Volkswagen Passat crowned Towcar of the Year 2026

Impressive R-Line model scoops a hat-trick of awards in our prestigious annual competition

The Volkswagen Passat has been crowned overall champion at Caravan and Motorhome Club Towcar of the Year 2026.

The Passat R-Line 2.0 TSI 204PS DSG also claimed victory in the Family Towcar category and Caravan Weight 1,300-1,500kg class. It was a hugely successful year for Volkswagen as it also topped the podium in the Large Family Towcar Class with its Multivan Style 2.0 TSI 204PS.

The Passat has been a common sight on Britain’s roads for 50 years and the ninth-generation version impressed the judging panel with its superb towing capabilities, power, quality interior, refined driving experience and huge storage space in the boot.

Caravan and Motorhome Club Towcar of the Year, the industry’s longest-standing towcar testing awards, saw 37 high-quality entrants put through their paces at Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire.

Rather than being listed by price, the vehicles were split into categories by caravan weight, making it easier for potential buyers to work out which cars are best suited to towing their own caravans. There were also special award categories for pick-up towcars, family towcars, large family towcars, electric towcars, hybrid towcars and luxury towcars.

Nick Lomas, director general of the Caravan and Motorhome Club, said: “The pace of technological advancement in motoring has been remarkable and the strong presence of electric vehicles in this year’s competition highlights just how far the industry has come. We warmly congratulate all the deserving winners of the Caravan and Motorhome Club Towcar of the Year 2026 Awards. Our expert judging panel delivered thorough, unbiased evaluations to support anyone looking to purchase a towcar, whether new or pre-owned, with trusted, professional insight.”

Other winners were:

• Caravan Weight under 1,300kg: Škoda Enyaq SportLine 85x 82kWh 210kW 4x4 
• Caravan Weight 1,500kg - 1,600kg: Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE Evolve 87kWh
• Caravan Weight 1,600kg - 1,700kg: Genesis GV60 Sport Plus
• Caravan Weight 1,700kg - 1,800kg: BMW X3 M50
• Caravan Weight 1,800kg - 2,000kg: Porsche Macan Electric
• Caravan Weight over 2,000kg: BMW iX xDrive60 M Sport
• Electric Towcar: BMW iX xDrive60 M Sport
• Hybrid Towcar: Volvo XC90 T8 Plug-in Hybrid AWD Ultra
• Pick-up Towcar: Isuzu D-Max Steel Edition 
• Luxury Towcar: Bentley Bentayga EWB Mulliner

Every one of the cars featured in this year’s competition has been extensively evaluated – for more information about each model, including technical data, visit camc.com/towcar.

• Members who own any of the TCOY category winners since 2014 are eligible for a 10% discount on the Club's car insurance. Visit car insurance for more details.