10 Best Large Crossovers for Towing

If you’re looking for a larger vehicle, here’s something to remember: You don’t necessarily need a truck-like SUV to enjoy three rows of seating and a multi-ton trailer rating. As an alternative, you can get that — plus a smoother, more comfortable ride — from the best large crossovers for towing.

Crossovers are more fuel-efficient as well, and for the same reason. They rely on car-style unibody construction instead of being weighed down by heavy frames, like traditional SUVs. Another benefit is that crossovers can provide more cabin space than SUVs with the same footprint — especially in the third row. So unless you’re towing maximum loads on a regular basis, you might find one of these crossovers to be easier to live with.

The Bowtie brand is a great place to see the differences between SUVs and the best large crossovers for towing. First off, the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse checks in with a top trailer rating of 5,000 pounds. It’s enough for Chevy’s three-row crossover to handle everything from a small boat to a popup camper. The total also compares to a towing maximum of 8,600 pounds for the 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe, a three-row body-on-frame SUV.

The thing is, the Traverse delivers an extra 6.1 inches of third-row legroom, 36.5 more cubic feet of passenger space, and roughly 20% higher EPA fuel economy ratings. There’s also the matter of pricing. The MSRP of the Traverse is close to $20,000 lower than that for the Tahoe.

Automakers are in a constant battle for towing supremacy in the pickup segments. However, most have come to a consensus in the mainstream crossover categories. That’s why nearly all of this year’s three-row crossovers can deliver the same 5,000 pounds of pulling power. So it’s other features that distinguish the very best large crossovers for towing.

Consider the 2020 Subaru Ascent. To be clear, it does have a 5,000-pound tow rating with its standard turbocharged four-cylinder engine. But the Ascent also elevates its game with standard equipment like all-wheel drive and Subaru’s EyeSight safety bundle. The former is a long-time hallmark of the brand. As for the latter, it includes newer technology such as automatic pre-collision braking, adaptive cruise control, and a lane-departure warning.

The folks at Kia clearly had U.S. drivers in mind when developing their new large crossover. You can tell because the 2020 Kia Telluride combines two characteristics that buyers in this country love: a wide range of standard safety technologies and a big bold design.

In fact, the Telluride is the most massive vehicle ever sold at Kia dealerships — complete with more second- and third-row legroom than a comparable 2020 Toyota Highlander. The Telluride also matches the competition with a 5,000-pound trailering maximum. It’s also worth noting that the Telluride is available with a self-leveling rear suspension that adjusts itself based on the vehicle’s load. That’s why we can recommend Kia’s capable new SUV is one of the best large crossovers for towing.

OK, we just mentioned that the 2020 Toyota Highlander is a tad smaller than a rival like the Kia Telluride. Yet the Highlander isn’t exactly small. It’s almost a foot longer than the Toyota RAV4 and squeezes in more third-row legroom than some full-size body-on-frame SUVs. You can also tow up to 5,000 pounds with the Highlander V6 trims.

None of the above explains Toyota’s position among the best large crossovers for towing. For that, we turn to the Highlander Hybrid. This model has a trailer rating of 3,500 pounds — matching the limit on the 2020 Honda Pilot — and adds EPA fuel economy ratings of 35 mpg city/33 mpg highway/34 mpg combined. The Pilot trails those numbers by 15 mpg city/6 mpg highway/13 mpg combined.

Of course, one of the best large crossovers for towing gets the job done without burning any gasoline at all. That’s the 2020 Tesla Model X, which you can count on for an all-electric trailer rating of 5,000 pounds. Tesla further supports the vehicle’s capability with a dedicated tow mode. Using that technology, the Model X can automatically adjust the speed of its wheels to help stop your trailer from swaying.

You also benefit from true three-row dimensions with the Model X, since it’s larger than models like the Subaru Ascent. Not that the Tesla has any direct competition. Thanks to a trailer-less driving range of 325 miles on a single charge, the Model X is all alone on top of the EV SUV leaderboard for 2020.

The 2020 Ford Explorer may be brand new, but it brings an old-school approach to our list of the best large crossovers for towing. Like traditional SUVs, the Explorer has standard rear-wheel drive. This configuration helps boost the max towing capacity of the 2020 model by 600 pounds — more than 10 percent — over the 2019 Explorer. The new version can manage 5,600 pounds of trailer with its 3.0-liter EcoBoost engine.

Ford also engineered an even bigger increase with the entry-level 2.3-liter EcoBoost powerplant. When equipped with that engine, the 2020 Explorer’s tow rating jumps from the comparable 2019 edition’s 3,000 pounds to a healthy 5,300 pounds. All that said, there is one mainstream three-row crossover with front-wheel drive that can pull even more weight.

Until you get to pricey luxury models, the 2020 Nissan Pathfinder is No. 1 among the best large crossovers for towing, with the ability to pull up to 6,000 pounds with its standard V6 engine. Not only is that a full three tons, it also represents a 700-pound advantage over the entry-model Ford Explorer.

Nor does the Nissan give up much to the Ford when we look at fuel efficiency. To be exact, the Pathfinder is but a single mpg behind that four-cylinder Explorer in EPA testing. Here’s a tip for customers, though: Despite its ability to pull a heavy trailer, the Pathfinder is a little light on connectivity technology. Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and mobile Wi-Fi are unavailable.

Audi actually offers two of the best large crossovers for towing. The 2020 Audi Q7 and Q8 both share the same platform, the same powerful turbocharged V6 engine, and the same tow rating of 7,700 pounds. In either case, you benefit from 28 percent more pulling power than in the strongest mainstream entry, the Nissan Pathfinder.

Audi also leads the way for luxury, with the Q8 setting a new benchmark for the brand. Taking over as Audi’s SUV flagship, the Q8 showcases a spacious two-row cabin that’s available with many high-end amenities. Some of our favorites are the soft leather upholstery, climate-controlled massage-function front seats, real wood inlays, cutting-edge technology, and 23-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system with an earth-shaking 1,920 watts of power.

As is the case in many segments, the three most popular German luxury brands are well-matched when it comes to the best large crossovers for towing. The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS, for example, ties the Audi Q8 with the ability to tow up to 7,700 pounds.

The all-new Mercedes model then stands out with a three-row cabin and a mild-hybrid powertrain. True, that setup may not seem very efficient at first glance. The GLS 450 4Matic puts up EPA ratings of just 19 mpg in the city, 23 mpg on the highway, and 21 mpg combined. But those results translate into Mercedes advantages of more than 10% in city and combined driving. (If you’re curious about the third German brand, a comparable 2020 BMW X7 can haul 7,500 pounds worth of trailer.)

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover tops our list of the best large crossovers for towing — but not by much. With a towing limit of 7,716 pounds, the Range Rover has a lead of barely 0.2% over the Mercedes-Benz GLS and Audi Q8. It seems like a rounding error, and it probably is. All three of these vehicles are from European brands that are more at home using the metric system — where a round number like 3,500 kilograms converts to an awkward 7,716.179 pounds. Our guess is that Land Rover went a few decimal places farther in its math conversion than its competitors.

Regardless, there’s nothing awkward about the Range Rover itself. No other vehicle blends the same combination of agile off-road reflexes and incredible in-cabin luxuries.