10 Best Midsize SUVs for Towing a Travel Trailer
SUVs are a very popular type of vehicle, especially in the United States. This is because they are typically compact, spacious, comfy, and sporty. Most of them especially models from 2015 onwards feature the latest vehicle technologies for optimum safety, convenience, and entertainment.
The majority of SUVs on the market are midsize SUVs. This is because they are big enough to accommodate several people but not too big to consume a lot of fuel or to cost a lot of money.
There are many midsize SUVs on the market. Many of them can tow travel trailers easily. Among the many midsize SUVs on the market, a number of them have very powerful engines and have got strong chassis. This makes them the best suited for towing travel trailers. In this article, I am going to list ten such midsize SUVs and tell you everything you need to know about them.
Without further ado, here are the 10 best midsize SUVs for towing travel trailers.
What are the Top Midsize SUVs for Towing a Travel Trailer
1. Dodge Durango
The Dodge Company started making the Durango over twenty years ago. Over the years, the company has improved the SUV and it is now one of the bestselling SUVs on the market.
The Dodge Durango is best known for its strong performance on different types of terrain. It is an SUV that performs because it features a 3.6L V6 engine under its hood. It is also known for its serious towing capacity.
If you want to use this SUV to take your travel trailer off-road, you can do just that without worrying about getting stuck. This is because it is a four-wheel-drive vehicle so it can easily handle most if not all-terrain.
One of the things I like about the Dodge Durango 2020 is that it looks just as attractive as it is powerful. It has the same classic overall Dodge Durango design that has been in existence for about ten years now.
I also like the fact that it is a high tech car with a fuel-saving system, a remote engine start system, a parking sensor, and Wi-Fi. To be honest, several 2020 SUVs have better technologies. However, the technologies on this one are not very bad. It is a vehicle you will love driving especially on the highway where it delivers 19 MPG and off-road where it can manage really well.
It has three rows making it perfect for large families.
2. Land Rover Range Rover Sport
This is one of the priciest and most luxurious midsize SUVs on the market! It is a truly remarkable car for those who are looking for something powerful but at the same time stately and luxurious.
The Land Rover Range Rover is a blend between comfort/ luxury and ruggedness. When you look at its body it is well designed and aerodynamic. It is a car that will turn heads where you go. And while this car’s exterior is impressive its interior is even more impressive.
It features the classic Range Rover styling with luxury leather seats, a panoramic sunroof, and digital control screens.
In terms of technologies, this midsize SUV features a Wi-Fi system, an automatic start and stop system, an automatic trunk, a lane assistance system, and a collision warning system.
As I said a few moments ago, this is a vehicle that combines comfort and ruggedness. It is the ruggedness of this 5-seater midsize SUV that makes it perfect for travel trailer towing. It is available in several options including with a powerful 3.0L I6 S/C and Turbo engine. You can pull lightweight trailers easily with this engine. Keep in mind that the Land Rover Range Rover Sport is also a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
3. Land Rover Discovery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYzLXTSq0z8
Across the world, the Land Rover Discovery is a well-known and extremely popular off-road vehicle.
This vehicle has been manufactured in various versions for over thirty years. This 2020 model is the latest version. While the design of this latest version is very sleek and the interior is supremely comfortable, the vehicle has not lost its serious and well-admired off-road capabilities.
Unlike its cousin, the Land Rover Range Rover Sport, the Land Rover Discovery is a 3-row midsize SUV. This means it can accommodate more passengers than the Range Rover Sport. In other words, it is the better vehicle to travel with if you want to travel with a large family.
The Land Rover Discovery is available in several versions. The bestselling one is the HSE Supercharged version that boasts a 3.0L V6 S/C engine. It is also a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
It is perfect for towing lightweight and mid-size travel trailers.
This supremely capable midsize SUV has a highway gas mileage of 21 MPG.
4. Mercedes-Benz GLE
This Mercedes-Benz midsize SUV is my favorite midsize SUV for towing a travel trailer. I have not gotten around to buying it yet because I have a very capable Ford 450 truck but it is what I will get the day my truck will give up.
The thing I love the most about it is the fact that it is how sleek and aerodynamic it looks outside and how luxurious, spacious, and comfortable it is inside. In my opinion, it is one of the best-designed SUVs on the market.
The performance of this vehicle is also very impressive. It is available with several engine options but the most popular one is the GLE 350 4MACTIC option that is four-wheel drive and has a 2.0L I4 Turbo engine. This engine plus the vehicle’s super strong chassis construction makes this SUV perfect for towing lightweight travel trailers.
This Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV has three-row sitting so it can accommodate many people. Its highway gas mileage is 24 MPG.
This vehicle’s technologies include front and back parking assistance, remote engine start, collision warning, Wi-Fi, automatic trunk, and automatic parking systems.
5. Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep makes some of the best quality off-road vehicles in the world. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of their most capable SUVs!
It is essentially a midsize off-road SUV that is designed to perform brilliantly especially on rough terrain.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4WD is the best option for towing travel trailers. This is because it comes with a powerful V6 engine and it is a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Based on these statements, I can assure you that it is a vehicle you will love using to pull your travel trailer.
The only thing you may not like about the Limited 4WD version is its 17 MPG highway gas mileage. However, its stylish and luxurious interior cabin more than compensates for its low gas mileage.
The Trackhawk and SRT models are also great for towing.
The general features of the Jeep Grand Cherokee include cruise control, remote engine start, cooled seats, automatic start and stop, and automatic parallel parking systems.
6. Porsche Cayenne
If you are looking for a towing midsize SUV that is practical and at the same time sporty and luxurious, look no further than the Porsche Cayenne 2020!
The fact that this midsize 2020 SUV goes for around $70,000 should tell you what to expect when you get inside. It has a very modern and wonderful interior. You will be impressed by how sleek everything looks when you get into this vehicle.
You will also be impressed by its convenient features which include a panoramic sunroof, a reliable navigation system, a collision warning system, a Wi-Fi system, a power trunk, fog lamps, and parking sensors.
In terms of performance, the Porsche Cayenne SUV AWD version is the most popular one. It is a four-wheel-drive vehicle with a beautiful 3.0L V6 Turbo engine. It performs really well in the city and on the highway.
However, I must note that it is best suited for towing super light lightweight trailers such as the BASECAMP 16 and the Livin’ Lite Camplite.
7. Lincoln Aviator
If you dig safety, you will love the Lincoln Aviator. This is because this midsize SUV for towing travel trailers includes multiple safety features such as pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, forward collision detection, and parking sensors. Of course, it also comes with standard vehicle safety features such as airbags and seatbelts.
The interior of this vehicle is very modern and luxurious. It has everything to keep you and your passengers comfortable including an entertainment center, good speakers, comfortable seats, and heated front seats.
Being a third-row SUV makes this vehicle perfect for families.
Probably the best Lincoln Aviator for towing travel trailers is the Reserve AWD. This four-wheel-drive vehicle has a powerful 3.0L V6 Turbo engine that makes it great for towing even midsize campers.
Its gas mileage is 24 MPG, which is impressive considering its engine!
8. Nissan Pathfinder
This is one of the cheaper 2020 midsize SUVs on the market! It goes for around $33,000 and it is, therefore, much more affordable than the two Land Rovers, the Jeep, the Porsche Cayenne, and several other SUVs I have covered on this list.
The fact that this vehicle is relatively cheap does not mean that its manufacturer sacrificed any features or comfort. In fact, the manufacturer did the opposite with this vehicle. They made it comfortable and feature-rich.
The interior features ergonomic and comfortable seats and it is super spacious. Only the leg space in front of the third-row seats is not very spacious. However, it is spacious enough for kids and teenagers.
The thing I love the most about this Nissan SUV is the fact that it has a very capable V6 engine. This engine means it can tow even a 5,800 pounds camper. So if you have a modern Forest River camper or any other lightweight camper, you should be able to tow it easily with the Nissan Pathfinder.
I must mention that the Nissan Pathfinder is a four-wheel-drive vehicle so it can handle most terrains.
9. BMW X5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zy_OdMPWFE
The BMW X5 is a fourth-generation X5 that was launched in 2019.
It is essentially a five-seater SUV that looks amazing and is perfect for traveling with a small family to camping locations anywhere.
It comes with several styles with the best one being the xDrive40i. This style has a 3.0L I6 Turbo engine and it is a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
This engine and the sturdy construction of this vehicle means that it can pull lightweight campers very well.
The thing I love the most about this vehicle is its interior followed by its gas mileage. Like most BMWs, this BMW has a stylish, modern, and comfortable design. Its gas mileage is 26 MPG.
In terms of features, this vehicle comes with a sunroof, a blind-spot system, a lane-keep assistance system, a collision warning system, parking sensors, and heated seats.
10. Ford Explorer
Ford Explorer is a brilliant SUV that has been on the market for many years. The 2020 version is the latest style of this iconic SUV. It is sporty, comfortable, and has many brilliant standard and special features.
The 2020 iteration of this iconic SUV can accommodate six people in its spacious, comfortable, and elegant interior. So if your family has six members and you are looking for a midsize SUV that can tow a travel trailer to carry them, you should consider the Ford Explorer.
Speaking of towing, the Ford Explorer ST 4WD style of this SUV has a 3.0L V6 Turbo engine that is perfectly capable of towing even 5,500-pound campers. It is a four-wheel-drive style.
On the highway, this vehicle can do 24 MPG.
Features in this vehicle include a cruise control system, a Wi-Fi system, a power trunk system, and a sunroof.
How to Pick the Best Midsize SUV to Tow Your Travel Trailer
As evidenced by the list of vehicles above, there are many brilliant midsize SUVs on the market capable of towing travel trailers.
So which one among them is the best for towing travel trailers? Well, I don’t know. I don’t know because I do not know the travel trailer model you own and its weight. However, I can help you pick the best midsize SUV by sharing with you what to consider.
- Towing Capacity. The number 1 thing to consider when picking an SUV for towing is its towing capacity. Most midsize SUVs can tow trailers between 0 and 6,500 pounds depending on their engine, their drivetrain, and their chassis construction.
So before you buy an SUV, check if it can tow your travel trailer. If it cannot, consider another SUV or consider buying a truck or a motorhome.
- Seating Capacity. If you are buying an SUV for towing a travel trailer, then you most probably want to travel somewhere far for a vacation and you most likely want to travel there with your family.
Most midsize SUVs can only seat five people. However, third-row six-seater and seven-seater midsize SUVs are also available on the market. Therefore, if you have a six or seven-member family, you should get an SUV with a third-row interior.
- Gas Mileage. When buying an SUV for towing, one of the most important things to consider is its gas mileage. Why? Because towing heavy things negatively affects gas mileage.
Therefore, if you buy a midsize SUV that is not fuel-efficient and you use it to tow a heavy trailer, it will cost you a lot of gas money. In contrast, if you buy a very powerful but fuel-efficient midsize SUV and you use it for towing, it will not affect your gas mileage significantly and, therefore, it will not cost you a lot of money.
- Towing Compatibility. Depending on the type of travel trailer you have, you have to buy a midsize SUV that has a towing package that can actually tow it. Having a ball hitch is not enough, the best towing midsize SUVs have strong brakes, big radiators, and brilliant suspension systems to enable them to tow heavy loads.
So when getting a midsize SUV for towing, make sure it has all the features and it is totally capable of towing.
Final Thoughts
You now know the ten best midsize SUVs for towing. You also know what you need to consider to choose the best one among them. Choose the best midsize SUV right now and you will soon be on your way to that camping location you have been dreaming of visiting.
