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So you own a crossover SUV, have some towing to do, and wonder if it’s safe to hook your vehicle up to a trailer. The truth is that “crossover” is a large and complex vehicle segment that is changing rapidly. Some of them have towing capacities equal to trucks, others couldn’t tow an empty U-Haul trailer. But there’s a sure way to find out how much your crossover can tow.

First and foremost: what is a crossover? This segment is vehicles that are shaped like SUVs for storage space, but constructed like cars to save weight and some money.

If you want to get technical, full-frame vehicles have their suspension and powertrain attached to a ladder-shaped metal frame, then their body set atop that. This includes most trucks, and strictly speaking, every SUV. Cars and crossovers are different in one critical way. They have no standalone frame because everything is attached to a reinforced body shell.

Red Subaru towing a travel trailer, on the beach in Vancouver.
Subaru towing | oksanaphoto via iStockPhoto

A ladder frame adds a ton of strength to a vehicle, so body-on-frame/full-frame vehicles will always be able to tow the most. I mean, this is how semi truck tractors are built. But better engineering, metals, and construction methods have led to some pretty beefy crossovers. As a result, many models that were traditionally body-on-frame SUVs are now crossovers. Most folks still call them SUVs. And they can tow a lot.

One example is the Jeep Grand Cherokee–which is technically a crossover–and can tow 6.200 pounds. Another example is the entire Land Rover lineup which is now using a proprietary method of reinforced unibody construction. Some Land Rovers can tow 8,200 pounds. Yeah, these are some heavy-duty crossovers.

On the other end of the spectrum you have Jeep’s smallest and lightest crossover, the Compass. This vehicle has a maximum towing capacity of 2,000 pounds. That’s not a lot when you consider that an empty U-Haul car hauling trailer weighs in at 2,210 pounds.

Towing a trailer full of motorcycles with a BMW X5 crossover SUV
BMW X5 | AdrianHancu via iStockPhoto

Every new vehicle has a sticker in its driver’s side door sill with critical recommendations from the manufacturer. This includes data such as recommended tire PSI, payload capacity, and maximum tow rating. Make sure you check this before planning to tow with your crossover. Next, check if it already has a tow hitch and price out installing one. It might be cheaper to rent a truck occasionally.

Note that the towing capacity is the maximum amount a vehicle’s powertrain can handle. But it’s not necessarily a weight that it would be wise to tow repeatedly. Many folks who are hauling heavy loads on the regular opt for a full-frame just because it may end up lasting longer.

Next, read why engine choice has little to do with towing capacity, or see the best crossover SUVs for towing in the video below:

Best in Crossovers
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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.