PCV new tow car tests.

[Dustydog]

I must be losing it now or caravanning has taken on a new dimension.Two cars tested in the latest Mag are both mild hybrids. The Seat Leon 1.0 Etsi with a Kerb weight of 1330kgs is legally approved to tow caravans up to 1300kgs. There are qualifications but I can’t help some novice may get the wrong end of the stick. Nose load is listed at 75kgs. . Poor little car🤪🤪🤪🤪.

 

[Guzzilazz]

The Volvo XC40 T5 (PHEV) with a 1.5 petrol is plated for 1800kg... Ow...

 

[Buckman]

Batteries are what make the car heavy. A 1litre EV car could probably easily tow our 2000kg caravan as EVs are "powerful" cars, but not in the general sense of "powerful".

 

[otherclive]

The smaller low capacity turbo engines do send out a useful torque boost even without batteries. Our friends had one of the first 1.0 litre non hybrid ecoboost Fiestas and even four up it sailed up a very steep hill near Bath called Brassknocker. So a much more modern 1.5 engine with turbo boost and small battery might be a useful tow car for many. My relatively old school Forester 2.0 litre has oodles of torque and 241 bhp and when towing and rarely did it even give an impression of being strained, far from it. As for the 1 litre referred to by Dusty I haven't read the testers comments what did the review conclude? My main concern would be the outfit weight ratio.