How to choose the right car to tow a caravan
18 May 2026
You have found the perfect caravan, or you are already dreaming of the next road trip. One question changes everything: can your car actually tow it, safely and legally? Here is the method, jargon free, to pick the right vehicle and avoid a nasty surprise on the day you hitch up.
Towing capacity, the one figure that decides
When you are looking for a car to tow, one figure beats all the others: the towing capacity. It is the lower of the manufacturer maximum braked towing weight and the gross train weight minus the gross vehicle weight. No need to learn the formula by heart: every page on the site shows it already, engine by engine, from sourced data. Look at the Citroën C5 Aircross page for example, or browse every model from the home page.
Start from your caravan's real weight, not the brochure
The classic mistake is to compare an empty caravan with the top trim maximum towing capacity. What really counts is your caravan's real loaded weight, kitted out and packed, against the towing capacity of the exact engine you are considering. The same car can show a very different towing capacity from one engine to the next. To put two models side by side, use the comparison tool.
The 85% rule for stable towing
Beyond the legal limit there is a widely accepted stability guideline: for a less experienced driver, the caravan loaded weight should stay at no more than about 85% of the car kerbweight. The closer you get to the maximum, the more the outfit reacts to crosswinds and hard braking. Keeping a margin means a relaxed drive.
What you are allowed to tow
In the UK, if you passed your car driving test on or after 1 January 1997 you can tow a trailer or caravan up to 3,500 kg MAM with a standard category B licence: the rules changed in December 2021 and the separate car and trailer test was scrapped. Drivers who passed before that date usually keep larger entitlements. Always check the V5C logbook and the manufacturer plate for the exact limits.
The checklist before you sign
- Your caravan's real loaded weight is measured and compared, never guessed.
- You look at the towing capacity of the exact engine, not the model in general.
- You keep a safety margin, aiming for the 85% rule.
- Your licence covers the full car plus caravan combination.
- The car gets a type approved towbar and the right wiring.
To narrow things down fast, start from your caravan weight and open the matching ranking: cars that can tow at least 1,500 kg or at least 2,000 kg.
Every figure on the site is sourced (ADEME, European Environment Agency, manufacturer spec sheets) and never invented: a missing value stays blank rather than guessed. That is the guarantee of choosing on reliable grounds.