One motoring maxim few would dispute is that Japanese cars are reliable. Some might be more dependable than others, but there are very few Japanese models that routinely let their owners down.
We all know stability is one of the most important traits in the best cars for towing, but reliability is certainly up there too. Read the owner satisfaction surveys and reliability studies, and the usual suspects generally appear at the sharp end. Lexus and Toyota, in particular, seem to have mastered the art of keeping customers happy, but other brands do well, too.
So a car from Japan can make a sensible buy for a caravanner – just, as always, make sure you’ve taken the car/caravan match into account when you’re choosing the one for you. Over the years, we have towed with a great many Japanese makes and models – and here, we’re sharing our pick for the best Japanese cars for pulling a tourer. Whether you’re thinking of buying a new or a used car, there’s bound to be an option to suit you.
Please note: Vehicles pictured may not be exact model or year
The best Japanese cars:
Nissan X-Trail e-Power 213 e-4orce Tekna
- Price: £45,855
- Kerbweight: 1935kg
- 85% match: 1670kg
- Towing limit: 1800kg
The X-Trail makes a fine tow car, especially if you choose the four-wheel-drive hybrid.
For those interested in hybrid tow cars, it makes a fine choice – and also a rather unusual one: the petrol engine never powers the wheels directly. Instead, it acts as a generator for the electric motors, one for each axle.
Drive gently and you hardly hear the engine working, although it’s noisier if you’re towing uphill, for example.
There’s plenty of punch for towing any sensibly matched caravan. Just be aware that the maximum towing figure changes, depending on whether you choose five or seven seats. With a third row of seats, the maximum drops from 1800kg to 1650kg.
We would save our money and choose the five-seater car, because the third row is very cramped indeed.
Without it, the X-Trail is a roomy and practical five-seater with a generous boot. There are 575 litres for holiday luggage, rising to 1396 litres with the seats folded down.
Go for Tekna specification and the X-Trail comes with a long and generous standard spec.
This is also a very safe car, with a five-star rating from Euro NCAP’s experts.
Prices for used models start from around the £32,000 mark for a 72-reg car with just over 20,000 miles on the clock.
See what I made of the Nissan X-Trail e-4orce Tekna when I put it to the test.
Honda CR-V e:PHEV Advance Tech
- Price: £53,995
- Kerbweight: 1923kg
- 85% match: Above max tow
- Towing limit: 1500kg
The CR-V is a thoroughly sensible car. It doesn’t drive with the verve of a BMW X3, such as the BMW X3 M40d, and it can’t match the Land Rover Discovery Sport for off-road travel, but it has plenty of other qualities.
Stability while towing is an important one. Although the 1500kg maximum towing figure isn’t especially high for a car of this size and weight, the Honda tracks straight and true while towing a caravan on the motorway.
The plug-in hybrid powertrain isn’t that quick to accelerate, though – it’s noticeably slower than the Nissan X-Trail, for example. There’s too much din from under the bonnet when the engine is working hard.
Inside the CR-V, there’s lots of space in most directions, but whoever signed off on a sunroof that steals so much of the headroom in the back deserves a stern talking to.
In everyday driving, the CR-V is easy to live with. It handles securely and rides comfortably, and the engine is much quieter without the extra weight of a caravan to haul up to speed.
The price tag of just under £54,000 is rather ambitious. Look for a used model, and you could pay under £37,000 for a 2023 car with 11,000 miles on the clock, which is a huge saving over the prices you’d be looking at for a brand-new car – see our guide to where to buy a used car if you’re thinking of purchasing on the pre-owned market.
Lexus RX450h+
- Price: £63,995
- Kerbweight: 2225kg
- 85% match: 1891kg
- Max towing weight: 2000kg
Lexus was building hybrids long before most other upmarket brands. The RX used to be an outlier back when diesel was the default choice of power for a big 4×4 – now, it looks ahead of its time.
The RX has always been a sensible choice, with its loyal following praising the vehicle’s reliability and the excellent service from Lexus dealers.
The latest generation has added more driver appeal, too – it’s still a sensible car, but with more personality than before. We’ve yet to tow with the latest model, but in solo driving, it is quiet and rapid. The petrol-electric drivetrain should be able to handle any well-matched tourer with ease.
With a kerbweight of 2225kg and a two-tonne towing limit, the Lexus can sensibly tow most luxury twin-axles caravans.
The ‘+’ part of the name tells you this Lexus is a plug-in hybrid tow car. The company quotes a very useful electric range of 65-68 miles, although that may be difficult for most owners to match. The ability to travel so far on electricity contributes to CO2 emissions of 25-27g/km, making this a tax-efficient choice for company car drivers.
Used prices for the Lexus start from around £45,000 for a low-mileage current model.
Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Design
- Price: £44,175
- Kerbweight: 1910-2000kg
- 85% match: Above max tow
- Towing limit: 1500kg
The original RAV4 was one of the first SUVs to place on-road performance above off-road ability. This is an approach that’s now widely imitated in other vehicles.
Today’s plug-in hybrid offers exceptional economy and rock-bottom emissions, so long as you can recharge the car regularly.
Unusually, the plug-in Toyota is only available as a four-wheel drive, which contributes to the car’s high kerbweight. It also means that after hitching up a caravan, the RAV4 should be capable of pulling it over wet grass on a farm campsite, provided you don’t expect the prowess of a Land Rover.
As with many plug-in hybrids, the maximum towing figure is lower than you’d expect of a similar turbodiesel. But 1500kg is enough to tow a reasonable choice of the best caravans for families.
The whole gang will have room to stretch out inside the RAV4, with plenty of space front and rear. Boot capacity is slightly compromised by needing room for all the electrical gubbins, but you still get 500 litres.
Reliability is excellent, as you’d expect, so we’d have no qualms about buying a used RAV4. We’ve seen 2022 cars with just over 40,000 miles advertised for about £28,000.
Mazda CX-5 2.2D Takuma AWD
- Price: £40,770
- Kerbweight: 1823kg
- 85% match: 1550kg
- Towing limit: 2000kg
It’s a relief to see that diesel models are still being included in Mazda’s latest price list. The 184hp diesel in the CX-5 SUV is an excellent engine for towing a caravan.
Diesel buyers can choose between front- and four-wheel drive versions, although the four-wheel drive makes most sense for those who like winter caravanning, as well as touring during the warmer months. The only downside to picking the 4×4 is that you must go for the highest trim level, Takumi, which gives a price of £40,770 for the manual.
Then again, that’s actually not a lot compared with the Honda CR-V, such as the Honda CR-V 2.0 Plug-in Hybrid 2WD Advance Tech, or the Toyota RAV4, although the CX-5 isn’t quite as roomy inside.
With a caravan in tow, the Mazda is stable and the beefy engine easily pulls any sensibly matched tourer up to speed.
In solo driving, it is quick and rewarding, although the ride is too firm for some tastes.
The Takumi is very generously equipped, with 19-inch alloys, a surround-view camera system, leather upholstery, heated seats (ventilated up front), adaptive LED headlights and more.
We’ve come across a delivery mileage example offered for £36,995, a big saving over the list price. We also noticed a 2021 car with around 40,000 miles on the clock for £17,300.
A key part of an enjoyable experience on the road will be ensuring you’re towing safely – take a look at our expert’s 10 tips every caravanner should know about towing for help and guidance when out and about.
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