Tow car choice

senatorman
senatorman Forum Participant Posts: 6
edited July 2022 in Towcars & Towing #1

I am changing my tow car and my choice will probably be a diesel such as the Ford Kuga 148bhp, Kia Sportage 136PS or a Ssangyong Korando 176bhp, all of which have adequate kerbweights for my caravan -  do any members have any of these cars and what is their opinion on their towing ability, mpg, etc?

Thanks

 

 

Comments

  • TimboC
    TimboC Club Member Posts: 422 ✭
    250 Likes
    edited July 2022 #2

    Ive got a 2016 Kuga 180bhp, towing a Unicorn at 87%. Never had a problem, but I'm about to place an order for a Skoda Kodiaq diesel, 200hp. I just think i need a bit more weight..

    When we bought the Kuga, it was toss up between that and the Sportage. I think we made the right decision.

    I test drove a Korando. Its a heavy car, but very agricultural. The best thing the salesman could say about it was that the seats were from Kia! Mind you, they are cheap

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2022 #3

    I can't make comment on any of these cars however there's more to a tow car than bhp .... it's torque & at what revs you get that torque that matters.

  • eribaMotters
    eribaMotters Club Member Posts: 1,193 ✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2022 #4

    I cannot agree more with the comment above. I know my caravan is a lightweight, but I swapped from diesel to petrol, same torque, but the petrol delivers across a wider rev range from a lower level and is an absolute joy to tow with. 

    I towed from Merseyside to Dover in cruise control and never dropped out of 6th gear until near the end of my journey.

    I get up to 40mpg towing 1200kg and high 60's/70mpg on a solo run.

    Do not discount the modern petrol engine. 

     

    Colin

  • davetommo
    davetommo Forum Participant Posts: 1,430
    edited July 2022 #5

    Does your cruise control stay on and adjust itself when you slow down from 60 to 50 in the many roadworks on todays motorways

  • eribaMotters
    eribaMotters Club Member Posts: 1,193 ✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2022 #6

    If I have to brake or accelerate it will return to it's previous set speed. I have to admit that leaving Merseyside at 9pm for the run to Dover that traffic was light and this did not really happen much.

     

    Colin

  • Paul Richards
    Paul Richards Forum Participant Posts: 23
    edited August 2022 #7

    You’ll love the Kodiaq. I use it to tow my Coachman 520/4. Hope you’ve ordered DSG as when I purchased the manual was not approved for towing. You need to make sure there is towing approval when you buy a new car. Don’t assume. 

  • Amesford
    Amesford Forum Participant Posts: 685
    500 Comments
    edited August 2022 #8

    At present we have the Kuga diesel mild hybrid which we have been pleased with and it tows very well and as normal as we lease our cars next year we have the option of replacing or keeping it and as it has only clocked up 8000 miles in the last two years the later seems the better option but I will leave that to the driver and also my gaffer to decide.

  • NigelM
    NigelM Forum Participant Posts: 5
    edited August 2022 #9

    Purchased a 2 year old Kuga 148bhp last February, old shape, to replace my 12 year old Laguna Sports Tourer. Tow a 450/2 Coachman Vision dealer special. Have found fuel consumption is not as good as the Laguna and ride very hard so much so that my wife is not impressed. The Kuga tows the van well but wished I had done more research before purchasing as I think there are better cars out there for the money I paid. Just wished Renault had kept the Laguna going in this country as it was totally reliable.

  • paul56
    paul56 Forum Participant Posts: 937
    500 Comments
    edited August 2022 #10

    We tow with a 2015 180bhp manual Kuga and have never had a problem and it will sit at 60mph all day. It pulls infinitely better than the 2014 160 (ish) bhp model which I was very disappointed with.

  • senatorman
    senatorman Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited August 2022 #11

    Thanks for all the advice - but I think I will definitely change back to a diesel for sake of the torque - we only have a two berth caravan and the Kuga is a good tow car but the fuel consumption is low when towing and its very poor on hill climbs and needs frequent lower gears to maintain any sort of speed.

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