Towing with an EV or a plug-in hybrid is not as easy as it is with regular diesel or gas-powered cars. Most manufacturers these days establish a legal towing capacity for a specific car through a process called homologation, but only for a few worthy models.
If the specific car has no towing capacity limits listed, chances are it’s not suitable for such a task, and many such cars are hybrids or EVs. However, even though you can’t tow a 23-foot camper with a Nissan Leaf, there are a couple of hybrid options out there that can easily tow extremely heavy loads.
Some SUVs like the Ford Explorer Hybrid, Audi Q7 TFSIe, Volvo XC90 Twin Hybrid, or the Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring can tow upwards of 5000 lbs. The best towing hybrid SUVs out there are the Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid and the Land Rover Defender P400e, both of which can tow up to almost 8000 lbs.
If you do want to tow with your hybrid, but you don’t want an SUV, the Volvo V60 Twin Engine is capable of towing up to 4000 lbs, and the VW Passat GTE and the Mercedes c350e are both capable of towing up to 2300 lbs in great style and comfort.
Ford Explorer Hybrid
The Ford Explorer Hybrid is a great family vacation car thanks to its subtle ride, fairly upmarket interior, and lots of space. If you pair that with a maximum 5000 lbs towing capacity, the Explorer is more than capable of taking your caravan anywhere you want.
The Explorer costs between $35k and $53k, and for such a price, you are indeed getting a lot of car for the money. Consider buying the Explorer if you don’t want the highest-end full-size luxury SUV on the market, but you still want to have everything a modern full-size SUV offers.
Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring
A few years back, the Lincoln brand has gone under quite an extensive makeover, and nowadays the Lincoln brand is capable of standing on its own when compared to Audi, Mercedes, or BMW. All things considered, the Lincoln Navigator is the most impressive model out of the entire lineup, but the Aviator is certainly not far behind.
It may seem ridiculous at first glance to pay as much as $70k for a mid-size Lincoln SUV that is based on the same platform as the virtually half-priced Ford Explorer. However, the Aviator can tow up to 6700 lbs, and it offers a splendid interior with lots of high-quality luxury and comfort features.
Volvo XC90 Hybrid
The Volvo XC90 fits greatly into the fairly recent Volvo lineup which is characterized by wonderfully designed, yet high-quality vehicles. The interior design language is highly influenced by the Swedish meaning of minimalist luxury and elegance, and the exterior design also shares such design philosophy.
Towing-wise, the XC90 can easily tow 5000 lbs in great comfort. Regardless of the XC90 not being the SUV with the absolute highest towing capacity, you are well aware that hardly anyone can do it safer than Volvo.
Land Rover P400e
The Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid and the Land Rover Defender P400e are the current highest towing hybrids on the market, but between the two, the Defender does seem a more interesting option thanks to a lovely sophisticated, yet equally rugged and durable design, and a more approachable price tag.
Although the Cayenne certainly does offer better driving manners as far as both agility and comfort are concerned, the P400e Defender is the true meaning of adventure. In any case, both of these can easily tow up to almost 8000 lbs which is, for all intents and purposes- the very highest amount a hybrid car can offer these days.
Volvo V60 Twin Engine
Maybe you do want to tow quite a bit of heft, but you don’t want an SUV due to several reasons, there are a few options out there that might actually satisfy your needs. One of which is the Volvo V60 Twin Engine because this relatively capable Volvo station wagon can tow up to 4000 lbs.
On the flip side, the V60 Twin Engine still offers high quality, well-thought-after design and build material plethora consisting out of exquisite leather and minimalist accent trims that look, feel and even smell amazing.
FAQ Section
Is it good to tow with an electric car?
Absolutely, but with a distinct caveat. Electric cars benefit from instant torque the moment you plant your foot on the accelerator pedal, this works wondrously when you need to make sudden changes in an urban environment and when you maneuver a 23-foot camper.
Despite that, electric car owners regularly suffer from an anomaly dubbed as ‘’range anxiety’’. Range anxiety is a fear every EV owners experiences whenever he feels that the estimated electric range is not enough to reach your destination. This is extremely important as a 5000 lbs trailer is bound to crush your range.
Are hybrid cars worth it?
Hybrid cars are definitely becoming somewhat of a sweet spot when it comes to car propelling solutions. They are virtually identical to drive when compared to a regular gas or diesel-powered car, but at the same time, they are able of reaching superior efficiency.
As such, hybrids are most definitely worth it, but only if you truly do use them for what they are. Don’t buy a hybrid and just drive it with a regular combustion engine because this renders the electric engine useless and completely undervalues the whole point of owning a hybrid.
What is the best affordable hybrid towing car out there?
As you may have noticed, almost all cars listed in this article are expensive and rather luxurious. Be that as it may, there is no need to spend such an exorbitant amount of money if you want to tow with a more approachable hybrid vehicle.
That being said, the Kia Sorento Hybrid is capable of towing up to 3300 lbs, while a Toyota Prius is only good for a measly 1600 lbs, the same story goes for the rather underwhelming Honda CR-V hybrid. Probably the best towing value proposition is the Kia Niro Hybrid because this little hero can tow up to almost 3000 lbs.