You could do worse than the Nissan X-Trail for all-season 4×4 towing. The 2.0 dCi 173 engine offers stacks of low-down pull, hauling car and caravan from 30-60mph in a brisk 13.4 seconds. The strong engine came into its own on the hill start. The handbrake needed a very firm pull to hold the outfit still, but climbing the slope was fuss-free in both first gear and reverse.
The lane-change test was another story. The back of the car slid sideways dramatically on the final, high-speed run. In a straight line, though, the X-Trail was stable.
Healthy discounts are available, and 44.1mpg on the combined cycle is good for a 4×4 of this size.