best truck to tow a caravan

Looking to tow a caravan without the white-knuckle soundtrack? In Australia, modern dual-cab utes like the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-MAX and Toyota HiLux are rated to up to 3,500 kg braked, but watch your GCM, payload and towball download—that 300–350 kg on the hitch eats payload like a footy team at a bakery.

For heavier vans, the American pickups—Ram 1500, Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado 1500—offer up to around 4,500 kg braked, longer wheelbases and beefier cooling, which makes hills less dramatic and overtakes less… prayerful.

Match the van’s ATM to the vehicle’s GVM/GCM limits, fit a brake controller, and use a weight-distribution hitch if needed; stability control for trailers is non-negotiable.

Bottom line: pick the class that suits your caravan’s real, loaded weight, not the brochure fantasy, and you’ll arrive with your nerves—and your gearbox—intact.