For our second weight class, we’ve used the weight of the caravan rather than the kerbweight of the towing vehicle, as we pick out the best car for towing a 1500kg caravan. That way you’ll know that if you have a 1500kg caravan, any of these models should be able to tow it.
Caravans weighing up to 1500kg have a wide range of layouts, including many of the best four berth caravans. The cars on our list are also varied and well-suited to family life. The shortlisted cars include an estate car alongside several SUVs, with all offering stability, always the hallmarks of the best caravan tow car. The cars are mild hybrids, full hybrids, and diesels, with a mix of front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive.
Four of the five cars on the list will tow a 1500kg caravan while abiding by the 85% guideline for stable towing. One of the cars is suitable for towing a caravan of that weight provided the driver is experienced and confident in towing with a less favourable matching ratio, but the car in question is so good it deserves inclusion.
After a towing option for a more lightweight tourer instead? Then the best small tow car could be for you instead.
The best cars for towing a 1500kg caravan are:
Kia Sorento 2.2 Diesel ‘3’
Ford Kuga 2.5 FHEV 183PS ST-Line X AWD
Nissan X-Trail e-Power 213 e-4orce Tekna
Skoda Kodiaq 2.0 TDI 193PS SE L 4×4 DSG
Volkswagen Passat 1.5 TSI eTSI R-Line
The best tow car for towing a 1500kg caravan
Kia Sorento 2.2 Diesel ‘3’
- Price: £46,195
- Kerbweight: 1929kg
- 85% match figure: 1640kg
- Maximum towing weight: 2500kg
Reasons to buy:
- Effortless towing and fuel efficient, too
Reasons to avoid:
- Hybrid versions have low towing limits
The best tow car for a 1500kg caravan at the Practical Caravan Awards 2025
The newly updated Sorento will comfortably tow a 1500kg caravan. In fact, it will pull considerably more without breaking a sweat.
Diesel power may be on the way out, but the Sorento’s 2.2-litre diesel shows that it still has its place in a tow car. The engine’s strength makes towing seem effortless. It’s fuel-efficient, too. We saw almost 28mpg when we last towed with the Sorento, and around 44mpg in regular driving.
The Sorento is stable as well as strong. Although it weighs just under two tonnes, it’s nearly as secure at speed as heavier luxury 4×4 tow cars which cost nearly twice as much. The Sorento offers 90% of the ability for 60% of the price.
In everyday use, the big Kia is comfortable and practical. Ride comfort is impressive, and there’s lots of space and many practical features throughout the cabin.
If you would prefer hybrid power, these versions have restrictive towing limits since the recent facelift.
Ford Kuga 2.5 FHEV 183PS ST-Line X AWD
- Price: £42,365
- Kerbweight: 1765kg
- 85% match figure: 1500kg
- Maximum towing weight: 2100kg
Reasons to buy:
- Peppy electric motor and exceptional economy
Reasons to avoid:
- Interior finish feels a little below par
Any fan of petrol-electric hybrids will find the Ford Kuga a fine choice. Its maximum towing weight of 2100kg is very high for a hybrid.
Sticking to the 85% guideline for the sake of stability when matching the car to a caravan still allows for caravans weighing up to 1500kg. The Kuga hybrid can easily cope with a caravan of this weight, with a punchy response from the electric motor and willing performance from the petrol engine.
Economy while towing is exceptionally good. We saw 31.9mpg on our economy route while pulling a 1361kg caravan.
Leave the tourer on its pitch and the Kuga handles well, although the sporty suspension is a little stiffer than we’d like around town.
Passengers have plenty of space, but the cabin’s finish is a little cheap in look and feel. The boot is also quite small for an SUV of this size, so you’ll have to pack carefully when taking the whole family away in the caravan.
Full review: Ford Kuga 2.5 FHEV 183PS ST-Line X AWD
Nissan X-Trail e-Power 213 e-4orce Tekna
- Price: £45,855
- Kerbweight: 1935kg
- 85% match figure: 1645kg
- Maximum towing weight: 1800kg*
*Figure applies to five-seat cars. Reduces to 1650kg for seven-seat models.
Reasons to buy:
- Excellent stability and plenty of space for five
Reasons to avoid:
- Towing economy was lower than we’d prefer
The latest X-Trail is one of our favourite tow cars. It’s at its best when hybrid power combines with four-wheel drive.
This combination makes for a very high kerbweight of 1935kg for the five-seat model. The seven-seater weighs a little more. Either way, the X-Trail is more than heavy enough to make a good match for a typical family caravan.
Stability at speed is very good, no doubt helped by the car’s heft. As the most powerful version of the X-Trail, the e-Power 213 is unfazed by hills and headwinds.
Inside, the Nissan is roomy for five. We’d save money by sticking with the five-seat model, as the seven-seat version’s third row is very cramped. If you plan to use all seven seats often, the Kia Sorento will suit you better.
Economy isn’t as strong as you’d hope of a hybrid. We saw 21.4mpg while towing a 1306kg caravan.
If you’re thinking of buying an older X-Trail, check out our review of the 2023 Nissan X-Trail e-4orce Tekna.
Skoda Kodiaq 2.0 TDI 193PS SE L 4×4 DSG
- Price: £46,225
- Kerbweight: 1854kg
- 85% match figure: 1576kg
- Maximum towing weight: 2400kg
Reasons to buy:
- Towing feels stress-free, and stability is impressive
Reasons to avoid:
- Neat handling, but not as engaging as BMW X3’s or VW Tiguan’s
Skoda’s facelifted Kodiaq runs the Kia Sorento very close indeed as our favourite tow car for pulling a 1500kg caravan.
Like the Sorento, you can still buy the Kodiaq with the tried-and-tested combination of a strong diesel engine and four-wheel drive. It makes for stress-free towing. The diesel easily reaches 60mph while towing (which is the speed limit when towing a caravan) with something in reserve, and it will put its power to the road cleanly even if the surface is greasy.
Stability at speed is also very good, with little sign of movement even in the disturbed air around HGVs and coaches.
For daily use, the Kodiaq is comfortable and quiet, unless you rev the engine hard. The Skoda handles neatly, although keen drivers may prefer the BMW X3 or Volkswagen Tiguan.
The third row of seats is quite a squeeze, but much more useful than seats six and seven in the Nissan X-Trail. The cabin of the latest model looks more modern without sacrificing ease of use.
Volkswagen Passat 1.5 TSI eTSI R-Line
- Price: £42,850
- Kerbweight: 1573kg
- 85% match figure: 1337kg
- Maximum towing weight: 1600kg
Reasons to buy:
- Great driving position, economical and spacious
Reasons to avoid:
- Light for towing a 150okg tourer
The new Passat is set to be the last of the line, and this well-known name is going out on a high.
Today’s Passat is huge inside – a passenger over six-feet tall can sit behind an equally tall driver with room to spare. The boot is also enormous, with an echoey 690-litres to fill, so your roof box may gather dust in the back of the garage.
As a tow car, the Passat is on the light side for pulling a 1500kg caravan. We’d only recommend towing a tourer that heavy if you have many years of confident towing behind you. The 85% match figure of 1337kg still allows a healthy choice of tourers, though.
The familiar 1.5-litre petrol engine is economical, especially with the mild-hybrid assistance fitted to the Passat – hence the ‘e’ in eTSI. We saw 28.5mpg while towing a Bailey Discovery D4/4.
Stability at speed is very good indeed. Combine that with a sound driving position and a supportive driver’s seat, and the Passat makes short work of long journeys.
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