Checks 3 factors (not just the 85% rule)

Caravan Match Calculator

Can My Car Tow This Caravan?

Use this free tow match calculator to compare your car and caravan. Check the 85% guideline, tow limit & GTW.A car can tow a caravan only when its towing limit, kerbweight and gross train weight support that caravan's MTPLM. This free tow match calculator compares those figures, applies the 85% guideline, and shows whether the outfit looks like a sensible match. It is a practical matching guide, not a legal ruling. Always check your VIN plate, handbook and official vehicle data before towing.

Free, instant results. Trusted by 50,000+ UK caravanners.

Check towing capacity by reg

Instant number-plate lookup

Read towing rules UK

85% rule, GTW and legal limits

MTPLM explained

Understand caravan weight

Browse lightweight caravans

Better matches for smaller tow cars

Your car can tow a specific caravan if its kerbweight, braked towing capacity and gross train weight support that caravan's MTPLM. The 85% guideline recommends the caravan's MTPLM stays below 85% of the car's kerbweight for stable towing. This calculator compares your figures and shows whether the outfit is a sensible match.

Kerbweight × 0.85 = recommended max MTPLM for stable towing
Legal limit: never exceed your car's braked towing capacity
GTW check: car + caravan must not exceed Gross Train Weight
A legal match can still feel unsuitable. The 85% rule covers stability
This is a matching guide, not a legal ruling

Looking for your car's towing limit by registration? Use our Towing Capacity by Reg tool first, then come back here to compare it against a specific caravan.

Which tool do I need?

Towing Capacity by Reg

Enter your registration to find your car's towing limit, kerbweight and GTW. Best for a quick car lookup.

Check towing capacity by reg

Towing Calculator

Compare a specific car and caravan using the 85% rule, tow limit and GTW. Best for checking a match.

You are here

100% free
Checks 3 safety factors
Browse matching caravans

SUV towing a caravan on a scenic UK country road

Step 3: Confirm car weights and calculate

Step 1 of 3

Your car's weights

Enter kerbweight and towing limit. Or use your reg for a quick fill

UK's Most Comprehensive Tow Calculator

Why RoamWorthy's Calculator is Different

Most towing calculators only check one thing. Ours checks three safety factors. because a caravan that's "towable" isn't always safe.

85% Weight Ratio

The Caravan Club's stability guideline. We show exactly where you sit. and what that means for handling.

Stability Check

Tow Limit Check

Your car's maximum braked towing capacity. Exceeding this is illegaland invalidates insurance.

Legal Limit

Gross Train Weight

Car + caravan + passengers + luggage. Most calculators ignore this. We don't.

Combined Weight

How We Compare

Feature	RoamWorthy	Other Calculators
85% weight ratio check
Tow limit verification
Gross Train Weight check
Compare car against a specific caravan
Stability rating (Excellent → Poor)
Browse matching caravans
Towable badges on every listing
Save cars to your Garage

Marketplace Integration

Every Caravan Listing Shows Your Match

Save your car to your Garage and we'll automatically mark every caravan in our marketplace as Towable, Borderline, or Too Heavy.

No more manual calculations for each listing. Browse with confidence knowing instantly which caravans suit your car.

Browse caravans with your car saved

🚐

Towable

Bailey Unicorn Cadiz

1,450kg MTPLM

🚐

Borderline

Swift Challenger 580

1,620kg MTPLM

🚐

Too Heavy

Coachman Lusso II

1,850kg MTPLM

Instant results

100% free

No signup required

How the Caravan Towing Calculator Works

This calculator helps you determine whether your car can safely and legally tow a specific caravan by checking three key factors: the weight ratio, your car's towing capacity, and the Gross Train Weight limit.

Kerbweight

Your car's weight with a full tank of fuel but without passengers or luggage. This is the baseline for the 85% calculation.

Towing Capacity

The maximum weight your car manufacturer says you can legally tow. Exceeding this is illegal and dangerous.

MTPLM

Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass, the maximum legal weight of the caravan when fully loaded with all your gear.

The 85% Guideline

The Caravan and Motorhome Club recommends that the caravan's MTPLM should be no more than 85% of your car's kerbweight. This provides a safety margin for less experienced towers, ensuring better stability and easier handling, particularly in adverse conditions like crosswinds.

Important: The 85% rule is guidance, not law. Experienced towers may safely tow up to 100% of their car's kerbweight. However, you must never exceed your car's maximum braked towing capacity, this is a legal requirement.

What Information You Need

Finding Your Car's Details

Registration lookup: Enter your reg and we'll auto-fill the details
Vehicle handbook: Contains kerbweight, towing capacity, and GTW
VIN plate: Usually on the driver's door frame, shows weight limits

Finding Caravan Weight

Weight plate: Located near the A-frame or inside the door, shows MTPLM and MIRO
Manufacturer specs: Check the caravan brochure or manufacturer website
RoamWorthy listings: All our caravan listings show MTPLM when available

Which towing tool should you use?

Pick the fastest next step for your question. Registration lookup, full caravan match, or the plain-English towing rules guide.

I only know my registration

Start with a number-plate lookup for kerbweight and towing limit, then come back here to run the full caravan match.

Use towing capacity by reg

I need the full tow match

Use this calculator when you want the 85% guideline, legal towing limit and GTW checked against a specific caravan.

Complete the full tow check

I need the rules explained

Read the plain-English guide covering the law, the 85% rule, GTW, kerbweight and what to verify before towing.

Read the towing rules guide

Methodology, definitions and trusted sources

These supporting pages explain the towing terms, calculations and source checks behind the result shown above.

How RoamWorthy calculates a tow match

Methodology, assumptions, and how verdicts are produced.

MTPLM explained

What caravan MTPLM means and why it matters to towing.

Kerbweight explained

How kerbweight is defined and where to find it.

Towing rules UK

The legal limits, 85% rule, GTW and pre-tow checks in one guide.

Towing Calculator FAQs

That depends on three things: your car's kerbweight (for the 85% stability guideline), your car's maximum braked towing capacity (the legal limit), and the caravan's MTPLM. Enter your figures above to check whether a specific car and caravan are a sensible match.

The real answer is the lowest of three limits: 85% of your car's kerbweight for a stable beginner-friendly match, your car's maximum braked towing capacity for the legal limit, and any Gross Train Weight restriction. This calculator shows all three together so you can see the practical towing ceiling for a specific caravan.

A tow car calculator compares your car's kerbweight and maximum towing capacity against the caravan's MTPLM. It checks three safety factors: the 85% stability guideline, the legal braked towing limit, and the Gross Train Weight. You get a clear verdict. Safe, caution, or do not tow.

Towing capacity is only your car's headline legal limit. A tow match goes further by checking whether a specific caravan also fits the 85% guideline and Gross Train Weight. That is why a car can have enough towing capacity on paper but still make a poor caravan match.

The 85% rule is a safety guideline from The Caravan and Motorhome Club. It recommends your caravan's MTPLM stays below 85% of your tow car's kerbweight for stable, manageable towing. Especially for less experienced drivers. It is not a law.

No. The legal limits are your car's maximum braked towing capacity and Gross Train Weight. The 85% guideline is a stability recommendation. This calculator checks all three factors so you can see both the guideline and the legal position.

Registration lookups are useful for finding likely kerbweight and towing-limit figures fast, but exact numbers can still vary by trim, drivetrain, factory options, and data-source coverage. Always confirm on the VIN plate or in the handbook before towing.

MTPLM (Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass) is the maximum safe weight of your caravan when fully loaded with belongings, water and gas. Find it on the weight plate near the A-frame or inside the door. This is the key figure for matching against your car.

Kerbweight is your car's weight with standard equipment and a full tank of fuel, but no passengers or luggage. Find it in your vehicle handbook, on the VIN plate (usually on the door frame), or use our Towing Capacity by Reg tool for an instant lookup.

GTW is the maximum combined weight of your fully laden car plus the caravan. Exceeding GTW is illegal even if you pass the 85% guideline. Find it in your handbook or on the VIN plate.

No. You can still get a useful result with kerbweight, towing capacity, and MTPLM. But adding GTW makes the verdict stronger because some outfits fail on combined weight even when the 85% check and towing limit both pass.

Yes, experienced drivers can safely tow up to 100% of their car's kerbweight, provided they stay within the car's maximum braked towing capacity. However, handling becomes more demanding in crosswinds or during emergency braking.

Use our Towing Capacity by Reg tool to find out what your car can tow by registration. It looks up your kerbweight and towing limit instantly, then you can come back here to compare those figures against a specific caravan using this free tow car match calculator.

Yes. A car-caravan combination can be within legal limits but still feel unstable if the caravan is close to or above 85% of the car's kerbweight. The 85% guideline exists precisely for this reason. Legal does not always mean comfortable.

Noseweight is the downward force the caravan coupling exerts on your car's tow ball. Typically 5-7% of the caravan's total weight. Your car has a maximum noseweight limit (usually 75-100kg). Correct noseweight improves stability.

MIRO (Mass in Running Order) is the caravan's factory weight without personal items. MTPLM is the maximum weight when fully loaded. The difference is your available payload for belongings and equipment.

Next Steps, Find a Safer Match

Use these resources to find caravans that match your towing capacity and lifestyle.

Find a Layout

Match your lifestyle, fixed beds, bunks, end washrooms and more

Browse Caravans for Sale

Live dealer stock from across the UK

Family Layouts

Fixed bunks and bunk beds for kids

Couples Layouts

Rear washroom and island bed options

Find Dealers

Locate verified caravan dealers near you

Compare Models

Compare caravan specs and weights side by side

Explore Other Vehicle Types

Motorhome Layout Finder →Campervan Layout Finder →Motorhome Licence Checker →

What to do next

Check towing capacity by regInstant lookup by number plate

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