Tow Car Awards 2023: How we decided the winners

Welcome to the What Car? Tow Car Awards 2023, where we reveal the top new cars for the unique demands of towing.

If you own a caravan, a horsebox, or a boat trailer, you should find your next new car among our winners. Plus, we've looked back over the hundreds of models we’ve tested over the years and named the one we’d most recommend for a used car buyer.

We’ve been holding these awards since 2007, working with the experts at The Camping and Caravanning Club. And for the third year in a row, Adria – one of Europe’s top caravan manufacturers – provided a fleet of caravans for us to use in our tests.

Each caravan was weighted to 85% of the car’s kerb weight. The Club recommends that ratio as a sensible maximum for safe and stable towing. If the car’s maximum towing figure was below 85% of its kerb weight, the caravan was loaded to the maximum towing weight instead.

This year’s field of 30 cars was divided into five classes by weight (with the heaviest weight class also divided by price). That way you can easily find a car that’s suitable for towing your caravan or trailer. If a car has a very low towing limit it may drop down a weight class, with a penalty applied to the score.

Many electric cars are now approved for towing, so we’ve tested these in their own class.

Each car is assessed across four categories. The towing score is based on the views of four experienced tow car drivers over a week of testing at our private test track. Three of the four drivers complete the same test route, which includes towing on twin horizontal straights at high speeds, a low-speed slalom, and a hill-start on a 1-in-6 slope.

The fourth driver, a What Car? road tester, carries out more extreme tests, including an emergency lane change and an emergency stop. He also performs a 30-60mph acceleration test.

What Car?’s road test ratings inform the solo driving score. Meanwhile, boot space is tested using a typical load of camping gear, with the ease with which towing mirrors can be fitted, the spare wheel provision, and the towing gear’s ease of use also feeding into the practicality rating.

Finally, the buying and owning score takes into account price, value, safety, equipment and reliability.

Thanks to Al-Ko for its help in preparing the caravans, and Witter Towbar Systems for checking each car's towing gear.

We're also grateful to Milenco for supplying its latest mirrors as well as noseweight gauges, and to the Coventry Scale Company for the loan of the weight pads used in preparing the caravan loading plans.

Finally, our biggest thanks must go to the enthusiastic army of Camping and Caravanning Club volunteers who give up their time to make the event possible.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

See the Tow Car Awards 2023 winners >>