The Best Cars for Towing in 2018
Whether you need to tow a trailer, a horse box or a caravan these are the best cars around for the job ...
Every year experts from Practical Caravan, What Car? and the Camping and Caravanning Club hand out the Best Car for Towing awards to the vehicles that impress them the most.
Each car is tested around a course of slaloms and hill starts for the brakes and handling to be assessed and other factors such as value for money and safety standards are also considered.
Overall Winner and Best Car for Towing 1700-1899kg - BMW 5 Series Touring 520d M Sport
Standard features on the M Sport model; Bluetooth, Cruise Control, Navigation, Parking sensors, DAB radio, Heated Front Seats, Cornering brake control, 18" alloy wheels.
- Boot space: 570 litres
- Gross vehicle weight: 2405kg
- Maximum towing weight braked: 2000kg
- Maximum towing weight unbraked: 750kg
Best Car for Towing up to 1400kg - Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI 150PS SE L DSG
Standard features on all models; 16" alloy wheels, Daytime running lights, Bluetooth, DAB radio and 8" touchscreen.
- Boot space: 590 litres
- Gross vehicle weight: 1775kg
- Maximum towing weight braked: 1500kg
- Maximum towing weight unbraked: 610kg
Skoda Octavia leasing prices start from £241.29 inc.VAT per month
Best Car for Towing 1400kg - 1549kg - Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI 150PS SE L Executive
Standard features on all models; Bluetooth, DAB radio, daytime running lights, front fog lights and 16" alloy wheels.
- Boot space: 625 litres
- Gross vehicle weight: 2046kg
- Maximum towing weight braked: 1500kg
- Maximum towing weight unbraked: 750kg
Skoda Superb leasing prices start from £297.96 inc.VAT per month
Best Car for Towing 1550-1699kg - Peugeot 5008 2.0 Blue HDi
Standard features on all models; Bluetooth, Cruise control, Head-Up Display, lane departure warning system, rear parking sensor, 17" alloy wheels.
- Boot space: 952 litres
- Gross vehicle weight: 2230kg
- Maximum towing weight braked: 1800kg
- Maximum towing weight unbraked: 72kg
Peugeot 5008 leasing prices start from !1PPRICE81488 inc.VAT per month
Best Car for Towing 1900kg + - Land Rover Discovery 3.0 TD6 HSE
Standard features on all models; 19" alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors, 10" infotainment touchscreen, cruise control and driver condition monitor.
- Boot space: 258 litres
- Gross vehicle weight: 3170kg
- Maximum towing weight braked: 3500kg
- Maximum towing weight unbraked: 750kg
Land Rover Discovery leasing prices start from £609.33 inc VAT per month
Best Family SUV for Towing - Volvo XC40 D4 AWD R-Design Pro
Standard features on all models; Cruise Control, keyless start, 18" alloy wheels, city safety, Driver Alert and Lane Keeping Aid.
- Boot space: 586 litres
- Gross vehicle weight: 2060kg
- Maximum towing weight braked: 1600kg
- Maximum towing weight unbraked: 750kg
Volvo XC40 leasing prices start from £333.46 inc. VAT per month
Best Petrol Car for Towing - Kia Stinger 2.0 T-GDi GT-Line
Standard features on all models; Adaptive cruise control, navigation, parking camera, heated front seats and 18" alloy wheels.
- Boot space: 406 litres
- Gross vehicle weight: 2185kg
- Maximum towing weight braked: 1500kg
- Maximum towing weight unbraked: 750kg
Kia Stinger leasing prices start from £383.74 inc. VAT per month
Best Ultralight Car for Towing - Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSI 115PS SEL DSG
Standard features on all models; Bluetooth, Driver alert system, DAB radio, 14" steel wheels and LED daytime running lights.
- Boot space: 351 litres
- Gross vehicle weight: 1610kg
- Maximum towing weight braked: 800kg
- Maximum towing weight unbraked: 550kg
Volkswagen Polo leasing prices start from !1PPRICE81978 inc.VAT per month
Fuel Economy Award - Hyundai i30 Tourer 1.6 CRDi 110PS Premium
Standard features on all models; 15" alloy wheels, auto headlights, Bluetooth, Driver Attention Alert, Lane Keep Assist and DAB radio.
- Boot space: 602 litres
- Gross vehicle weight: 1840kg
- Maximum towing weight braked: 1200kg
- Maximum towing weight unbraked: 600kg
Hyundai i30 Tourer leasing prices start from £223.19 inc. VAT per month
Do you need a special licence to tow?
What you are legally allowed to tow will depend upon when you passed your driving test.
If you passed your driving test on or before 1st January 1997 you can drive a vehicle and trailer up to a maximum weight of 8,250kg.
If you passed your driving test on or after 1st January 1997 you can usually drive a car or van up to 3,500kg and tow a trailer with a weight up to 750kg.
You can only tow a trailer over 750kg if the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle does not exceed 3,500kg.
What is the difference between braked and unbraked towing weight?
Some trailers will come with their own braking system to support the braking of the towing car. Most will work using an overrun system; when the towing car brakes, the trailer will try and continue at the same speed and so gains on the towing vehicle, the force of this overrun causes the braking system in the trailer to be activated.
Unbraked trailers rely solely on the brakes of the towing car to stop both the vehicle and the trailer, this is a lot of extra work the brakes need to do, so unbraked trailers have a lower maximum towing weight to ensure the towing vehicles braking system is not overwhelmed.
Always remember to carry out a few simple safety checks before you begin towing...
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