spec models, added electronic damping to the suspension and increased ground clearance from 220mm to 240mm (the current Toyota Prado is 205mm to 210mm for reference).
One significant change is the reduction of towing capacity from 2400kg to 2100kg for the Wilderness models, thanks largely to the new model being heavier. Given it gets a stronger chassis and has the same engine (but with more power) as the previous Outback XT, it’s still okay for towing caravans up to 1500kg. The lower spec models, while still having a respectable 2000kg towing capacity, don’t get the upgraded suspension, and also lack the power and torque at lower revs, which would impact hauling capacity.
Subaru Outback Wilderness specifications
Price: | From $67,247 drive away |
Engine: | 2.4-litre turbo petrol |
Power: | 194kW @ 5600rpm |
Torque: | 382Nm @3400-4800rpm |
Tare weight: | 1741 / 1762kg |
Towing capacity (braked): | 2100kg |
Gross Combination Mass: | 4433kg |
Fuel consumption: | 9.7L/100km |
ANCAP safety rating: | 5 stars |
Any list of good towing vehicles typically includes Toyotas. But the Kluger, as the large but on-road oriented Toyota wagon, stands out as a comfortable SUV that’s fine for towing small caravans. Unlike much of its competition (such as Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorrento, Mazda CX-80), it can actually tow 2000kg with 10 per cent ball weight (the Mazda can tow more, but only gets a 150kg ball weight limit).
The Kluger is also great around town. Other versions of Toyota’s petrol hybrid electric drivetrain has been well-and-truly tested by every Camry taxi driver nearing half a million kilometres. Combine that longevity with good fuel economy and exceptionally versatile comfort around town, and the Kluger’s hard to argue against, even if we know we’ll have to mention the 70 Series and Prado/LandCruiser 300 Series below.
Toyota Kluger GX specifications
Price: | $69,779 drive away |
Engine: | 2.5-litre hybrid electric |
Power: | 142/184kW @ 6000rpm |
Torque: | 242Nm @4400rpm |
Kerb weight: | 2050kg |
Towing capacity (braked): | 2000kg |
Gross Combination Mass: | 4685kg |
Fuel consumption: | 5.6L/100km |
ANCAP safety rating: | 5 stars |
Most people who want to tow a caravan in Australia want a large ute or SUV. That’s why the majority of this list is dominated by those sorts of vehicles.
Even though we’ve included these in the list of great cars for caravans up to 3000kg, all of them can tow 3500kg (except the Defender, which can only tow 3495kg for some reason). The main reason we haven’t included these vehicles in a higher weight bracket is that with 3500kg of caravan on the back, most are so close to capacity that you can barely fit a passenger and a full tank of fuel. (And that’s the same for every large SUV/ute on the market with a 3500kg towing capacity).
That aside, they are all great vehicles with a load hitched up, and many people are proving that every day.
Although the LandCruiser 70 Series (wagon, ute or dual cab, doesn’t matter) is very capable of towing 3500kg, that’s not what a 70 Series is best at. More at home on a rough, remote outback track than the highway north, there are so many better, more comfortable vehicles for towing really heavy loads to a caravan park. Get the 70 if you want to go off-road with a lighter, more agile trailer.
A few years now since ditching the incredible 4.5L V8 turbo diesel, the 2.8L four-cylinder it shares with the Prado and Hilux has more than proven itself. It is, after all, more powerful, quieter and uses less fuel. And to the chagrin of bushies everywhere, the six-speed auto version has more torque, and gets peak power lower in the revs.
Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series specifications
Price: | $85,938 drive away |
Engine: | 2.8-litre turbo diesel |
Power: | 150kW @ 3200-3400rpm (manual) 150kW @ 3000-3400rpm (auto) |
Torque: | 450Nm @ 2400-3000rpm (manual) 500Nm @ 1600-2800rpm (auto) |
Kerb weight: | From 2145kg |
Towing capacity (braked): | 3500kg |
Gross Combination Mass: | 7010kg |
Fuel Consumption | 7.7L/100km |
ANCAP safety rating: | Unrated (was 5 Starts until its rating expired in 2023) |
As the fifth most popular ute in Australia for the first half of 2026, the Shark 6 has really made its mark. The Shark 6 is capable of full electric driving, but as a hybrid, is backed up by its 1.5L or, in the Performance model, a 2.0L petrol turbo; its standard models are capable of 321kW, while the Performance makes 350kW, 700Nm and can get to 100km/h in 5.5 seconds. Plus, it looks good. Fuel consumption, not towing, is as low as 1.6L/100km, but rises quite a bit once you tow and really get that turbo spinning to keep the battery charged.
Typical of the Chinese auto industry’s desire to dominate the electric vehicle landscape with cool features, the Shark 6 also has vehicle-to-load capability, so you can use the ute’s 29kWh (roughly 2300Ah) battery to run your caravan’s accessories like you’re on a powered site. When it’s getting low, just run the engine for a bit to charge it back up.
The Shark 6 has also seen an upgrade in its towing ability, from 2500 to 3500kg, but given the reports of how hard it works with a bigger load, and all the same drawbacks of just about every dual-cab ute’s real-world capacity limits, it’s still better suited to medium-sized caravans. If you really want to tow more than a couple of tonnes, the Performance’s GCM is 900kg more than the other two models.
BYD Shark 6 Premium specifications
Price: | From $57,000 drive away |
Engine: | 1.5-litre turbo hybrid engine |
Power: | 321kW @ 5400rpm |
Torque: | 470Nm @2000-4800rpm |
Kerb weight: | From 2600kg |
Towing capacity: | 3500kg |
Gross Combination Mass: | From 5750kg |
Fuel consumption: | 1.6L/100km (not towing, obviously) |
ANCAP safety rating: | 5 Stars |
Forever and a day, the Isuzu line-up has been a solid, affordable, if utilitarian workhorse that is a favourite amongst many families and retirees towing around Australia. The end of 2025 came with the release of a 2.2L diesel (replacing the 1.9L option) alongside the already faithful 3.0L diesel. The 2.2 probably won’t be the doyen of the caravanning crowd, but it does add a more fuel-efficient option for people who don’t tow all the time but still want the rugged capability of an Isuzu. With the new small engine, the entire range can tow 3500kg, although both variants are better suited to caravans well below that in real life.
Although the earlier models were always quite bare, and often lacked the mod-cons modern drivers liked, the company has really made interior refinement and comfort a focus in the last few years. Even so, the 2026 update didn’t include much that’s new, and it sits behind other similar SUVs and work utes in that regard.
If some interior refinement is what you’re after, the badge-engineered Mazda BT-50 (built by Isuzu) shares the same just about everything, but gets a slightly nicer interior.
Isuzu D-Max 4x4 3.0L turbo diesel LS-U specifications
Price: | From $72,362 drive away |
Engine: | 3.0-litre turbo diesel |
Power: | 140kW @ 3600rpm |
Torque: | 450Nm @1600-2600rpm |
Kerb weight: | 1960kg |
Towing capacity: | 3500kg |
Gross Combination Mass: | 6000kg |
Fuel consumption: | 7.8L/100kmm |
ANCAP safety rating: | 5 stars |
Despite recent new rival arrivals, the Ranger and its SUV counterpart, Everest, are still the most popular four-wheel drives on the market (the Ranger was the most popular ute and Everest was the most popular large SUV in Australia for the first half of 2026).
Both can tow 3500kg and the Ranger has one of the highest GCMs of any vehicle in its class. Although like most large SUVs, there’s a long list of caveats (axle load limitations, for example), and both vehicles are more comfortable towing trailers lighter than around 3000kg, especially if you’re loaded up for a trip away.
The Ranger/Everest’s 3.0L V6 is powerful and quiet. It’s 10 speed transmission is smooth, and interior comforts are as good as they get in a mainstream SUV.
Ford has also released a hybrid version of both vehicles, which benefits from a 75kW electric motor paired to a 2.3L petrol four-cylinder. It’s capable of limited electric-only driving but is still rated to tow up to 3500kg.
Ford Ranger XLT specifications
Price: | From $76,962 drive away |
Engine: | 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel |
Power: | 184kW @ 3250rpm |
Torque: | 600Nm @1750-2250rpm |
Kerb weight: | 2251kg |
Towing capacity (braked): | 3500kg |
Gross Combination Mass: | 6400kg |
Fuel consumption: | 8.3L/100km |
ANCAP safety rating: | 5 stars |
The recent release of the 3.5L petrol V8 Hybrid LandCruiser 300 Series begs the question – has Toyota made a convincing argument for its hybrid-electric towing beast? The addition of an electric motor between engine and gearbox has added an extra glut of power and torque, but also a higher price tag, plus worse fuel economy and less range than the diesel. There’s also slightly less cargo space and load capacity. Not the most convincing argument against the diesel and an aftermarket tune, maybe.
But whichever LandCruiser 300 Series you choose, you know you’re getting a comfortable, well-supported workhorse with lazy power to spare and stacks upon stacks of aftermarket options.
If you are looking to save some money, consider the Prado. It shares a platform with the LC300, and gets the well-proven 2.8L turbo diesel also in the HiLux and 70 Series models. Because of the shared platform, it can also tow 3500kg, and is over $20,000 cheaper.
Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series GXL specifications
Price: | From $123, 082 drive away |
Engine: | 3.3-litre V6 turbo diesel |
Power: | 227kW @ 4000rpm |
Torque: | 700Nm @1600-2600rpm |
Kerb weight: | 2580kg |
Towing capacity (braked): | 3500kg |
Gross Combination Mass: | 6750kg |
Fuel consumption: | 8.9L/100km |
ANCAP safety rating: | 5 stars (Hybrid GR Sport is unrated) |
For a long time, modern caravanning in Australia has had a weight problem. Namely, a lot of the most desirable large caravans weighed 3500kg, but most of the factory-supported vehicles that said they could tow 3500kg could only do so if that’s all they were doing. You could choose to take your caravan on holiday, or your family and their luggage, but not both. Most people never realised, and so many were travelling unsafely with overweight combinations.
The last few years have seen more public realisation, and with it, a demand for vehicles that can safely tow 3500kg, the whole family, and all the toys and luggage we want for a good time. This demand has seen an influx of big US-pickups into Australia, but many people, understandably, weren’t keen on their size or environmental impact for everyday driving.
Ford has been the first company to do something about it, and its Ranger Super Duty is garnering a lot of talk as the perfect in-between – something more capable than a LandCruiser, but smaller than an F-Truck.
The Ranger Super Duty was designed and engineered by Ford Australia, and occupies the middle-ground between the current crop of four-wheel drive utes that can tow 3500kg, and a large American pickup. It costs less than a new LandCruiser, but is rated to tow 4500kg and has an 8000kg GCM, an extra 100kg of strengthening plates in the chassis, 33 inch tyres and bigger brakes. Further, there’s several factory-supported options, such as water tanks, dual batteries and air compressors. The Super Duty can also estimate your trailer’s weight, suggest weight distribution changes, and with a knob in the centre console, help you reverse the trailer.
Power is from a de-tuned version of the Ranger’s 3.0L turbo diesel V6 with 154kW and 600Nm of torque (to increase longevity and reliability, allegedly), which is adequate for trailers in the 3000 to 3500kg range, but is probably starting to push it over that. For the recreational caravanner, though, the Super Duty is a worthy option because it’s leaving so much rated capacity in reserve when a 3500kg van is in tow, without having to go to a US pick up truck.
Ford Ranger Super Duty XL Super Cab Chassis specifications
Price: | $101,260 drive away |
Engine: | 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel |
Power: | 154kW @ 3250rpm |
Torque: | 600Nm @1750-2250rpm |
Kerb weight: | 2675kg |
Towing capacity (braked): | 4500kg |
Gross Combination Mass: | 8000kg |
Fuel consumption: | Not quoted - approx. 12-15L/100km |
ANCAP safety rating: | Not rated (but the normal Ranger is 5 Stars) |
Another of the factory-backed US-pickups, the Chevrolet Silverado is an honest workhorse with plenty of capacity, even with a 3500kg trailer on the back. In fact, with that much caravan, and 350kg on the ball, it can still carry a respectable 414kg. It is capable of towing up to 4200kg with a 70mm hitch, and the GCM limits your load capacity severely once you’re hauling that much.
What the Silverado has in spades, though, is power, thanks to its 6.2L V8. Its 313kW and 624Nm are only limited by its small fuel tank (91L). There’s also an impressive suite of towing tech, including various cameras, and it’s built-in Trailering App, which has checklists, automated light checks and even trailer profiles so you can monitor maintenance schedules. It’s a neat feature.
Like the other American pickups, it’s overshadowed slightly in capacity by the Ranger Super Duty, but makes it up in comfort and refinement on road.
Chevrolet Silverado specifications
Price: | $189,989 drive away |
Engine: | 6.2-litre V8 petrol |
Power: | 313kW @ 5600rpm |
Torque: | 624Nm @ 4100rpm |
Kerb weight: | 2552kg |
Towing capacity (braked): | 3500-4500kg |
Gross Combination Mass: | 7170kg |
Fuel consumption: | 12-1L/100km |
ANCAP safety rating: | Not rated |
If the Ford Ranger Super Duty isn’t quite big enough for your towing ambitions, Ford Australia brings in the F-150 (the world’s second-most successful vehicle), has it converted to right-hand-drive locally and offers full factory support.
Like the Ranger Super Duty, the F-150 can tow up to 4500kg, but it does so with more power and, curiously, less overall combination capacity (around 7300kg for the F-150 versus 8000kg for the Ranger). The F-150 is a plush beast, though, and Ford expects it’ll still attract the sort of buyer who wants more refinement.
Even though the F-truck isn’t quite as capable of a load as the Super Duty, if you can limit yourself to 3500kg and 350kg on the ball, you should have around 600kg of load capacity left, which is about what a LandCruiser 300 Series has empty.
Ford F150 XLT specifications
Price: | From $128,974 drive away |
Engine: | 3.5-litre V6 twin turbo diesel |
Power: | 298kW @ 6000rpm |
Torque: | 698Nm @ 3100rpm |
Kerb weight: | 2484kg |
Towing capacity: | 4500kg |
Gross Combination Mass: | 7410kg |
Fuel consumption: | 13.4L/100km |
ANCAP safety rating: | Not rated |
