Land Rover Discovery Sport vs Adria Isonzo
Hi all,
We're thinking of replacing our Swift caravan with and Adria Adora Isonzo. As we have a Land Rover Discovery Sport SE Tech (180) I thought this would be a reasonably easy match.
Looking at the attached data below it appears that it's not a straight forward match or am I being over cautious? I've been towing a caravan for 4 years so am fairly experienced. Another thing of note is that the Adria does not come with ATC.
Help and advice would be gratefully received.
Andy.
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Can you not specify ATC as an option ? Mighty big and heavy van not to have ATC.
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I agree re ATC, in my view should be manadatory on new vans. However as for the weight ratio, it is a) legal, b) the 85% ‘rule’ is totally arbitry that only here in the U.K. do caravaners get their underwear in a knot and c) Can you really tell the difference when towing between 85% and 88%?! In my view It is more important to have the correct/legal nose weight, balanced load distribution, tyre pressures correct on towcar and van...... so yes, I believe you are being over cautious however if you are not confident don’t do it. Your call. I tow at around 98% in all seasons and all over UK and mainland Europe and am perfectly happy with my set up.
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We were on a site in France recently and a couple were towing an Isonzo with a Volvo XC 60 D4 so similar your Disco Sport I guess and they managed ok - manouvering the van on the site was a different matter but that was nothing to do with the car.
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The Isonzo's long "A" frame and the Disco Sport's short overhang are both positive features in respect to stability that a simple numerical weight comparison is "blind" to identifying.
ATC can be added as an after market fit, and I would certainly do so, with such a powerful safety tool available at a reasonable added cost, it is unwise IMO not to have it.
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Once you start towing the Isonzo - you'll see why the manufacturers don't fit it as standard - they're as steady as a rock and all the owners will tell you the same. They're built on an Alko Delta chassis, unlike UK vans and the only addition I did to mine was to fit shock absorbers (red ones) to help deal with the pot-holes!
As an Isonzo owner for 4 years, I cannot recommend them enough and have towed mine to Croatia (3 times) plus thousands of miles in the UK. Not once has it misbehaved. Granted, it may not be as 'pretty' as the UK vans inside, but it is very practical, spacious and well built. At 1800kgs, like any other van of similar weight, it's not easy to manoeuvre, so I invested in a mover.
Have a look on Adria owner forums and see what they say.
Enjoy!
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Hopefully no caravan maker or owner fits ATC because of the inherent lack of stability, it is only there to quell instability should that be encountered.
The van and its tow vehicle being strong on stability is not a surefire guarantee one will never encounter a situation that destabilises them. Whilst very strongly suggesting you don't try it out, consider how without ATC it could recover from a forced "Elk test".
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Hopefully no caravan maker or owner fits ATC because of the inherent lack of stability, it is only there to quell instability should that be encountered.
Totally agree. However, most modern vehicles (the likes of which the OP mentions) are fitted with some type of 'Trailer Sway Control' or 'Mitigation' system, which detects any sway in the trailer and when activated, then reduces torque, over-riding any drivers' decisions to increase/decrease speed. The outfit will automatically slow down until normal stability is regained.
Let's face it - all these electronic gizmos are only there to protect the driver, who, instead of concentrating, watching his speed and anticipating the road ahead - relies instead on technology (or good fortune)
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ATC and its ilk though act directly on the caravan via its brakes. Directly at the bit of the mass initially going wrong and where the building up of sway energy is.
Vehicle trailer stability systems, as you point out work only on what they can, the vehicle's systems, indirectly trying to tame the caravans swaying.
It is useful to compliment the ATC, though can only act indirectly.
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After two sets of rectification work done under warranty on the ATC unit of my caravan followed by a third failure later on I lost confidence in it and in exasperation I removed it altogether. I can’t say that I feel any unease with the way the caravan behaves now after the move, although I agree that in principle it is good idea and I may go for it again with my next caravan.
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"I can’t say that I feel any unease with the way the caravan behaves now after the move, although I agree that in principle it is good idea and I may go for it again with my next caravan."
Again, that statement indicates the often expressed, but underlying misunderstanding of what these systems are there to do.
They don't alter how a combination tows until an issue is encountered to begin to destabilise it, so hopefully one will not notice any difference in normal circumstances. If so then there is a totally unrelated issue that needs addressing.
Akin to seat belts and airbags it is a device that intervenes only when a precursor to a developing issue, here a snake is detected. Like seat belts hopefully a total waste of money, but many of us prefer it stays that way.
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If i had a limited budget i would prioritise the following in order of: wheels balanced, fit shocks, fit ATC. The first two provide an active contribution to the outfits behaviour and stability, ATC is reactive. However not all caravan towers are perfect drivers with the ability to foresee other drivers/vehicles behaviours so whilst in theory there should not be a need for any safety or stability aid on any vehicle, i drive in the real world of unpredictable idiots on the road. My ATC last activated when a driver of an old Kia Tucson towing an older caravan south on the A42 on Saturday 13th July could not abide me overtaking (he was doing 55, i was doing a legal 60) and nearly took out the front of my car when he suddenly carved me up to stay in front of me. Another reason i also have a dash cam.
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I've no idea if my caravan's ATC has ever kicked in .... I've certainly never felt anything, not even the other week when overtaking a HGV at a little faster than I would have liked & got a bit of a wobble on when pulling out of his slip stream. 🤔
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Why? He probably drives very smoothly.
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…or evenly suddenly. Therefore, the ATC is unlikely to engage👍🏻
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Thanks to everyone for their replies. I have had ATC kick in once when I was travelling on the A590 in Cumbria with my current Swift caravan. I had no idea what was happening at the time just that I was slowing down and there was no indication in the car as to what was happening.
I think it activated as a gust of wind blew through a valley I was crossing over via a bridge which ATC detected as an issue that could cause me to snake.
It was quite disconcerting at first followed by relief that I didn't even know I had a problem but ATC took care of it before it became one.
Cheers,
Andy.
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In the interest of helping the OP it would be useful to know what car you tow with.
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Had that to ,,another point nobody flashes you back in now and when i flash them back in not a thing
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Edit:
I also took the Isonzo to the weighbridge and when brand new it came in at 1524kg. After adding a mover, Fiamma Caravanstore and all the bits and pieces necessary for a 3 week trip to Croatia (including clothing, bedding etc) it weighed 1735kg
What I find interesting are the figures quoted in the Clubs' Outfit Matching service because they quote a MTPLM of 1800kgs and base their 'match' vs the cars kerb weight, giving a match of 86%, yet if towed with a Discovery Sport, a match of 89%.(A lighter car with greater towing capacity!) When looking at Tow Car marching service, they give same match as 80%, with a MTPLM of 1700kgs
As always, it just proves the only accurate way to get figures is to weigh the vehicles concerned yourself. Even then I'm told there can be a tolerance of 5% either way.
I wonder how many people bother to do this and how many inaccuracies there are?
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