Low Power Diesels (e.g. Kia Sportage, Hyundai iX3)
I wonder if anyone can give me general advice about towing experience with these reletaively low powered diesels? My perspective is that I have never towed with a lower powered diesel car, only high powered petrol, e.g. Hyundai 2.7l Coupe (170bhp) and currently a Peugeot 407 3.0l Coupe (211bhp/290Nm). I am thinking now of something with a little more room in the back and have been considering 2.2l Kia Sportage or possibly Hyundai iX35. Currently we are touring in N. Yorks and did go up (very up!) a road we probably shouldn'y have been on on. The power of the Peugeot pulled us up, but what would it have been like with only 134bhp of diesel? I have also been looking at more powerful diesel cars such as Volvo XC60, Volkswagon Tiguan, Audi Q3 - I am not really asking for help with choosing, although I wouldn't say no!
Comments
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Many years ago I towed a 1000 Kg caravan with a 75 BHP petrol car (a number of similar cars really) over most of the mountain passes in Europe.
Today I have a 3,500 Kg Motorhome with an 84 BHP turbo diesel engine. It too has traversed most of the western European passes and most of the roads in Scandinavia.
I have always thought that BHP is simply an extension of the drivers ego....on the assumption that it is the main purchasing requirement!
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I'm a firm believer in having a car with a hefty body and a big beefy diesel engine with good torque and BHP.
I'd look at VW Touareg rather than the Tiguan, the 3litre Audis, Disco, Shogun etc but it's your call.
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Hp isn't the main issue, it's torque and gearing that is the main issues, we still use a 1.9 naturally aspirated diesel van to tow vehicles in at work, we've no intention of replacing it, I'm not convinced by the small engine big horsepowered engines are
the best way forward, my rangers only got 150hp but will pull up steep inclines but it's low geared0 -
Only steep hill in North Yorkshire is Sutton Bank and caravans are banned, the other route is also steep but I have never had problems with hills in Yorkshire, even Blue Bank just outside Whitby. Garrowby Hill on the way to Bridlington, go up that at just under 50mph, 3rd gear, 2,000rpm. 2.0TDi 130Bhp, torque 320nm@ 1,750 - 2,500rpm engine. Skoda Octavia Estate 4x4.
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I have towed with 1300 cc petrol engined cars and provided I chose the caravan carefully they managed but having been able to move up to bigger engines I would not want to go back. Our current car has a 2.2 turbo diesel and it manages all we throw at it
and while in theory the bigger the engine the better I think most engines 2 litres and above should be satisfactory provided you get the higher tuned versions.0 -
You have not provided the most significant figure, that of your van's MTPLM. I tow 1350Kg with 134BHP 2L turbo diesel. It is more than adequate.
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You have not provided the most significant figure, that of your van's MTPLM. I tow 1350Kg with 134BHP 2L turbo diesel. It is more than adequate.
That's simply because although I have a lighter caravan now I may move to something a bit heavier in the future, probably a little more like the weight of yours. So at the moment I am trying to get a feel for a comparison of my current car against a smaller less powerful diesel. Obviously the pure acceleration will be much less, but what of the pulling power. These smaller diesels will have more torque, but less power and I have no experience of them towing on which to base judgement.
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Only steep hill in North Yorkshire is Sutton Bank
What! There are loads.
The hill behind my house is nearly 1300 feet and there is a road that goes over it.
Admittedly the road goes up, over and into Lancashire so there is very little traffic in that direction.
Just for Jill
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Only steep hill in North Yorkshire is Sutton Bank and caravans are banned, the other route is also steep but I have never had problems with hills in Yorkshire, even Blue Bank just outside Whitby. Garrowby Hill on the way to Bridlington, go up that at just under 50mph, 3rd gear, 2,000rpm. 2.0TDi 130Bhp, torque 320nm@ 1,750 - 2,500rpm engine. Skoda Octavia Estate 4x4.
Thanks of course you are generally right, but there are some steep, narrow, windy bits. I was down to first gear despite lots of power and torque. To do 50mph round those bends would need a rally car and no caravan and that is what got me questionning whether I would be happy with just 134bhp of diesel.
Write your comments here...
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Although I no longer tow I always felt more comfortable towing with diesel cars. Years ago my last petrol tow car was a Cavalier 4X4 with the SRI engine which was traded in for a Peugeot 405 turbo diesel. The Peugeot was the better tow car. My last to tow
cars were Kia Sorento's 134hp and 169hp both autos and both capable of towing the largest twin axle caravans. We towed all over Europe with them with no issues power wise even on the steepest climbs. The more modern versions are more powerful.David
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Not a 4x4 but how about a Ford Mondeo at either 150 or 180 bhp. They are brilliant towcars with acres of space in the boot, particularly the estate version.
You can now get the Mondeo in 4x4.
Looks a bit of a bargain compared to Lands Rover etc but perhaps not quite heavy enough for some caravans.
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I'm with TW on this one. Go for a big meaty Diesel if you can. They are nowhere near as expensive as you think, and you will have the confidence of being able to tow anything anywhere.
My 2011 ML300 CDI with a 3 Litre V6 tows a very heavy van like its not there, yet gives 24 mpg Towing and 35 plus MPG solo. Tyre wear very good at about 35,00 per set. Mine has done 65,000 now and no where near needing its second set.
But my spotless 2011 model has only been valued at £12,000 now so I guess I will probably keep it. Its engine is good for over 200,000 and as they have a metal cam belt which is expected to last the life of the engine there are no worries there.
Go for a Big diesel, as long as it is rated as a blue efficiency or similar it wont cost the earth to run.
TF
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I've just towed a Sprite Quattro FB (MTPLM 1576kg) with a MY16 Sportage KX2 and it performed really well. Sure you have to get the balancing right, but the MY16 variant has a nose weight of 100kg and a higher kerb weight than the last model.
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I'm towing a 1671 kg MTPL caravan with a Q3 184 Diesel. Its legal although next time we will go slightly heavier in terms of towcar. id go next time probably for a Q5 but I'd probably option it with the same power unit as the Q3
I work for a Kia dealer and personally would only tow with a 2.0 or 2.2 Kia Diesel engine only e.g NOT the 1.7. Another brand we sell and an option I'd consider would be a 2.0 Diesel Kuga.
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