Volvo as a tow car

[mustardsmum]

Does anyone tow with an Volvo XC 60 or is the 90 better? Have an Ifor 505 and a 14.3hh New Forest who weights 450 on a bad day! Havent been able to find much about volvos and towing horses, but my touareg is on its way out so I am look to replace and thinking of alternatives! Thanks!

 

[Gloi]

I tow with an old V70 and an ifor 403 and a 430kg pony and I have had no problems even up the steepest hills.
The car barely notices there is a trailer on. It is 2.4L diesel.

 

[Widgeon]

I tow with an old (06) diesel XC70 and it's a cracking tow car. Tow capacity is "only" 1800kg but it'll drag us up / out of anything, albeit slowly. Like @Gloi I have an Ifor single.

I haven't seen anyone towing with an XC60 but a lot of people tow with the bigger XC90...that said all models of XC60 have at least 2000kg tow capacity so if you like the car itself, I'd probably be fairly confident in its ability to tow. Caravaners seem to rate it! https://www.thetowcarawards.com/tow-car/volvo-xc60-3/

I think the two (60 and 90) have quite different driving positions so you might want to try them both and see which you prefer driving.

ETA - whatever you buy, find out whether it has Nivomat shocks on the rear. They're good but cost a small fortune to replace (about 1.5 - 2K for full replacement of shocks and springs) so it's just worth bearing in mind so you're mentally prepared for if / when you need to replace them!

 

[Widgeon]

We're currently in the process of deciding what the XC70's successor is going to be (I should probably retire her from towing duties around the 300K mile mark....) - thinking maybe a Skoda Scout or a Subaru Outback if we can afford one.

 

[phizz4]

Does anyone tow with an Volvo XC 60 or is the 90 better? Have an Ifor 505 and a 14.3hh New Forest who weights 450 on a bad day! Havent been able to find much about volvos and towing horses, but my touareg is on its way out so I am look to replace and thinking of alternatives! Thanks!

Towing capacity information here.

UK Car Towing Capacity & Weight Limit Information

The Biggest & Most Up To Date List of All UK Cars Along With Their Braked / Unbraked Towing Capacity.

www.towingcapacity.co.uk

 

[Widgeon]

Towing capacity information here.

I don't think OP is asking for papered tow capacity - they will both easily tow her setup - I think she's looking for people's personal experience of Volvos as tow cars.

 

[Quigleyandme]

My friend tows with a Volvo. I’m not sure of the model but it’s a saloon car. She says it’s brilliant at it and she doesn’t suffer any of the fatigue and back ache and what have you she experienced with her Touareg.

 

[blitznbobs]

I towed with an xc90 it was fine but lacked some grunt on hills … so it probably depends where in the country you are and how often you are towing.

 

[mustardsmum]

Thanks all for replies. I think Blitznbobs your answer is one I needed. I have two very big hills - steep but not long that I need to get over so need something that’s like the Touareg - thought the XC 90 would do it but now not so sure! Back to the drawing board ….

 

[mustardsmum]

Quick update … We have bought the XC90. Will update with my thoughts on how it tows once tow bar is on! Decided it should cope with our hills (same engine size as Touareg I have and more BHP) so should get me over the hill to Win Green in Wiltshire! Now to learn to drive an automatic …

 

[Widgeon]

Now to learn to drive an automatic …

Don't you mean, now to UNlearn how to drive ( for an automatic)? (I say that as a driver of an automatic myself) It's dead easy, although if yours has the semi-manual function that's really useful going down hills with a trailer on the back.

 

[Ouch05]

Yes I tow with my XC60 D5 a 505 with my 16h in have towed from Bucks to Lincoln with both boys in, brilliant car never struggles to pull

 

[Stenners]

I have towed with an XC60 and a 505 and it tows lovely!

 

[mustardsmum]

Ha ha - yes @Widgeon - what on earth do you do with you left leg! If anyone needed a demo of muscle memory, me coming up to a junction in an automatic where I had a fleeting panic as my leg went to depress the non existent clutch to drop a gear is it Luckily my OHyelled “don’t hit the brake!” Otherwise I may have propelled us both through the windscreen! We’ll get there …. Is the semi manual function the bit on the side of the gear stick where you can use 1st and second gears?? I think that’s how the seller explained it - any tips? I am just very excited about having air con and blowers (none of which have worked on my touareg for years). The idea I can de-mist my windows is strangely exciting

 

[mustardsmum]

I am feeling most reassured by these comments!

 

[Fred66]

I have an XC60 D5 and tow an IW 511 and it tows brilliantly. The power ratio of the D5 is higher than other D variants, which I believe puts less strain on the engine. The T5 or T6 are higher still.

 

[Widgeon]

Is the semi manual function the bit on the side of the gear stick where you can use 1st and second gears?? I think that’s how the seller explained it - any tips?

If it's the same as it is on the older ones (mine's an 06 XC70 D5 so it may well be a bit different) then you just knock the stick sideways and then you can pull it back into a lower gear than it would select for itself. It's useful for a bit of engine braking going down hills. You can't push it up into a higher gear than it would choose, but that doesn't matter since the automatic gearbox chooses high gears for preference anyway.

I tend to use it to hold the car in third gear going down hills - left to its own devices the gearbox would happily run away with me in fifth!

 

[Widgeon]

Ha ha - yes @Widgeon - what on earth do you do with you left leg!

My answer to that is, rest it in a rather strange elevated position partway up the inside of the foot well and give yourself back ache. I would not advise this though if anyone has any better solutions I am waiting to hear them. (There isn't really space in the bottom of the foot well for the two pedals AND a redundant foot....I have this problem on all the automatics I've ever driven)

 

[sbloom]

Engine size is critical! (eg my VW Caddy has the biggest engine, you'd not pay me to have a base level one for the miles I do, they're so different)

I too had a similar challenge with switching to auto, luckily I went through the really awkward stage when OH got a Volvo T5 auto, so by the time I got a new van with DSG my muscle memory was up to speed!

 

[horseclover]

What sort of weights have people towed with their XC60? I know mine has a towing capacity of 2400kg but a 505/506 with 2 horses is around 2200kg.

I’m in the process of sorting a C1 licence but was wondering if there was an option to get out sooner with a trailer.

 

[maisie06]

Quick update … We have bought the XC90. Will update with my thoughts on how it tows once tow bar is on! Decided it should cope with our hills (same engine size as Touareg I have and more BHP) so should get me over the hill to Win Green in Wiltshire! Now to learn to drive an automatic

Just point and steer gas n go!!! I really don't like driving a manual now, makes my back and hip hurt like crazy in our stop start traffic around here.

 

[teapot]

My answer to that is, rest it in a rather strange elevated position partway up the inside of the foot well and give yourself back ache. I would not advise this though if anyone has any better solutions I am waiting to hear them. (There isn't really space in the bottom of the foot well for the two pedals AND a redundant foot....I have this problem on all the automatics I've ever driven)

Yes, I can't use the specific foot rest space in my auto either - so uncomfortable, but don't struggle for space though!