Kia Sorrento 2.5 or 130 Galaxy 1.9TDI - Torn between the 2 - ...

[Jim_5095622]

Does anyone have any experience of either of the above vehicles for towing, we have a 5 berth Abbey Expression 520 to tow with but am torn between the pair!!

I would also be interested if anyone knows what MPG these vehicles deliver as the car dealers I have spoken to come up with all sorts of different ideas

Thanks

 

[Garfield]

Hi, we have towed / owned a 110hp Sharan and a 140 hp S-max, both are very stable towcars and give identical fuel consumption figures so I expect the 130hp galaxy will be very similar, you should expect about 42 mpg mixed driving, perhaps 39 if your'e in town a lot or 50+ keeping below 60 mph on A roads, we got 38 mpg from the shaz cruising at 85 across France

Towing our 20' twin axle caravan we got 27-30 mpg. from both vehicles.

Hard work is a great leveller between engine sizes so I would expect the Sorrento to give only slightly poorer results when towing but you'll have to have a very light foot to match the solo figures of the Galaxy.

I personally dislike the soft ride and handling of offroaders but if you do a lot of towing off wet pitches and a low solo mileage then err towards the 4 wheel drive. We do 20k miles per annum and only 1k towing so for us it's the mpv, most people seem to think the Alhambra is the best of the three but the auto is horrible, thirsty and breaks easily and expensively.

 

[Lol1]

If you could say why you are torn between the two Jim, we could probably dismiss some of your fears, one way or another.

BTW, Sorento rules!

 

[Jim_5095622]

I have just returned from a week in Brittany having driven 1500 or so miles towing with my beloved (old!!) shogun and have realised that 15mpg is no longer on!! but with kids a large boot is essential, we tow aprox 4/5k miles a year so I have to consider more than my wife just driving around town collecting and delivering kids..... also whether a galaxy would be any good on grass pitches that are not always flat..........

 

[Lol1]

Jim, to me, because you already own a 4x4, you know the advantages and disadvantages of an offroader. The fuel consumption of the Sorento in my case, never went as low as 15 mpg, no where near. A reasonable right foot would see 25 (while towing) with ease, and getting better with mileage. However, if fuel consumption is your main concern, go for the Galaxy. You will, over a period of a year use less fuel with the Ford, but don't expect a great difference, especially if you tow a lot. In the summer you will love the MPV, in the winter you will wonder why you didn't choose the 4x4.

You pays your money.........

 

[Lol1]

Are there any 4x4 MPVs out there?

 

[Jim_5095622]

Have you towed with the galaxy? CClub say the 130 bhp 1.9 will tow well but i wonder how solid it will feel all hooked up!!

 

[Garfield]

Yes there are!!! Probably the best is the VW Sharan tdi 130 4motion, it loses about 2-3 mpg on the 2wd but for the balance of ability, stability, practicality and cost it must take some beating, If I needed 4wd it would be one of these over an offroader anytime. There are also some Toyota imports available.

 

[Garfield]

The Galaxy, Alhambra and the Sharan TDI's are all essentially the same vehicle with different badges, supposedly the Alhambra has sport suspension as standard. We towed a 20'twin axle 6 berth Lunar 615 1400kg mtplm with the Shaz on the standard suspension and narrower 195/65/15 tyres with 110,000 miles on the original dampers with no hint of a wiggle or a weave,

The Galaxy family are designed to be stable at high speed, carrying heavy loads in the back which has the effect of making them very stable tugs, if you give a freindly 4x4 owner

 

[Jim_5095622]

Thanks Guys, Galaxy it is!!!

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

jim, i understand what you are saying about 15mpg is not on. we are trying to sell our jeep grand cherokee 4.0L and we got 14mpg around town and towing less so i know where you are coming from. we have just bought a new 2.9td LS kia sedona (new shape) 7 seater, with electric doors and privacy glass. the boot is amazing and the talk ( if spelt correct is huge). its proberbly not as good on fuel as the galaxy but its bigger so more room for the kids, im not botheres about the fuel though because anything cheaper than the jeep is a bonus.

good luck in what you deceide

 

[anthonysharon]

hi jim, we sold our 03 disco for a 05 130bhp galaxy and tow our coachman wanderer 1550kg mtplm and have just got back from weymouth (we live in leicestershire)our first time towing with it and had no trouble what so ever ,4 adults 1 child and two dogs we only used half a tank of diesel going down topped it back up whilst down there local sight seeing and stuff and have just topped back up now were home

 

[George_374300440]

hi jim, we sold our 03 disco for a 05 130bhp galaxy and tow our coachman wanderer 1550kg mtplm and have just got back from weymouth (we live in leicestershire)our first time towing with it and had no trouble what so ever ,4 adults 1 child and two dogs we only used half a tank of diesel going down topped it back up whilst down there local sight seeing and stuff and have just topped back up now were home

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

hi jim, we sold our 03 disco for a 05 130bhp galaxy and tow our coachman wanderer 1550kg mtplm and have just got back from weymouth (we live in leicestershire)our first time towing with it and had no trouble what so ever ,4 adults 1 child and two dogs we only used half a tank of diesel going down topped it back up whilst down there local sight seeing and stuff and have just topped back up now were home