BMW Towing Capacity by Model

On this page you can browse the 701 BMW cars, trucks, and SUVs across 32 unique BMW models that we have towing capacity and payload information for.

Use the links below to see more details in the BMW model you're interested in - sorted by year of production and then by trim.

How Good are BMW Vehicles for Towing?

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, more commonly known as BMW, is a multinational vehicle manufacturer that produces luxury and performance cars as well as motorcycles. Based in Munich, Germany it has a long established history in the automotive world.

Originally named Otto Flugmaschinenfabrik it was founded in 1910 by Gustav Otto but was reorganized six years later into Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG. Finally in 1922 one last name change settled on Bayerische Motoren Werke, the BMW that we know today.

The actual BMW moniker dates back earlier to 1913 when it was used by Rapp Motorenwerke GmbH but in 1922 the engine-production assets were transferred to Bayerische Flugzeugwerke.

It wasn’t always cars with BMW however as their first product was a straight-six aircraft engine called the BMW IIIa which was designed in 1917 and obviously made its way into military fighter planes that saw service during the first world war.

When the military need ran out with the end of the war BMW had to shift focus instead to motorcycles, farm equipment and household items. It wasn’t until 1928 when the company purchased Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach that BMW started to build automobiles. The first car to carry the BMW name was a rebadged Dixi called the BMW 3/15.

Throughout the 1930s the automobile division grew and quickly became well known for sports cars and larger luxury vehicles. The company still built aircraft engines up until World War II in fact this was the main aspect of their business.

It is often incorrectly believed that the BMW logo depicts a propeller like design in homage to their beginnings in aerospace engines. The truth is that the blue and white sections of the circle represent a heraldic pattern. The company initially wanted to use the Bavarian coat of arms on their logo but for legal reasons they could not. They had to settle for the colors of the Bavarian flag and a nod toward a coat of arms.

So with a reputation for making sports cars and luxury performance vehicles, are BMWs suitable for towing? Well BMW does have Sports Activity Vehicles (SAV) which are essentially SUVs so they definitely offer models that have a listed tow rating.

Models such as the BMW X5 and X6 can tow in excess of 6,000 lbs. The more luxury models such as BMW X1 and X2 have more conservative ratings of between 3,500 to 4,000 lbs. In fact many BMW models would be more than capable of some level of towing.

It is always wise to check the specifications for your specific model to ascertain your vehicle's top tow rating. Some vehicles may require an additional towing kit to be fitted to make them suitable for towing.