The best vehicle to tow behind a motorhome is one whose exact model year, trim and drivetrain the manufacturer approves for your chosen towing method—and whose loaded weight stays within your motorhome’s towing and hitch limits. A model’s name or its ability to tow a trailer does not prove that it can be towed behind an RV. Here’s how to compare candidates and verify a safe match.
Start with the towing method
“Towing a vehicle behind a motorhome” can mean three different setups. Check which method the vehicle manufacturer permits before comparing convenience or buying equipment.
Flat towing: all four wheels down
Flat towing connects the vehicle to the motorhome with a tow bar while all four wheels remain on the road. It is convenient when the vehicle is specifically approved for this use, but approval and setup instructions depend on the vehicle’s year and configuration. Some vehicles require a neutral-tow mode or other steps; others are not approved for four-wheel-down towing.
Tow-dolly towing
A tow dolly carries some of the vehicle’s wheels off the road. Whether this method is allowed depends on the vehicle’s drivetrain and manufacturer instructions. A vehicle that cannot be flat towed may still have an approved dolly procedure, but do not assume that is true without checking its manual.
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Trailer transport
A trailer carries the vehicle with all its wheels off the road. This is a separate method from flat towing and dolly towing. Confirm the vehicle, trailer and motorhome combination against the relevant manufacturer limits and local requirements.
What makes a vehicle a good candidate?
There is no universal best tow vehicle for every motorhome. Evaluate each specific vehicle and your RV together using these checks:
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- NSA RV READY BRUTE ELITE II - PREMIUM ALUMINUM TOW BAR: Heavy-duty, lightweight aluminum self-locking tow bar engineered for flat towing, offering maximum strength, durability, and smooth towing performance across all road conditions.
- TOWING CAPACITY: Rated for an 8,000 lb towing capacity, providing robust pulling power and total confidence when safely flat towing your vehicle behind your motorhome without sacrificing reliability or performance.
- ALUMINUM BODY AND WEIGHT AND TELESCOPING ARMS: Lightweight aluminum construction with powder-coated steel components for enhanced durability, featuring non-binding telescoping arms and rotating clevis connectors for easy hookup on uneven ground.
- SUPPLEMENTAL BRAKE SYSTEM: Features an integrated 100% mechanical surge braking system that applies proportional stopping power directly to towed vehicle brakes without relying on electronics or power drain.
- WHAT'S IN THE BOX: Includes the aluminum tow bar, ReadyBrake Supplemental Brake System, brake cables, in-dash monitor, safety straps, and standard Blue Ox clevises. Optional Roadmaster or Demco clevises sold separately.
- Manufacturer approval: Find the recreational-towing guidance for the exact model year and confirm the chosen method is permitted.
- Configuration: Match the trim, transmission, drive system and transfer case to the approved configuration. A model name alone is not enough.
- Procedure: Check for neutral-tow mode, transmission or transfer-case settings, speed or distance limits, periodic engine-start requirements, battery precautions and restart steps.
- Weight and ratings: Compare the vehicle’s actual travel-ready weight with the motorhome’s rated towing capacity and hitch limits. Include the equipment and load that will travel with the towed vehicle; do not rely on an unverified curb-weight estimate.
- Equipment fit: Confirm that the tow bar, vehicle-specific base plate, safety cables, lighting and wiring, and supplemental braking system are compatible with the vehicle and RV.
- Use after arrival: Decide whether the vehicle suits your passenger, cargo, parking and terrain needs. These are personal trade-offs, not proof of towing eligibility.
Examples of why year and drivetrain matter
Ford’s 2025 guide
Ford’s 2025 RV & Trailer Towing Guide lists four-wheel-down availability by model and transmission. In that guide, the 2025 Bronco is listed for four-wheel-down towing with both automatic and manual transmissions, subject to footnoted procedures; the 2025 Bronco Sport is listed as not approved. The guide also lists certain configurations of the Expedition 4×4, Ranger 4×4, F-150 4×4 and Maverick Hybrid, each with its own qualifications. These are examples for the 2025 guide—not recommendations for other years, trims or configurations.
Ford cautions: “INDIVIDUAL VEHICLES HAVE DIFFERENT RESTRICTIONS AND TOWING PROCEDURES. REFER TO THE VEHICLE OWNER’S MANUAL OR CONTACT YOUR FORD DEALER FOR COMPLETE DETAILS.” Use the applicable guide and owner’s manual for the exact vehicle before making a decision.
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- Tow Limit: The Avail by Blue Ox is a Class IV tow bar constructed of steel and rated to tow up to 10,000 pounds
- Self-Aligning Bar: This is a self-aligning tow bar made to work on wide or narrow towed vehicles
- Easy Latch: Off-set triple lugs and non-binding latches ease unhooking on uneven terrain
- Prevents Debris: Rubber boots to prevent dirt and debris from damaging the legs; it has safety cables included
- Easy Setup: Legs collapse & extend to lock for easy hook-up; maneuver around gas station pumps with ease; the ultimate in quick disconnecting
Jeep: a trailer rating is not flat-tow approval
Jeep’s 2026 Wrangler specifications show a 2,000-pound conventional trailer towing rating for the displayed 2-door example. That figure describes the Wrangler’s capacity to pull a trailer; it does not establish that the Wrangler itself can be towed behind a motorhome.
A Jeep Grand Cherokee handbook example also gives different instructions for flat towing, dolly towing and trailer transport depending on drivetrain. Because that handbook is from another market and is not a current U.S.-year manual, treat it only as an illustration of why drivetrain matters—not as current U.S. towing advice. Look up the exact vehicle’s own manual.
Rank #4
- NSA RV READY BRUTE II - PREMIUM ALUMINUM TOW BAR: Heavy-duty, lightweight aluminum self-locking tow bar engineered for flat towing, offering maximum strength, durability, and smooth towing performance across all road conditions.
- TOWING CAPACITY: Rated for an 8,000 lb towing capacity, providing robust pulling power and total confidence when safely flat towing your vehicle behind your motorhome without sacrificing reliability or performance.
- ALUMINUM BODY AND WEIGHT AND TELESCOPING ARMS: Lightweight aluminum construction with powder-coated steel components for enhanced durability, featuring non-binding telescoping arms and rotating clevis connectors for easy hookup on uneven ground.
- WHAT'S IN THE BOX: Package includes the aluminum tow bar, heavy-duty safety straps, and standard Blue Ox clevises. Optional Roadmaster or Demco clevises can be purchased separately to fit your baseplate.
- EASY INSTALL: Mounts directly into standard 2-inch motorhome receiver hitches for quick setup; non-binding telescoping arms quickly fold up and stow neatly against your motorhome bumper when not in use.
Match the vehicle to the motorhome
Even an eligible vehicle may exceed what a particular motorhome can safely tow. Check the motorhome’s ratings and the actual loaded setup together, including the hitch limit. Do not treat a motorhome’s advertised capacity as a target to exceed, or infer a safe match from the vehicle’s tow rating for pulling a trailer.
Ford’s 2025 guide says vehicles being towed, and dollies or trailers carrying them, should have a separate functional brake system. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, so check local rules as well as the motorhome and vehicle instructions. Ford also cautions that some aftermarket flat-tow kits may affect vehicle warranty coverage; review the applicable warranty terms before installation.
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- Weight Limit: The Alpha 2 is a Class III tow bar constructed of steel, and is rated for towing up to 6,500 pounds
- Easy Setup: The Alpha is self-aligning with a 3-axis swivel design; Hook-up becomes simplified using the auto-locking arms
- Safety First: For use with baseplates that have a maximum tab width of 32″; patented non-binding latches mechanisms for easier connection on uneven ground; it has safety cables included
- Storage: This easy foldaway tow bar mounts and stores on the back of the RV when not in use
- Protects from Debris: It has dependable steel construction; rubber boots to protect from road grime
Choose equipment only after confirming the vehicle
A flat-tow setup may require a tow bar, vehicle-specific base plate, safety cables, lighting and wiring, and a supplemental braking system. Blue Ox explains these equipment categories and states that a base plate must match the vehicle’s make, model and year. Check compatibility across the complete setup before purchasing; a generic product description does not establish fit.
- Tow bar and base plate: Verify the base plate fits the exact vehicle and that the tow bar is compatible with the base plate and RV hitch.
- Safety cables: Select cables appropriate to the setup and install them according to the equipment instructions.
- Lighting and wiring: Confirm the towed vehicle’s lights operate as required for the combination.
- Supplemental braking: Confirm the braking system is compatible and account for the vehicle-specific power and battery instructions.
Ford’s guidance about a separate functional brake system is not a substitute for checking the laws where you will travel. Ask a qualified installer or the equipment manufacturer to confirm fit if the compatibility details are unclear.
Verify the setup before traveling
- Identify the exact vehicle. Record model year, trim, transmission, drive system and transfer-case configuration.
- Check the manufacturer’s towing guide. Confirm the intended method is permitted for that exact configuration, then read every footnote and restriction.
- Follow the owner’s manual. Use the vehicle-specific steps for transmission and transfer-case settings, speed or distance limits, periodic starts, battery care and restart.
- Check motorhome and hitch limits. Compare the vehicle’s actual travel-ready weight and loaded setup with the motorhome’s rated towing capacity and hitch ratings.
- Confirm equipment fit and braking. Match each component to the vehicle and RV, then check local braking requirements.
- Review warranty and installation details. Check whether aftermarket equipment could affect coverage and have the system installed according to its instructions.
For example, the 2025 Bronco owner-manual result warns that an add-on flat-tow braking system may discharge the vehicle battery during towing and instructs users to connect an external 12-volt power source for the duration. Verify that instruction in the manual for the exact Bronco year and configuration; do not apply it automatically to another vehicle.
When the candidate is not approved for flat towing
Do not assume an aftermarket kit can make an unapproved vehicle safe to flat tow. Check whether its manufacturer permits dolly towing or trailer transport instead, and verify the chosen method against the motorhome’s ratings, equipment instructions and local requirements. If the applicable manual does not establish a permitted method, ask the vehicle manufacturer or an authorized dealer before proceeding.
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