Tow Car Awards 2023: 1900kg+ (more than £60,000)
If you’re looking for a great tow car that will also be enjoyable to drive solo, you need one of our 2023 Tow Car Awards winners. Here we look at the best heavyweight for more than £60k...
Land Rover Defender 110 P400e X
Kerb weight 2613kg 85% match 2221kg Max towing weight 3500kg Towball limit 150kg
If you have very deep pockets and a luxury tourer, the Land Rover Defender plug-in hybrid is the car we’d recommend for towing it.
We’ve been hugely impressed with the Defender’s towing ability in the past when testing the diesel. The plug-in hybrid is every bit as capable, but with the potential for lower running costs and emissions if you can recharge regularly.
True, the official all-electric range is 30 miles, which is shorter than some plug-in hybrid SUVs achieve. But even so, that’s still enough for many of us to complete our daily driving in electric mode and contributes to an official average fuel economy figure of 104.1mpg.
The big Defender is quick as well as efficient. Pulling the heaviest test caravan loaded to its maximum, it towed from 30-60mph in just 6.8sec.
For such a heavy car, carrying its weight so high above the ground, the Defender’s performance in the lane-change test was exemplary. Our tester ranked it as the very best in the heaviest weight class, keeping the caravan firmly in control.
Our other drivers were equally happy, thanks to the Defender’s turn of pace and effortless high-speed stability.
The hill-start test on a 1-in-6 slope wasn’t much of a test at all, so we took the car to the 1-in-4 gradient next door, where the Defender was equally imperious.
Without a caravan it is a refined and comfortable way to travel. Thanks to its air suspension, the Defender is remarkably smooth on Tarmac when you consider just how capable it is off road, although it isn’t as comfy as the super-plush Audi Q7.
The 110 version of the Defender tested here is the mid-sized model, available with both five and seven seats. Ours was a five-seater, with plenty of space and a commanding view out for driver and passengers alike.
Despite the car’s huge size, boot space could do with being more generous. The full-size spare wheel is a plus, but it’s a shame Land Rover didn’t think more about hitching up to a caravan, because the tyre fouls the stabiliser handle. It’s an irritating flaw in an otherwise excellent tow car.
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