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2020 Lincoln Nautilus towing capacity

The 2020 Lincoln Nautilus tows 1,500 lbs to 3,500 lbs depending on how it's built. The top number needs the Turbocharged 2.0L I4 or Twin-Turbocharged 2.7L V6. Requires Class II Trailer Tow Package (53G).

✓ From 2020 Lincoln Towing Guide, p. 5 ↗Checked 2026-09-282026202520242023202220212020

Lincoln Nautilus
Photo: HJUdall, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
3,500
Max towing, lbs
1,500
Lowest rating, lbs
4
Configurations
350
Max tongue, lbs

Your exact truck

Which Nautilus is yours?

Engine?

Not sure? The label on your driver's door jamb and your window sticker list these.

So far

1,500 lbs – 3,500 lbs

4 configurations still match. Answer to narrow it down.

Check your trailer →

Try it

Will it pull your trailer?

Use the trailer's GVWR (on its VIN sticker) if you don't know what it weighs loaded — the dry weight leaves out water, propane and gear.

Only 3 of 4 configurations

It takes the Turbocharged 2.0L I4 or Twin-Turbocharged 2.7L V6 — pick your configuration below to be sure.

▲ top rating 3,500 lbs

  • Tongue weight ≈ 190 lbs — 10% of the loaded trailer, the figure Ford's towing guide uses (no more than 200 lbs up to 2,000 lbs). It counts against your payload, together with passengers and cargo.
  • Needed at this weight: 2.0L I4: for trailers over 1,500 lbs. – Class II Trailer Tow Package (53G). 2.7L V6: for trailers over 2,000 lbs. – the same. Your New Vehicle Limited Warranty may be voided if you tow without this.
  • ✓ up to 90% of the rating · ! 90–100% (little room for cargo, hills, wind — common advice, not a Lincoln rule) · ✕ over the rating.

Read this before you buy

Why the numbers differ

  • Every engine is rated for the same 3,500 lbs at its best.

  • With the tow package the Turbocharged 2.0L I4 goes from 1,500 lbs to 3,500 lbs — it requires Class II Trailer Tow Package (53G). p. 5 ↗

In real life

What 3,500 lbs means in trailers

Ford's towing guide sorts trailers into four weight classes; the classes describe the trailer, so they apply to any tow vehicle. With the right configuration the Nautilus reaches:

  1. Class I✓ Yes

    up to 2,000 lbs

    Small folding camping trailers and trailers for small boats, motorcycles and snowmobiles.

    2026 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide, p. 4 ↗

  2. Class II✓ Yes

    2,001–3,500 lbs

    Large folding camping trailers, single-axle, small- to medium-length (up to 18-ft.) trailers.

    2026 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide, p. 4 ↗

  3. Class III✕ No

    3,501–5,000 lbs

    Dual-axle or large single-axle travel trailers.

    2026 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide, p. 4 ↗

  4. Class IV✕ No

    over 5,000 lbs

    Largest travel and 5th-wheel trailers made for recreation.

    2026 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide, p. 4 ↗

Real trailers

Can the Nautilus pull these?

10 heavier trailers the Nautilus isn't rated for

Weights are what each trailer maker publishes (retrieved 2026-09-27). We compare the trailer's GVWR — the most it may weigh loaded — with each Nautilus configuration's rating, and never a dry weight when a GVWR exists.

Compare

Towing capacity by engine

Turbocharged 2.0L I41,500 – 3,500 lbs

2 configurations

Twin-Turbocharged 2.7L V62,000 – 3,500 lbs

2 configurations

Orange = the range across that engine's configurations. Bars start at zero.

Fine print, made plain

What the rating assumes

Over 1,500 lbs

2.0L I4: for trailers over 1,500 lbs. – Class II Trailer Tow Package (53G). 2.7L V6: for trailers over 2,000 lbs. – the same. Your New Vehicle Limited Warranty may be voided if you tow without this.

2020 Lincoln Towing Guide, p. 5 ↗

Hitch limit

Nautilus (factory-installed hitch receiver)

3,500 lbs trailer · 350 lbs tongue

Included with Class II Trailer Tow Package – Option Code 53G.

2020 Lincoln Towing Guide, p. 5 ↗

Trailer frontal area

20 sq. ft. (base vehicle frontal area) without Class II Trailer Tow Package; 30 sq. ft. with it. A tall, wide trailer can be too big even when it's light enough.

2020 Lincoln Towing Guide, p. 5 ↗

Every rating assumes a 150-lb driver and passenger and no other cargo. Add people, gear or accessories and the trailer you can tow goes down by the same amount.

New to towing?

The five weights, in one picture

Tongue weightLoaded trailer weightPayloadGVWR: the loaded truckGCWR: truck + trailer together
Loaded trailer weight — must stay under the towing rating
The rating “It assumes a towing vehicle with any mandatory options, no cargo, tongue load of 10% (conventional trailer) or king pin weight of 15% (5th-wheel trailer), and driver and passenger (150 lbs. each).” Weight of additional options, passengers, cargo and hitch must be deducted from this weight. p. 7 ↗
Tongue weight — the part of the trailer pressing on the hitch
“For trailers up to 2,000 lbs., tongue load not to exceed 200 lbs. For conventional trailers over 2,000 lbs., tongue load is 10% of loaded trailer weight. For 5th-wheel trailers, king pin weight is 15% of loaded trailer weight.” p. 7 ↗
Payload — people and cargo the truck can carry
“Payload is the combined maximum allowable weight of cargo and passengers that the vehicle is designed to carry. It is the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating minus the Base Curb Weight.” And: “When towing, trailer tongue load or king pin weight is also part of the Cargo Weight.” p. 6 ↗
GVWR and GCWR — the two ceilings
“Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) is the maximum allowable weight of the fully-loaded vehicle (including passengers and cargo).” “Gross Vehicle Weight PLUS Loaded Trailer Weight EQUALS Gross Combination Weight (GCW) GCW must not exceed GCWR.” Your GVWR is on the label on the driver's door jamb. p. 6 ↗

Towing it behind a motorhome?

Can you flat tow a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus? Some versions

Lincoln allows it for: Twin-Turbocharged 2.7L.

Steps and conditions →

From the maker's table

All 4 configurations

Conventional towing:
EngineDriveMax trailerGCWRSource
Turbocharged 2.0L I4FWD/AWD3,5001not listedp. 5 ↗
Twin-Turbocharged 2.7L V6AWD3,5001not listedp. 5 ↗
Twin-Turbocharged 2.7L V6AWD2,000not listedp. 5 ↗
Turbocharged 2.0L I4FWD/AWD1,500not listedp. 5 ↗
  1. Requires Class II Trailer Tow Package (53G).

Weights in lbs. “Not listed” means the maker printed no GCWR for that configuration — we don't estimate one.

More Lincoln towing capacities

Questions people ask

What is the towing capacity of the 2020 Lincoln Nautilus?

From 1,500 lbs to 3,500 lbs, depending on engine, axle ratio, body and drive. The 3,500 lbs top rating is for the Turbocharged 2.0L I4 · FWD/AWD · Automatic (Requires Class II Trailer Tow Package (53G)).

Does the 2020 Lincoln Nautilus need a tow package?

2.0L I4: for trailers over 1,500 lbs. – Class II Trailer Tow Package (53G). 2.7L V6: for trailers over 2,000 lbs. – the same. Your New Vehicle Limited Warranty may be voided if you tow without this.

How much tongue weight can the 2020 Lincoln Nautilus handle?

Nautilus (factory-installed hitch receiver): 350 lbs.

Can you flat tow a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus?

Only some versions: Twin-Turbocharged 2.7L.

Citing these numbers?

Can Tow That. "2020 Lincoln Nautilus Towing Capacity." From 2020 Lincoln Towing Guide, PDF modified 2021-03-16. https://cantowthat.com/lincoln/nautilus/2020

Source: 2020 Lincoln Towing Guide (Lincoln Motor Company (Ford Motor Company), PDF modified 2021-03-16; retrieved 2026-09-28). Page links open the PDF at the page each number is printed on.

4 ratings checked against the PDFHow we verify