5 Best SUV for Towing Small Campers

Last Updated on May 17, 2023 by

You must be a picnic lover, which is why you would want to buy a powerful SUV that can help you tow the small trailers that carry your luggage and extra equipment and provides you with some good sleeping space.

Small travel trailers are quite useful as they can give a lot of accommodation with their spacious interior and luxury features. But in order to tow them, you will also require a good SUV that can have enough power to tow your trailer.

In case you want to look for the Best SUV for towing small camper trailers, then we have completed a list of the best SUVs for you that have good towing capacity.

These SUVs will help you go through anyplace or location, even in the wildest hunts.

Name Towing Capacity
Dodge Durango 8,700 lbs
Nissan Armada 8,500 lbs
Ford Expedition 9,300 lbs
Lincoln Navigator 8,700 lbs
Land Rover Discovery 8,200 lbs

ImageName
Dodge DurangoDodge Durango
Nissan ArmadaNissan Armada
Ford ExpeditionFord Expedition
Lincoln NavigatorLincoln Navigator
Land Rover DiscoveryLand Rover Discovery

What is the Best SUV for Towing Small Camper?

Now we move to the best SUVs that you can buy in the market.

1. Dodge Durango

Dodge Durango

Dodge is known as a famous company for manufacturing powerful vehicles. The Dodge Durango is one of the most powerful SUVs that the company has launched, having a towing capacity of 8,700 pounds with its mighty 3.6-liter V6 engine.

This beautiful SUV comes standard with a rear-wheel drive having an 8-speed transmission.

This is a powerful 4×4 SUV that comes with the following features,

Features

  • This SUV has a powerful 4×4 drivetrain that lets you go through any path without stopping.
  • It includes an SRT trim level with the proprietary trailer tow group IV package for Dodge.
  • The SUV has the power of 470 foot-pounds of torque along with its SRT TRIM level and a Class IV receiver hitch.
  • There is also a trailer brake controller, a spare tire, and a 7- and 4-pin wiring harness in case of any emergency.
  • It runs with the power of a mighty V8 engine of 3.6 liters.
  • The Dodge Durango has a powerful towing capacity of 8,700-pounds.
  • It has ABS and driveline traction control that provides improved drive on rough paths.
Pros
  • It has an impressive towing capacity.
  • It has a powerful engine.
  • The chassis is very strong to tow a heavy travel trailer with it.
  • SRT trim level on this SUV is exceptional.
  • It is comfortable and has enough space for everyone.
  • It has quality safety features.
Cons
  • Although it has a powerful engine, it consumes a lot of fuel.
  • Standard models of the vehicle don’t provide excellent handling.

2. Nissan Armada

Nissan Armada

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Nissan is an automotive engineering company that made its name from its finest sports cars and SUVs that have run in the market since its beginning. Nissan enters the best SUVs category with its greatest model called the Armada.

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This mighty SUV is one of the best SUVs for towing small travel trailers having enough power to go on and on without stopping anywhere.

The Armada has a big 5.6-liter V8 engine under the good that is surprisingly very fuel-efficient.

Some features of the Nissan Armada are,

Features

  • This is a powerful SUV with a powerful 5.6-Liter V8 engine having 8,500 pounds towing capacity and enough horsepower to tow small travel trailers with it.
  • It has a 7-speed automatic transmission that gives you a more comfortable and easy driving experience on your journey.
  • The interior of this SUV is beautifully designed with beautiful cutting and curves along with LCD and android systems.
  • Nissan offers a special Driver Package with this SUV that helps you get the most out of the Armada by improving and upgrading a lot of things in it like a tow hitch receiver and a critical trailer brake wiring.
  • For the additional package, the user can also get a power liftgate and fog lights.
Pros
  • The towing capacity of 8,500-pounds.
  • Big but economical 5.6L V-8 Engine.
  • Reliable and automatic 7-spd transmission.
  • 4×4 SUV with a durable build quality.
  • Luxurious and comfortable interior.
  • ABS and driveline Traction control.
Cons
  • It can get mechanical issues if used on a rocky path.

3. Ford Expedition

Ford Expedition

Ford is another American manufacturer of vehicles that includes one of the finest SUVs coming out of the factory line, such as the Ford Expedition.

The Ford Expedition is an SUV for towing small travel trailers because it has a good towing capacity of 9,300lbs. It is a full-size SUV having all the necessary features of an SUV to comfort a small family and provide a good drive on long trips while towing a trailer.

Some features of the Ford Expedition are,

Features

  • It comes with a 3.5L EcoBoost engine that generates 400 horsepower, which is enough to help it tow a good weight capacity of 9,300lbs.
  • It comes with a built-in BLIS function which is a useful feature used in towing. This feature alerts the user whenever the trailer or any other vehicle gets very close to your SUV.
  • It is a full-size SUV with having powerful 4×4 and a boost for getting it out of the trouble.
  • It has a spacious room with a very comfortable for a small family to sit and relax on the drive.
Pros
  • Big and bulky with good interior space
  • Powerful engine to tow trailers
  • Good stability off tracks
  • Powerful 4×4
Cons
  • Build quality is lower than other SUVs.

4. Lincoln Navigator

Lincoln Navigator

Lincoln has its name made from the finest selling product called the Navigator. This luxury SUV has been in production for a long time, and since then, it has been upgraded many times over the years to improve and make it better than its previous model.

The latest Lincoln Navigator is the best SUV for towing small campers due to its powerful 3.5L V6 Engine having a good towing capacity of 8,700lbs.

The features that come with Lincoln Navigator are,

Features

  • It is a big SUV with a powerful V6 engine giving a towing capacity of 8,700 lbs.
  • The body and stylish of this SUV are beautiful, but the build quality is even better.
  • It is a luxury SUV having a beautiful leather interior with multiple color schemes to choose from.
  • There are safety and technical features added for avoiding accidents and helping the SUV to be smart enough to avoid damage.
  • The company provides a Co-Pilot 360 package that makes it helpful for the driver to drive this SUV on the roads for long trips.
Pros
  • It comes with five trims having a twin-turbocharged 3.5L V6 engine.
  • It has a good towing capacity to pull a travel trailer.
  • It has a four-wheel drive to go off-roading without a problem.
  • It is spacious and provides plenty of legroom to sit inside and enjoy the journey.
  • It is luxurious, and it blocks outside noise.
  • It is equipped with advanced technology features such as 4G LTE Wifi, Phone as Key, etc.
Cons
  • It is a bit bulky and huge which can be troublesome for parking sometimes.
  • You can face a lot of issues if any single technical component gets affected.

5. Land Rover Discovery

Land Rover Discovery

The last SUV in our recommendation list of the best SUV for towing small travel trailers is the Land Rover Discovery. As we all know, Land Rover company has earned great respect over the years for delivering the best quality SUVs to the customers.

The Land Rover Discovery is the best-selling and top model that has made its name with its qualities and the features that it has to offer to the driver.

This is an ultimate towing machine that can go off-roading as well as on the plain roads to provide you with fun and comfort in one place.

Features

  • Discovery has a 3.0L V6 Engine that gives 340 hp, which is just enough to put a high towing capacity of 8,200 lbs.
  • The SUV is equipped with lots of features like a wade sensing system that alerts the driver about the depth of the water in case he is crossing a river or stream.
  • There are additional other advanced features like a lane-keep assistance feature that keeps the SUV sticking to its lane and a cross-traffic alert system.
  • It is beautiful on the outside with its exquisite looks as you would recognize any Land Rover vehicle.
  • There are lots of high-end safety features that provide comfort and safety for your family that perform well both on and off-road driving.
  • There is a Hill descent control that can help you slowly get down any steep hills even when there is a whole weight of a travel trailer behind it.
  • There are front and rear parking sensors and cross-traffic detection for the best driving experience.
  • It comes with an 8-Speed transmission that has the ability to change its speed according to the required drive area.
Pros
  • It is equipped with exceptional high-end safety features.
  • It has front/rear parking sensors.
  • It comes with a lane-keeping system.
  • There is also a cross-traffic detection system.
  • The exterior of Discovery is sleek, compact, and eye-popping.
  • It has a good grip on and off-road terrains.
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Cons
  • The mileage is not very good with this SUV.

So without wasting your time, here is a quick look at what you should check in an SUV before buying a small travel trailer.

Things to Consider Before Buying an SUV for Towing Small Campers

There are a few things that you highly need to consider before making a decision to choose an SUV to tow your travel trailers.

These things include.

1. Towing Capacity

Towing capacity is the crucial reason you need to consider as the purpose of an SUV is to go through any surface or path without stopping or getting stuck.

With the weight of a travel trailer, it’s important for an SUV to have enough power that can pull the trailer anywhere the SUV goes, no matter a mountain or muddy area. So consider an SUV that has a good towing capacity.

2. Engine Type

For starters, it’s also important to choose an SUV that has a diesel engine. The diesel engines are more reliable, and they have more power and long life, which makes the SUV more dependable and suitable to go any place you would want to. It is useful for moving heavy loads like a travel trailer.

3. Four Wheel Drive (4×4)

When you buy an SUV, you would definitely need a 4×4 powered vehicle. The advantage of such an SUV is that it doesn’t get stuck in places, and the power from the engine is equally distributed in all the wheels so that the SUV can tow the trailer as well as get you out of any trouble in case you are stuck somewhere.

Conclusion

This was a discussion about the best SUV for towing small campers. We shared information about each of the best SUVs from different manufacturers that include all the necessary features that are required in them to tow small and lightweight travel trailers.

The discussion included all the detail, for more discussion, join the comment section.

FAQ

Which small-size SUV has the best towing capacity?

The best small-size SUV with good towing capacity is,

  • Jeep Cherokee: 4,500 pounds.
  • Land Rover Discovery Sport: 4,409 pounds.
  • Audi Q5: 4,400 pounds.
  • Volvo XC40: 3,500 pounds.
  • Toyota RAV4: 3,500 pounds.

What is the best SUV that can pull a travel trailer?

Following are the best SUVs that can pull a travel trailer,

  • Ford Expedition.
  • Nissan Armada.
  • Dodge Durango SRT.
  • Lincoln Navigator.
  • Chevy Tahoe and Suburban.
  • Infiniti QX80.

Which is the best midsize SUV with good towing capacity?

Following are the best midsize SUV with very good towing capacity,

  • Mercedes-Benz GLE.
  • Land Rover Range Rover Sport.
  • Porsche Cayenne.
  • Jeep Grand Cherokee.
  • Lincoln Aviator.

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About Ted Mosby

I am Ted Mosby from Cleveland, Ohio. I am a Freelance Architect. I live in New Jersey, USA right now and I take my RV every alternate weekend. I own a Forest River Berkshire XLT Diesel 45A Class A Motorhome. As I am a Freelancer I can work anywhere so most of my work is done inside my camper remotely.