Towing is one of the most challenging jobs and requires powerful tow vehicles capable of offering efficient performance. Mostly, light-duty and heavy-duty pickup trucks are used to tow heavy trailers, campers, RVs, and other trailer equipment.
Table of Contents
Pickup trucks offer safe, and stable towing performance so, they are the first choices when it comes to handling heavy towing jobs. However, there are some midsize SUVs that can tow light trailers. While I claim that, you must be wondering ‘What midsize SUV has the best towing capacity?’.
What midsize SUV has the best towing capacity?
There are lots of powerful midsize SUVs ready to hit the automobile industry in the coming year 2023. The upcoming all-new midsize SUVs can tow from 5,000 lbs to 8,000 lbs.
Here is the list of the latest midsize SUVs offering the best towing capacity.
2023 Dodge Durango
The all-new 2023 Dodge Durango can tow up to 8,700 lbs when equipped with Tow N Go Package. The towing capacity depends on the engine type and vehicle configuration.
| 2023 Dodge Durango Engine | Towing Capacity |
| Supercharged 6.2L HEMI Hellcat V8 Engine | 6,200 lbs |
| 5.7L HEMI V8 Engine | 8,700 lbs (with R/T Trailer tow package) |
2023 Land Rover Defender
The towing capacity of the 2023 Land Rover Defender ranges between 7,716 lbs to 8,201 lbs depending on the engine and vehicle configuration.
| 2023 Land Rover Defender Engine | Towing Capacity |
| 2.0L P300 I4 Gasoline Engine | 7,716 lbs |
| 3.0L P400 I6 Gasoline MHEV Powertrain | 7,716 lbs (Defender 90) Max. 8,201 lbs (Defender 110 or Defender 130) |
| 5.0L P525 V8 Gasoline Engine | 7,716 lbs |
2023 Land Rover Discovery
The maximum towing capacity of the 2023 Land Rover Discovery is 8,200 lbs when equipped with a 3.0L P360 i6 Gas Engine. With other engines, it can tow up to 5,952 lbs.
| 2023 Land Rover Discovery Engine | Towing Capacity |
| 2.0L P300 i4 Gas Engine | 5,952 lbs |
| 3.0L P360 i6 Gas Engine (Standard on Discovery Metropolitan Edition, and Optional on the Discovery R-DYNAMIC) | 8,200 lbs |
2023 Mercedes GLE
The 2023 Mercedes GLE SUV is also among the midsize SUVs capable of offering impressive towing capacity that ranges from 5,950 lbs to 7,700 lbs.
| 2023 Mercedes GLE SUV Engine | Towing Capacity |
| 2.0L Inline-4 Turbo Engine | 5,950 lbs |
| 2.0 Inline-4 Engine on 350 4MATIC Trim | 7,700 lbs |
| 3.0 Inline-6 Turbo Engine on 450 4MATIC Trim | 7,700 lbs |
2023 BMW X5, X6 and X7
BMW X5, X6, and X7 are the three different midsize SUVs that offer impressive performance when it comes to towing.
| 2023 BMW Models | Towing Capacity |
| The X5 (available with factory-installed trailer hitch) | 7,200 lbs |
| The X6 | 7,200 lbs (when equipped with available towing package) |
| The X7 (Available with factory-installed trailer hitch) | 7,500 lbs |
2023 Audi Q7, and Q8
Audi Q7, and Q8 are luxury midsize SUVs that are also able to handle light towing activities. The all-new 2023 Audi Q8 offers more towing capacity than the Q7 model.
| 2023 Audi Models | Towing Capacity |
| Audi Q7 (Equipped with 2.0L 4-cylinder engine) | 4,400 lbs |
| Audi Q8 (Equipped with 3.0L 6-cylinder engine) | 7,700 lbs |
2023 Lexus GX
The all-new 2023 Lexus GX is a powerful midsize SUV capable of towing up to 6,500 lbs. It is also equipped with Trailer Sway Control as part of the Vehicle Stability Control System.
The latest Lexus GX is powered by a 4.6L V8 engine that delivers a maximum power of 301 hp.
| 2023 Lexus Model | Towing Capacity |
| Lexus GX | 6,500 lbs (when equipped with a 4.6L V8 engine) |
2023 Ford Explorer SUV
The 2023 Ford Explorer SUV is another best midsize SUVs that meets your towing requirements. There are six models of the 2023 Ford Explorer: Explorer, Explorer XLT, Explorer ST-Line, Explorer Timberline, Explorer Limited, Explorer ST, Explorer King Ranch, and Explorer Platinum.
The towing capacity of the 2023 Ford Explorer ranges from 5,000 lbs to 5,600 lbs.
| 2023 Ford Explorer SUV Models | Towing Capacity |
| Explorer Timberlin | 5,300 lbs |
| Explorer ST-Line | 5,300 lbs |
| Explorer King Ranch | 5,600 lbs |
| Explorer ST | 5,600 lbs |
| Explorer Limited/Hybrid | 5,000 lbs |
| Explorer Platinum/Hybrid | 5,600 lbs (When equipped with 3.0L EcoBoost V6 Engine) |
2023 Lincoln Aviator
The 2023 Lincoln Aviator is perfectly designed for comfort and convenience It is also available in the plug-in hybrid electric version and is able to offer a maximum towing capacity of 5,600 lbs.
| 2023 Lincoln Aviator Engine Options | Towing Capacity |
| Twin-Turbocharged 3.0L V6 Engine | 5,600 lbs (When properly equipped with the available Class IV Trailer Tow Package) |
| Twin-Turbocharged Grand Touring Plug-in Hybrid | 5,600 lbs (When properly equipped with the available Class IV Trailer Tow Package) |
2023 Nissan Pathfinder
The latest 2023 Nissan Pathfinder offers a max towing capacity of up to 6,000 lbs. This midsize luxury SUV is powered by a V6 engine combined with a 9-speed automatic transmission.
| 2023 Nissan Pathfinder Model | Towing Capacity |
| Pathfinder Platinum 4WD | 6,000 lbs (when equipped with the V6 engine) |
Rivian R1S
Rivian R1S is a powerful electric SUV that is able to perform well on all types of terrains. Talking about the towing capacity, this electric midsize SUV offers a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 lbs.
The R1S eclectic SUV is available in Quad-motor All-Wheel Drive and Dual-Motor All-Wheel Drive configurations.
| 2023 Rivian EV Model | Towing Capacity |
| Rivian R1S | 7,700 lbs |
2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep is one of the well-known SUVs in the United States. There are various amazing models of Jeep SUVs, and one of them is the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee offers exceptional performance with 3 available engines. As per the towing capability is concerned, it offers a maximum towing of up to 7,200 lbs depending on the engine configuration.
| 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine | Towing Capacity |
| 3.6L Pentastar V6 | 6,200 lbs |
| 5.7L HEMI V8 | 7,200 lbs |
| 2.0L I4 DOHC DI Turbo PHEV | 6,000 lbs |
Conclusion
As we come to the end of this article, we discovered 15 midsize SUVs with the best towing capacity. There are various other upcoming SUVs capable of towing more than 5,000 lbs such as the 2023 Porsche Cayenne, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, Genesis GV80, Infiniti QX60, Maserati Levante, Kia Telluride, and Honda Pilot.
Let’s summarize the midsize SUVs we discussed above.
| 2023 MIDSIZE SUV | TOWING CAPACITY |
| Land Rover Defender | 7,716 lbs |
| Land Rover Discover | 5,952 lbs – 8,200 lbs |
| Dodge Durango | 6,200 lbs – 8,700 lbs |
| Mercedes GLE SUV | 5,950 lbs – 7,700 lbs |
| BMW X5 | 7,200 lbs |
| BMW X6 | 7.200 lbs |
| BMW X7 | 7,500 lbs |
| Audi Q7 | 4,400 lbs |
| Audi Q8 | 7,700 lbs |
| Lexus GX | 6,500 lbs |
| Ford Explorer SUV | 5,000 lbs – 5,600 lbs |
| Lincoln Aviator | 5,600 lbs |
| Nissan Pathfinder | 6,000 lbs |
| Rivian R1S | 7,700 lbs |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee | 6,000 lbs – 7,200 lbs |
The above-listed midsize SUVs offer the best towing capacity. The 2023 Land Rover Discovery and the 2023 Dodge Durango can tow more than 8,000 lbs which is the highest among others.
Stellan Carter is an accomplished writer, entrepreneur, and avid Ford Raptor owner. As a co-founder and content contributor for this renowned blog website, Stellan brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the automotive industry. When he's not behind the wheel of his beloved Ford Raptor, Stellan can be found exploring new terrains, capturing the essence of his automotive adventures through his camera lens.