Video: Driving Smart: Best Compact SUVs for Towing

01:50 min

By Cars.com Editors

May 23, 2017

With summer on the horizon, many people are getting ready to tow boats, campers and trailers but did you know you don’t need a full-size truck or SUV to do so? Mike Hanley of Cars.com goes over a few compact SUV models that are up to the job.

(upbeat techno music) The summer travel season is fast approaching, and many families will soon be hitting the road with a camper, boat, or trailer in tow.

While a full-sized truck or SUV might immediately jump to mind when considering a tow vehicle, depending on what you need to tow, a smaller, compact SUV might do the trick, and still be suitable for urban commuting. We scoured towing specs for 2017 SUV's, and found five compact models that offer significantly more towing capability than the class norm. Leading all compact SUV's is the 2017 Jeep Cherokee, which can tow up to 4,500 pounds when equipped with the optional V6 engine and trailer tow package. That's enough towing capability to pull a small camper. Optional V6 engines are also key to higher trailer ratings for the 2017 Chevrolet Equinox, 2017 GMC Terrain and 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander, which are all ready to tow up to 3,500 pounds, with an optional V6. Towing capacity dips to 1,500 pounds by comparison, when these SUV's are powered by their base four cylinder engines. There is one four cylinder, however, that can match the towing capability offered by the V6s. The 2017 Ford Escape's optional turbo two liter engine, boosts the SUV's towing capacity to 3,500 pounds, when fitted with the trailer tow prep package. There are many factors to consider when determining how much your vehicle can safely tow, including how many passengers and how much cargo you're carrying, and how far and where you're traveling. It could mean the difference between safely reaching your destination and being stuck on the side of the road. (upbeat techno music intensifies)