10 Best SUVs with a Tow Package

2016 toyota sequoia with trailer profile view ・ Photo by Toyota

There are times when even the biggest SUV isn’t big enough for your passengers and all of their cargo (and toys), and that’s when it’s time to tow. While it is possible to add a tow hitch to just about any vehicle, the most capable towing SUVs can be fitted with a tow package (either factory- or dealer-installed) at the time of purchase. Robust body-on-frame SUVs generally come with higher tow ratings, but even some unibody crossovers arrive equipped to tow. We’ve compiled a list of some of the most capable towing new SUVs available right now. Here, in alphabetical order by brand, are 10 SUVs with a Tow Package:

2016 Cadillac Escalade

With a tow rating of 8300 lb., the 2016 Cadillac Escalade once again proves it is more than just another pretty luxury face. This large Cadillac SUV can be configured with up to 8-passenger capacity, and each seating position is comfortable and luxurious. A very rigid frame, solid rear axle, standard Magnetic Ride Control with rear load leveling technology, and GM’s patented StabiliTrak traction control system work together to provide safe towing performance. Be sure to specify the towing options—Brake Controller Package Accessories ($115), Hitch Ball Assembly ($20-$25), Hitch Ball Mount Assembly ($30-$40) and Trailer Wiring Adapter ($40) and Hitch Pin ($40)—for your towing application. Is “glamping” in your plans? Escalade fits the bill.

Photo by Cadillac

2017 Chevrolet Suburban

GM’s biggest SUV and one of its oldest nameplates, the Chevrolet Suburban SUV has been towing trailers, boats, and campers for over 80 years. A rear-wheel-drive Suburban can tow up to 8600 lb. Each Suburban comes with standard trailer sway control, a trailering hitch platform, 7-wire harness (with independent fused trailering circuits mated to a 7-way sealed connector), and a 2-inch trailering receiver—just add your choice of hitch ball, and you’re ready to rock. If the standard tow package isn’t enough for you, there’s a Max Trailering Package available as an option on all trim levels with a trailer brake controller, 3.42:1 rear axle, Z85 suspension package, and more.

Photo by General Motors

2017 Dodge Durango

The 2017 Dodge Durango can be ordered with a special trailer tow package, which includes a 220-amp alternator, heavy duty engine oil cooler, Class IV hitch receiver, 4- and 7-pin wiring harness, rear load-leveling shocks, and a fullsize spare tire to support a tow rating of up to 7400 lb. with rear-wheel drive and a 5.7-liter Hemi V8. That’s a very healthy capacity for a crossover SUV, which the Durango is. If your Durango has UConnect with an 8.4-inch screen, you can monitor your trailer with the rearview camera, even while driving on the highway. That great feature can bring peace of mind to newby trailer users (or nervous haulers).

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

2017 Ford Expedition

It's not easy to miss a 2017 Ford Expedition in your rearview mirror. The fullsize SUV is even more intimidating when it is used for towing up to its 9200-lb. capacity. The Heavy Duty Tow Package (standard on Limited, King Ranch and Platinum; $560 on XLT) includes a Class IV Trailer Hitch receiver, a wiring harness with a 4- and 7-pin connector, a heavy duty auxiliary transmission oil cooler and radiator, an electronic braking wiring kit, and an integrated Trailer Brake Controller. Add rear load-leveling suspension ($280) for more confidence and security. Ford's big SUV does all this with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, a surprisingly compact and light engine for such a large vehicle.

Photo by Ford

2016 GMC Yukon Denali

The 2016 GMC Yukon Denali comes with the fullsize SUV segment’s most powerful engine, a 6.2-liter V8 with a healthy 420 hp and 460 lb.-ft. of torque. That translates to better performance while towing a trailer. A clever rearview camera includes the trailer hitch in its field of vision, making hookups easier from the driver’s seat. Trailer braking control is available as an option on Denali, and trailer sway control is standard. The rear-wheel drive Denali can tow up to 8400 lb., and it uses standard Magnetic Ride Control to deliver a smooth ride. Plenty of Denali bling adds luxury and presence to this very capable tow vehicle, and it looks great even without a Chris Craft in tow.

Photo by General Motors

2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Like its cousin and corporate stablemate Dodge Durango, the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee allows you to monitor your trailer via the standard rearview camera while your vehicle is at speed. Select a rear-wheel-drive Grand Cherokee with a 3.0-liter diesel engine, and you can tow up to 7400 lb. The 3.6-liter V6 gasoline-powered Grand Cherokee can tow up to 6200 lb. The optional trailer tow group must be ordered with Quadra-Lift Air Suspension, and Includes heavy duty engine cooling, a Class IV receiver hitch, 7- and 4-pin wiring harness, rear load-leveling suspension, and a fullsize spare tire. Best of all, when you get to your location, you can unhook your trailer and you’re still driving an off-road-capable Jeep.

Photo by Jeep

Lexus LX 570

Lexus owners don’t immediately jump to mind when the conversation turns to towing. But the 2017 Lexus LX 570 arrives with a maximum towing capacity of 7000 lb, which makes it a very capable fullsize luxury suv. The LX 570 comes with full-time 4-wheel drive, a 5.7-liter V8 engine, and an 8-speed automatic transmission. A Class IV towing hitch receiver is standard equipment on the LX, with a classy cover to conceal it during luxury cruising without a trailer. Trailer sway control is standard. Just imagine how surprised they’ll be when you arrive at the local dump in your Lexus, towing a big load of garbage on a stake bed trailer. You don’t have to sacrifice luxury for utility.

Photo by Lexus

2017 Lincoln Navigator

Lincoln is now the official vehicle of the Dallas Cowboys. When Tony Romo needs to tow a trailer full of hate mail home from the stadium, he’s probably using a 2017 Lincoln Navigator. Tony can tow up to 9000 lb.(the highest tow rating for any luxury SUV) with his fullsize SUV Navigator, which is powered by a direct-injected turbocharged 3.5-liter V6. The Navigator sports a new exterior design, and its independent rear suspension allows for a third row that disappears beneath the load floor. That allows Tony to fit more mail bags inside his Navigator when the trailer is full.

Photo by Lincoln

2017 Nissan Armada

Nissan's Armada is all-new for 2017. It is now based on the global favorite Patrol, rather than on the Titan platform that used to underlie the company's fullsize SUV. The 2017 Nissan Armada has a direct-injected 5.6-liter V8 engine and 7-speed automatic transmission, and its fully boxed ladder frame delivers a 20-percent increase in rigidity over the outgoing platform, which means better ride comfort while towing. Tow capacity is up to 8500 lb. The Armada’s around-view monitor makes hooking up and negotiating tight turns while backing a trailer much easier. The Driver Package (optional on SV, standard on other trim levels) includes a trailer wiring harness and pre-wiring and a connector for a trailer brake controller.

Photo by Nissan

2016 Toyota Sequoia

Toyota has two other body-on-frame SUVs that are fine for towing (4Runner and Land Cruiser) along with two very capable pickup trucks (Tacoma and Tundra), but the champ is the 2016 Toyota Sequoia. Each Sequoia comes with a standard tow package with a receiver hitch, auxiliary transmission cooler, seven- and four-pin wire connector, heavy duty 180-amp alternator and a 4.30:1 gear ratio. Platinum models come with adaptive air suspension, too. The Sequoia SR5 RWD is rated to tow up to 7400 lb.—not as much as some SUVs with solid rear axles, but a fair tradeoff for the great ride you get with double-wishbone suspension at each wheel.

Photo by Toyota