Will my car tow a caravan?

Here we will take a look at some frequently asked towing questions, and popular car and truck models to determine if they are physically able to tow a caravan. This article should give you a good guideline for the capabilities of your own car to help you decide if you can tow a caravan safely—whether you're considering buying a touring caravan or just renting one.

If you're curious about license requirements, read our article "Can I tow a caravan on my license?"—and for information on where to leave your caravan when you're not towing it, see our page "Where can I park my caravan?"

What car can pull my caravan?

Any caravan can be towed by a car providing it does not exceed 85% of the cars curb weight. The maximum allowable towing weight is determined by the curb weight of the car. The 85% limit is imposed to maintain driver safety so depending on the weight of your caravan a smaller car may exceed these limits making it physically impossible to tow a load behind it.

So before you attach a hitch to your car make sure you verify your cars curb weight by checking your vehicles user manual.

What caravan can my car tow?

Your car can technically tow any caravan, as long as the curb weight and MAM (maximum allowable mass) is within legal limits. The caravan that a driver can tow is not restricted by make or model but rather by weight. The MAM varies depending on if you passed your driving test before or after January 1997 and some additional endorsements may be required.

Can I tow a caravan with a leased car?

Yes, you may use a leased car for caravan towing. If you are leasing a car or truck and want to use it to tow your caravan you will usually be permitted to do this. It is wise to obtain written approval from your car leasing or finance company to avoid any legal issues in the future.

Once you receive approval you may fit a tow bar to your leased vehicle and tow your caravan as you would normally. When you return your lease car it is expected that you remove the tow bar before you drop the car off at the dealership.

Can I tow a static caravan?

No. Static caravans are not road legal. If you need to move a static caravan you will need to engage the services of a removal company with an appropriate truck and trailer. Static caravans are not road legal and therefore cannot be towed behind a vehicle in the way a typical caravan would be. By nature, they are designed to stay in one place and will need to be lifted onto a trailer or flatbed setup to be transported correctly.

Can I tow a caravan with an electric car?

There is one electric vehicle that is approved to tow a caravan. Electric cars are not designed to travel extensive distances or haul heavy loads, however, there is one electric vehicle that has enough power to haul a caravan. The Tesla Model X SUV is powerful enough to tow a caravan up to a maximum weight of 2270kg. Plenty enough to manage many caravan models.

How much torque is needed to tow a caravan?

A car with 80lb ft of torque for every tonne of combined car and caravan weight should be able to tow well. Most vehicles will tow loads well at this level of torque, but if your car has a lesser torque power and drops to around 60lb ft per tonne, your performance will be affected. It can become harder to accelerate and handling can become more difficult.

What engine size do I need to tow a caravan?

An engine size of 1.8L petrol or diesel will manage towing functions competently.

Smaller engines can be used but towing with a 1.6L engine will restrict your towing weight to a maximum of 1500kg. As always check the curb weight and your vehicle's towing limits to ensure you are remaining within the safety guidelines.

Can a Hybrid car tow a caravan?

There are actually several hybrid vehicles that have been approved for towing purposes. The Volvo XC60 Twin Hybrid, Mitsubishi Outlander, Volvo XC90 T8, and Audi Q7 e-tron are all perfectly capable of hauling a load. The Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid can handle a caravan up to the MAM of 3500kg.

Can a Ford Kuga tow a caravan?

Yes, but some engine sizes are better suited to the task. Ford’s midsize SUV, the Kuga, has proven to be a popular model with drivers but when it comes to hauling a heavy load it would be wise to consider the size of caravan and the engine size of the car. The Kuga comes with several different engines ranging from 1.5L to 2.0L in petrol and diesel models. There are also gearbox options of manual and automatic.

Any car in the Ford Kuga range is capable of towing a caravan, but for the smaller 1.5L engines anything above a lightweight caravan model may cause the car to struggle. If you have a heavier model caravan then consider opting for a larger 2.0L model.

Can a Nissan Qashqai 1.5L tow a caravan?

It can tow a caravan but with certain weight limitations. The Nissan Qashqai has been one of the most popular vehicles in recent years and there are literally thousands on the road. If you have a Qashqai and are thinking of using it to pull a caravan then it should do the job quite well.

Depending on the year of the car and the model that you have the towing capacity will be anywhere between 1200 - 1250kg. This is enough to pull smaller and lighter weight caravans. Larger models may be a challenge so always check the limits in your user manual.

Can a Ford Fiesta pull a caravan?

The Fiesta can manage to haul some loads but not a modern caravan. Since Ford released the Fiesta some years ago it has proved to be a reliable and heavily purchased vehicle. Great on fuel consumption and perfect for zipping around town the Fiesta has been often used as a second car or for students needing a runabout. But when it comes to hauling loads the Fiesta may not be the best equipped.

Due to its small size, the Ford Fiesta has a maximum weight limit for towing of 900kg. Most modern caravans exceed this limit by quite a bit with the typical caravan weight being in the region of 1450kg at the low end and much more for larger models. So the Fiesta is not an appropriate vehicle for caravan towing.