Kia sportage petrol 1.6 turbo 2020

[P4whh]

Has anyone towed with a petrol car any advice would be great towing a small van around 1300

 

[RogerL]

Has anyone towed with a petrol car any advice would be great towing a small van around 1300

We used to tow a 1250 kg caravan with a 1.8 automatic petrol Astra non-turbo, towing ratio about 97% - it wasn't as good as our present outfit (3.0 turbo-diesel towing 1500 kg) but it was adequate - just had to get used to the high revs on hills and long motorway climbs.

 

[otherclive]

Has anyone towed with a petrol car any advice would be great towing a small van around 1300

Yes before diesel became mainstream there's wasn't much alternative to a petrol engine. I've had a range of non turbos, plus Saab 9000 CSE turbo and as Roger said you just have to get used to it. I towed a 1300kg Sprite with a Subaru Forester 150bhp non turbo. It was well within the car's 2000kg limit but with CVT autobox it was forever going up in revs as I touched the throttle. It wasn't bought for towing, so I changed it . But more modern petrols with a turbo have very good torque low down and my recommendation would be not to have a CVT box. Go manual or torque convertor or twin clutch options.

 

[GaryB]

Yes, various cars up to the end of the 90's (Vauxhall Omega, Mercedes 190E, Volvo 940 and more), then switched to diesels as they were cheaper to run, but recently used a petrol Volvo V90 and now a petrol hybrid Audi A6.

Folks get hung up on "diesel only" when looking at towing, but with the price delta between petrol and diesel there's not really a lot of difference price-wise (depending on your mileage).

 

[Beachball]

We use to own a Madza 626 1.8 GXI 5 door and Sprite Alpine and we had no problems and like someone else newer cars with a turbo have good torque just take it steady, until you get use to it .

 

[P4whh]

Thanks all how was the fuel

 

[otherclive]

Thanks all how was the fuel

Expect a significant reduction in mpg when towing with a petrol. But if you don’t do many miles compared to solo it’s not an issue. My last two tow cars were Subaru towing a1300 kg van. The 238 bhp turbo petrol gave better mpg than its 150 bhp non turbo sibling.

 

[RogerL]

Expect a significant reduction in mpg when towing with a petrol. But if you don’t do many miles compared to solo it’s not an issue. My last two tow cars were Subaru towing a1300 kg van. The 238 bhp turbo petrol gave better mpg than its 150 bhp non turbo sibling.

To be fair, a reduction in mpg or miles/kwh from solo figures is expected whether towing with petrol, diesel or EV

 

[P4whh]

Hi I do about 8000 a yr was thinking I would get around 20 mile to a gallon

 

[Tobes]

If it's just a small van, what is your car budget and can you park off road at home? Just out of interest...

 

[otherclive]

Hi I do about 8000 a yr was thinking I would get around 20 mile to a gallon

That’s what I got with the Subaru Forester non turbo towing 1300kg. The turbo Forester gave nearer 24mpg. In my experience petrol towing gave a bigger percentage reduction in mpg than towing with diesel. But it is what it is.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Provided the towed trailer is within the vehicles towing limits, then you can tow with a petrol powered car. The engine characteristics (eg rpm, noise and consumption) will be different to other fuels, but ultimately it will tow it.