Along with diesel engines and manual gearboxes, saloon cars are slowly disappearing from showrooms. It seems everyone wants an SUV, and preferably a hybrid with an automatic transmission. However, the four-door isn’t dead and buried just yet, as our best saloon car for towing a caravan guide proves.
The best tow cars for caravans provide stability and reliability, making our towing experience a much more enjoyable part of the tour. The good news, if you’re after a saloon vehicle, is there are still many cars on sale that keep the boot entirely separate from the cabin and offer the elegant profile of a saloon, rather than the chunkier size of an SUV tow car.
If you are among the traditionalists who favour saloon cars, these are some of our favourites. Most wear prestige badges, with upmarket price tags to match. However, the good news for those looking for a used tow car is these vehicles can be very competitively priced on the pre-owned market.
Our pick of the best saloon tow cars features models from Mazda, Audi and more – and they don’t mean you have to go without the mod cons you may look for in a car either. The likes of the BMW i5 have up-to-the-minute tech and an electric drivetrain for those who want a four-door that embraces the future.
Don’t forget to invest in the best steering wheel lock either – after all, you’ll want to do everything you can to protect your new saloon from potential thieves.
Please note: Vehicles pictured may not be exact model or year.
The best saloon cars for towing:
Mercedes-Benz E 220 d AMG Line saloon
BMW i5 eDrive 40 M Sport
Mazda 3 Saloon 186PS Exclusive-Line
Audi A6 50 TFSI e Sport
Jaguar XF D200 R-Dynamic S RWD
The best saloon car for towing a caravan:
Mercedes-Benz E 220 d AMG Line saloon
- Price: £56,820
- Kerbweight: 1900kg
- 85% match: 1615kg
- Towing limit: 2100kg
The latest E-Class does all the things a saloon is supposed to do. It cossets its passengers, rides comfortably, and exudes understated quality.
The range starts with the E 200 petrol, but for a little more money, the E 220 d is better suited to towing.
It has a 197hp diesel engine and 23hp of mild-hybrid electric assistance. The acceleration might not force you back in your seat, but there’s enough power to handle a sensible car/caravan match.
With a kerbweight of 1900kg, the E 220 d has an 85% match figure of 1615kg, so many types of caravan make safe and sensible matches with stability in mind. We can’t remember towing with a Mercedes that didn’t feel secure and reassuring while hitched up.
In everyday driving, the E-Class is also very easy to live with.
The ride is smooth and relaxed, whether driven around town or on the motorway. Although it’s not the most exciting vehicle, compared with a BMW 5 Series or a Jaguar XF, it’s a pleasure to drive on long journeys.
The latest E-Class is factory fresh, but the previous model is readily available on the pre-owned market. We’ve seen a 70-reg vehicle with 54,000 miles on the clock on sale for a competitive £24,000.
BMW i5 eDrive 40 M Sport
- Price: £74,105
- Kerbweight: 2205kg
- 85% match: 1874kg
- Towing limit: 1500kg
It’s true, there’s no getting away from the wallet-wilting price tag, but the BMW i5 is quite a car. The electric 5 Series is quick and comfortable, and it achieves an impressive range of 312-356 miles in official tests.
The eDrive 40 is the one to have. It might not be as quick as the range-topping i5 M60, but it rides more comfortably and has a longer range.
We’ve yet to tow with one, although we do expect a full test of the estate tow car version later in the year. The signs are good, though.
With its hefty kerbweight of more than 2.2 tonnes, the i5 should prove reassuringly stable after hitching up a caravan weighing close to the maximum towing figure of 1500kg.
In addition, both car and caravan should be up to speed quickly, thanks to the 340hp provided by this model.
Inside, the cabin is roomy and well built. There’s no denying the showroom appeal of the twin-screen display that greets the driver, although it does take familiarity to get the best from the infotainment system.
You can even play racing games on the screen while recharging, if you haven’t had enough of driving.
The i5 is so new, it’s not available used in great numbers. If you want a spacious BMW saloon for less, consider the petrol 5 Series from £51,000.
Jaguar XF D200 R-Dynamic S RWD
- Price: £35,670
- Kerbweight: 1810kg
- 85% match: 1539kg
- Towing limit: 2000kg
By the time you read this, the last few Jaguar XFs will be rolling off the production line. So if you want to buy a new one, you’ll need to move fast.
Most of the XF models are rear-wheel drive, but if you like the idea of a 4×4 for towing a caravan, they’re available as four-wheel drives too. The extra weight helps with matching ratios, and four-wheel drive will make for trouble-free hill starts, even in adverse weather conditions, something which can be a particular issue if you like towing a caravan in winter.
On the other hand, though, rear-wheel-drive models are more affordable, return better fuel economy, and make very stable tow cars.
You’ll pay just £35,670 for a D200 R-Dynamic S. That’s not a lot compared with equivalent BMW or Mercedes models.
The D200 diesel has 204hp, which is enough to comfortably handle a well-matched caravan.
You can also expect towing performance broadly on a par with the Mercedes E 220 d, only for a whole lot less money.
It’s been a while since we towed with an XF, but the Jaguar has always impressed us with its poise. The XF is hugely enjoyable in solo driving, too – more so than most of the car’s more modern rivals.
We’ve seen three-year-old used examples priced from around £24,000. If you don’t mind an older, high-mileage model, you can pay considerably less.
Audi A6 50 TFSI e Sport
- Price: £59,505
- Kerbweight: 2085kg
- 85% match: 1772kg
- Towing limit: 2000kg
The 50 TFSI e is the plug-in hybrid version of the Audi A6. In official tests, it has shown itself capable of achieving up to 42 miles running on electricity, with the powerful petrol engine held in reserve.
For towing journeys, the car will use both sources of power. Operating together, the A6’s engine and motor can deliver punchy acceleration.
An unintended advantage of plug-in hybrid tow cars is their hefty weight – the A6 50 TFSI e weighs over two tonnes and has a towing limit of 2000kg, so most tourers make prudent matches.
With or without a caravan hitched up, the A6 is rapid and refined, with a cabin that’s both high-tech and luxurious. It’s also very roomy inside, whether you happen to be sitting in the front or the back of the car.
However, the downside to choosing the plug-in hybrid model is that the boot capacity inevitably suffers.
There are just 360 litres here, which is less than you would find in a Volkswagen Golf.
Still, if you opt for the saloon over the Avant estate version, luggage space is unlikely to be your highest priority.
Used prices for a 2021 model start from under £25,000 for an example with around 45,000 miles on the clock, which offers a substantial saving over the cost of buying new.
Mazda 3 Saloon 186PS Exclusive-Line
- Price: £29,255
- Kerbweight: 1493kg
- 85% match: 1269kg
- Max towing weight: 1300kg
Small saloons are a rarity. If you are in the market for a compact four-door model, the Mazda 3 Saloon is one of few options.
It’s certainly a good-looking car, as is the hatchback. But its appeal goes beyond handsome styling. The 3 drives well, with an efficient and powerful 186hp engine. More pull from low revs would be welcome, but there’s easily enough muscle to handle lightweight caravans.
Clever technology allows the petrol motor to use diesel-style compression ignition to offer improved efficiency, returning 54.3mpg on the combined cycle.
Inside, the dashboard has a very sporty look and the cabin is well made, with an upmarket finish. The infotainment system is among the best around when it comes to ease of use.
The front seats are extremely comfortable, with excellent headroom and legroom for tall drivers, although the rear-seat space is less generous. Luggage capacity is plentiful, however, with a 450-litre boot.
Exclusive-Line, the less costly of the two specifications, comes with a healthy list of standard kit, such as wireless phone charging, keyless entry, parking sensors and a 12-speaker stereo. Used prices start from £24,000 – there aren’t many around compared with the more popular hatchback.
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