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Home › Advice›Tow Cars

Tow Cars

Six of the best family estate cars

An estate can make a practical and reliable tow car. Here, David Motton highlights some top choices

Switched on towing – electric tow cars

David Motton reveals what you need to know about electric tow cars

Best towcars under £30,000

Our choice of best caravan towcars under £30,000

Best towcars over £30,000

Our pick of the very best towcars over £30,000

Buying guide – Licence-friendly outfits

Licence-friendly caravan combinations Choosing a caravan and tow car combination that fits with your driving licence restrictions can seem like a complicated numbers game....

10 best used tow cars

Choose wisely, and a used tow car can make your motoring budget go further

10 best cars for towing caravans – new models

Here's our pick of 10 of the best new tow cars, from the many new models we've reviewed

If you're considering buying a used Volvo V90, check our guide on what to look out for

Used Tow Car Buyer: Volvo V90 (2016-)

Used Volvo V90s don't come cheap, but they do make great tow cars, says Euan Doig. Read our review to know what to look...

Jaguar's XF makes a tremendous and award-winning way to tow your caravan

Used tow car test: Jaguar XF

Powerful and glamorous, the XF also makes a superb tow car, says Euan Doig.

The Land Rover Discovery is renowned as a tow car

Used Tow Car Test: Land Rover Discovery

Large, luxurious and very clever, this is a great pre-owned buy, says Euan Doig.

The C4 Cactus is a successful tow car, provided you don't have too much to carry

Used tow car test: Citroën C4 Cactus

If you like distinctive looks and economy, this might be for you, says Euan Doig.

Find out whether a used Suzuki SX4 S-Cross could make a sound tow car

Used Towcar Test: Suzuki SX4 S-Cross

This compact crossover is a bargain, says Euan Doig.

The C5's adjustable suspension makes hitching up easier and keeps the car stable when towing, even during violent lane-change manoeuvres

Citroën C5 Tourer Used Tow Car Buyer

A great drive, the 2008-2016 generation C5 is a bargain if you do your homework first, says Euan Doig.

The Volvo XC60 was so good, it was named Tow Car of the Year in 2009

Used Towcar Test: Volvo XC60

The XC60 is a good used buy, says Euan Doig, as long as you check its condition.

The Discovery Sport pulls strongly at all speeds and stays stable, even in lane-change manoeuvres

Used Towcar Test: Land Rover Discovery Sport

A pleasure to drive solo and a superb tow car, the Land Rover Discovery Sport is an excellent buy, says Euan Doig.

If you're looking for reliability and loads of luggage space, the Civic could be just right

Used Towcar Test: Honda Civic Tourer

Go for the diesel version of the Honda Civic Tourer and you'll have a roomy, practical and well-equipped car that's very easy to live...

The Seat Alhambra won our Best MPV gong at our Tow Car Awards 2016

Used Seat Alhambra buyer’s guide

It's achieved success at our Tow Car Awards so we know what tow car ability it has, but what's the 2010-on Seat Alhambra like...

When new, the Hyundai i40 was sold with a five-year warranty, so many people buying used will still benefit from this

Used Hyundai i40 buyer’s guide

A 2012-on Hyundai i40 is stylish, well-specced and dependable, and it should prove affordable to run, too – but what tow car ability does...

If you want a reliable tow car, the 2009-on Toyota Avensis might be the one for you

Used Toyota Avensis buyer’s guide

Reliability isn't sexy, but it is very handy when choosing what tow car to buy next – let's see what the 2009-on Toyota Avensis...

The diesel engines offer a balance of punch and frugality, as in the Porsche Cayenne Diesel S

Used Porsche Cayenne Mk2 buyer’s guide

For less than you might think, you'll be the envy of the site, towing with a Mk2 Porsche Cayenne – here's what to look...

The Škoda Superb performed well at the Tow Car Awards, with class wins in 2009 and 2010

Used Škoda Superb Mk2 buyer’s guide

For a luxurious, practical and powerful tow car on a budget, how about a 2008-2015 Škoda Superb? Our expert looks at what this clever...

You can tell a post-2015-facelift Ford Focus by the new front-end design – here's what to look for when buying used

Used Ford Focus Estate buyer’s guide

The ubiquitous Ford Focus can make a fine used tug for caravanners, especially if choosing what tow car to buy on a budget –...

We found out what tow car ability the then-new Seat Leon ST has during testing for our 2014 Tow Car Awards

Used Seat Leon ST buyer’s guide

Need a nearly new estate car that also cuts a dash on site and won't break the bank? Let's see what tow car ability...

There's no doubting what tow car talent the 2002-2012 Range Rover has – but how reliable is it?

Used Range Rover buyer’s guide

A Range Rover, regularly serviced, makes a fantastic tow car, but when things go wrong it can be expensive, so buy with care –...

Boot space is not its greatest asset, but the Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer is a fine tow car

Used Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer buyer’s guide

You've got loads to choose from and they're keenly priced, but what tow car ability does the 2008-2017 Insignia Sports Tourer have – and...

Diesel power and four-wheel drive are the ideal combination on a used Škoda Yeti you're looking to tow with

Used Škoda Yeti buyer’s guide

Bringing the fun factor to Škoda's range as well as strong VW underpinnings, the 2009-on Yeti has a lot going for it – but...

The Mazda CX-5 has certainly impressed us – the facelifted variant took 1550-1699kg class honours at the 2015 Tow Car Awards

Used Mazda CX-5 buyer’s guide

Reliable and fun to drive, a 2012-on Mazda CX-5 makes a strong case for itself, but what tow car ability does it have and...

An 85% match figure of 1598kg means the XF can tow heavier caravans – and it's a very handsome tow car

Used Jaguar XF Sportbrake buyer’s guide

Enjoy style and strength at a less eye-watering price with a 2007-2015 Jaguar XF Sportbrake – here's what to look for and what tow...

Even the hatchback has a huge boot, but the estate version of the Mk3 Ford Mondeo would be our first choice

Used Ford Mondeo buyer’s guide

With good driving manners and the worst of the depreciation behind it, read our review to find out why the 2007-2014 Ford Mondeo makes...

The Volvo V50’s wide range of engines made it a very popular estate – but what tow car capabilities does it have?

Used Volvo V50 buyer’s guide

Does the 2004-2012 Volvo V50 live up to the brand's reputation for build quality, is it a good used buy and what tow car...

The second-generation Nissan X-Trail hid a wealth of refinements beneath its boxy exterior

Used Nissan X-Trail buyer’s guide

We're big fans of the Nissan X-Trail here at Practical Caravan, but what tow car might does it have as a used buy? Russ...

Listen for rattling in front door panels when test driving a used Dacia Duster

Used Dacia Duster buyer’s guide

We all love a bargain! The Dacia Duster was cheap when new and even better value as a used buy, plus it's a good...

The Vauxhall Antara was facelifted in 2010 – read on to find out more about these used cars for sale

Used Vauxhall Antara buyer’s guide

Checking out used cars for sale and wondering what to look for in a 2007-2015 Vauxhall Antara? Practical Caravan's expert Russ Smith investigates

The Land Rover Discovery 4 body underwent few changes from its predecessor, but there were plenty under the bonnet

Used Land Rover Discovery 4 buyer’s guide

Get tow car royalty for less with the Land Rover Discovery 4 – our expert Russ Smith checks out this superlative tug as a...

The Volvo XC90 makes a brilliant tow car: it’s very stable, and the D5 engine offers tremendous pulling power

Used Volvo XC90 buyer’s guide

Choose with care and a 2006-2014 Volvo XC90 could make a cracking tow car, as used car expert Russ Smith explains in his buying...

The 2005-2013 Range Rover Sport packs permanent four-wheel drive plus bags of power and torque

Used Range Rover Sport buyer’s guide

If you're wondering what tow car to buy, it is no secret that a Range Rover Sport will do the job very well indeed...

This off-roader was designed to tow anything – caravans, boats, horseboxes, the lot!

Used Hyundai Terracan buyer’s guide

Bargain heavyweight tow cars don't come much better than the 2003-2007 Hyundai Terracan, reveals used car expert Russ Smith, if you can live with...

Enjoy luxury motoring on a budget with a used BMW X3 and go caravanning in style

Used BMW X3 buyer’s guide

Packing prestige and, especially in 3.0d form, plenty of punch, read our 2004-2010 BMW X3 review to see if this could be a great...

Drivers enjoy great visibility and the roomy cabin is super for families on tour

Used Citroën Grand C4 Picasso buyer’s guide

Boasting seven seats and a reputation as a stable tow car, how does the 2007-2013 Citroën Grand C4 Picasso fare as a used buy?...

The 2006-2013 models are larger than their predecessors, meaning they are more stable tow cars

Used Toyota RAV4 buyer’s guide

The 2006-2013 Toyota RAV4s have great kit, improved fuel economy and safety features, and hold their price – Russ Smith tells us how to...

Find out what tow car ability the second-gen Kia Sorento has and what it offers as a used prospect

Used Kia Sorento buyer’s guide

Powerful and affordable, especially as a used buy, read our 2010-2014 Kia Sorento review, as Russ Smith investigates what tow car ability it has

Prices are tumbling on these big Mercedes, making them tempting used tow cars

Used Mercedes-Benz R-Class buyer’s guide

This big three-pointed star can make a super tow car, so be sure to read our 2006-2013 Mercedes-Benz R-Class review and find out how...