Buyer guide
Best luxury 3-row SUVs for towing
A buyer guide focused on maximum tow rating and the body architecture that supports it. Body-on-frame and unibody SUVs make different trade-offs here.
Specs on this page are awaiting verification.
We don't publish numbers we haven't sourced. 3% of the data on this page is currently unverified.
Quick verdict
The two body-on-frame full-size SUVs in this comparison lead on tow rating: the Lincoln Navigator (8,700 lb) and the Cadillac Escalade (8,000 lb). Both are built on truck architecture, which is the structural reason their tow ratings are higher than the unibody peers.
Among unibody three-rows, the Mercedes-Benz GLS, Audi Q7, and Rivian R1S all rate 7,700 lb; the BMW X7 rates 7,500 lb. The Lexus TX and Volvo XC90 rate 5,000 lb — enough for a small camper or utility trailer but not for larger boats or horse trailers.
Two structural caveats apply across the segment. EV tow ratings assume access to charging that handles the weight of a trailer, which is materially less common than gas-station coverage. And max tow rating is the ceiling, not the practical operating point — tongue weight, hitch setup, and powertrain heat all bring real-world comfort below the rated number.
Ranking
| Rank | Model | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lincoln Navigator | 10/10 |
| 2 | Cadillac Escalade | 8/10 |
| 3 | Mercedes-Benz GLS | 7/10 |
| 4 | BMW X7 | 7/10 |
| 5 | Audi Q7 | 7/10 |
| 6 | Rivian R1S | 7/10 |
| 7 | Lexus TX | 0/10 |
| 8 | Volvo XC90 | 0/10 |
How this ranking works
The ranking is sorted by the towing persona score, which is the segment percentile of each model's manufacturer-rated maximum tow rating.
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Methodology note
Persona scores are a deterministic function of verified specs — not opinions of a single reviewer. The rubric and per-dimension audit trail are documented on the methodology page.
Read the full methodology →