Fifth generation (U502, 2011-2019)

2012 Ford Explorer towing capacity

Max towing, 20125,000 lb

Maker2,268 kg

The 2012 Ford Explorer tows up to 5,000 lb (All trims not listed separately 5-door SUV 3.5L Ti-VCT V6 Intelligent 4WD with the Class III / IV Trailer Tow Package, per the 2012 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide).

One more configuration is rated the same.

The lowest rating is 2,000 lb, for the All trims not listed separately 5-door SUV 3.5L Ti-VCT V6 Intelligent 4WD.

2012 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide

Configurations: 3
GCWR: 6,820–10,125 lb

2016 Sport 3.5L EcoBoost V6 4WD, drawn to scale from its published dimensions.

01 / Ratings

Every 2012 Explorer configuration

3 configurations Ford sells, each with the ratings Ford publishes for it. A package that changes a rating gets its own row. All have the 6-speed automatic.

2012 Ford Explorer

Makerin pounds

2012 Ford Explorer towing capacity, GCWR, payload and tongue weight by configuration, in pounds
Configuration	Max towing lb	GCWR lb	Axle ratio	Tow check
3.5L Ti-VCT V6
All trims not listed separately5-door SUV · Intelligent 4WD	2,000	7,060	3.39	Check load →
All trims not listed separately Most5-door SUV · Intelligent 4WDwith Class III / IV Trailer Tow Package (52T)	5,000	10,125	3.39	Check load →
All trims not listed separately5-door SUV · Front-wheel drive	2,000	6,880	3.16	Check load →
All trims not listed separately Most5-door SUV · Front-wheel drivewith Class III / IV Trailer Tow Package (52T)	5,000	9,920	3.16	Check load →
2.0L EcoBoost I4
All trims not listed separately5-door SUV · Front-wheel drive	2,000	6,820	not in our data	Check load →

“Not published”: the maker doesn’t print it. —: not in the documents we hold yet. Scroll the table sideways for every rating.

SourceMakerEvery figure above is Ford’s, from this document.

2012 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide · Ford Motor Company

How Ford rates towing: with weight-distributing hitch.

Documents last checked Oct 12, 2026. How we read them and what the marks mean: how we source the numbers. A figure doesn’t match its document? Report a wrong number.

The 2012 Explorer belongs to this generation; every configuration, its clearance, angles and weights are on its page.

Ford Explorer U502 (2011–2019): full specs

02 / Why

Which one tows the most, and why

Each figure below is the gap between two of Ford’s own ratings for configurations that differ in one thing only.

What moves the rating

Maker

Tows the most: 5,000 lb

All trims not listed separately 5-door SUV 3.5L Ti-VCT V6 Intelligent 4WD with the Class III / IV Trailer Tow Package; one more configuration is rated the same. Without it the same configuration is rated 2,000 lb.

Package
Class III / IV Trailer Tow Package (52T)
+3,000 lb
Same configuration otherwise · 2 pairs in the table

Best rating by engine

3.5L Ti-VCT V65,000 lb
2.0L EcoBoost I42,000 lb

The line is the highest rating on this page. Each bar is that engine’s best configuration.

03 / By year

Explorer towing by model year

The highest rating each model year, from that year’s documents. Years rated the same in every configuration share one page.

04 / Next

Check it against your load

Towing calculatorPut your trailer and cargo against a 2012 Explorer’s ratings and see what’s left.Check my load GVWR, GCWR & payloadWhat each rating limits, and why the trailer number alone isn’t the answer.Read the guide Explorer specsClearance, angles, weights and the rig builder for every configuration.Open the spec plate Explorer tire sizesStock tire and wheel sizes by trim, and what bigger tires change.See tire sizes All towing capacitiesEvery truck and SUV we cover, side by side, sortable.Compare vehicles

05 / FAQ

Questions people ask

Which 2012 Explorer configuration tows the most?

The All trims not listed separately 5-door SUV 3.5L Ti-VCT V6 Intelligent 4WD with the Class III / IV Trailer Tow Package, at 5,000 lb; one more configuration is rated the same.

Which package unlocks the 2012 Explorer’s 5,000 lb rating?

The Class III / IV Trailer Tow Package: Ford rates the All trims not listed separately 5-door SUV 3.5L Ti-VCT V6 Intelligent 4WD at 5,000 lb so equipped. Without it the same configuration is rated 2,000 lb.

What is the GCWR of the 2012 Ford Explorer?

6,820–10,125 lb by configuration; the most is 10,125 lb, for the All trims not listed separately 5-door SUV 3.5L Ti-VCT V6 Intelligent 4WD with the Class III / IV Trailer Tow Package. GCWR is the most the loaded vehicle and its loaded trailer may weigh together.

Has the Ford Explorer’s towing capacity changed by year?

Highest rating by model year: 2026, 5,000 lb; 2025, 5,000 lb; 2024, 5,600 lb; 2023, 5,600 lb; 2022, 5,600 lb; 2021, 5,600 lb; 2020, 5,600 lb; 2019, 5,000 lb; 2017–2018, 5,000 lb; 2016, 5,000 lb; 2014–2015, 5,000 lb; 2013, 5,000 lb; 2012, 5,000 lb; 2011, 5,000 lb.

Does four-wheel drive change the 2012 Explorer’s towing capacity?

No: Ford rates each configuration the same with either drive (2 pairs in its table).

Does the engine change the 2012 Explorer’s towing capacity?

Yes. Best rating by engine: 3.5L Ti-VCT V6, 5,000 lb; 2.0L EcoBoost I4, 2,000 lb.

These are Ford’s published ratings, not a weighbridge. Your own vehicle’s GVWR and axle ratings are on its certification label, and only a scale tells you what your loaded rig weighs. Found a figure that doesn’t match the document? Tell us.