Shocked! How many cars are actually legal to tow with?

wellsat

wellsat

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OH has said that I can finally start looking for a 4x4 and a trailer to get out and about. I've been transportless for six months now since the sale of my beautiful van so I didn't need telling twice.

I know that people do tow with all sorts of vehicles but I'm a fairly law abiding sort so want to make sure that we tow legally and don't go overweight.

My understanding is that the car's maximum towing weight must be over that of the maximum weight of the trailer. Given that the maximum weight of an Ifor 510 is 2700kg I need a car that can tow this legally, even if I'm not planning on actually taking two big horses.

So that leaves me with a list of:

Landrover Discovery or Defender
Toyota Landcruiser
Isuzu Trooper
Nissan Terrano
Mitsubishi Shogun
Vauxhall Frontera (Diesel)

Thats not a very big list of cars! Are there any that I'm missing out or do an awful lot of people actually tow illegally?
 
Depending on age I believe the kia sorento has the capability, and alot of the pickup styles like the nissan navara? Also the older nissan patrol. The BMW X5, if you've got a bigger budget! But I rate the Isuzu trooper!!! Out of that list!!!
 
Think you'd be OK with the following;

volkswagen Touareg
Audi Q7
BMW X5
Range Rover
Mitsubishi L200
Jeep Cherokee (possibly only LWB)
 
Yep you are about right, remember the Ifor 510 is one of the bigger trailers.

The 505 MW is I think 2.5 tonne which then gives you the option of the bigger estate cars etc as well.
 
Also - believe it or not that a Volkswagen Tiguan can tow 2.5tonnes so if you went for a slightly lighter trailer that would be a good one to go with I think
 
Thanks, have just had another look at Kia's and have seen that they just squeeze in on some models with a 2800kg capacity.

Would love an X5 but the budget wouldn't stretch. I didn't look at Jeeps either for the same reason but am fairly sure they'd do the job.
 
There is no regulation that says that the towing vehicle must be heavier than the trailer loaded.Just go on what the manufacturers give as the maximum train weight
 
skewbald_again said:
or third option, they don't take two big horses and are legal for what they are actually doing, rather than their theoretical maximum capacity?
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But my understanding is that that wouldn't be legal? I thought your car had to be capable of carrying the maximum weight of your trailer, even if in reality you only ever put shetland ponies in it?
 
I use an Nissan Navara to tow an Ifor 510 - cheaper tax as considered a commercial vehicle. But fine for everyday use as well
 
absolute diva said:
But my understanding is that that wouldn't be legal? I thought your car had to be capable of carrying the maximum weight of your trailer, even if in reality you only ever put shetland ponies in it?
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Well you might be right, but that doesn't sound right to me. Why would that need to be the case? It doesn't make sense!
(which does not mean you are not right, the law very often doesn't make sense!)
 
Maybe it's to do with the fact that everytime the police stopped someone for using an unsuitable towing vehicle they would have to take them to a weighbridge to prove they were overweight whereas if it was just going on maximum weights they'd just need to look at a plate on the car and trailer? It wouldnt' make sense to have a law they couldn't police although I am very aware that doesn't usually matter when making laws up lol
 
absolute diva said:
Would love an X5 but the budget wouldn't stretch. .
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I have towed with an X5, Land Rover Discovery and now have a Landcruiser. I can't praise the Landcruiser enough but that's a separate issue!

What I would say is if you have to go off road at all, and by that I only mean driving or parking on short flat grass, I really wouldn't recommend the X5 at all. It is USELESS on grass - probably because that's not what it's designed for.

Good luck x
 
skewbald_again said:
Well you might be right, but that doesn't sound right to me. Why would that need to be the case? It doesn't make sense!
(which does not mean you are not right, the law very often doesn't make sense!)
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Contact the Driving Standard agency (DSA) they'll confirm you're car only has to be capable of towing what is actually on board.

Used to have a link to the document, but lost it, sorry!
 
I believe, but may be corrected that the subaru outback and I think mitsubishi do an equivalent have a towing capacity of 2.5 tonnes, the volvo XC may also have a similar capacity, if you wanted to look at more car types....
 
skewbald_again said:
Well you might be right, but that doesn't sound right to me. Why would that need to be the case? It doesn't make sense!
(which does not mean you are not right, the law very often doesn't make sense!)
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It doesn't make sense but OP is right, this is the law.


I am lucky in that I have ponies and an old pony trailer (Bahill) that has been adjusted to take my ponies (one at a time but it is very rare that I need to take them both - if I do I get my friend to use her box!) therefore I can tow with my legacy.
 
absolute diva said:
But my understanding is that that wouldn't be legal? I thought your car had to be capable of carrying the maximum weight of your trailer, even if in reality you only ever put shetland ponies in it?
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Lord no. :D.This seems to be somthing of an HHO urban myth. The weight plate on the trailer is no more than the manufacturers guide to what their product can carry safely ,and if you exceed it ,the police have a prima facie case against you ,that you are overloading the trailer(regardles of the capacity of the towing vehicle). As long as the weight of trailer and ACTUAL LOAD,plus towing vehicle ,does not exceed the maximum weight for the towing vehicle,it is legal also.There is NOTHING that requires the towing vehicle to be heavier than the trailer loaded.
 
competitiondiva said:
I believe, but may be corrected that the subaru outback and I think mitsubishi do an equivalent have a towing capacity of 2.5 tonnes, the volvo XC may also have a similar capacity, if you wanted to look at more car types....
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Have looked up the Outback and that only has a capacity of 1800kg, Volvo is better but still not quite there at 2250kg :(

Thanks though :)
 
Sanolly said:
It doesn't make sense but OP is right, this is the law.


I am lucky in that I have ponies and an old pony trailer (Bahill) that has been adjusted to take my ponies (one at a time but it is very rare that I need to take them both - if I do I get my friend to use her box!) therefore I can tow with my legacy.
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No it's not.... Contact the DSA ask for their document on towing law/weights etc and they'll email it to you. It confirms that your car only has to be capable of towing what is ACTUALLY in it!
 
Toyota landcruiser - would recommend it to anyone & everyone
even got me + ifor trailer + horse, to the vet, in the snow earlier this year
really cant fault it :D
 
We used to two illegally with a volvo and because of this the gear box went so we had to replace it for £3000 or get a better new car. We decided to get a Shogun and they are brilliant towing cars, aren't that uncomfortable and ours has rversing cameras which are brill for hitching up :p
 
Sanolly said:
So my trailer driving instructor is wrong then? Not be horrible I am genuinely interested. This is what he has told me.
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According to the DSA!

I used to tow with a Saab, but with all the conflicting views I contacted the DSA and they confirmed that is was actual not potential and sent me the document so I had the official government guidelines in black and white. I used to carry it around in my glove box I was so paranoid!!!

Now have a Shogun, so don't have that problem. But there is a lot of confusion.

The DSA are really nice. Give them a call if you want the confirmation (wish I still had the doc to show you!)
 
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