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Compare tow vehicles: towing capacity, GCM and payload

Pick any two vehicles and variants to compare their published towing figures, and what they can really carry once they're hitched up.

Vehicle A
Vehicle B
FigureFord Ranger
XLT, 4x4, Double Cab Pick-Up, 3.0L V6 turbo-diesel
Toyota HiLux
SR5, 4x4, Double-Cab Pick-Up, 2.8L turbo-diesel with V-Active (48V), automatic
Braked towing capacity3,500 kg3,500 kg
GCM6,400 kg6,300 kg
GVM3,350 kg3,120 kg
Kerb weight2,251 kg2,155 kg
Payload (GVM minus kerb)1,099 kg965 kg
Payload left towing the full capacity*649 kg615 kg
Heaviest trailer with 500 kg on board*3,500 kg3,500 kg
Max towball downloadNot listedNot listed

Bold marks the higher figure. * Assumes a 10% towball download. "Payload left" is what the vehicle can carry above kerb weight while towing its full braked capacity, the lower of GCM minus braked towing and GVM minus the towball download. "Heaviest trailer" is the lowest of braked towing, GCM minus the loaded vehicle and the GVM room left. How these are worked out.

Check vehicle A with your own weights

What to compare when choosing a tow vehicle

The braked towing capacity is the number on the brochure, but it's rarely the one that limits you. Most utes and large 4WDs in Australia are rated to tow 3,500 kg, so the figures that separate them are the GCM and the payload left once you're towing.

  • GCM caps the vehicle and trailer together. A higher GCM means you can load the vehicle more before the trailer has to get lighter. Read why a 3,500 kg towing capacity often isn't 3,500 kg.
  • Payload left at full tow is what's left for the towbar, accessories, people and gear when you tow the maximum. Some variants have only a few hundred kilograms.
  • Max towball download limits heavy caravans. At 10%, a 3,500 kg caravan puts 350 kg on the ball. See how much towball weight a caravan should have.

All figures come from each maker's own spec sheet, linked on each vehicle page. Your own vehicle's compliance plate and owner's manual have the final say.