-
We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.
Hybrid car for towing
- Thread starter Steam
- Start date
Who's being "forced" away from diesel cars?
Remember you won't get the hybrid advantage when towing as the regenerative braking only works for the car's brakes.
You need to give a budget and/or capacity limit for your car purchase - there's certainly several expensive hybrids which will tow that weight - eg VW Touareg hybrid has a kerbweight of 2,360 kg and a towing limit of 3,500 kg
Plenty of decent two year old diesels on the market still, so why not get one of those rather than a Hybrid.
The regeneration works by using the electric motor, in reverse, as a generator, the actual brakes are not utilised in any way. As the car slows down the motor/generator resists and in doing so generates power, think of it as an additional (huge) alternator.
Mel
Moderator
I am not getting into the whether or not you are forced from diesel. I am also looking at PHEV options for the further on future as an active choice. I will also be interested in any suggestions for decent PHEV options with good towing capacity.
Mel
Toyota RAV4 hybrid AWD tows your caravan weight. Are you considering hybrid or PHEV? There are members on here who tow with hybrids and PHEV and EV. Likely they will advise.
75kg noseweight is ok with a 1500 kg MTPLM, it's 5% which is typical for cars/SUVs sold in UK/EU.
I’ve towed 1600 kg vans with 75kg noseweight without any stability issues and no ATC just Alko hitch stabiliser. Some owners are obsessed with high nose weights when there’s far more to a stable outfit than just noseweight. If I recall correctly Lutz once posted wrt towing a heavy van with a very low noseweight of 25 kg and it towed quite well. Let’s not frighten the OP with a long debate on noseweight.
Ok thanks I will take a look on auto trader
Whats the engine size? Petrol or diesel?
Plenty of good 2 year old towcars on the market still and before long the Electrical fad will be over with the U turn.
RAV 4 noseweight is 70kg but the PHEV is nearly 2 tonnes so has no problem handling its 1500 kg caravan as reported by owners on the Toyota Owners Forum.
Steam, in case you don’t know a PHEV when it’s battery is discharged then behaves like a normal hybrid so you continue to get electric power assist when driving but not the extended range that you get on a PHEV. My RAV4 hybrid has a very small battery, less than 1kw hour, but on many journeys it can be on electric for 50% because it’s regenerating. But on M ways it doesn’t provide as much as the engine is delivering more power to maintain motorway speeds, and mpg will drop to around 50 mpg. So even a PHEV with a 1.5 litre turbo petrol engine can give out good levels of torque even when its main battery has defaulted to hybrid mode. This video gives a good explanation.
View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4ScxncDPAMw
Last edited:
That post could have been written about EV's too... ;-)
Look very carefully at the exact spec/model you're interested in as some towing limits vary quite a bit between variants. It isn't anything new though, some of the Mondeo's a few years back had a huge range of towing limits. Hybrids are great cars and there'll be one to suit your needs. The VW group also have various models with healthy towing weights and decent ranges on EV only.
We have been towing with PHEV for nearly 6 years, originally 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV ok but nothing special, we now tow with a Suzuki Across (rebated Toyota RAV4 PHEV) excellent tow car 50 mpg plus with a depleted battery solo, towing we see around 32/34 mpg, with a depleted battery 29/30 mpg.
As regards the 75 kg noewight we have notice zero issues. You are looking around £22,000/23,000 for a 25,000/30,000 vehicle. after 3 years our battery is still as good as new, if you have main dealer service the vehicle and battery has a 10 year warranty.
Would I go back to a diesel NO.
As regards the 75 kg noewight we have notice zero issues. You are looking around £22,000/23,000 for a 25,000/30,000 vehicle. after 3 years our battery is still as good as new, if you have main dealer service the vehicle and battery has a 10 year warranty.
Would I go back to a diesel NO.
That will depend on the way the. Car manufacturer implements. The regent system in each model of car, but certainly in my Passat GTE, the regen braking certainly does work whilst towing, In fact it works harder as the system has to compensate for the increased mass of the outfit. Don't forget the trailers overrun braking always has to develop some speed differential before the trailer. Brakes can activate.
Fully agree your views backed up by real world experience. One reason we opted for a Toyota was the long warranty that’s renewed annually each time you have a Toyota service at a franchised dealership. In fact if timing is spot on the warranty on the car goes to 11 years if you service it just before it’s 10 birthday. Batteries too at 15 years ( plus1).
There are no Diesel Sportages since 2022, it's a 1600 petrol hybrid (avoid the mild hybrid like the plague - hev or phev only!)
Just curious, why the dislike of the mild hybrid? I had a Volvo mild hybrid and while the rest of the car was unreliable, I personally found the drivetrain to be great. Admittedly a very different car but just curious as to what the problem is with the Kia approach?
Mild hybrids don’t give you much of a “shove” as you pull away given the low power of the system compared to having a full propulsion motor. Their motor-generator is normally 48v and unlike a normal hybrid they cannot drive on electric only. Their system is more geared to urban stop start where the engine stops and on pulling away the motor generator moves the car before the engine then kicks in.
TRENDING THREADS
-
-
-
-
-
Mandatory eye tests for drivers over 70 being proposed by HMG. Good or bad?
- Started by Dustydog
- Replies: 201
-
-
