Kia sportage AWD towing

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mrsbt

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My husband and I continue to disagree over towing a horse trailer with my car. I have a 2011 Kia sportage 2.0 AWD. He says it would be fine to tow with but I don't think it's powerful enough. It would be a double trailer and most likely hb511 model as I have a large warmblood who must weigh around 650kg.
Where we live would involve going up and down a couple of steep hills and I think it wouldn't be very safe to tow in my car. As there's so many knowledgable people on here I'm hoping you can settle the dispute. Am
I just being over cautious? Thanks in advance.
 
Heavy horse and trailer so although I suspect you would be legal, I would err with you as you may be lacking oomph if you are in a hilly area and certainly wouldn't be able to put a second horse in the trailer but I would ask ROG on here under his towing thread for a more definitive answer

Edited to add: Think it also depends on what model you have if 1600kg max towing or 2000kg as if only 1600kg you will be overweight.
 
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The feeling you will get from towing with different types of vehicles will depend on the driver and how they perceive it

If the actual weight being towed is within the towing capacity then it will be safe no matter what vehicle is doing the towing

Do you and OH both do the towing and do you both have B+E licences??
 
Thanks for the replies. I'm pretty sure my car is a model with 2000kg max, I only have one horse now so would only be towing the one.
I would be the one doing the towing and will have to take a test for B+E
 
mrsbt said:
Thanks for the replies. I'm pretty sure my car is a model with 2000kg max, I only have one horse now so would only be towing the one.
I would be the one doing the towing and will have to take a test for B+E
Click to expand...

http://www.kia.co.uk/new-cars/range...ge/specification/technical-specification.aspx
It seems the one you are looking at has a GVW of 2140 kg
That means you could have a trailer plated at 1360 kg MAM for B towing

The bateson derby trailer weighs 675 empty and your horse weighs 650 so if you got that trailer down plated from 1700 to 1360 then it would have an actual weight of 1325 so within 1360 and 1360 + 2140 = 3500 so ok for B towing

A HB511 weighs too much empty to be able to do that
 
Thanks ROG that's very helpful info, the ifor Williams is out for me then at the moment unless I take the test.
What does down plating involve?
 
Also one thing I haven't considered is my sister can tow as passed her test pre 1997, do you think the ifor being heavier isn't so good with my car combination and better with a larger 4x4?
 
mrsbt said:
Thanks ROG that's very helpful info, the ifor Williams is out for me then at the moment unless I take the test.
What does down plating involve?
Click to expand...
With Bateson the down plating involves calling them and then sending them the original plate with a tenner - you then get a new plate to fix back on

finding a used Bateson derby trailer is the hard bit - if going for new then the plate you want will be already on it as you can order it like that
 
mrsbt said:
Also one thing I haven't considered is my sister can tow as passed her test pre 1997, do you think the ifor being heavier isn't so good with my car combination and better with a larger 4x4?
Click to expand...

Makes no difference if within the towing capacity - actual weight being towed

This might help if sister is with you .....

SUPERVISING A B+E LEARNER
In April 2010 new rules were introduced for those supervising certain learner drivers but they only affected those supervising VOCATIONAL categories such as C1 C1+E D1 & D1+E where the supervising driver had those categories given to them for free when they passed a pre 1997 car test.
They do not affect those with a pre 1997 B+E licence who wish to supervise a B+E learner.

All B licence holders have B+E provisional on the paper part of their licence and can tow an empty or loaded trailer on all roads including motorways.

The usual rules apply when a learner is driving -
The supervising driver must be aged over 21
The supervising driver must have held a B+E licence for at least 3 years
L plates must be fitted to the front of the vehicle and the rear of the trailer
Correct insurance for a B+E learner
The supervising driver does not need to be insured unless they are driving
 
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