Tow Car Awards 2026: Best used buy

KEY FACTS: Price £25,000-£34,000 Kerb weight 1917kg 85% match 1629kg Towing capacity 1650kg Towball limit 100kg

Whatever your budget, it will go further if you shop for a used tow car rather than a new one. And a used Hyundai Santa Fe makes a particularly wise buy.

This generation was offered with diesel or hybrid power. But we’re recommending the hybrid model – not least because of the sky-high cost of diesel fuel. There are also more hybrid examples than diesels to choose from on the used market.

The Santa Fe makes a very fine tow car. The kerb weight of 1917kg (including 75kg for the driver) gives an 85% match figure of 1629kg, which is just inside the towing capacity of 1650kg. That’s actually a much better towing limit than that of the model which replaced this Santa Fe in 2024.

The big Hyundai feels at home towing a caravan, thanks to a healthy power output of 227bhp and impressive composure at speed.

There were both two and four-wheel-drive versions of this model, with the 4x4 our favourite; it’s heavier, which helps with stability, and offers better traction in slippery conditions.

As a bonus, while there was a £2000 price premium for the 4x4 when the car was new, the price gap is smaller now these cars are on used forecourts.

Inside, the Santa Fe offers space for up to seven and impressive flexibility. The middle row of seats slides back and forth, so you can juggle space between the second and third row of seats as needed. What’s more, the rearmost seats are fine for older kids, and adults can be squeezed in for short journeys without too many contortions.

There’s enough boot space for a few bags of shopping with all the seats upright, and all your holiday luggage should fit when the third row is lowered.

So, the Santa Fe tows well and offers lots of room. But as a used buy, the clincher is dependability. In the most recent What Car? Reliability Survey, it was revealed to be the most dependable seven-seater, with no faults reported by any of the owners who responded.

In the unlikely event something does go wrong, many examples are still covered by the original five-year, unlimited mileage warranty.

The Santa Fe is close to ideal as a used tow car, with prices starting from around £25,000.

OUR RATINGS: Towing 5/5 Solo driving 4/5 Reliability 5/5 Buying and owning 4/5 Overall 5/5

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