Published: 2026-03-02 · Updated: 2026-03-02

Best SUVs for Towing: Capacity Rankings (2026)

Planning a trip with a boat or travel trailer? Start with the towing capacity guide for a full breakdown of how ratings work before you lock in any SUV choice.

Which SUVs Have the Highest Towing Capacity in 2026?

The Jeep Wagoneer with the 3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo I6 is the highest-rated SUV for towing in 2026 at 10,000 lbs. The Ford Expedition Max (9,300 lbs) and Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL (8,500 lbs) rank just behind. All three require the factory Max Trailer Tow Package to hit their published ceiling — base trim ratings run 1,500–2,000 lbs lower.

Use our free lookup tool to check any SUV's tow rating by year, make, model, and trim before you buy.

2026 SUV Towing Capacity Rankings by Class

Source: Manufacturer towing guides at ford.com, chevrolet.com, ramtrucks.com, toyota.com. Ratings are max figures for best-equipped trim; verify your specific build.

What Midsize SUVs Are Best for Towing?

The best midsize SUVs for towing in 2026 are the Dodge Durango (8,700 lbs with the HEMI V8), Toyota 4Runner (6,000–6,500 lbs), and Ford Explorer (5,600 lbs with the 3.0L EcoBoost). Midsize SUV towing capacity spans a wide range — the Durango is in a class of its own because it uses a truck-derived, body-on-frame-adjacent platform with the same HEMI V8 you'd find in a RAM 1500.

The Explorer and Kia Telluride are unibody construction. They're capable around town and fine for lighter trailers, but the structural limits of a unibody platform cap them out earlier. The Explorer tops at 5,600 lbs; the Telluride and Hyundai Palisade land around 5,000 lbs.

Here's a practical example: say you're towing a 22-foot travel trailer with a dry weight of 5,200 lbs and a loaded weight of 6,400 lbs. That puts you above the Explorer's ceiling and right at the edge of the 4Runner's limit. The Durango with the HEMI handles it with room to spare — roughly 2,300 lbs of buffer. That buffer matters more than most buyers realize. For a deeper look at how midsize ratings stack up against pickup alternatives, check the half-ton truck towing capacity page.

Can an SUV Tow 10,000 lbs or More?

Yes — but only one SUV currently clears that bar. The 2026 Jeep Wagoneer with the 3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo I6 is rated at exactly 10,000 lbs, making it the sole SUV to cross that threshold. To get there, you need the Max Tow Group package, which Jeep lists at approximately $1,195 and includes a Class IV receiver, 4-pin/7-pin wiring, a heavy-duty engine cooling package, and a full-size spare.

Be honest about what you're actually dealing with if your payload is eaten up. The Wagoneer's payload rating sits around 1,400–1,600 lbs depending on configuration. Load it with three rows of passengers (say, 200 lbs × 5 people = 1,000 lbs), luggage, and a full tank of fuel, and you've consumed most of that payload before the trailer is even hitched. That tongue weight — at 10% of a 10,000-lb trailer, that's 1,000 lbs — has to fit within the remaining payload, not in addition to it.

If your fully loaded trailer pushes past 10,000 lbs, no SUV on the market covers you. You'd need a half-ton truck like the F-150, which is rated up to 13,500 lbs, or step up to a 3/4-ton. Understanding towing capacity vs. payload is critical before you finalize any tow vehicle choice.

How Does SUV Towing Capacity Compare to Pickup Trucks?

SUVs generally trail pickup trucks by 3,000–5,000 lbs in the same size class. The best full-size SUV tops out at 10,000 lbs; the Ford F-150 reaches 13,500 lbs, the RAM 1500 hits 12,750 lbs, and the Toyota Tundra reaches 12,000 lbs.

The gap comes down to engineering priorities. Trucks have longer wheelbases, heavier-duty frames, higher payload ratings, and more robust rear axles than SUVs — even body-on-frame ones. The Chevy Suburban shares a platform with the Silverado 1500, but the Silverado's payload and tow ratings still run significantly higher due to different suspension tuning and a much higher payload ceiling.

That said, SUVs win on livability. If your trailer stays under 8,000 lbs and you're towing with a family of five, a Suburban or Expedition gives you enclosed storage, third-row seating, and a smoother highway ride compared to a crew cab truck. According to Edmunds, full-size SUV demand has remained strong precisely because families want the comfort of a car with towing capability close to a truck's. For electric alternatives in this comparison, the electric truck towing capacity page covers where the EV market currently stands.

What Is the Best SUV for Towing a Travel Trailer?

The Chevrolet Suburban is the best all-around SUV for towing a travel trailer in 2026 — it combines 8,500 lbs of rated capacity (with the factory Max Trailering Package), a 6.2L V8 option producing 420 lb-ft of torque, and enough interior space to carry gear without relying entirely on the trailer. Most travel trailers people actually tow weigh between 4,500 and 7,500 lbs loaded — the Suburban handles the full range.

Key features to prioritize when matching an SUV to a travel trailer:

Integrated trailer brake controller. The Suburban, Expedition, and Sequoia all offer this from the factory. Without it, trailers over 5,000 lbs are harder to stop safely, especially on downhill grades.

Tow/Haul mode with adaptive cruise. The 2026 Expedition has Ford's Trailer Tow Reverse Guidance system, which uses the rearview camera to help with backing. The Suburban's Trailer Length Indicator shows the trailer's swept path on the navigation screen.

Tongue weight management. Keep tongue weight at 10–15% of total trailer weight. On a 6,500-lb loaded trailer, that's 650–975 lbs. Confirm your SUV's tongue weight rating — it's separate from the gross tow rating and printed in the Trailer Towing Supplement, not the main owner's manual.

If altitude is in your route — say you're heading through the Rockies with a 7,000-lb trailer — know that your naturally aspirated V8 loses roughly 3% power per 1,000 feet. At 8,000 feet in Colorado, you're operating with approximately 24% less effective power than at sea level. The twin-turbo engines in the Sequoia and Wagoneer compensate better because forced induction partially offsets altitude air density loss.

Does Adding a Tow Package Increase Towing Capacity?

A factory tow package typically increases an SUV's rated towing capacity by 1,000–3,000 lbs over the base trim. On the 2026 Chevrolet Suburban, the Max Trailering Package (option code NHT, priced around $2,095) adds a heavy-duty transmission oil cooler, engine oil cooler, external cooler for the power steering fluid, upgraded rear air suspension calibration, a 7-pin wiring harness, and a 2-inch receiver. Without it, the Suburban's rating drops from 8,500 lbs to roughly 6,200 lbs.

An aftermarket hitch receiver does not change your manufacturer-rated capacity. The rating is tied to the entire thermal and structural system — coolers, wiring, suspension tuning — not just the hitch ball. Bolting a $300 aftermarket receiver onto a base-trim SUV and claiming the max tow figure isn't just inaccurate, it's a liability issue if something goes wrong. According to NHTSA, tow rating violations can affect insurance claims in the event of a trailer-related accident.

What Factors Affect an SUV's Real-World Towing Ability?

Real-world SUV towing ability is shaped by engine torque output, transmission cooling, wheelbase, curb weight, payload consumed, altitude, and ambient temperature. The published max tow rating is a ceiling tested under controlled conditions — not a guarantee for every scenario.

Here's a worked example: you're driving a 2026 Ford Expedition Max rated at 9,300 lbs. Your loaded trailer weighs 8,200 lbs. Sounds fine on paper. But you have two adults (370 lbs), two kids (130 lbs), 120 lbs of camping gear in the rear cargo area, and a full 33.5-gallon tank of fuel (about 225 lbs). That's roughly 845 lbs against a payload rating of approximately 1,510 lbs — leaving only 665 lbs for tongue weight. At 10% of 8,200 lbs, your tongue weight is 820 lbs. You're 155 lbs over your available payload before you even account for a roof rack or wet firewood in the back.

This is exactly why understanding GCWR matters as much as the tow rating. The GCWR is the total allowed weight of the tow vehicle plus trailer combined. It's the harder cap that many buyers never check. You can also use the payload calculator to run your numbers before you hitch up.

One honest limitation worth stating: even a fully equipped full-size SUV isn't the right tool for a 30-foot fifth-wheel or a large gooseneck livestock trailer. Those loads belong behind a RAM 1500, Silverado 1500, or ideally a 3/4-ton truck. Pushing an SUV to its absolute ceiling on every trip will stress the transmission, rear axle, and braking system in ways a few years of regular towing will make very visible in repair bills.

For those researching specific truck alternatives, the Silverado towing capacity and the SUV towing capacity ranked pages give side-by-side comparisons worth reviewing. If you need to understand total cost of towing including fuel and wear, the towing cost calculator is a useful next step.