Tow Car Awards 2017

Jul 11, 2015
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The tailgate sharp corner has not been addressed from the pre production vehicles on the Disco 5. The ones I've seen on the road have been hit with the ugly stick at the back, or has the arse been smacked by a bus?

More than happy with my tug mentioned in the comparison, but with lack of detail it's a bit academic at the moment.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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It isn't selling very well at the moment either. Discounts offered and a 8 week factory order. Shame it wasn't tested against an Audi Q7 as this has beaten it in every magazine I have read :cheer:
 
Sep 5, 2016
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What no Nissan X Trail winning anything, I have had a look at the new model and it just doe's not float my boat, still a blown 2.0 lt engine at 170 psi, should really be at least a 2.2 for that money and not a blown engine, and I'm on my third Quashqai,
 
Mar 14, 2005
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camel said:
.... still a blown 2.0 lt engine at 170 psi, should really be at least a 2.2 for that money and not a blown engine...

How do you come to that conclusion?
 
Jun 19, 2016
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MichaelE said:
It isn't selling very well at the moment either. Discounts offered and a 8 week factory order. Shame it wasn't tested against an Audi Q7 as this has beaten it in every magazine I have read :cheer:

I have no ax to grind as although I am Land rover man I dont like it far too curvy and upmarket (I actually think LR are losing the plot), however i have been sad enough to read many of the reviews and there actually doesn't seem to be much to choose between them. Sometimes the Audi wins, sometimes the Land Rover does, one reviewer put the Audi third and the Discovery second behind the Volvo XC90, another said he would have the Audi but said some might prefer the Land rover and they wouldn't be wrong. Most agree the Audi is the better drivers car, and the Discovery the better seven seater and off-roader. The way I look at these reviews is they are just someones opinion and what they look for in a car may not be what the next person does.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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The problem with the practical caravan tow car test its never against all the models available. Car magazines are . Sort of makes no sense as really you would like to see all available cars tested not just that years release.
The LR returns every year as class winner so is always in the mix .Manufacturer's tweak their models every year so a change might do wonders.
I also understand reviewers see different things but one I have read the new Disco is nowhere near as economical as they are saying.
 
Feb 3, 2008
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MichaelE said:
Sort of makes no sense as really you would like to see all available cars tested not just that years release.

Yes, that's the problem, only new releases are tested. :( So is the Land Rover a new model EVERY year?
 
Nov 12, 2013
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Of course, a test of anything has an element of subjectivity. It is the informed view of the person carrying out that test. Which is why at the Tow Car Awards, we have a team of testers, so we can deliver a verdict that takes into account lots of different people's views.

Regarding the models tested, we can't tow test every variant of every car, because manufacturers don't fit tow bars to every car on their press fleets, therefore we are rather limited. Also, as we're testing over 40 cars in a single – very busy! – week, it's sometimes a case of what is available that week, despite the organisation of our Tow Car Awards test week starting many, many months ahead of the event.

We hope to try and give a broader picture and to give Practical Caravan's audience a more comprehensive view, through not only our Tow Car Awards, but also our regular tests and our first drives.

And, yes, the Tow Car Awards is for new cars, but head to our awards website and you can read reports going back to 2007, which will help if you're buying used. Plus, we do publish used tow car buying advice on a regular basis.

Hope that helps!
 
Jun 19, 2016
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MichaelE said:
The problem with the practical caravan tow car test its never against all the models available.

I also understand reviewers see different things but one I have read the new Disco is nowhere near as economical as they are saying.

Wife has had a new car every 2 or 3 years for the last 30 years only one has ever lived up to expectations when it came to economy and that was a Rover Montego Estate, which regularly returned over 50mpg. Current one a Nissan Juke, is about 10% off.

Apart from liking Land Rovers, there are three main reasons I own my current one over any over "SUV", towing and off-road ability (2 things most Land Rovers leave their rivals in the shade at, and yes I have tried many of them out) as a farmer with land in Snowdonia these are the most important things to me, but not being a spring chicken it also needs to be civilised on road. The ability to carry 7 adults or convert to a cavernous van are useful bonuses.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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MichaelE said:
I also understand reviewers see different things but one I have read the new Disco is nowhere near as economical as they are saying.

Few if any cars are as economical as their rated figures. Its the way the tests are conducted which don't represent real life driving. The new test is claimed to be better but again I suspect that it will only serve as a comparator between models. Why Porsche Macan SE Hybrid with CO2 at 75-79gm/km got zero tax rate and zero congestion charge beggars belief!
 
Nov 6, 2005
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otherclive said:
MichaelE said:
I also understand reviewers see different things but one I have read the new Disco is nowhere near as economical as they are saying.

Few if any cars are as economical as their rated figures. Its the way the tests are conducted which don't represent real life driving. The new test is claimed to be better but again I suspect that it will only serve as a comparator between models. Why Porsche Macan SE Hybrid with CO2 at 75-79gm/km got zero tax rate and zero congestion charge beggars belief!
I'm not silly I understand that ,but to base your test on manufacturer's figures and give it a lots of stars for low running costs when in the real world it's much more than another cars you have tested and you have marked thete running costs down
 
Nov 6, 2005
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There is alot of talk on the forums ref the trailer assist does not work with alko hitch. A bit like the Audi issue. Can you confirm if this worked etc during testing
 
Aug 23, 2009
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MichaelE said:
There is alot of talk on the forums ref the trailer assist does not work with alko hitch. A bit like the Audi issue. Can you confirm if this worked etc during testing

Haven't thought much about this issue. Only just seen we'll have it on our new car. wonder if it'll be an issue?
 
Nov 6, 2005
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Martin24 said:
MichaelE said:
There is alot of talk on the forums ref the trailer assist does not work with alko hitch. A bit like the Audi issue. Can you confirm if this worked etc during testing

Haven't thought much about this issue. Only just seen we'll have it on our new car. wonder if it'll be an issue?
Apparently it's to do with this ring that fits onto the neck of the towball. The alko hitch hits this. It's the same as the issue Audi has but apparently that's OK now. Just wondering if they used the Alko on the tow test
 
Nov 11, 2009
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As the Towcar tests don't use any of the caravan stability aids (AKS stabiliser, or ATC) then perhaps the LR and Audi towballs with trailer assist can be used with the Alko hitch. But how this would then relate to the real world is still open to question.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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otherclive said:
As the Towcar tests don't use any of the caravan stability aids (AKS stabiliser, or ATC) then perhaps the LR and Audi lowballs with trailer assist can be used with the Alko hitch. But how this would then relate to the real world is still open to question.
This has nothing to do with stability aids on the caravan
 
Nov 11, 2009
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I understand that its about TA, but with the caravan's Alko stabiliser not pushed down then its pads wouldn't interfere with the towball's sensor ring. Or is it just that the towball is not compatible with the Alko type stabiliser hitch? If you know the answer a bit more info would be useful.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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otherclive said:
I understand that its about TA, but with the caravan's Alko stabiliser not pushed down then its pads wouldn't interfere with the towball's sensor ring. Or is it just that the towball is not compatible with the Alko type stabiliser hitch? If you know the answer a bit more info would be useful.
OK from what I have found out its to do with the compression of the alko hitch pads ie when it's locked down. The ring is incorporated into the the ball itself. They are now saying its ok according to Audi.They have added the use of a friction tow hitch will reduce the life of the hitch and the pads apparently. The former is coded to the car and by what people on the Audi say it can't be replaced
 
Jun 20, 2017
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As a newcomer to this formum (but not to caravans or the magazine) could i ask why the apparant lack of models from BMW? Would have thought the new 530d could have made an appearance?

Many thanks
Kev
 
Jun 20, 2017
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As a newcomer to this formum (but not to caravans or the magazine) could i ask why the apparant lack of models from BMW? Would have thought the new 530d could have made an appearance?

Many thanks
Kev
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Perhaps BMW did not submit any cars for this year, and the new 5 series might have been just too new to include anyway. Look forward to next years though.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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Martin24 said:
MichaelE said:
There is alot of talk on the forums ref the trailer assist does not work with alko hitch. A bit like the Audi issue. Can you confirm if this worked etc during testing

Haven't thought much about this issue. Only just seen we'll have it on our new car. wonder if it'll be an issue?
I think you need to speak to the dealer to find out more information. Apparently you have to stick a target ??? Not sure on size to the front of your trailer,caravan or horsebox for it to detect it!! He had to stick to the bottom of his caravan window to work. He also mentioned that to have to select trailer type and dimensions everytime. You do need someone to still see you back as you control the speed and it doesn't stop . The videos of you reversing on your own are a bit wide if the mark.
 

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