Good economical vehicle for towing one

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Welshboy

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I knows it's a subject done to death - but I can't find an answer to my question, so help would be appreciated please.

I'm thinking of selling my 3.5 Renault master conversion as for two reasons I now travel more infrequently; sold my daughters horse, so down to one and daughter is off to uni so we won't be having many regular outings.

I'm keen to go back to a 4x4 & trailer idea as makes more sense.

I'd like a 506 (920kgs) and my 14.2 HW weighs approx 500 ish. So I think I'm looking for a minimum braked towing capacity of 2000kgs.

I don't want anything as costly/meaty as a discovery (owned one before - lovely, but so expensive to run). I'm thinking Kia Sorrento or Freelander 2 or something else ?

That's the question really, what else could I consider that's a 2000kg or more tow capacity bit reasonable tax/fuel costs.

Thank you
 
I drive a newish Freelander 2.

I tow one with it, never tried two, but depending on the trailer/horses you possibly could.
Never had a problem towing a 511 (1000Kg unladen) and 600KG horse. Coped with hills/motorways/resonable mud in fields.

Tax is £260/year

Economical for a 4x4 to run. Depends how/where you drive it of course.

I went looking for a discovery and the land rover sales people suggested i try a freelander as I would get more car for my money. I know a lot of people don't like them but Ive been very happy with mine, and would have another.

Of course, you will get a million different replies to this.

Have you thought about a diesel estate type car?
 
How about this for an idea if only towing one .....

Skoda Octavia 4x4 with a GVW under 2100kg and a towing capacity of 2000kg with a HB401/3 trailer which is under 800 unladen plated at 1600kg for B+E towing or can be down plated to 1400kg for B towing
 
I loved my Santa Fe 😀 felt great towing my 505 and 14.2hh cob and was economical for everyday driving. I now have a Chevrolet captiva which is fine, but not as good on fuel as the Santa Fe was.
 
Ooh thanks all. Great to hear about the freelander 2 and it seems there's more to explore.

I have a B+e license so not limited in that respect.

Would be grateful for any more to add to the list
 
Nissan X Trail - towing capacity 2000kgs, around £260 a year road tax. I use mine for towing one 15hh and tows really well.
 
I've got an older Sorento, 04 plate. Good fuel economy by my standards (I drive old bangers) and super comfortable with a 2800kg tow capacity, tax is £280 per year. My mate has a much newer Hyundai Santa Fe, same interior and ride, similar fuel economy and same tax but 2000kg towing capacity. She can tow one with ease but can't take a mate (me) so we use mine. She rues the day she went for the Santa Fe rather than an older model with more towing capacity because she's stuck with me as her companion for all outings involving a friend.
 
I also like the Freelander. I'm bit biased as my OH is a Land Rover nut and some of it has rubbed off on me but I've driven and towed with a few other cars too and I think in their class (small 4x4) they're one of the best for ordinary driving and definitely the best for towing, as well as surprisingly capable off road, but that's not really a consideration unless you park in lots of muddy fields. Land Rover are the original 4x4 company and defintely know what they're doing in that sense.

I'd go for an auto as clutch problems in manuals are relatively common when they're used for towing loads close to the capacity.

I believe the Octavia 4x4 was recently named tow car of the year so might well be worth looking at too.
 
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MuddyTB said:
BMW X1 or Audi Q3.
Tow 2000kgs with £260 road tax and average 45mpg or thereabouts.
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I agree - a 4 x 4 isn't necessarily what you have to have, unless you have set your heart on one.

This is my outfit, a Vauxhall Vectra Elite 2.0 L CDti. I think its got 140 or 160bhp which is ideal for towing. The trailer comes in at 600KG the horse at around 690KG and I have plenty left over for people/tack, etc. Insurance works out about £340 per annum for a full NCB, no endorsements on licence, and no other named driver, driving approx 10K miles per year, SDP only.

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I tow my girl with a Tiguan, think the bog standard ones come in at towing capacity of 2200kg! mine is slightly higher as its the offroad version! Great fuel economy for everyday use (usually about 45mpg) and I don't feel a think when towing! Would really recommend
 
Applecart what trailer is that (is it a rice)? I'm looking at getting a 2L diesel mondeo to tow with so similar to your vectra but was a bit worried about how stable it would feel...how do you find yours?
 
Ooh fantastic - than you. I shall get exploring all of those options - see what prices they come in at ��
 
EmmaB said:
Applecart what trailer is that (is it a rice)? I'm looking at getting a 2L diesel mondeo to tow with so similar to your vectra but was a bit worried about how stable it would feel...how do you find yours?
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HI EmmaB. Its a Rice Richardson, dating back to 1996! Dad has renovated it for me and replaced the upper hardwood floor and painted inside and out about twice since I've owned it. Its really been looked at and Dad has serviced it himself every summer for me. Handy having a Dad that can do these things.

The Peugeot 406 that I used to own didn't tow as well as my current car, I think the BHP (brake horsepower) really makes a difference. It wasn't the speed but more the ability to sustain a certain speed on a long slow incline. I'd start at 5th gear, go down to 4th and be struggling in 3rd at times on the motorway on the long gradual inclines and have to put my fan on to cool the radiator as it kept overheating as the car was having to work so hard, yet we were within the legal towing weights. With the Vectra it just loves long inclines and takes no notice at all.

I think my trailer feels very stable, I prefer driving this car whilst towing rather than the Peugeot and the Sierra Sapphire that I had before. I've been towing for nearly 20 years now and touch wood (temps fate) never had any major issues with any of the cars, only once in the Sapphire when I broke down whilst towing.
 
Skoda superbs do 2t and I *think* can be 4x4 aswell - 25pmg towing a full load, 50mpg without, tyres tax etc all a lot less than a pickup/landrover type thing and really, *really* reliable. My octavias past 156k miles now, a lot of that towing and no major issues, just keep it well serviced and replace all the things you're meant to replace!
 
Apple cart, your set up is interesting. I bought a 2.0 focus with 136bhp which the intention of towing, which with my ifor 505 and 560kg horse would be under the limits but I've had comments about it being more difficult to stop with a car. Rather than not having the power to pull the weight

Do you finding stopping any harder with your set up?
 
Kezzabell2 said:
Apple cart, your set up is interesting. I bought a 2.0 focus with 136bhp which the intention of towing, which with my ifor 505 and 560kg horse would be under the limits but I've had comments about it being more difficult to stop with a car. Rather than not having the power to pull the weight

Do you finding stopping any harder with your set up?
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Hi, no I don't have any problem braking, having said that I've never had to do an emergency stop in the trailer in 20 years of driving, and hopefully never will. I had to stop very smartish once when I was crawling along a narrowish lane and the car in front didn't think it could get through a gap that an articulated lorry couldn't have got through! Its the only time I've been caught out, and I learnt a valuable lesson from that - drive for yourself and not the idiot in front of you! Just because I knew the width of my towing outfit doesn't mean EVERYONE knows the width of their car :(

My trailer is a lot less weight than an Ifor Williams though, they come in quite heavy and I wouldn't be able to tow one of these with my horse as I would be way over weight.

I tend to anticipate the traffic at a distance so I will take my foot of the accelarator earlier than if I was just in my car, and let 'the engine brake for me' by changing down gears i.e. if all the lights are turning red in the distance I will change down long before I get to the traffic lights, or if I can see a roundabout in the distance I will change down accordingly so that I am already at a safe speed on the approach and do not need to brake sharply, or even at all if i can then go when I get to the lights or the island.
I also change down into third when going down steep hills as its easier to do this (and safer as it can prevent snaking) than continually having your foot on the brake. I do all of these things in my car too. I have been down Fish Hill too many times which has a gradient of 16.6% and climbs 178 metres over 2.7km! Scary on the descent - they have sand on the verges to stop in if your brakes go. Nightmare with a trailer.
 
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applecart14 said:
Hi, no I don't have any problem braking, having said that I've never had to do an emergency stop in the trailer in 20 years of driving, and hopefully never will. I had to stop very smartish once when I was crawling along a narrowish lane and the car in front didn't think it could get through a gap that an articulated lorry couldn't have got through! Its the only time I've been caught out, and I learnt a valuable lesson from that - drive for yourself and not the idiot in front of you! Just because I knew the width of my car and vechicle doesn't mean EVERYONE DOES :(

My trailer is a lot less weight than an Ifor Williams though, they come in quite heavy and I wouldn't be able to tow one of these with my horse as I would be way over weight.

I tend to anticipate the traffic at a distance so I let 'the engine brake for me' then change down gears i.e. if all the lights are turning red in the distance I will change down long before I get to the traffic lights, or if I can see a roundabout in the distance I will change down accordingly so that I am already at a safe speed on the approach and do not need to brake sharply, or even at all if i can then go when I get to the lights or the island.
I also change down into third when going down steep hills as its easier to do this (and safer) than continually having your foot on the brake. I do all of these things in my car too.
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Somebody is a good candidate for the advanced driving test !!
 
Thanks applecart! I have been scoping out potential trailers and have seen some nice rice trailers with new floors but heard that they were heavy so wasn't sure, so it's good to know yours isn't actually that heavy!

Good advice re the breaking with gears, my horse is smaller than yours too so I'm feeling a bit better about getting a saloon type for towing now! :)
 
ROG said:
Somebody is a good candidate for the advanced driving test !!
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I would love to do that but its soooo expensive and I think you need a set of lessons first!

When I passed my test at the age of 17 i wanted to be a delivery driver and started work doing multi drop and then further distance work. I used to drive really fast, really scary and really dangerous, I'd think nothing of doing a ton and ten up the motorway, or going over a humped back bridge so fast all four wheels would leave the floor like the Dukes of Hazard. I got caught twice for speeding and then got done for a defective tyre and after getting 9 points in total gave up driving for living as I wanted a horse and knew if I got caught once more for speeding I would lose it and wouldn't be able to have a horse. I guess you grow up.

Looking back its a wonder I didn't kill myself or others. Shameful. Of course some 20+ years later with no points, and fifteen years no claims I am much more sensible.

I saw the programme about driving the buses the other day, and thought hmmm I wonder if I could do that??? But then I landed my current role.
 
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EmmaB said:
Thanks applecart! I have been scoping out potential trailers and have seen some nice rice trailers with new floors but heard that they were heavy so wasn't sure, so it's good to know yours isn't actually that heavy! :)
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What is heavy is the partition. The newer type of trailers have alumnium metal edges with rubber dangling from them, but mine is solid steel casting, with wooden partition, it takes two to remove it, and even then it just about kills us. I also have 12mm thick rubber matting which weighs a ton. Dad was on about sourcing me a different kind of partition so its lighter weight but then I went through hassle with loading my horse (all of a sudden overnight after 7.5 years of running on the trailer he decided he wouldn't load again) so we didn't dare change anything. After visiting Kelly & Monty he is fine now!

The floors are double but I don't think they weigh that much. I have the partition in mine set permanently fixed to 3/4 - 1/4 meaning that the horse has the 3/4 part and the space the other side has my step ladders, broom, shovel and a variety of buckets, haynets and Bailey's radio that he listens to on the journey :) Not sure how safe this would continue to be if I had a flexible rubber partition.
 
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Ah I see, didn't even think about the weight of the partition! Mine can be a bit iffy loading too so the plan was to have no partition with a full breast bar, and put everything else in the car so that should reduce the weight even further :)

I'm getting excited now haha...have just had a look and found a 2.2L mondeo with 155bhp not far from me and right price, sounds like it should be suitable. Thanks for all the help!
 
EmmaB said:
Ah I see, didn't even think about the weight of the partition! Mine can be a bit iffy loading too so the plan was to have no partition with a full breast bar, and put everything else in the car so that should reduce the weight even further :)

I'm getting excited now haha...have just had a look and found a 2.2L mondeo with 155bhp not far from me and right price, sounds like it should be suitable. Thanks for all the help!
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No problems x
 
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