The 5 Best SUVs for Towing

When it comes to towing capacity, there are plenty of pickup trucks out there that will satisfy the basic requirement of hitching a small trailer to the back of the bed and hauling the cargo from here to there. However, SUVs that can haul large cargo loads are slightly less common. You’re in luck, though, because there are actually a few top-notch SUVs out there that can haul some impressive tonnage and can easily be found at a used car dealership. The best SUV for towing is the Ford Expedition, followed closely by the Dodge Durango, Lincoln Navigator, Chevy Tahoe, and GMC Yukon. And today, we at Dan Cummins Chevy Buick of Paris, near Lexington, KY, have put together this list that details exactly how much each of these SUVs can tow.

Now there are some things you need to keep in mind. Most obviously, when comparing SUVs to pickup trucks, you’re going to have to give up quite a bit in the hauling and towing department. SUVs can only tow a fraction of what a super heavy-duty pickup can tow. This is due to a number of factors, such as torque, drivetrain, and suspension torsion. That being said, while these SUVs don’t carry the towing capacity in the five digits, they come awfully close. So here are the five SUVs that push the boundaries as far and as hard as an SUV can go.

#5 GMC Yukon – 8,500 lbs

Just about the 8,000 lbs mark is the GMC Yukon, specifically the 2019 GMC Yukon, which can tow up to 8,500 lbs. There are some special requirements needed in order for the Yukon to pull off this feat. Specifically, it needs the two-wheel drive configuration and needs to be equipped with a trim that allows it to make use of the Heavy-Duty Trailering Package. This will allow the 6.2L V8 to achieve that impressive 8,500 lbs undertaking.

Interestingly enough, the 2020 and 2021 Yukons lose about 100 lbs in towing capacity, dropping down to 8,400 lbs instead of 8,500 lbs. However, that’s not giving up much, and it puts the 2020 and 2021 models on the same level as the 2019 Yukon Denali, which also tops out at 8,400 lbs in the towing capacity department. That said, if you are really torn up over the 100 lbs difference, you can certainly search through the used market, which should definitely put you at the top of the towing class when it comes to GMC SUVs.

#4 Chevy Tahoe – 8,600 lbs

Even though many people consider the Chevy Tahoe and the GMC Yukon to be the same SUV with different badging, the reality is that the specs are different enough between both SUVs. And one has a slight edge over the other when it comes to towing capacity. The 2020 Chevy Tahoe, for instance, manages to beat out every trim and configuration of the Yukon from 2019 through 2021 in the towing department, scoring an impressive 8,600 lbs when equipped with the 5.3L Ecotec V8 and coupled with the Max Trailering Package3.

With the four-wheel drive setup on the 6.2L V8, you’re looking at a maximum of 8,400 lbs of towing capacity. The trick to gaining those extra 200 lbs of towing capacity over the 6.2L V8 is the drivetrain, with the 5.3L V8’s rear-wheel drive setup enabling it to eke out that additional torque to haul a little extra over its four-wheel drive counterpart. If you were planning on making use of that extra 100 lbs on the GMC Yukon, be sure to check out the Chevy Tahoe.

#3 Lincoln Navigator – 8,700 lbs

The 2018 through 2020 models of the Lincoln Navigator are up next, maxing out at an impressive 8,700 lbs of towing capacity and putting it just another 100 lbs ahead of the previous entry on the list. While that may not seem like much, the incremental increase of 100 lbs per configuration begins to add up, and you start to see that from the rankings, there’s a maximum 200 lbs gap between the least ranked SUV and the current position on the list. You could use that 200 lbs to tow an extra motorcycle or a couple of rowboats, in addition to more than 8,000 lbs of cargo.

The Lincoln Navigator is capable of towing up to 8,700 lbs thanks to very similar configurations as the other SUVs on this list: a two-wheel, rear-wheel drive setup coupled with a Heavy Duty Trailering Tow Package, which is available on the Reserve and Black Label trims. However, given that the Navigator’s Black Label trim is only available in four-wheel drive, you will have to stick with the Reserve trim that comes with a 3.5L V6 to maximize the luxury SUV’s towing capacity at the 8,700 lbs mark.

#2 Dodge Durango – 8,700 lbs

The Dodge Durango was obviously going to make the cut since Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles seems to have made it their goal to pump as much horsepower, torque, and performance into their trucks and SUVs as possible. The Dodge Durango SRT, specifically, is no exception to this rule, and it ties with the Lincoln Navigator in its maximum towing capacity, capable of hauling over 8,700 lbs. The big difference between the two is that not only can you haul close to 10,000 lbs of cargo, but you can do so without sacrificing any horsepower with the Durango.

The Dodge Durango is capable of achieving its towing feat with a very impressive 6.4L Hemi V8 engine4. Unlike other entries on this list, instead of compensating power for torque by relying on a rear-wheel drive for maximum towing capacity, Dodge decided to ramp up the horsepower and keep the Durango on a four-wheel drivetrain while also achieving that 8,700 lbs towing capacity. You will, however, need the Trailer Tow Group IV package that comes with the wiring harness and class IV receiver hitch. But otherwise, the Durango SRT is tow-ready out of the gate.

#1 Ford Expedition – 9,300 lbs

If you wanted to know what the best SUV for towing is, it’s none other than the Expedition, which is made by the leader in pickup truck sales. The company has been leading the SUV towing ranks for a few years now, with the Expedition, in particular. The Expedition offers up an extremely impressive 9,300 lbs of tow capacity. The Expedition has been capable of this feat with specific configurations since 2018, meaning that if you buy a used Ford Expedition, you’ll be able to tow very close to 10,000 lbs worth of cargo.

Much like the other SUVs on this list, not every trim configuration is capable of towing its max weight; only the two-wheel drive options will get you to the max towing capacity. Additionally, you will also need an extra package to bring it all together. However, the Expedition is a lot more lenient toward achieving its goal than some other entries on the list, since every trim allows you to make use of the Heavy-Duty Trailering Tow Package, which is required to hit that magic 9,300 lbs mark. The package comes with an integrated brake controller for the trailer, along with an electronic limited-slip and an axle ratio of 3.73. The package is topped off with a backup assist and heavy-duty engine radiator, making this the absolute best SUV for towing.

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