Third generation (JK)

2012 Jeep Wrangler towing capacity

Max towing, 20123,500 lb

Maker1,588 kg

The 2012 Jeep Wrangler tows up to 3,500 lb (Rubicon Four-door D478 6-speed manual, per the 2012 Jeep Wrangler Owner's Manual).

11 more configurations are rated the same.

The lowest rating is 1,000 lb, for the Sport Two-door D478 6-speed manual.

2012 Jeep Wrangler Owner's Manual (3rd edition)

Configurations: 13
Payload: 1,000 lb
GCWR: 5,329–8,431 lb
Tongue: 100–350 lb

2012 Wrangler Rubicon 3.6L manual, drawn to scale from its published dimensions.

01 / Ratings

Every 2012 Wrangler configuration

13 configurations Jeep sells, each with the ratings Jeep publishes for it. A package that changes a rating gets its own row. All have the 3.6L Pentastar V6 gasoline and 4x4.

Showing 41 of 41 rows

2012 Jeep Wrangler

Makerin pounds

2012 Jeep Wrangler towing capacity, GCWR, payload and tongue weight by configuration, in pounds
Configuration	Max towing^{source 2} lb	Max tongue^{source 1} lb	GCWR^{source 1} lb	Max payload^{source 2} lb	GVWR^{source 2} lb	Axle^{source 2} ratio	Tow check
SportTwo-door · D478 6-speed manual	1,000^{source 1}	100	5,329	1,000	up to 5,000	3.21	Check load →
SportTwo-door · D478 6-speed manualwith 3.73 axle ratio (optional)	2,000^{source 1}	200	6,329	1,000	up to 5,000	3.73	Check load →
SportTwo-door · D478 6-speed manualwith Trailer Tow Group (Class II receiver hitch)	2,000	100	5,329	1,000	up to 5,000	3.21	Check load →
SportTwo-door · 5-speed automatic	not in our data	350^{source 2}	not in our data	1,000	up to 5,000	3.21	Check load →
SportTwo-door · 5-speed automaticwith 3.73 axle ratio (optional)	2,000^{source 1}	200	6,353	1,000	up to 5,000	3.73	Check load →
SportTwo-door · 5-speed automaticwith Trailer Tow Group (Class II receiver hitch)	2,000	350^{source 2}	not in our data	1,000	up to 5,000	3.21	Check load →
SaharaTwo-door · D478 6-speed manual	1,000^{source 1}	100	5,430	not in our data	up to 5,000	3.21	Check load →
SaharaTwo-door · D478 6-speed manualwith 3.73 axle ratio (optional)	2,000^{source 1}	200	6,430	not in our data	up to 5,000	3.73	Check load →
SaharaTwo-door · D478 6-speed manualwith Trailer Tow Group (Class II receiver hitch)	2,000	100	5,430	not in our data	up to 5,000	3.21	Check load →
SaharaTwo-door · 5-speed automatic	not in our data	350^{source 2}	not in our data	not in our data	up to 5,000	3.21	Check load →
SaharaTwo-door · 5-speed automaticwith 3.73 axle ratio (optional)	2,000^{source 1}	200	6,454	not in our data	up to 5,000	3.73	Check load →
SaharaTwo-door · 5-speed automaticwith Trailer Tow Group (Class II receiver hitch)	2,000	350^{source 2}	not in our data	not in our data	up to 5,000	3.21	Check load →
RubiconTwo-door · D478 6-speed manual	2,000^{source 1}	200	6,507	not in our data	up to 5,000	4.10	Check load →
RubiconTwo-door · 5-speed automatic	not in our data	350^{source 2}	not in our data	not in our data	up to 5,000	3.73	Check load →
RubiconTwo-door · 5-speed automaticwith 4.10 axle ratio (optional)	2,000^{source 1}	200	6,533	not in our data	up to 5,000	4.10	Check load →
RubiconTwo-door · 5-speed automaticwith Trailer Tow Group (Class II receiver hitch)	2,000	350^{source 2}	not in our data	not in our data	up to 5,000	3.73	Check load →
SportFour-door · D478 6-speed manual	1,000^{source 1}	100	5,742	1,000	up to 5,500	3.21	Check load →
SportFour-door · D478 6-speed manualwith 3.73 axle ratio (optional)	3,500^{source 1}	350	8,242	1,000	up to 5,500	3.73	Check load →
SportFour-door · D478 6-speed manualwith Max Tow Package	3,500	100	5,742	1,000	up to 5,500	3.21	Check load →
SportFour-door · D478 6-speed manualwith Trailer Tow Group (Class II receiver hitch)	2,000	100	5,742	1,000	up to 5,500	3.21	Check load →
SportFour-door · 5-speed automatic	not in our data	350^{source 2}	not in our data	1,000	up to 5,500	3.21	Check load →
SportFour-door · 5-speed automaticwith 3.73 axle ratio (optional)	3,500^{source 1}	350	8,257	1,000	up to 5,500	3.73	Check load →
SportFour-door · 5-speed automaticwith Max Tow Package	3,500	350^{source 2}	not in our data	1,000	up to 5,500	3.21	Check load →
SportFour-door · 5-speed automaticwith Trailer Tow Group (Class II receiver hitch)	2,000	350^{source 2}	not in our data	1,000	up to 5,500	3.21	Check load →
SaharaFour-door · D478 6-speed manual	1,000^{source 1}	100	5,782	not in our data	up to 5,500	3.21	Check load →
SaharaFour-door · D478 6-speed manualwith 3.73 axle ratio (optional)	3,500^{source 1}	350	8,282	not in our data	up to 5,500	3.73	Check load →
SaharaFour-door · D478 6-speed manualwith Max Tow Package	3,500	100	5,782	not in our data	up to 5,500	3.21	Check load →
SaharaFour-door · D478 6-speed manualwith Trailer Tow Group (Class II receiver hitch)	2,000	100	5,782	not in our data	up to 5,500	3.21	Check load →
SaharaFour-door · 5-speed automatic	not in our data	350^{source 2}	not in our data	not in our data	up to 5,500	3.21	Check load →
SaharaFour-door · 5-speed automaticwith 3.73 axle ratio (optional)	3,500^{source 1}	350	8,297	not in our data	up to 5,500	3.73	Check load →
SaharaFour-door · 5-speed automaticwith Max Tow Package	3,500	350^{source 2}	not in our data	not in our data	up to 5,500	3.21	Check load →
SaharaFour-door · 5-speed automaticwith Trailer Tow Group (Class II receiver hitch)	2,000	350^{source 2}	not in our data	not in our data	up to 5,500	3.21	Check load →
RubiconFour-door · D478 6-speed manual	3,500^{source 1}	350	8,406	not in our data	up to 5,500	4.10	Check load →
RubiconFour-door · D478 6-speed manualwith Trailer Tow Group (Class II receiver hitch)	2,000	350	8,406	not in our data	up to 5,500	4.10	Check load →
RubiconFour-door · 5-speed automatic	not in our data	350^{source 2}	not in our data	not in our data	up to 5,500	3.73	Check load →
RubiconFour-door · 5-speed automaticwith 4.10 axle ratio (optional)	3,500^{source 1}	350	8,431	not in our data	up to 5,500	4.10	Check load →
RubiconFour-door · 5-speed automaticwith Max Tow Package	3,500	350^{source 2}	not in our data	not in our data	up to 5,500	3.73	Check load →
RubiconFour-door · 5-speed automaticwith Trailer Tow Group (Class II receiver hitch)	2,000	350^{source 2}	not in our data	not in our data	up to 5,500	3.73	Check load →
Right-Hand DriveFour-door · 5-speed automatic	not in our data	350^{source 2}	not in our data	not in our data	up to 5,500	not in our data	Check load →
Right-Hand DriveFour-door · 5-speed automaticwith Max Tow Package	3,500	350^{source 2}	not in our data	not in our data	up to 5,500	not in our data	Check load →
Right-Hand DriveFour-door · 5-speed automaticwith Trailer Tow Group (Class II receiver hitch)	2,000	350^{source 2}	not in our data	not in our data	up to 5,500	not in our data	Check load →

“Not published”: the maker doesn’t print it. —: not in the documents we hold yet. A number by a column’s name is the source of its figures that have none of their own. Scroll the table sideways for every rating.

SourcesMakerThe small number by a figure says which document it is from.

How Jeep rates towing: maximum gross trailer weight (GTW) from the manual's table, which doesn't split braked and unbraked trailers; with the Trailer Tow Group; with the Max Tow Package.

Documents last checked Oct 9, 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.

2012 Jeep Wrangler specs: payload, dimensions, ground clearance and weight beside the towing ratings.

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

Jeep Wrangler JK (2007–2018): full specs

02 / Why

Which one tows the most, and why

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

What moves the rating

Maker

Tows the most: 3,500 lb

Rubicon Four-door D478 6-speed manual; 11 more configurations are rated the same.

Axle ratio
3.73 axle instead of 3.21
+1,000 to +2,500 lb
Same configuration otherwise · 4 pairs in the table
Package
Max Tow Package
+2,500 lb
Same configuration otherwise · 2 pairs in the table
Package
Trailer Tow Group (Class II receiver hitch)
−1,500 to +1,000 lb
Same configuration otherwise · 5 pairs in the table

03 / By year

Wrangler 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 Wrangler’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 Wrangler specsClearance, angles, weights and the rig builder for every configuration.Open the spec plate Wrangler 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 Wrangler configuration tows the most?

The Rubicon Four-door D478 6-speed manual, at 3,500 lb; 11 more configurations are rated the same.

What is the max tongue weight of the 2012 Jeep Wrangler?

100–350 lb by configuration; the most is 350 lb, for the Sport Two-door 5-speed automatic. Tongue weight is the trailer’s downward push on the hitch; it counts against payload.

What is the GCWR of the 2012 Jeep Wrangler?

5,329–8,431 lb by configuration; the most is 8,431 lb, for the Rubicon Four-door 5-speed automatic with the 4.10 axle ratio. GCWR is the most the loaded vehicle and its loaded trailer may weigh together.

Has the Jeep Wrangler’s towing capacity changed by year?

Highest rating by model year: 2026, 5,000 lb; 2025, 5,000 lb; 2024, 5,000 lb; 2023, 3,500 lb; 2022, 3,500 lb; 2021, 3,500 lb; 2020, 3,500 lb; 2019, 3,500 lb; 2018, 3,500 lb; 2017, 3,500 lb; 2016, 3,500 lb; 2015, 3,500 lb; 2014, 3,500 lb; 2013, 3,500 lb; 2012, 3,500 lb; 2011, 3,500 lb; 2010, 3,500 lb; 2009, 3,500 lb; 2008, 3,500 lb; 2007, 3,500 lb; 2005, 3,500 lb; 2001, 2,000 lb; 1999, 2,000 lb.

Which 2012 Wrangler configuration tows the least?

The Sport Two-door D478 6-speed manual, at 1,000 lb; three more configurations are rated the same.

What is the GVWR of the 2012 Jeep Wrangler?

Up to 5,500 lb for the Sport Four-door D478 6-speed manual, as Jeep prints it. GVWR is the most the vehicle may weigh with its people, cargo and the trailer’s tongue weight aboard.

These are Jeep’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.