Economical 4x4

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PuzWillow

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Looking to change cars to a 4x4 but still have a half an hour drive to and from work so want something that’s not going to guzzle fuel. Any suggestions? I’ve been looking at the Nissan quashqai if anyone has any opinions on that. Not so worried about towing capabilities, preferably enough to tow a 14.2 pony and trailer but more concerned with getting through the snow like we had last year. Thank you in advance!
 
A 4x4 which has plenty of power to tow a pony & trailer & also contend with heavy snow & have a frugal fuel usage is like the holy grail, it doesn't really exist. There are 4x4 out there which are frugal on fuel but they are gutless when it comes to towing....sorry.
 
The skoda yeti might be an option - no personal experience but I've been looking at these and honda crvs as not too expensive 4x4s for daily use as well as light towing.
 
My 14 plate Kia Sorrento gets (real life not marketing clap trap) 39.5mpg. I think that's pretty good for something with a reasonable towing capacity. I do have a light right foot and it's mainly country miles however.....
 
Nativelover said:
What about a hybrid? Volvo and Mitsubishi do good ones. No idea how they are with towing though.
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I have just been around this track, DONT BUY THE MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER IT CANT TOW ENOUGH, the big Lexus 450 can but its a lot of money, generally speaking hybrid tech is not yet good enough to tow
 
I tow with a very old Lexus RX300. It just about manages one pony but struggles with them both. Sadly it is on its way out and I am getting a Shogun to replace it. Purely as a 4x4 it has done well, managed all the snow last winter, gets driven over fields on the farm and all my miles are bumpy country roads. Economical it is not, lovely to drive 100% and I'm gutted it is dieing.
 
If you want a 4x4 car which tows rather well rather than a 'proper' beefy 4x4 then a Skoda octavia scout will do your job very well. 2t tow limit, lots of grunt for pulling away up hills, very secure and stable on the road in all weather conditions and a raised ride height cf the normal octavia. Good motorway car, too.

We used ours to ferry the lads to and from work last winter in the snow when their small hatchbacks would have been dicey.
 
My Toyota Rav 4 is brilliant for towing one horse & I dont find it hard on fuel - I've a 45min commute to & from work each day.
 
Any small 4x4 should do the job. I used to have a BMW X1 which easily towed 1 horse and did 45 mpg when not towing.
Similar options would be the VW Tiguan, Honda CRV or Toyota Rav 4. Friends tow with a Ford Kuga and Nissan X-Trail too.
 
If you already have a tow car, I would suggest simply equipping your current commuter for snow - decent winter tyres and a set of easy-fit chains - they're about £200 but really the cheap ones are a total nightmare.

The only edge a 4x4 without chains has is a bit more height to clear drifts and you can honestly barge through in a normal car most of the time. Fun too!
 
I have a SWB Shogun and would not change it for any other car. It is also my daily use car and it is not too hefty on fuel if you look after the engine, I put fuel injector cleaning product in once a month to help it run smoother. It is a good size and can tow up to 3.5 tonne and is so much fun in the snow!
 
MuddyTB said:
Any small 4x4 should do the job. I used to have a BMW X1 which easily towed 1 horse and did 45 mpg when not towing.
Similar options would be the VW Tiguan, Honda CRV or Toyota Rav 4. Friends tow with a Ford Kuga and Nissan X-Trail too.
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Yeah I have looked at the X1 but will have a look at the others as well, thank you!
 
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