Tow car advice

[Holiday Pursuit]

Hi All,

Brand new to caravanning but looking forward to it. I am getting a liitle confused with kerb weights, maximum towing etc. Any advice would be appreciated. We are buying a Swift Sprite Major 4 EB Exclusive in the new year. MRO 1310 kgs, MTPLM 1530 kgs. We drive a 2024 Qashqai 1.3 Xtronic automatic with a towing capacity of 1800 kgs and a kerb weight of 1495 kgs. I keep reading about the 85% guide but in reality when would you ever tow with an empty car? Will I be able to tow comfortably?

Hi mate check the qashqai towing capacity as I nearly bought one to tow our 2025 Sprite exclusive sb. I was told by numerous people that the towing capacity was 1500kg max
Regards Steve

 

[Buckman]

Hi mate check the qashqai towing capacity as I nearly bought one to tow our 2025 Sprite exclusive sb. I was told by numerous people that the towing capacity was 1500kg max
Regards Steve

Surpisingly the maximum towing weight is 1800kg? I would think that it would really struggle on hills as it has the CVT box.

 

[RogerL]

Surpisingly the maximum towing weight is 1800kg? I would think that it would really struggle on hills as it has the CVT box.

Are CVTs any less capable than other types of transmission? They stopped using rubber bands decades ago!

 

[Buckman]

Are CVTs any less capable than other types of transmission? They stopped using rubber bands decades ago!

It is very capable, but can hunt on inclines.

 

[otherclive]

Are CVTs any less capable than other types of transmission? They stopped using rubber bands decades ago!

The two Subaru CVTs I had were rated at 2000kg and chalk and cheese compared to the old DAF. The more modern CVTs allied with a hybrid powertrain aren’t necessarily pulley based systems. So as you rightly say the world has moved on.

 

[Buckman]

The two Subaru CVTs I had were rated at 2000kg and chalk and cheese compared to the old DAF. The more modern CVTs allied with a hybrid powertrain aren’t necessarily pulley based systems. So as you rightly say the world has moved on.

This is a 1.3 engine towing a 1530kg caravan so SVT will probably hunt quite a bit on inclines. However they may struggle to get insurance for the caravan due to the caravan exceeding the MIRO of the towing vehicle? IMHO not a safe tow?

 

[otherclive]

This is a 1.3 engine towing a 1530kg caravan so SVT will probably hunt quite a bit on inclines. However they may struggle to get insurance for the caravan due to the caravan exceeding the MIRO of the towing vehicle? IMHO not a safe tow?

I was responding to Roger’s post and I wasn’t commenting on the suitability of the outfit only the fact that some cars defined as CVT don’t even have pulley based powertrains particularly if there’s electric motors involved.

 

[RogerL]

This is a 1.3 engine towing a 1530kg caravan so SVT will probably hunt quite a bit on inclines. However they may struggle to get insurance for the caravan due to the caravan exceeding the MIRO of the towing vehicle? IMHO not a safe tow?

If a transmission "hunts" that's down to a poor control unit programming, rather than related to the type of transmission.

It's not difficult to insure a caravan over 100% of the car's kerbweight - although some insurers include that restriction.

 

[trevormonty]

I was responding to Roger’s post and I wasn’t commenting on the suitability of the outfit only the fact that some cars defined as CVT don’t even have pulley based powertrains particularly if there’s electric motors involved.

Worth watching youtube videos on how Toyota and Honda ECVT transmissions work. Very simple and probably most reliable transmissions you will find.

 

[otherclive]

Worth watching youtube videos on how Toyota and Honda ECVT transmissions work. Very simple and probably most reliable transmissions you will find.

Thanks I will watch them, and both have good reputations for reliability. When we decided to change it was a case of function over form, as a buying objective, plus no more double clutch transmission. Had to be CVT, torque convertor or ecvt. It's been a long period watching and gathering info but last weekend two CRV auto e- hybrids popped up on Honda Approved plus two RAV hybrids too. The thing that swung us to RAV 4 was the year on year warranty that could take you to year 11 and 110000 miles. Thats going back to what our generation 1 Sorento offeredin the USA, although in Britain it was 3yr/60k.