Question of the week: I need a compact 4WD that can tow 2400kg but I don't want a Land Rover — what are my options?
Fri, 20 Mar 2026
Dear Honest John,
"I'm looking for a compact vehicle that will tow a minimum of 2400kg, has 4WD and high ground clearance for farm tracks and fields, but will also be comfortable on long drives, have good fuel economy and be small enough to fit into a standard parking space.
I don't want a Land Rover. Budget is flexible. Please can you recommend some models and advise what I will have to compromise on?
- NN
Dear NN,
As you've probably discovered, finding a vehicle that can pull 2400kg while remaining compact enough for a standard parking space is quite a challenge. Most cars capable of that kind of heavy lifting are large SUVs (BMW X5, Audi Q7, etc) which are 4.9 metres or longer.
Since you've ruled out Land Rover (so no Defender or Discovery Sport), your options for a truly compact heavyweight are limited.
We'd suggest looking at the Audi Q5 (2025/2026 model). It's one of the few mid-sized SUVs that punches above its weight for towing and both the the 2.0-litre TFSI petrol and 2.0 TDI diesel quattro models can tow up to 2400kg.
At approx 4.68m long, it fits comfortably into a standard 4.8m UK parking bay. The quattro system is excellent, but ground clearance is road-biased so you may want to spec the Adaptive Air Suspension to raise the car for rutted tracks. Beware that long-term maintenance on Audi’s air suspension and DSG gearboxes can be pricey if used heavily for towing on farms.
Other options include the Volvo XC60 (B5 or B6 AWD) which was the Caravan and Motorhome Club towcar of the year in 2025. It can tow 2400kg on the mild-hybrid petrol/diesel AWD versions and it's similar in size to the Q5 4.71m.
It has a good AWD system, but like the Audi, it’s a premium rather than workhorse car first. It’s comfortable on long drives but beware that the the PHEV models often have a lower towing capacity (around 2250kg) due to battery weight, so stick to the B5/B6 mild hybrids.
If you want something that will actually survive a field and a farm track for 15 years, you can't go wrong with the Toyota Land Cruiser. It has a towing capacity up to 3500kg but the compromise is that it's 4.92m long so will overhang a standard parking space, but it’s narrower than a Range Rover, which helps.
It does however have proper low-range gears and massive ground clearance. Plus being a Toyota it will prove incredibly reliable. The downside is that fuel economy isn't as good as the Audi or Volvo.
Finally, look at the excellent Kia Sorento 2.2 diesel which has a towing capacity of 2500kg (avoid the hybrids which are limited to 1650kg). At 4.81m it is right on the limit of a standard parking space and comes with a 7 year warranty.
