Best Large SUVs 2025: Towing

Contenders

• Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series
• Ford Everest
• Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series
• GMC Yukon Denali
• Isuzu MU-X
• Nissan Patrol
• Land Rover Discovery
• Lexus GX

Winner – Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series

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Price: From $98,076 plus on-road costs
Drivetrains/fuel economy/CO2 emissions: 3.3-litre twin-turbo diesel V6, 10-speed auto, 227kW/700Nm / 8.9L/100km, 235g/km
Dimensions (length/width/height/wheelbase): 4995/1990/1950/2850mm
Bootspace: 1131 (second row up) / 2052L (second row folded)
Warranty/roadside assistance/service intervals: Five-year, unlimited km / one year / annual/every 15,000km
Five-year service cost: $3750

A reassuring excess of capability. That’s what you’re buying when you hand over your hard-earned for a Toyota LandCruiser 300. A top performing tow vehicle needs that element of over-engineering baked into it, because towing up to 3500kg puts additional strain on components, so you want to know your vehicle is good for it.

The 300’s fresh underpinnings are a full 20 per cent stiffer than the old 200, yet despite this, on some grades it’s up to 160kg lighter. The chassis gets chunkier cross-members and a diet of super-high-tensile steel to keep it rigid, while a beefed-up rear cross-member integrates a proper tow hitch rated for the full-fat 3500kg braked haul.

Hooking up is made easier with a suite of tow-friendly toys: trailer wiring as standard, both ends bristling with parking sensors, a back-guide monitor, and trailer sway control to keep things on the straight and narrow. Every 300 Series now also packs Toyota’s Connected Services system — meaning if things go pear-shaped, you’ve got auto crash alerts, an SOS button, and even stolen vehicle tracking to help recover your investment.

Some may want to fit an aftermarket trailer brake controller to help out the LandCruiser’s standard four-wheel disc braking system, but the standard suite of software in the 300 does a great job of keeping heavy loads in check. The 6750kg GCM means you can hitch up a serious van and still throw some gear inside, and that’ll leave you with a 350kg payload. The GVM of the 300 is 3280kg, but there’s plenty of easy aftermarket solutions to lift that to around 3900kg which will help if you’re planning on adding a bull bar, winch, lighting or roof mount system.

The 3.3-litre twin-turbo diesel V6 feels far livelier than the old bent-eight. It’s smooth, responsive, and happy to rev, and it’s a good deal more refined than the old V8 when you get into the throttle to attack a hill. The 10-speed auto keeps the V6 planted in its fat torque band, swapping cogs with barely a ripple. Unladen, it can be a bit eager to downshift when you’re braking, which makes for the occasional lurch if you’re not delicate with the middle pedal.

With a load hitched, stability is solid, helped by the widened tracks front and rear, but it pays to keep an eye on the fuel gauge. Toyota quotes a wholly virtuous 8.9L/100km combined fuel economy figure for the LandCruiser 300, but hitch a decent sized caravan to the back and you’ll be lucky if you see much less than 22L/100km. Not that the engine or transmission ever feels in any way strained, it’s just simple physics.

As a hauler, there’s not a lot that comes close to the 300’s combination of low effort, huge torque and ease of use. Indeed, there’s a lot to be said for a reassuring excess of capability.

Ford Everest

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Price: from $59,240 (4WD variants)
Drivetrains/fuel economy/CO2 emissions: 2.0-litre 4cyl twin-turbo diesel, 10-speed auto, 154kW/500Nm, 7.2L/100km, 187g/km; 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel, 10-speed auto, 184kW/600Nm, 8.5L/100km, 224g/km
Dimensions (length/width/height/wheelbase): 4914/1923/1837/2900mm
Bootspace: 259L (third row up)/ 898L (third row folded)/ 1818L (third + second row folded)
Warranty/roadside assistance/service intervals: Five-year, unlimited km/ 12 months / 12 months or 15,000km
Five-year service cost: $1895 ($1516 pre-paid)

If you’re not particularly experienced at towing, the Ford Everest is the vehicle we’d be pointing you towards, and the 3.0-litre V6 models in particular. The reason? Firstly, all other things being equal, there’s no replacement for displacement. Also they make towing as easy as possible, with a series of idiot-proof checklists, a neat way to check the trailer’s lighting without having to rely on a friend to prod the brakes and such like, plus the torque of the V6 means that towing feels far from a chore.

The Everest is equipped with a special Tow/Haul drive mode which optimises gear shifts to get the most out of the power delivery and engine braking in hilly terrain, and increasing the weighting of the steering to dampen the reaction forces experienced by your trailer.

An integrated trailer brake controller is available as part of the $1950 Towing Pack, which also includes fitment of the tow bar itself. Alternatively, you can opt for the $2950 Touring Pack (on Trend Sport and Tremor models) which adds Pro Trailer Backup Assist and a 360-degree camera. You can pay exactly the same $2900 for the Premium Towing Pack on the Platinum model which is exactly the same gear minus the 360-degree camera, which that model already has.

The GCM for all Everest models is rated at 6250kg and, as you ascend the range, the vehicles tend to get heavier and therefore the payload decreases. So while you’d have 733kg on a 2.0-litre Ambiente, move to the other extreme of the range and you’d get 658kg on a 3.0 V6 Platinum. If you’re looking to fit items such as a bull bar, roof towing etc, a GVM upgrade is recommended.

All will tow 3500kg (braked), and the greater torque of the 3.0-litre engine means that you’ll typically return better fuel economy than the 2.0-litre Biturbo if you’re lugging a heavy trailer. The poor batch of camshaft pulleys that afflicted the V6 has now been fixed via recall.

The Everest would be our pick if you’re just getting into towing and want to learn with an unintimidating vehicle. If it’s for you, there are then other options that you might prefer to graduate to.

Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series

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Price: From $77,800 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain/fuel economy/CO2 emissions: 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, 5-speed manual or 6-speed auto, 150kW/500Nm, 9.6L/100km (auto), 253g/km (auto)
Dimensions (length/width/height/wheelbase): 4910/1870/1940/2730mm
Bootspace: Over 1000L (seats folded)
Warranty/roadside assistance/service intervals: Five years, unlimited km / $99 per year / 10,000km or every 6 months
Five-year service cost: $5450

We talk about a vehicle’s payload quite a bit when we get into these towing discussions, and it’s a number that often surprises people. Take the Toyota LandCruiser 70 GXL wagon as an example. Crunch the numbers here and you get a huge 1115kg payload after you’ve subtracted the vehicle’s 2395kg kerb weight from its 3510kg Gross Vehicle Mass.

That allows you plenty of leeway for people, luggage and accessories, but what then if you want to tow a 3500kg trailer? Easy. With a 7010kg Gross Combination Mass, you can run nearly 800kg of payload while towing the maximum 3500kg. That’s impressive.

Hitching a trailer to the back of the 70 Series isn’t as easy as with some other SUVs in this list, as the tow ball is tucked under the rear a bit, so you might require a little bit of manoeuvring before you become accustomed to it. With a heavy caravan on the back, you do need to work the 150kW/500Nm four-cylinder engine a bit, but it feels adequate. Toyota has fiddled with the gearing of this 2.8-litre version compared to the old 4.5 V8, but the net result is still a relatively relaxed 2100rpm at a steady 100km/h.

There’s a Power/Haul mode available if required and this should probably be engaged if you’re looking at serious inclines. On flat and level roads it’s not really necessary. The steering of the 70 Series has always been a little vague about the straight ahead and you’ll feel it when a big B-double blows by if you’re towing something high-sided. Proper load distribution is your friend here.

One thing worth bearing in mind is that the ANCAP rating for the LandCruiser 70 is opaque. Officially, the single-cab version scored a five-star rating back in 2016, but that rating has expired. So, in effect, it’s unrated, and knowing how much stricter testing has become over the past decade, it perhaps speaks volumes that Toyota has never submitted another vehicle for testing. On the GXL Wagon, you get driver and passenger airbags, a reversing camera, brake assist, AEB, lane departure warning, and pre-collision safety with pedestrian and (daytime) cyclist detection, so there are some meaningful nods to modern safety.

The great thing about the LandCruiser 70 is that it feels so indestructible. If you’re looking at towing an off-road caravan to one of the more remote parts of the Aussie map, you can’t buy a lot better.

GMC Yukon Denali

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Price: From $174,990 plus on-road costs
Drivetrains/fuel economy/CO2 emissions: 6.2-litre V8 petrol, 10-speed auto, 313kW/624Nm, 14.7L/100km, 350g/km
Dimensions (length/width/height/wheelbase): 5338/2058/1941/3071mm
Bootspace: 722L (third row up), 2035L (third row folded), 3480L (third + second rows folded)
Warranty/roadside assistance/service intervals: Three years, unlimited km / – / 12 months or 12,000km
Five-year service cost: No quoted rates, no capped scheme

Size matters, especially if you’re looking at heavy-duty towing. If you need an SUV that makes all the right numbers, and you’re not on a particularly tight budget, then you may well find the GMC Yukon Denali‘s blend of attributes intriguing.

There’s no getting around the fact that it’s huge, and just looking at its 24-inch alloy wheels will let you know that despite its outdoorsman badging, it’s certainly not going to be venturing very far off the blacktop.

What the Yukon is best suited for is hitching a big trailer, a boat, a horse float or a caravan to the back of and setting off at a gentle cruise, burbling along and relying on the torque of the 6.2-litre V8 engine. The ride can feel a little firmish, but body control is excellent. It’s all very reassuring. With 624Nm of torque to call upon, the Yukon can tow a braked trailer of up to 3628kg, the highest of any SUV sold in Australia.

If you’re going all-out for that figure, you’ll need to use a weight distribution hitch and a heavy duty 70mm diameter towball, but you will enjoy the benefits of adaptive air suspension with a self-levelling function to keep rear squat in check. There’s also a standard integrated trailer brake controller.

This standard length Yukon shares its bones with its sister vehicle, the US-market Chevy Tahoe. GMSV were confident that the GMC brand would resonate with Aussie customers looking for a huge SUV. There’s also a Yukon XL sold in the US that’s twinned with the Chevy Escalade, but the eight-seater vehicle that we get is, at more than 5.3m long, big enough for most purposes. That size also brings benefits in the amount of gear you can fit into the vehicle, with a decent amount of space even when all three rows are occupied. That’s rare.

Fuel economy is, for the most part, surprisingly good if you don’t get too enthusiastic with the loud pedal. There’s a cylinder deactivation function that can see the big Yukon noodle along the freeway at 100km/h registering just 1500rpm and recording around 10L/100km. On flat roads and with a large caravan on the back, you’re more likely to be looking at high 20s. The fuel tank is a 91L item, so you’ll still have some range.

For the time being, the GMC Yukon Denali occupies its own niche in Australia and, as such, might be the only show in town for a certain constituency of customers. It’s a mighty thing, and specialism sometimes pays.

Isuzu MU-X

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Price: from $54,400 (4×4 models)
Drivetrains/fuel economy/CO2 emissions: 1.9-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, 6-speed auto, 110kW/350Nm, 7.4L/100km, 196g/km; 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, 6-speed auto, 140kW/450Nm, 8.3L/100km, 220g/km
Dimensions (length/width/height/wheelbase): 1870/1815/2855mm
Bootspace: 311L (third row up) / 1119L (third row folded) / 2138L (third + second row folded)
Warranty/roadside assistance/service intervals: Six-year/150,000km, seven years, annual/every 15,000km
Five-year service cost: $2245

One of the most popular SUVs for towing in all of the country, the Isuzu MU-X appeals on the basis of no-nonsense ruggedness. Isuzu knows that MU-X buyers are a singular lot: eminently practical, with a keen eye for value and who want something that will last without much in the way of fuss.

If you’re set on towing, the torque benefits of the 3.0-litre will pay dividends over the weaker 1.9-litre turbodiesel powerplant, and given that the cost to upgrade to the beefier engine is a mere $2k, the decision almost makes itself. That investment nets you another 30kW and an extra 100Nm, lifting the totals to 140kW and 450Nm. It also lifts the braked towing capacity from 3000kg to the full-fat 3500kg figure.

The 3.0-litre 4JJ3 four-cylinder turbodiesel is one of the toughest engines built at any price, with peak power arriving at 3600rpm and peak torque available between 1600 and 2600rpm. It’s not the most melodic engine you’ll have ever heard, especially when extended, but then you can’t have everything.

If you’re set on towing, you’ll need to spend around $2500 on the optional tow bar kit, 12-pin plug and the electronic brake controller. It appears that the clever Clearview extendable door mirrors that were a must on the old car have been deleted after the latest facelift. That’s a bit of a shame.

The gearbox can be a bit slow to kick down when towing uphill and when it does, will often jump a couple of gears and get into a zone of sub-optimal torque delivery in the process. You’ll soon learn to take control of the gear lever yourself as it’s fairly predictable when the transmission logic will perform this block shift.

With a GVM of 2800kg, a GCM of 5900kg and payload of 665kg for the 3.0 4×4 LS-M model, the MU-X acquits itself reasonably well for touring. There’s an 80-litre fuel tank fitted, which is about par for this size of vehicle. You also get a reversing camera with tow hitch guide, which makes hitching up your trailer that little bit easier. Trailer sway control is also part of the big Isuzu’s safety suite.

The six-year warranty looks attractive, but it caps at 150,000km, which is 25,000km per year. If you think you’ll exceed that in six years, then perhaps it’s not the attraction it at first appears. Otherwise, it’s a good deal.

Nissan Patrol

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Price: from $90,600 plus on-road costs
Drivetrains/fuel economy/CO2 emissions: 5.6-litre V8 petrol, 7-speed auto, 298kW/560Nm, 7.3L/100km, 334g/km
Dimensions (length/width/height/wheelbase): 5269/2079/1990/3075mm
Bootspace: 467L (third row up) / 1413L (third row folded) / 2623L (third + second row folded)
Warranty/roadside assistance/service intervals: Five-year, unlimited km / – / annual or every 10,000km
Five-year service cost: $2495

The appeal of the Y62 Nissan Patrol? Easy. There’s no SUV available at this price that still sports a bent-eight up front. It’s gone in the Jeep Grand Cherokee and has been erased from existence in any LandCruiser, but even if you look beyond the charms of the VK56VD powerplant, the Patrol still has a few aces up its sleeve.

Yes, it’s an old platform. The Y62 first appeared in 2010, and was then facelifted first in 2014 and then in 2019, but it acquits itself pretty well as a tow tug. With a 3500kg braked towing capacity it seems a primo pick, but there are some other considerations that come into the equation. Taking downball weight and such like into consideration, you end up with a 386kg payload when towing at the full 3500kg limit.

Unlike a big capacity turbodiesel, the petrol-powered V8 likes a few revs on the board to do its thing, with that peak torque figure arriving at a comparatively nosebleed 4000rpm. The seven-speed automatic does a decent job of keeping you plugged into the meat of the torque curve. At freeway speeds, an unladen Patrol will typically be tickling along at 100km/h with around 1250rpm showing on the tachometer. Tow a decent-sized trailer and the ‘box will frequently drop a cog to maintain progress, raising the revs to around 2200rpm.

A reversing camera is about the only thing that could be described as towing tech. The Patrol doesn’t really major on tech. The relatively soft, long-travel suspension on the big Nissan does mean that it squats a little at the rear when its loaded, lightening the feel of the steering.

With fuel use when towing standing up at around 20L/100km, and 95RON fuel required, you might well be wincing each time you stop to fill the 140L fuel tank, but that’s the price you pay for the Nissan’s V8 engine.

Land Rover Discovery

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Price: From $117,219 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain/fuel economy/CO2 emissions: 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo diesel, 8-speed auto, 258kW/700Nm, 7.8L/100km, 206g/km;
Dimensions (length/width/height/wheelbase): 4956/2073/1888/2923mm
Bootspace: 258L (third row up) / 1137L (third row folded) / 2391L (third + second row folded)
Warranty/roadside assistance/service intervals: Five years, unlimited km / five years / Condition-based
Five-year service cost: $2250

Such has been the fanfare surrounding both Range Rover and the latest land Rover Defender that it’s easy to overlook the Discovery, now the oldest model in JLR’s line up. The fact remains that there’s a lot more room inside the Disco than there is in the Defender 110, which means that it’s fundamentally a better vehicle for family trips, the third row being useable by even taller teens.

It tows well too, with a 3500kg braked towing capacity and electronic air suspension which keeps everything on the straight and level. But let’s do some maths. Land Rover quotes a kerb weight of 2367kg for each of the four models in the new look range structure – ascending through S, Dynamic SE, Gemini and Tempest. It also quotes a GCM for the Discovery of 6745kg. Given that GCM is equal to kerb weight, plus absolute trailer mass plus vehicle payload, we can see that when towing a 3500kg trailer and adding on the 350kg downball weight, we arrive at a figure of 6217kg. That leaves 528kg of payload which, given the standards of this class, is a decent showing.

It still means you’d need to think carefully if heading off on a jaunt with four adults and their gear. Start loading the vehicle with weighty accessories and even a Discovery can fall foul of GCM limitations. The local weighbridge is your friend.

The Discovery’s Towing Pack adds around $2000 to the asking price and includes the tow hitch receiver and the Advanced Tow Assist. The latter helps in reversing a trailer, displaying trajectory lines to guide the driver, and includes semi-autonomous functionality to steer the trailer on the desired path while the driver takes care of the pedals.

The Discovery emerges as a decent towing option, although such is the Aussie brand loyalty to Toyota, it faces a tough task achieving significant cut-through. It’s also less of a glamorous option than its Defender sibling, but if you’re in the market for something with British style, it more than holds its own.

Lexus GX 550

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Price: from $116,000 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain/fuel economy/CO2 emissions: 3.4-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo petrol, 10-speed auto, 260kW/650Nm, 12.3L/100km, 205g/km;
Dimensions (length/width/height/wheelbase): 5035/1996/1970/3022mm
Bootspace: 1075L (seats up) / 2380L (seats folded)
Warranty/roadside assistance/service intervals: Five tears, unlimited km / five years / Condition-based
Five-year service cost: $2650

Have we been sleeping on the Lexus GX as a tow vehicle? It certainly has some decent attributes. It’s easy to think of this one as a Toyota Prado that’s raided the dressing-up box, but that sells the differences between the two vehicles very short. Whereas the Prado makes do with a 150kW 2.8-litre turbodiesel, the third-gen GX packs a 260kW twin-turbo 3.4-litre petrol engine. Yes, it is a detuned version of the engine that’s fitted to the monster Toyota Tundra ute with its 4500kg towing capacity.

You don’t get as much torque in this instance, the Lexus managing a creditable 650Nm at just 2000rpm, so this isn’t one of those petrol engines that you need to wring out when towing. In fact, the engine and transmission have some serious smarts when you’re dragging a big trailer. Instead of sitting in a zone of high boost and crucifying fuel economy, the turbochargers typically give a quick boost up to around 15psi, level back to 5psi to ensure that you’ve got the torque to maintain speed and then gradually taper back until the twin huffers are no longer required.

Engaging Tow Mode also tends to lock out the top two long-legged gears to reduce the likelihood of you finding yourself in too high a gear on an unexpected incline. What this mode doesn’t do – and it really should – is disable the rear autonomous emergency braking. You have to disengage it manually via a button, but should you key the vehicle off and forget to disengage it again, it can throw the brakes on when you start reversing, thinking there’s another vehicle right up its behind. That comes as a shock if you have someone in a boat on a trailer that you’re about to reverse down a boat ramp.

The receiver can be a bit fiddly to use, as its covered by a blanking plate with two plastic pins that need to be removed using a key or a flathead screwdriver. You then remove two separate plastic trims and then you’ll need to locate the plug for the trailer lights, as it’s tucked up under the bumper. It’s not something you’re going to relish doing in mud or on wet grass.

Nevertheless, once you’re all hooked up, the GX is a joy to tow with. It’ll drag up to 3500kg (braked) and do so comfortably. The Trailer Sway Control system works and works well, applying individual brake pressure to any of the four wheels, stabilising the vehicle’s posture and helping facilitate safe towing.

It’s still a rare sight on Aussie roads, given the asking price, but with the bones of a Prado and that powerhouse petrol engine, it’s got an appeal all of its own.