How To Find the Best Vehicle for Towing a Camper

If you’re researching fifth wheels vs travel trailers, you know they both come in many sizes. Some can be pulled by SUVs or mid-size trucks, while others require a heavy-duty pickup truck. So, before you tour RVs in person, it’s smart to use an RV towing calculator to know how much your vehicle can tow. If you have a specific RV in mind but don’t have a vehicle to tow it, you’re in a perfect place to learn how to find the best vehicle for towing a camper. 

Here’s everything you need to know about RV weight ratings, diesel vs gas tow vehicles, and more. Plus, enjoy our breakdown of the listing tow capacities for common tow vehicles from SUVs up to heavy-duty trucks. Let’s begin with RV weight ratings.

Start With RV Weight Ratings

Every RV has a vehicle identification sticker that provides basic information about its trailer, including weight ratings, tire size, and more. Here are a few key terms to know.

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)

This is the total weight the RV can handle based on its axles and tire ratings.

Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR)

The maximum weight allowed for the tow vehicle and the trailer when fully loaded. 

Unloaded Vehicle Weight (UVW)

How much the trailer weighs as it rolls off the assembly line. 

UVW includes any of the basic amenities inside – like the dinette, sleeper sofa, theater seating, and kitchen appliances – as well as the weight of batteries and LP containers. It does not include the weight of the passengers or cargo you’ll add, nor does it factor in the liquid weight you may carry with full holding tanks.

Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC)

The maximum amount of weight you can load into your RV. Calculate it by subtracting the unloaded vehicle weight from the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR – UVW = CCC).

As an example, let’s say the GVWR is 3,500 pounds, and the UVW is 2,500 pounds. 

3,500 – 2,500 = 1,000 pounds of cargo carrying capacity

Any accessories added during an RV renovation, plus your camping gear, will affect your RV’s cargo carrying capacity. This is why we often preach the importance of lightweight materials and packing only what you truly need.

Hitch Weight 

The amount of weight exerted on your tow vehicle’s hitch ball or fifth wheel hitch. This is also known as tongue weight for travel trailers and pin weight for fifth wheels.

Payload Capacity

The amount of cargo weight your tow vehicle can hold. This includes the weight of all passengers and cargo inside the vehicle and the hitch weight of your trailer or fifth wheel.

Rear Axle Weight Rating (RAWR)

The amount of weight your vehicle’s rear suspension is rated to handle. 

The Bottom Line + A Sample Calculation

Understanding all RV weight ratings is important, but you can find the best vehicle for towing your desired camper by looking closely at a trailer’s GVWR and hitch weight. 

Let’s take the 2023 Keystone Cougar Sport 2100RK, for example. The trailer’s GVWR is 8,500 pounds, and the hitch weighs 1,120 pounds. 

To avoid making the tow vehicle work to its maximum capacity at all times, it is recommended that the towing capacity be at least 125% of the RV’s GVWR. Since the Cougar has a GVWR of 8,500 pounds, times 1.25 means we want a tow vehicle with a towing capacity of more than 10,625 pounds.

For example, the 2023 Ford F-150 offers an average towing capacity of up to 11,300 pounds and a payload capacity of up to 2,238 pounds, which would be sufficient for towing the Cougar Sport and handling its hitch weight, provided you don’t load more than another 1,118 pounds on the truck’s rear axle.

In short, your tow vehicle should be rated to tow more than your trailer’s GVWR, and the whole combination – when fully loaded – must not exceed either vehicle’s GCWR. Your tow vehicle’s RAWR must also exceed the trailer’s hitch weight, plus any cargo in the truck bed or trunk that rests directly on the rear suspension.

Input a tow vehicle’s year, make, model, and trim (or VIN) into Camping World’s towing guide to view its maximum towing capacity and find RVs your vehicle can tow.

Find a Compatible Tow Vehicle

Smaller travel trailers, like pop up campers, teardrop trailers, and lightweight travel trailers, can sometimes be pulled by smaller vehicles. Family SUVs, minivans, and mid-size trucks are great options because they offer additional packing space inside the vehicle or truck bed. 

With larger trailers and fifth wheels, you’ll need a full-size or heavy-duty pickup truck to handle the extra weight placed on the rear suspension. You need to know the pin weight of the fifth wheel and ensure it doesn’t exceed your tow vehicle’s RAWR. 

Most heavy-duty trucks have a RAWR somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 pounds. The pin weight of most larger fifth wheel trailers averages around 3,500 pounds. So there’s usually more than enough capacity to handle the weight. With that said, let’s look at some of the best vehicles for towing a camper, including picks for the best electric vehicle for towing!

Editor’s Note: The listed weights below are for 2025 models only. Actual ratings vary based on year, make, model, and trim. Please consult vehicle manufacturers for the most up-to-date tow vehicle weight ratings.

The Best SUVs for Towing a Camper

These are the towing and payload capacities for some of the most popular SUVs for towing campers like those featured above!

Compact and Mid-Size Trucks for Towing a Camper

Find out which of these popular compact and mid-size trucks is the best vehicle for towing a small camper.

Full-Size Trucks for Towing a Camper

Compare the towing and payload capacities of these popular full-size trucks to find your best vehicle for towing a camper with a higher dry weight and GVWR. 

Heavy-Duty Trucks for Towing a Camper

Explore your options for the best vehicles for towing a large camper.

Is a Diesel or Gas Tow Vehicle Better?

There’s a lot of heat in the gas versus diesel debate. Diesel engines offer excellent towing power, and they’re geared to handle big tow loads. You can take inclines with a loaded fifth wheel while hardly slowing down. Additionally, most dually trucks are built with diesel engines, meaning that you’ll likely only find diesel options if you’re looking for a truck with a higher payload and towing capacity.

It was once true that diesel tow vehicles had much higher maintenance costs, but newer gasoline models can be just as expensive.  Newer gas engines also still pack plenty of power. Their gear ratios may mean you slow down more on steep inclines, but many see nothing wrong with that. For some, it simply comes down to the difference in their region’s gas and diesel fuel prices.

It also comes down to what you’re most comfortable driving. Find a tow vehicle that will pull your RV and one you’re comfortable driving. The last thing anyone wants is an unsafe (and uncomfortable) RVer on the road.

How To Safely Load an RV

Here are a few tips to help you load your trailer for safe towing: 

Regardless of your RV-tow vehicle combination, you can use these tips for safe RV towing: 

• Follow the 60/40 Rule. Place 60% of the loaded weight in front of your trailer’s center axle and the remaining 40% behind it.
• Travel with Empty Holding Tanks. One gallon of water weighs over eight pounds. Most RV fresh water tanks hold anywhere from 20-100 gallons. Depending on your model, that means you’ll carry an extra 160-800 pounds, just in fresh water weight. Alternatively, you can carry extra water in a portable water container.
• Pack Efficiently. Carry only what you absolutely need for your trip. The more weight you tow, the more your gas mileage will suffer and the more strain you put on both the RV and tow vehicle.

Ensuring the safety of your towable RV starts by choosing the right tow vehicle. So here are a few more helpful resources:

Do you have questions about what kind of vehicle you should get to tow your RV? Please post them in the comments below!