Towing vehicles

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Cleopatra90

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We are looking to trade in our kia ceed next year and I'm desperate to get something that can tow.

Can anyone advise on a vehicle that is reasonably economical as would be used an every day car but also has towing power.. If this is even possible!

It is to tow my 13.2 Welsh x Cob. Would only be towing him but want to be comfortable pulling him and the trailer and not just on the brink of it being legal.

Thanks in advance :)
 
Nissan xtrail. I am on my 3rd. Its perfect for the job. Tows 2.2 tonnes so pulls my 511 and 16.2 warmblood easily but i couldnt take 2.
 
Some options you have that can tow around 2000kg (2 ton) are Freelander 2, Nissan X-trail, Ford Kuga (passed my trailer test in a Ford Kuga and it was a really nice drive)

Most are 2 litre or 2.2 litre engines. We have a 3.2 Shogun which can tow 3.5 ton but drinks fuel.
 
I always like having that tows quite a bit more than I needs - mainly due to the amount of hills around me. I have a MK2 Kia Sorento manual which tows 2500kg - auto tows less. It's my daily driving car & I do 80 miles round on work days - it still does 40mpg mixed motorway/lanes/stop start traffic.
 
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Honda CRV's are another that will tow 2000kg, although not the automatic model. We have 2.2 diesel get around 44mpg doing mainly short journeys.
 
I've just bought a SSyanong Korando. I love it! Its pretty economical for a big car, its lovely to drive and its a brilliant tow car. Towing capacity of 2000kgs. It easily towed a 510 and 500kgs pony on and off grass. Its won all sorts of towing awards, and I can see why now. They are very cheap for the amount of car you get as well.
 
Another Kia Sorento manual here. Tows a Bockmann Big Master and substantial 700kg lump of a horse. Tows really well and my only gripe would be that the steering is very light. Will do 50mpg if it's driven mega carefully (not towing of course!)
 
madamebonnie said:
Love my ford Mondeo estate for towing. I only have a single trailer and 16hh ISH but has brilliant mpg for day to day travel.
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I currently have an ageing 4x4 plus a car I use for work and home. Am considering replacing both with an estate like a Mondeo but am worrying about towing off road. How have you got on on grass? (I appreciate muddy fields will be a no no).
 
OldNag said:
I currently have an ageing 4x4 plus a car I use for work and home. Am considering replacing both with an estate like a Mondeo but am worrying about towing off road. How have you got on on grass? (I appreciate muddy fields will be a no no).
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I strongly recommend a 4x4 car for towing rather than a 2x4. Something like a Skoda Octavia. I speak from many miles of experience of towing in my past with many ordinary cars such as various Rovers, Montegos, a Peugeot 406, a Mondeo.

4x4 really is better, but you don’t need a monster.
 
OldNag said:
I currently have an ageing 4x4 plus a car I use for work and home. Am considering replacing both with an estate like a Mondeo but am worrying about towing off road. How have you got on on grass? (I appreciate muddy fields will be a no no).
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Grass events without trailer-fine. Got myself on and off a very wet final Kelsall event in september. Grass in summer with trailer-fine. So far I've never actually got it stuck but am quite cautious when loaded. I mostly do dressage so don't often have to go off road.
 
madamebonnie said:
Grass events without trailer-fine. Got myself on and off a very wet final Kelsall event in september. Grass in summer with trailer-fine. So far I've never actually got it stuck but am quite cautious when loaded. I mostly do dressage so don't often have to go off road.
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Thank you. Really useful to know. I only tow one pony so a Mondeo would be fine capacity wise. I do a lot of work miles so need a decent MPG. Thank you - looks a sensible option.
 
Tiddlypom said:
I strongly recommend a 4x4 car for towing rather than a 2x4. Something like a Skoda Octavia. I speak from many miles of experience of towing in my past with many ordinary cars such as various Rovers, Montegos, a Peugeot 406, a Mondeo.

4x4 really is better, but you don’t need a monster.
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Thanks TP.
My problem is I really need to go to one vehicle but a 4x4 is too thirsty for the amount of business miles I do - my 4x4 is ancient and won't last forever so I need to do some forward planning. I have only ever towed with a 4x4 but may have to change.
 
The Octavia (we have the Scout version, which has a raised ride height) is a normal economical family estate car which also happens to have 4WD. We get 50mpg on a run, and it’s a really good all round drive with excellent road holding. I’ve done 500 mile round trips (not towing) on the motorway in it, and it breezes them. It easily fits our two lads in the back, they’re 6’1” and 6’2”.

It has a 2000kg tow limit, so can easily cope with my Ifor 510 trailer + 650kg IDx mare. If you want one car to do your two jobs, I’d definitely put an Octavia on your shortlist.

4WD for towing is better not just on grass, but also on tricky steep hill starts, where the front wheel drive cars can get wheel spin when even on the road. There was a set of traffic lights at a major junction in Congleton that I wouldn't do towing in my 2WD cars, in case I got caught on the steepest part by a red light.

Rear wheel drive cars like my old Rovers are good towers on road, but they are completely hopeless off road.
 
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I have seen some have a kuga, i was looking at the ford edge suv 2litre would that be ok to tow a trailer and one horse?
 
Tiddlypom said:
The Octavia (we have the Scout version, which has a raised ride height) is a normal economical family estate car which also happens to have 4WD. We get 50mpg on a run, and it’s a really good all round drive with excellent road holding. I’ve done 500 mile round trips (not towing) on the motorway in it, and it breezes them. It easily fits our two lads in the back, they’re 6’1†and 6’2â€.

It has a 2000kg tow limit, so can easily cope with my Ifor 510 trailer + 650kg IDx mare. If you want one car to do your two jobs, I’d definitely put an Octavia on your shortlist.

4WD for towing is better not just on grass, but also on tricky steep hill starts, where the front wheel drive cars can get wheel spin when even on the road. There was a set of traffic lights at a major junction in Congleton that I wouldn't do towing in my 2WD cars, in case I got caught on the steepest part by a red light.

Rear wheel drive cars like my old Rovers are good towers on road, but they are completely hopeless off road.
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Do you find your Octavia as good for off road towing as a suv type 4x4? I need to replace my current "normal" car plus old 4x4 for one that can tow but will serve as my work car too (I do quite a lot of miles). Was thinking Honda CRV or Kia Sorento but you've got me interested in teh Octavia!
(I'm looking at a fairly old model, I don't buy new or anything near new :) )
 
OldNag, the Octavia is fine for towing on and off grass show fields. The 4x4 comes on automatically when needed, so I don’t have the full control of high and low diffs and diff lock like I do in the Shogun, but in practice I’ve never known it not to perform faultlessly :).

Just check the tow limit if you’re thinking of getting an older model, some of them had a less than 2t limit. Ours is a 15 plate, and tows 2t.
 
Tiddlypom said:
OldNag, the Octavia is fine for towing on and off grass show fields. The 4x4 comes on automatically when needed, so I don’t have the full control of high and low diffs and diff lock like I do in the Shogun, but in practice I’ve never known it not to perform faultlessly :).

Just check the tow limit if you’re thinking of getting an older model, some of them had a less than 2t limit. Ours is a 15 plate, and tows 2t
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Thanks TP will investigate.
 
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Tiddlypom said:
OldNag, the Octavia is fine for towing on and off grass show fields. The 4x4 comes on automatically when needed, so I don’t have the full control of high and low diffs and diff lock like I do in the Shogun, but in practice I’ve never known it not to perform faultlessly :).

Just check the tow limit if you’re thinking of getting an older model, some of them had a less than 2t limit. Ours is a 15 plate, and tows 2t.
Click to expand...

The only time my Octavia Scout has let me down towing off a field, it turned out that the 4WD pump had stopped working, so once it went to the dealer and had a new one fitted, it was back to its normal brilliant self.

I can't speak too highly about my Scout, 55mpg normally, and 35mpg towing. I love it.

Fiona
 
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