Best SUVs for towing from 2,500 lb. to 7,000 lb
June 12 2026,
2,500 lb.: Ideal for a utility trailer, a personal watercraft, a small boat or a light tent-trailer. Target models: Audi Q4 e-tron, Volkswagen ID.4, Ford Escape, Subaru Forester Wilderness and Hyundai Tucson.
3,500 lb.: Suited for an 18‑foot deck boat, a double snowmobile trailer or a hybrid trailer. Target models: Audi Q5 40 TFSI, Volkswagen Atlas, Ford Edge, Kia Sorento and Toyota RAV4 Prime.
Summary
Summary
2,500 lb.: Ideal for a utility trailer, a personal watercraft, a small boat or a light tent-trailer. Target models: Audi Q4 e-tron, Volkswagen ID.4, Ford Escape, Subaru Forester Wilderness and Hyundai Tucson.
3,500 lb.: Suited for an 18‑foot deck boat, a double snowmobile trailer or a hybrid trailer. Target models: Audi Q5 40 TFSI, Volkswagen Atlas, Ford Edge, Kia Sorento and Toyota RAV4 Prime.
4,000 lb.: Good for a 20‑foot boat with trailer or a 14 to 16‑foot travel trailer. Target models: Audi Q5 45 TFSI, Audi SQ5, Volkswagen Atlas, Jeep Cherokee and Toyota RAV4 Trail.
5,000 lb: Enables towing a 20+‑foot travel trailer, a 22‑foot deck boat or an equipment trailer. Target models: Audi Q7 45 TFSI, Volkswagen Atlas, Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade.
6,000 lb.: This bracket targets more robust SUVs, often with a turbo V6 or a V8. Target models: Audi Q7 55 TFSI, Audi SQ7, Audi RS Q8, Nissan Pathfinder and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
7,000 lb.: Capacity suited to large travel trailers, full‑size boats or enclosed trailers. Target models: Audi Q7, Audi SQ7, Audi Q8, Audi RS Q8, Porsche Cayenne, BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS.
Best SUVs for towing 2,500 lb
This bracket covers a loaded utility trailer, a personal watercraft, a small fishing boat or a light tent-trailer. Most compact SUVs qualify here.
- Audi Q4 e-tron: 2,650 lb., 82-kWh battery, available quattro AWD.
- Volkswagen ID.4: 2,700 lb. (Pro AWD trims), family EV with no 7-seat option.
- Ford Escape: 2,000 to 3,500 lb. depending on engine (the 2.0 L EcoBoost reaches 3,500 lb.).
- Subaru Forester Wilderness: 3,000 lb. (Wilderness only, versus 1,500 lb. on other trims).
- Hyundai Tucson: 2,000 to 2,500 lb. depending on the engine.
| Model | Capacity | Powertrain | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audi Q4 e-tron | 2,650 lb. | 82-kWh electric, AWD | Luxury compact SUV |
| VW ID.4 | 2,700 lb. | 82-kWh electric, AWD | Compact SUV |
| Ford Escape | 2,000-3,500 lb. | 1.5 L / 2.0 L EcoBoost | Compact SUV |
| Subaru Forester Wilderness | 3,000 lb. | 2.5 L boxer, AWD | Compact SUV |
| Hyundai Tucson | 2,000-2,500 lb. | 2.5 L / Hybrid | Compact SUV |
Best SUVs for towing 3,500 lb
Here we are talking about an 18‑foot deck boat, a double snowmobile trailer or a hybrid trailer.
- Audi Q5 40 TFSI: 2,750 lb. (lower end of this bracket).
- VW Atlas: 5,000 lb. with the 2.0 L turbo 269 hp engine (downrated here with lighter equipment).
- Ford Edge: 3,500 lb. (Titanium V6 trim).
- Kia Sorento: 3,500 lb. with V6 or plug-in hybrid.
- Toyota RAV4: 1,750 lb. on gas, 3,500 lb. on the RAV4 Prime PHEV.
| Model | Capacity | Powertrain | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audi Q5 40 TFSI | 2,750 lb. | 2.0 L turbo, 201 HP | Luxury compact SUV |
| VW Atlas | 5,000 lb. | 2.0 L turbo, 269 HP | Midsize SUV |
| Ford Edge | 3,500 lb. | 2.7 L V6 | Midsize SUV |
| Kia Sorento | 3,500 lb. | V6 / PHEV | Midsize SUV |
| Toyota RAV4 Prime | 3,500 lb. | PHEV 302 HP | Compact SUV |
Best SUVs for towing 4,000 lb
Ideal bracket for a 20‑foot boat with trailer or a 14- to 16‑foot travel trailer.
- Audi Q5 45 TFSI and SQ5: 4,400 lb. (45 TFSI: 261 HP; SQ5: turbo V6, 349 HP, 0 to 100 km/h in 5.0 s).
- VW Atlas / Atlas Cross Sport: 5,000 lb. with tow package.
- Jeep Cherokee: up to 4,500 lb. with V6.
- Toyota RAV4 Trail: 3,500 lb. (lower end of this bracket for gas trims).
- GMC Terrain: 1,500 to 3,500 lb. depending on engine.
Comparative reference: a 20‑foot boat with trailer weighs about 3,800 to 4,200 lb. The Audi Q5 45 TFSI tows it with margin, while a GMC Terrain is undersized.
| Model | Capacity | Powertrain | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audi Q5 45 TFSI | 4,400 lb. | 2.0 L turbo, 261 HP | Luxury compact SUV |
| Audi SQ5 | 4,400 lb. | 3.0 L turbo V6, 349 HP | Luxury compact SUV |
| VW Atlas | 5,000 lb. | 2.0 L turbo, 269 HP | Midsize SUV |
| Jeep Cherokee | 4,500 lb. | 3.2 L V6 | Midsize SUV |
| Toyota RAV4 Trail | 3,500 lb. | 2.5 L | Compact SUV |
Best SUVs for towing 5,000 lb
At 5,000 lb., a 20+‑foot travel trailer, a 22‑foot deck boat or an equipment trailer becomes realistic.
- Audi Q7 45 TFSI: 4,400 lb. (lower end, accessible pre‑owned from about $43,495).
- Audi Q8 (up to 55 TFSI): 7,700 lb.
- VW Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport: 5,000 lb. (Atlas length 5,097 mm).
- Kia Telluride: 5,000 lb. with 3.8 L V6, 7 or 8 seats.
- Hyundai Palisade: 5,000 lb., finalist for 2026 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year (AJAC).
| Model | Capacity | Power | Seating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audi Q7 45 TFSI | 4,400 lb. | 261 HP | 7 |
| VW Atlas | 5,000 lb. | 269 HP | 7 |
| VW Atlas Cross Sport | 5,000 lb. | 269 HP | 5 |
| Kia Telluride | 5,000 lb. | 291 HP (3.8L V6) | 7-8 |
| Hyundai Palisade | 5,000 lb. | 291 HP (3.8L V6) | 7-8 |
Best SUVs for towing 6,000 lb
This bracket belongs to premium SUVs with turbo V6 or V8 engines.
- Audi Q7 55 TFSI and SQ7: 7,700 lb. (Q7 55 TFSI: turbo V6, 335 HP; SQ7: 4.0 L twin‑turbo V8, 500 HP and 568 lb‑ft).
- Audi Q8 / SQ8 / RS Q8: 7,700 lb. (RS Q8: twin‑turbo V8, 631 HP, 0 to 100 km/h in 3.6 s).
- VW Atlas: 5,000 lb. (limit reached in this bracket).
- Nissan Pathfinder: 6,000 lb. with 3.5 L V6.
- Jeep Grand Cherokee: 6,200 lb. with V6 and 7,200 lb. with 5.7 L HEMI V8.
| Model | Capacity | Powertrain | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audi Q7 55 TFSI | 7,700 lb. | 3.0L turbo V6, 335 HP | 7 seats, quattro AWD |
| Audi SQ7 | 7,700 lb. | 4.0L twin-turbo V8, 500 HP | Sports luxury |
| Audi RS Q8 | 7,700 lb. | 4.0L twin-turbo V8, 631 HP | Pure performance |
| Nissan Pathfinder | 6,000 lb. | 3.5 L V6 | 7-8 seats |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee | 6,200-7,200 lb. | V6 / HEMI V8 | All-terrain |
Best SUVs for towing 7,000 lb
At the top, you can tow a 28+‑foot travel trailer, a full‑size fishing boat or an enclosed trailer.
- Audi Q7: 7,700 lb. (all 55 TFSI and SQ7 trims).
- Audi Q8 / SQ8 / RS Q8: 7,700 lb. The RS Q8 combines 631 HP and maximum towing capacity, a rare combination in the segment.
- Porsche Cayenne: 7,716 lb. according to Porsche Canada, base turbo V6, 348 HP, up to twin‑turbo V8, 729 HP on Cayenne Turbo GT.
- BMW X5 / X7: 7,200 lb. for X5, 7,500 lb. for X7 (with tow package and twin‑turbo inline‑six).
- Mercedes-Benz GLE / GLS: 7,700 lb. GLE accepts 5 or 7 passengers depending on configuration.
| Model | Capacity | Max. Powertrain | Dealership |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audi Q7 / SQ7 | 7,700 lb. | 4.0L twin-turbo V8, 500 HP | Audi Lauzon, Audi Blainville |
| Audi Q8 / RS Q8 | 7,700 lb. | 4.0L twin-turbo V8, 631 HP | Audi Lauzon, Audi Blainville |
| Porsche Cayenne | 7,716 lb. | Twin-turbo V8, 729 HP | Porsche Lauzon, Porsche Rive-Sud |
| BMW X7 | 7,500 lb. | I6 twin-turbo / V8 | Off-catalogue Lauzon |
| Mercedes-Benz GLS | 7,700 lb. | Twin-turbo V8, 603 HP | Off-catalogue Lauzon |
FAQ
Which luxury SUV has the best towing capacity?
At 7,700 lb., the Audi Q7, Q8, SQ7, SQ8 and Mercedes-Benz GLS are at the top. The Porsche Cayenne exceeds competitors with 7,716 lb. according to Porsche Canada.
Can an electric SUV tow?
Yes, but with significant range loss (40 to 50 percent under tow). The Audi Q4 e-tron tows 2,650 lb., the VW ID.4 up to 2,700 lb.
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