Anyone who caravans in Britain knows you must be ready for any kind of weather, with autumn and winter often throwing unpredictable rain our way.
If you refuse to let rain spoil your touring and like the idea of caravanning in winter, you’ll want a vehicle that’s a willing ally when the skies are grey.
Good tow cars should cope with wet weather, so long as the owner keeps on top of maintenance and the car’s tyres are in good condition. But there’s a difference between coping and excelling, and these cars shrug off water better than a waterproof jacket.
All have four-wheel drive, but otherwise we’re recommending a varied selection of weather-beating tow cars, which should make towing a caravan in the rain a much easier prospect.
Our favourite cars for towing in wet weather
Kia Sorento 2.2 CRDi ‘3’
- Price: £47,290
- Kerbweight: 1929kg
- 85% match: 1640kg
- Towing limit: 2500kg
Although we now prefer the new Škoda Kodiaq, the Sorento remains one of our favourite tow cars and one we named the best car for towing a 1500kg caravan at the Practical Caravan Awards 2205. And having tried the entry-level ‘2’ specification, we think that it’s worth paying the extra for the mid-range ‘3’.
Self-levelling suspension is among the upgrades and it makes the Kia a more stable tow car with a load in the boot and the caravan pressing down on the towbar.
The 2.2-litre diesel can sound a little gruff when put to work, but it has plenty of pulling power. This engine could have been purpose-built for towing. If you’d rather make the switch to a hybrid or plug-in hybrid, keep in mind that these have lower towing capacities.
In solo driving, the Sorento is a little stodgy compared with the Kodiaq or a Tiguan. However, it’s a very roomy and practical family SUV, with more space in the third row than many seven-seaters provide. What’s more, the big Kia covers long distances without breaking a sweat.
The facelifted model hasn’t been around long, but choose an earlier version from 2022 and cars with 60,000 miles on the clock start at about £27,000. That’s a lot of car at a keen price.
Full review: Kia Sorento 2.2 CRDi ‘3’
Range Rover Sport D350 Autobiography
- Price: £104,275
- Kerbweight: 2435kg
- 85% match: 2070kg
- Towing limit: 3500kg
As a lottery winner’s choice, for our (imaginary) money, the Range Rover Sport is a better car than the Range Rover. It brilliantly combines luxury with a dynamic and rewarding drive.
For business drivers, plug-in hybrid models are more tax efficient than the diesels. But for someone spending their own money, the D350 diesel is a compelling choice.
With 350hp and 516lb ft of torque, the mild-hybrid diesel has strength to spare, even while towing a sizeable luxury twin-axle tourer.
The Range Rover Sport is as stable as any tow car we’ve driven, thanks to controlled and comfortable suspension and a kerbweight just shy of 2.5 tonnes. And being a Range Rover, it’s brilliant off road – so it’s not going to be fazed by a bit of rain.
As you would expect at this price, the Sport is a pleasure to drive from day to day. It’s not as exciting on an empty road as a Porsche Cayenne, but it rides far more smoothly.
Inside, the Range Rover Sport is luxurious and roomy for five people, although this generation lacks the option to upgrade to seven seats.
A high-mileage 2022 car will set you back around £32,000.
Dacia Duster mild hybrid 130 4×4 Journey
- Price: £23,520
- Kerbweight: 1465kg*
- 85% match: 1245kg
- Towing limit: 1500kg
You don’t have to spend big money on a tow car that will shrug off the autumn rain.
The Dacia Duster isn’t as cheap as it used to be, but it still undercuts its main rivals by a heathy margin.
Go for the 130hp mild-hybrid petrol and you won’t be going anywhere in a hurry.
So long as you adjust your expectations accordingly, you will find that the Duster can cope well enough with towing a lightweight caravan.
At speed, the car’s stability is good rather than great, but just drive a little slower if you need to and then think of all the money you’ve saved.
In solo driving, the Duster is comfortable and the 4×4 tow car we’ve chosen is very capable off-road – more so than many pricier SUVs.
Although it’s still a budget car, the Dacia Duster has fewer rough edges than it used to. The cabin is reasonably well finished and comes with a modern infotainment system.
Journey spec, which is one down from the top of the range, offers 18-inch wheels, satellite navigation, climate control and all-round cameras.
It also starts out cheap and gets cheaper if you start looking at a used Dacia Duster: a previous-generation diesel 4×4 from 2022 could cost as little as £13,000.
Volvo V60 T6 AWD Plus
- Price: £49,310
- Kerbweight: 2064kg
- 85% match: 1754kg
- Towing limit: 2000kg
For a few months, Volvo stopped bringing estate cars to the UK. Fortunately, this decision was reversed not long after being made, so the V60 is back in showrooms.
The T6 plug-in hybrid model ticks a lot of boxes as a tow car. It’s heavy, at over two tonnes, and the 350hp powertrain copes easily with towing. What’s more, the T6 is a four-wheel drive, for secure driving manners in wet weather.
It drives brilliantly, with and without a caravan. Although not as sporty as the equivalent BMW 3 Series, the Volvo rides more comfortably and has a higher towing capacity.
When it’s time to commute rather than caravan, the plug-in hybrid can travel up to 57 miles on electricity in official tests. That makes for rock-bottom running costs if you can recharge at home, and low company car tax bills for business drivers.
There’s plenty of space to accommodate people and luggage, and the cabin is stylish as well as practical.
If you like the sound of the Volvo, but not the price, there are significant savings to be had if you shop around on the pre-owned market. We spotted a 74-reg car with just 12,000 miles on the clock for £38,312.
Škoda Kodiaq 2.0 TDI 193PS SE L DSG 4×4
- Price: £48,120
- Kerbweight: 1852kg
- 85% match: 1574kg
- Towing limit: 2400kg
The latest Škoda Kodiaq is an exceptional towing option. It’s not the heaviest or most powerful SUV, but it does almost everything well.
Škoda has done caravanners a favour by keeping faith with diesel power for a little while longer. The Kodiaq’s 2.0-litre diesel engine is well suited to towing, with enough pulling power available to handle any sensible car/caravan matching.
Thanks to four-wheel drive, the driver can put the Škoda’s power to the road even when the surface is wet and greasy.
Stability is another strength. We’d happily tow long-distance with the car, confident there’d be no nervous moments.
Inside, the Kodiaq is a very practical car. It has room for seven, although if you prefer a plug-in hybrid, you’ll have to get by with seating for five, as the battery takes up too much space for a third row of seats.
Škoda’s days as a budget brand are long gone, but £48,120 is a competitive price for a vehicle of this size and performance.
Running costs should be low – we bettered the official combined figure of 45.4mpg on a motorway drive.
There are lots of used Kodiaqs about. We’ve seen a previous-generation 2022 diesel 4×4 with 46,000 miles priced at £22,499.
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