The dilemma

Geoff is closing in on retirement and after a new car to kick it all off. It will be asked to tow a small caravan and even indulge in some mild off-road work, but most of all it needs to be happy around town. He's interested in Suzuki's new Vitara, or would he be better off in a Nissan X-Trail or Subaru Forester?

The budget

Not provided

The shortlist

We're big fans of the Vitara – it won the Best City SUV crown in last year's Drive Car of the Year runoff – but not so sure about its 1200kg maximum towing capacity in this scenario.

Geoff's van has a tare weight of 800kg but – fully laden with tanks, bottles and other items – it is likely to weigh a good chunk more, so whether it offers the safety margin you'd want for this kind of towing caper is up for debate.

A medium-sized SUV, contrastingly, won't be cutting things so fine – the X-Trail, for one, is rated up to 2000kg. Whether it's a better bet for Geoff than a Forester or some other possibility is something we'll try to tackle here.

Hyundai Tucson AWD, from $38,240

This Hyundai rates highly for space and functionality, and combines a five-year factory warranty with a lifetime capped-price servicing program (with yearly/15,000km intervals).

It's well suited to town driving, impressively adept out of it and its range of petrol/diesel engines cover a wide performance/economy spectrum.

While not a towing benchmark, its 1500kg petrol/1600kg diesel capacities are sufficient and you can boost its 100kg towball download limit to 140kg with an accessory tow kit.

The latter is why it gets the gig over its recently released Kia Sportage cousin, which offers a similar array of strengths but not a way to get around its 100kg TBL.

Not that Hyundai gets everything right. The cheapest AWD model is an exxy $38,240 proposition; if you want both AWD and diesel, that rises to $40k-plus. It rides lower than its rivals here (182mm), limiting its off-road potential.

Read Drive's Hyundai Tucson reviews:

Hyundai Tucson vs Subaru Forester
Mid-size SUV comparison review

Nissan X-Trail 4WD, from $33,980

You can get into an AWD version of this roomy, functional Nissan from $33,980 and an AWD/diesel from $35,380.

Petrols are rated to tow up to 1600kg, diesels 2000kg and their respective TBLs (up to 150kg/up to 200kg) are also better than average.

While less aligned to off-road priorities than its predecessors, its 210mm ground clearance and lockable AWD system endow it with better abilities than many rivals.

But the X-Trail has this group's only space-saver spare, which could be a real headache in the towing/off-road roles, and is the least resolved through the bends.

Turbo lag impacts on the diesel's urban driveability and you can't get a diesel/AWD with an auto gearbox.

Nissan's three-year/100,000km factory warranty and six-year/120,000km capped-price servicing deal (with yearly/10,000km intervals) aren't a match for their Hyundai's equivalents.

Read Drive's Nissan X-Trail reviews:

Nissan X-Trail Ti new-car review 
Nissan X-Trail TL new-car review 

Subaru Forester, from $29,990

This Subaru is an all-AWD proposition, so even the cheapest model gets the extra traction Geoff is looking for. Petrols just sneak under the $30k mark and diesels start from a competitive $33,490.

It keeps the Nissan honest for towing muscle (1500kg and 1800kg maximums for the petrol and diesel respectively, with 150kg/180kg TBLs) but has a full-size spare and desirable diesel/auto combo.

It's well suited to off-road slithering with its 220mm ground clearance and sophisticated X-Mode AWD system, and scores highly for space and functionality. Its poised road manners and solid specification have been sharpened in a recent MY16 update.

But don't look for the most svelte exterior or, in the diesel, benchmark stop/start driveability. 

Subaru's three-year factory warranty and three-year/75,000km capped-price servicing program (with yearly/12,500km intervals) both cede to benchmark offerings.

Read Drive's Subaru Forester reviews:

2016 Subaru Forester first drive review

Drive recommends

If Geoff just needed an SUV for everyday duties the Hyundai would look very strong but the cost imposition of AWD and diesel, plus the weakest towing and off-road credentials of the group, keep it to the bottom rung of the podium.

The Nissan, while overtly quite well suited to his needs, drops the ball with its space-saver spare and drivetrain restrictions.

That leaves the Subaru with this group's most equitable mix of urban flair and rough-and-tumble ability, and its mandatory AWD and affordable diesel option make its victory even more clear-cut.