Towing Capacity Australia

Australian tow ratings are a four-number problem: braked rating, ball limit, GVM and GCM all have to hold at once. These pages list all four by year and variant for Australia's most popular tow vehicles, and the caravan towing calculator checks your exact combination against every limit.

Utes

Ford Ranger

Up to 3,500 kg braked

Toyota HiLux

Up to 3,500 kg braked

Isuzu D-MAX

Up to 3,500 kg braked

Mitsubishi Triton

Up to 3,500 kg braked

Mazda BT-50

Up to 3,500 kg braked

Nissan Navara

Up to 3,500 kg braked

4WD wagons

Toyota LandCruiser 300 (& 200)

Up to 3,500 kg braked

Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series

Up to 3,500 kg braked

Toyota LandCruiser Prado

Up to 3,500 kg braked

Ford Everest

Up to 3,500 kg braked

Isuzu MU-X

Up to 3,500 kg braked

Check your combination

Caravan towing calculator

Enter your vehicle and caravan numbers, get a pass/fail against all four legal limits with the margins shown.

Frequently asked questions

What do ATM, GVM and GCM actually mean?

ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass) is the maximum your loaded trailer may weigh off the vehicle. GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) is the maximum your loaded vehicle may weigh, ball weight included. GCM (Gross Combination Mass) is the maximum vehicle and trailer may weigh together. A legal combination has to satisfy all of them at once, plus the braked towing rating and the ball limit.

Why can't most 3,500 kg-rated vehicles actually tow 3,500 kg?

Because GCM is usually less than GVM plus 3,500. Hook up a full 3,500 kg and the GCM forces you to run the vehicle hundreds of kilograms below its GVM: on many popular wagons that leaves only 200-300 kg for driver, passengers and gear. The LandCruiser 70 Series is a rare exception where GCM equals GVM + 3,500.

Does the tow ball weight count against my payload?

Yes. Static ball weight is carried by the vehicle, so it counts against GVM and rear axle capacity, not against the trailer rating. A 350 kg ball on a wagon with 650 kg of payload leaves 300 kg for everything and everyone else.

What happens if I tow over these limits?

You are unroadworthy, your insurer can deny a claim, and in several states the fines scale with how far over you are. Weighbridge checks on popular caravan routes are routine. The limits are enforceable law in Australia, not manufacturer suggestions.

Data is compiled from Australian manufacturer specification sheets and cross-checked against independent instrumented tests; disputed figures get a second verification pass before publication. US-market ratings are covered separately in our US towing section.