If you are looking for a car that can tow large loads such as a caravan, a horse trailer or a boat, then it is not easy to find the right vehicle. In addition, one often wonders: What is called a towing capacity? And how is the towing capacity calculated? We have answers and suitable vehicles!
If you want to drive to Switzerland, pay attention to the weight of the vehicle, the toll in Switzerland will be calculated accordingly.
It doesn't always have to be a new car, you can also pull high loads with a good used car.
Towing capacity table for passenger cars: Powerful SUVs
Depending on your individual requirements, you will need more or less towing capacity. Not every car is capable of towing a weight of up to 3.5 tons – that's how much you can take on the hook with a class BE driver's license. If you often have to pull heavy loads, you need a car that is durable, strong and reliable. That's why the choice will probably often fall on an SUV. Other types of vehicles could also fit, but they should be able to tow at least 2 tons.
We have listed vehicles with towing capacities of 3.5 to 2 tonnes for you below, which are also available at Carwow.
Which car has 3,500 kg towing capacity?
These are primarily large SUVs – the largest and most powerful among them. Examples would be the VW Touareg or the Land Rover Defender, but there are a few more models. These vehicles are particularly suitable for towing horse trailers, boats or caravans, for example. Incidentally, pick-ups are a strong alternative, as they can have a large open loading area in addition to their high towing capacity.
| Model | max. towing capacity | |
| VW Touareg | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| BMW X5 | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| BMW X7 | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| Land Rover Defender | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| Land Rover Discovery | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| Audi SQ7 | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| Land Rover Range Rover Sport |
3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| Land Rover Range Rover | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| Mercedes GLE | 3.5 tons | View Mercedes GLE |
| Mercedes GLE Coupé | 3.5 tons | View Mercedes GLE Coupé |
| Mercedes GLS | 3.5 tons | View Mercedes GLS |
| Mercedes G-Class | 3.5 tons | View Mercedes G-Class |
| Ford Ranger | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| Toyota Hilux | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| Toyota Land Cruiser | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| Porsche Cayenne | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| Porsche Cayenne Coupé | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| BMW X6 | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| Ineos Grenadier | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
| VW Amarok | 3.5 tons | Compare offers |
SUVs and other vehicles with a towing capacity of 2,500 – 3,000 kg
If you want to tow 2.5 to 3 tons with your vehicle, then usually only an SUV remains. Here, for example, it is the VW Tiguan, the Hyundai Santa Fe or the KIA Sorento that have the necessary towing capacity. A rare specimen outside the SUV fraction is the Audi A6 allroad quattro, which can also tow 2,500 kilograms as a station wagon. A few vans or vans are also able to pull this load.
| Model | max. towing capacity | |
| Audi Q8 | 2.8 tons | Compare offers |
| Audi Q7 | 2.7 tons | Compare offers |
| Volvo XC90 | 2.7 tons | Compare offers |
| Jeep Gladiator | 2,7 Tonnen | Angebote vergleichen |
| VW Tiguan | 2,5 Tonnen | Angebote vergleichen |
| Mazda CX-60 | 2,5 Tonnen | Angebote vergleichen |
| Mercedes GLC | 2,5 Tonnen | Mercedes GLC ansehen |
| Mercedes GLC Coupé | 2,5 Tonnen | Mercedes GLC Coupé ansehen |
| Land Rover Range Rover Velar |
2,5 Tonnen | Angebote vergleichen |
| KIA Sorento | 2,5 Tonnen | Angebote vergleichen |
| Jeep Wrangler | 2,5 Tonnen | Angebote vergleichen |
| Ford Explorer | 2,5 Tonnen | Angebote vergleichen |
| Hyundai Santa Fe | 2.5 tons | Compare offers |
| Nissan Primastar Estate | 2.5 tons | Compare offers |
| Mercedes V-Class | 2.5 tons | Compare offers |
Cars with a towing capacity of 2,000 – 2,500 kg?
If you want your vehicle to have a maximum towing capacity of 2.5 tonnes, then you have much more choice. They are still mainly SUVs, but you can get good trucks relatively cheaply and a few station wagons and limousines are also included.
| Model | max. towing capacity | |
| Audi SQ5 | 2.4 tons | Compare offers |
| BMW X3 | 2.4 tons | Compare offers |
| BMW X4 | 2.4 tons | Compare offers |
| Audi Q5 | 2.4 tons | Compare offers |
| Porsche Macan | 2.4 tons | Compare offers |
| Jeep Cherokee | 2.4 tons | Compare offers |
| Skoda Kodiaq | 2.3 tons | Compare offers |
| VW Tiguan Allspace | 2.3 tons | Compare offers |
| SEAT Tarraco | 2.3 tons | Compare offers |
| Audi Q3 | 2.2 tons | Compare offers |
| VW Passat | 2.2 tons | Compare offers |
| Hyundai Tucson | 2.2 tons | Compare offers |
| KIA Sportage | 2.2 tons | Compare offers |
| Skoda Kodiaq | 2.2 tons | Compare offers |
| Skoda Karoq | 2.1 tons | Compare offers |
| BMW 7 Series | 2.1 tons | Compare offers |
| Mercedes E-Class | 2.1 tons | |
| Volvo XC40 | 2.1 tons | Compare offers |
| Ford Kuga | 2.1 tons | Compare offers |
| Mazda CX-5 | 2.1 tons | Compare offers |
| SEAT Ateca | 2.0 tons | Compare offers |
| BMW X1 | 2.0 tons | Compare offers |
| Honda CR-V | 2.0 tons | Compare offers |
Cheap cars with a high towing capacity: the top 10
If you want a high towing capacity, then you don't necessarily have to spend a lot of money on the right car. There are also cheap cars with a high towing capacity. We can recommend the following models:
| Model | max. towing capacity | |
| Seat Ateca | 2.1 tons | Compare offers |
| Dacia Duster | 1.5 tons | Compare offers |
| VW T-Roc | 1.5 tons | Compare offers |
| Nissan Qashqai | 1.4 tons | Compare offers |
| VW Caddy | 1.4 tons | Compare offers |
| Skoda Kamiq | 1.2 tons | Compare offers |
| Opel Mokka | 1.2 tons | Compare offers |
| Hyundai Kona | 1.2 tons | Compare offers |
| Peugeot 2008 | 1.2 tons | Compare offers |
| Seat Arona | 1.2 tons | Compare offers |
What is called a towing capacity?
The towing capacity is only the load actually towed, i.e. the weight of the towed trailer.
Read the permissible total weight and towing capacity in the vehicle registration document
If you want to know how high the permissible total weight of your vehicle and how high the towing capacity is, you can read this in the registration certificate Part I. Number O.1 lists the technically permissible towing capacity braked in kg. Under number O.2, the technically permissible towing capacity without braking is noted in kg. If you still have an old vehicle registration document, you can find the information under numbers 28 and 29.
The information on the permissible total weight can be found in box F.2 (under number 15 of the old vehicle registration document). In the case of vehicle combinations, the values of the tractor and trailer are added together.
Anhängelast: Gebremst oder ungebremst – Bedeutung und Unterschiede
Sieht man sich die technischen Daten der Fahrzeuge an, wird man beim Punkt Anhängelast immer zwei Angaben finden: Gebremst und ungebremst. Ein ungebremster Anhänger hat keine eigene Bremse und darf in Deutschland höchstens 750 Kilogramm Gesamtgewicht haben. Deshalb werden ungebremste Anhänger auch als “Leichtanhänger” bezeichnet – das sind oft Anhänger, die man im Baumarkt ausleihen kann oder mit welchen man das Laub aus dem Garten wegfährt.
Do you want to carry a braked trailer? Such a trailer has an overrun brake and may therefore be heavier. The total weight can be up to 3.5 tons - so you can still get it with a class BE driver's license. If you don't think a trailer is the best of the best, a roof box may be an option.
How to calculate towing capacity
You only have to calculate the towing capacity if you have retrofitted a towbar. To know what you are allowed to tow with your car, you should knowthe following terms:
D-value: The D-value is relevant if you retrofit a trailer hitch. This specifies how strong the forces may be that act on the trailer hitch by the car and trailer. D stands for fatigue strength – this value is usually found on the nameplate of the trailer hitch.
Towing capacity: This value indicates the weight a car is allowed to pull in a combination.
Weight: The permissible total weight (GVW) is the maximum weight that a vehicle, including trailer and payload, may have.
Formula for calculating towing capacity:
(D-value x total weight) / (total weight x 9.81 – D-value)
For a better illustration, here is a concrete example for you: If the D-value is 7.36 kN and the total weight of the vehicle is 3,000 kilograms, then the towing capacity is calculated as follows:
(7.36 x 3000) / (3000 x 9.81 – 7.36) = 1,000 kg towing capacity
How can the towing capacity be increased?
Increasing the towing capacity is called an increase in load and is only possible under certain circumstances. To do this, the vehicle must be converted accordingly and approved by an approved expert from the TÜV. However, the increase in load usually only slightly increases the towing capacity and costs between 400 and 5,000 euros, depending on the vehicle.
The following requirements are necessary to increase the towing capacity:
- Maximum drivable gradient is set at 8 percent
- Frequent continuous brake system necessary
- Total train weight must not be exceeded under any circumstances
- Fatigue strength of a trailer coupling must be high enough – usually conversion necessary
Which SUV has the highest towing capacity?
The SUVs with the highest towing capacity include the BMW X5, the Mercedes GLE and most Land Rover models. Overall, it is luxury SUVs that are able to pull such high weights.
What is the heaviest SUV?
The heaviest SUVs include the following models:
- Range Rover P510e – 2,810 kilograms
- Mercedes Maybach GLS 600 4Matic – 2,785 kilograms
- BMW XM – 2,785 kilograms
- Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge – 2,753 kilograms
- Audi e-tron S – 2,730 kilograms
If the vehicle itself is already very heavy, there may be problems with trailer operation. This is because the permissible total weight may quickly be exceeded. The towing capacity of a passenger car must not be higher than the permissible total mass of the vehicle. Just because the total mass is 3.5 tons, for example, does not mean that your car can pull 3.5 tons behind it. That depends entirely on the model and the engine.
Außerdem gilt: Das zulässige Gesamtgewicht des Pkw muss immer höher sein als die gezogene Anhängelast.
Which trailer can I drive with which driver's license?
If you want to tow a trailer, you need a driving licence with class B, (key number 96) or BE.
If you have a class B driver's license, you are allowed to tow trailers up to a maximum permissible total mass of 750 kg. A total mass of more than 750 kg is only permitted if the total mass of the towing vehicle and trailer is not higher than 3.5 tonnes.
If you have a class BE driver's license or the key number 96 in your driver's license, then you are allowed to drive trailers with a maximum permissible mass of 3.5 tons. The train combinations must not weigh more than 4.25 tonnes.