4 Best Vehicles to Tow Behind an RV: 2025 Guide

Looking for a great toad?

A vehicle you can tow behind an RV, commonly referred to as a toad by RVers, can come in all different shapes and sizes.

No matter what type of vehicle you’re looking to haul with you, there’s something to fit your needs from compact and convenient to big and fun.

We’ve put together a list of our top picks in several categories to help you find the perfect toad to hitch on your next adventure.

Read on to find out our top picks for the best vehicles to tow behind an RV.

4 Best Vehicles to Tow Behind an RV

Below, we’ve organized our top picks for some of the best toads based on a variety of categories.

Including:

• Best pickup truck
• Compact car
• Off-road vehicle
• And compact truck

These aren’t the only great toad options, but some of the all-around most popular and best vehicle options for their specific use case and class.

They are:

Best Pickup Truck to Tow Behind an RV: Ford F-150

Not all that surprising, the best pickup truck is the classic Ford F-150.

The F-150 has best-in-class towing, great dependability, and backed by a brand trusted by some of the most heavy-hitting professions around. 

If you’re looking for an all-around workhorse that can provide power, function, and still serve as a great everyday vehicle for getting around town, you can’t go wrong with an F-150.

Check out our guide: Can a Ford F-150 Pull a Camper? 2025 Guide (All Models)

In addition to that, the F-150 is great for hauling additional gear such as bikes and it has no speed limitation when towed.

Check out the 2025 Ford F-150 on Ford.com.

Best Budget-Friendly and Compact Car to Tow Behind an RV: Chevrolet Spark

Technically discontinued in 2022, we’re listing the Chevy Spark because it’s hard to find a better compact towable and recreational vehicle than it.

Not only is the Spark compact in size, but it’s also light at just 2.4k lbs even for a smaller vehicle. In addition to this, it has great fuel efficiency. All models get a minimum of 30 MPGs with some reaching closer to 40.

And if that wasn’t enough, the Spark was always a budget-friendly option. However, with the Spark now discontinued, you can find old 2022 models below $10,000, making them a fantastic option if you’re looking for a small car for simple everyday tasks or small adventures to and from camp that’s cost-effective.

Best Off-Road Vehicle to Tow Behind an RV: Jeep Wrangler

There are quite a few incredible off-road trucks, Jeeps, and SUVs. However, nothing quite reaches the level of popularity as the Jeep Wrangler.

Still going strong, the Wrangler offers the perfect balance of durability, size, drive, and ease of towing easily making it one of the best cars to take with you on the road.

The Wrangler is super easy to hook up for flat towing while also managing to not be overly heavy. Even the automatic version can be flat towed which is super convenient.

And did we mention that they’re tailor-made for all things outdoors?

If you’re looking for a great towing vehicle, especially for off-roading, it’s hard to go wrong with a Jeep Wrangler.

Check out the 2025 Jeep Wrangler on Jeep.com.

Best Compact Truck to Tow Behind an RV: Ford Ranger

The Ford Ranger is another great pickup truck option. But as opposed to the F-150, the Ranger is great specifically due to its more compact size. 

If you’d prefer to tow a pickup but the idea of lugging behind an F-150 or comparable truck doesn’t sound fun, the Ranger is just small enough that it doesn’t feel like such a massive headache while still being powerful and flexible in itself. 

Like the F-150, the Ranger has no maximum speed limit when towed.

Note: the 2024 Ranger model can’t not be flat towed. It’s a bit of a black sheep as all models before it were flat towable. The 2025 Ford Ranger, however, is capable of being flat towed. 

Check out the 2025 Ford Ranger on Ford.com.

What Is Flat Towing?

Flat towing refers to the practice of towing a vehicle, with all four wheels on the ground, behind an RV using a tow bar. 

A vehicle being towed in this way is often referred to by RVers as a “toad”, a homophone for the word “towed”.

What Makes a Good Vehicle to Tow Behind an RV?

Generally, a good tow vehicle has manual transmission or 2-speed transfer or simply doesn’t require it. Some work with automatic transmission but you want to make sure and consult with your manufacturer to verify, whether by the owner’s manual or their website. 

That’s because unless a vehicle is put into true neutral position, the driveshaft is technically still engaged and the vehicle can overheat– something very easy to do when flat towing a vehicle for long hours during the Summer.

As mentioned, not every vehicle requires this, but most do. Knowing whether a particular vehicle is a good option to tow behind your RV will require you to find out if this is the case or not. And, if not, if a manual transmission version is available. 

In addition to this, knowing your RV’s towing capacity is also important as you maybe not even be able to tow a full pickup truck if you have a smaller RV.

Can I Flat Tow My Vehicle?

To know for sure whether you can safely flat tow your vehicle, you’ll want to look directly in your owner’s manual. It mostly depends on how much weight your RV can tow (i.e. tow rating), but there are other factors as well. 

Don’t depend on information online unless it comes directly from the vehicle manufacturers. Only your exact make, model, and year (even some models of different years can and can’t be towed, such as the Ford Ranger 2024 vs. 2025).

Get Towing!

So, what is the best toad for your RV travel? Are you looking for something easy to port around or an off-road toy designed for adventure?

Whether you already have a toad or are looking to purchase a new vehicle specifically for that purpose, use this list as a starting point for finding the right vehicle for you.

Check out our guide on the best weight distribution hitches for RVing next, featuring Equal-i-zer, Blue Ox, and Fastaway: Best Weight Distribution Hitches for RVing.