Best used tow cars 2024/2025
Navigating the used tow car market? These top contenders are well worth a look…
Whether you plan on hitching up a caravan for the family holiday, a car transporter for your track day special or a small trailer for runs to the tip, picking the right tow car is important. If you also want the best value for money, the best used tow cars are the perfect place to begin the search.
Fundamentals to consider include the engine (preferably diesel for effortless low-down torque), maximum towing capacity (either braked or unbraked depending on your use-case) and any useful extras such as self-levelling air suspension and dedicated towing modes.
It’s also important to consider how often you’ll be towing with your vehicle. While a large SUV or pick-up truck may be the ultimate tow car, such vehicles could be surplus to requirements the rest of the time. It might be worth considering a more efficient estate car or saloon if you want a better balance between outright towing capability and reasonable running costs without a trailer attached.
While the most capable tow cars are likely to be expensive regardless of age – see icons like the Land Rover Defender, for example – there are plenty of more affordable used cars on the market that still fit the bill.
Best used tow cars to buy now
We’ve picked some of the best used tow cars across a range of price points below, along with some suggestions on how to buy one at the bottom of this article.
Land Rover Discovery 4
- Years produced: 2009-2016
- Price from: £5,000
While most entered service as family cars thanks to huge interior space and seven seats, the Land Rover Discovery 4 was a seriously capable utility vehicle designed to live up to its enviable heritage. And unlike some of the most capable cars on this list, the Discovery remains one of the best-ever family cars when not towing or heading off road.
Every engine from the Discovery 4’s lengthy production run is suitable for towing, with six-cylinder diesels ranging from 2.7 to 3.0 litres and a rarer 4.4-litre V8 shared with the Range Rover at the top of the tree. Whichever you pick, towing capacities top out at the maximum for cars driven on a Category B licence: 3,500kg for a braked trailer or 750kg unbraked.
Every Discovery 4 has trailer stability assistance as standard, while the standard air suspension will level out automatically to help keep things stable at speed.
Ford Ranger Mk3
- Years produced: 2011-2023
- Price from: £6,000
The Ford Ranger is one of the UK’s favourite pickups and with good reason, combining tough body-on-frame construction, a low-range gearbox, four-wheel drive and strong towing capacity with a slightly more car-like driving experience, all for a sensible price. The newest Ranger arrived in 2023 and has continued that success, but the older model is still a great choice.
A number of brawny engines have been offered in the Ranger since it arrived in 2011, including a 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel, 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel and a 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel in the go-faster Ranger Raptor. This engine also replaced the older units, with some offered with a slick 10-speed auto that makes towing a breeze.
It’s worth noting that some lower-powered examples of the ranger can’t pull a full 3,500kg, so choose yours accordingly.
Skoda Superb Estate Mk3
- Years produced: 2015-2023
- Price from: £6,000
The aptly named Skoda Superb has long been one of our favourite cars full stop. Its breadth of ability and great value have won the model countless awards, so it probably won’t come as much of a surprise to learn that it also has plenty of silverware to show for its towcar credentials, including in the 2024 Caravan and Motorhome Club (CAMC) Towcar of the Year awards.
The usual array of well-sorted Volkswagen Group petrol and diesel engines are present and correct, with the diesel units of particular interest for towing duties. All Superb models can manage between 1,500–2,000kg, but an incrementally larger towing capacity of 2,200kg is reserved for four-wheel-drive versions, namely the most powerful of the diesels and the high-performance 2.0 TSI 280.
Audi A6 Allroad C8
- Years produced: 2019-2022
- Price from: £21,000
Splitting the difference between an SUV and an estate, the original Audi A6 Allroad took on the Range Rover with a similar combination of luxury and rugged ability. Similar jacked-up estates were offered by Volvo and Mercedes and the Allroad remained in the Audi range until 2022, by which point its SUV counterparts had taken over in the sales charts.
Dwindling appetite for cars like the Allroad is good news for used buyers, however – especially those on the hunt for a great do-it-all tow car without the associated chunkiness of an SUV.
The last A6 Allroad is best enjoyed in 45 TDI form, with its 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine pumping out 228bhp and 500Nm of torque through its quattro four-wheel drive system. Standard-fit air suspension is also a big draw, which helps keep things comfortable and level when making the most of the car’s 2,500kg braked towing capacity.
Toyota Hilux Mk8
- Years produced: 2015-present
- Price from: £11,000
With an enviable reputation built on decades of proven service around the world, the Toyota Hilux is perhaps the hardiest option on this list. More agricultural in feel than its Ford Ranger rival elsewhere on this list, the Hilux prioritises its commercial vehicle stats over most other considerations. The latest Hilux can happily tow a 3,500kg braked trailer and is arguably better to drive off road than on.
Interior space is tight for such a large machine and it feels a little dated when put next to its more luxurious competitors, but the Hilux makes so much sense as a dependable towing workhorse.
Mileage is a secondary consideration if there’s evidence of regular dealer servicing (and perhaps remaining time on the 10-year warranty). Buy well and you’ll secure one of the toughest tow vehicles around.
Toyota Land Cruiser Mk4
- Years produced: 2009-2024
- Price from: £16,000
Hailing from the same school of ruggedness as the Hilux above, the Toyota Land Cruiser has a similar reputation for peerless reliability. A larger and more luxurious proposition than its pickup sibling, the Land Cruiser is available with a wider range of engines and can sit more people in comfort in its spacious, no-nonsense cabin.
With the arrival of the latest desirable retro-styled incarnation of the famous off-roader, now’s a good time to shop for the hugely capable Mk4 version originally introduced in 2009 and still on sale today. Power comes from a 171bhp 3.0-litre diesel on earlier cars, replaced with a 174bhp 2.9-litre from mid-2015.
Regardless of which engine you plump for, all Mk4 Land Cruiser models can tow a braked trailer of up 3,000kg, or 750kg unbraked. If towing, durability and off-road ability are important and the family have to come too, the Land Cruiser should be on your shortlist.
Mercedes E-Class Estate W213
- Years produced: 2016-2023
- Price from: £8,000
Mercedes loves offering its customers plenty of choice and the previous-generation Mercedes E-Class is no exception, with a plethora of powertrain, trim and bodystyle options to pick from. The good news is that this breadth of choice means there’s scope to pick out the perfect spec for towing.
Our pick of the range in this context would be the E350d All-Terrain. Pitched as a rival for the A6 Allroad, this trim got a similarly rugged exterior treatment, but also standard 4Matic four-wheel drive, air suspension and a deployable tow bar. A 3.0-litre, twin-turbo straight-six diesel engine and nine-speed automatic handle towing well, with a maximum braked limit of 2,100kg.
Volkswagen Touareg Mk2
- Years produced: 2010-2018
- Price from: £6,000
The second-generation Volkswagen Touareg arrived in 2010 to replace the original which first went on sale in 2003. Built on the same platform as the Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne, the Touareg shares much of what makes those cars great, albeit with less of a focus on luxury or sportiness.
Three engines were available: a 3.0-litre V6 diesel, a 3.0-litre V6 petrol-hybrid, and a monstrous 4.2-litre V8 diesel. While the latter is perhaps the ultimate towing drivetrain, it’s the smaller diesel that’s more common on the used market.
The good news is that the most common engine is perfectly suitable for towing, with 500Nm of torque and a 3,500kg braked/750kg unbraked trailer limit.
Kia Sorento Mk2
- Years produced: 2010-2014
- Price from: £3,000
Kia’s ascent to the upper end of just about every class has been well documented and the Kia Sorento was just one of the cars that helped the South Korean brand on its meteoric rise in recent years. Until the arrival of the Kia EV9, the Sorento was the biggest Kia SUV available in the UK – and also the best of its cars for towing.
The Mk2 Sorento was available between 2010 and 2014 and makes for a great-value used car today before you take its towing abilities into account, with lots of space, a range of sensible engines and seven seats. If you need to tow a medium-sized caravan while also carrying a large family, the 2.2-litre diesel version is perfect with its 2,500kg braked trailer limit.
Mitsubishi Shogun Sport Mk3
- Years produced: 2018-2021
- Price from: £16,000
The Mitsubishi Shogun Sport may look like a standard seven-seat SUV but it actually has more in common with the pick-up trucks on this list. That’s because it’s based on the same platform as the Mitsubishi L200, another farmer’s favourite pickup with serious off-road and towing ability.
The Shogun Sport uses the same gruff yet effective 2.4-litre diesel engine and effective four-wheel drive setup but replaces the L200’s rear leaf springs for a multi-link rear end, while there’s enough ground clearance to wade up to 700mm.
The result is a large and tough SUV that feels very old-school in its approach; it’s not the most efficient or comfortable family car, but it’ll shrug off a 3,500kg braked trailer if required.
How to buy a used tow car
It probably goes without saying that it’s important to know the weight of any trailer or caravan you intend to tow. By law, this cannot exceed the towing limit of your car. It’s sensible not to max out this figure if possible, however; it’s a good idea to leave a bit of headroom to maximise stability on the road.
It’s also worth noting that the very best tow cars will have a larger noseweight limit – the force exerted on the car’s tow ball by a trailer – than is legally required. This limit is set at four per cent of the towing capacity by law, but it’s a good idea to aim for a higher percentage than that to improve stability.
Given the importance of safety when towing, it’s a good idea to consult experts if you’re unsure. The UK’s major caravanning clubs are a good place to seek advice, while trailer towing courses are well worth the investment in our experience, even if your licence doesn’t require it. The government-approved Safe Towing Scheme is a good place to start.
Now take a look at our guide to caravanning for beginners...
