Hi Everybody its great to be back here looking for help. Is there anybody on the forum uses a Volvo XC rang tugginga twin axle van. Your thoughts please .
Tow vehicle
- Thread starter SirRogerFFS
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- Jul 18, 2017
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On another forum this was discussed and the main issue seem to be that the XC had issues with the tow bar weight. Depending on year, the maximum towball weight could be well below 100kg making for an uncomfortable tow. Otherwise no issue with the MTPLM of the caravan.
The XCs are a wide range of unrelated vehicles - which do you have in mind - XC40, XC60, XC70 or XC90 - and what age as the generations vary.
- Nov 11, 2009
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What type of XC as we had a Volvo V70 XC D5 2.4 AWD. Good tug but there are several different types of XC.
- Jul 18, 2017
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It is a twin axle caravan so probably the XC70 or XC90, but hopefully they will be more specific?
Thank you for the replies.It will likely be XC90. No rush as yetas I have and X5 to sell on along with a Focuse estate to help finance the XC90
Might be better to consider putting some more suitable tyres on the X5, ie less focussed on high performance tarmac use
- Jun 16, 2020
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XC 90’s have always had a great reputation as a tow car. My experience is with a V70. Which was an excellent tow car. I towed a single axle at 1500kg.
It may depend on what iteration of that model you’re interested in. Perhaps a Volvo forum might provide a better insight.
I was with this one which was good.
John
It may depend on what iteration of that model you’re interested in. Perhaps a Volvo forum might provide a better insight.
I was with this one which was good.
John
- Jul 23, 2021
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We towed for about 12 years with with a 2008 XC90 D5. The older shape. Super comfortable, a great tow car with space, load capacity, weight, nose weight (90kg) and ease of use. A bit thirsty, and got expensive to maintain at the end.
The newer version looks amazing , and the new EX60 (all electric version of the XC60) was launched today with some fantastic specs. That car will be on my future list (in a few years when I retire as a used model). Will tow between 2 and 2.4 tonnes depending on spec, will have a towing range of between 160 and 220 miles with a very good sized van, and will charge 10 to 80% in under 20 mins with the right charger. That's a very very capable tow car...
The EX90 will also be mega capable as a tow car, but will be more expensive, but has the 7 seats if you need them.
The newer version looks amazing , and the new EX60 (all electric version of the XC60) was launched today with some fantastic specs. That car will be on my future list (in a few years when I retire as a used model). Will tow between 2 and 2.4 tonnes depending on spec, will have a towing range of between 160 and 220 miles with a very good sized van, and will charge 10 to 80% in under 20 mins with the right charger. That's a very very capable tow car...
The EX90 will also be mega capable as a tow car, but will be more expensive, but has the 7 seats if you need them.
- Jul 18, 2017
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As said a lot depends on the maximum tow ball load on Volvos as we almost made that mistake when we were looking at a XC90. Although it could comfortably tow 2000kg, the maximum load on the tow ball was about 90kg. Not sure about new ones and think it si now 110kg. I guess a lot depends on where the battery is located and its weight?
- Jul 23, 2021
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The EX90 has a max towball weight of 100kg and uses the same tow ball as my Polestar 4, also 100KG. I imagine the EX60 will be the same, but I can't see a published number yet.
- Jul 18, 2017
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Apologies I should have said several years ago when we looked at the XC90. Previously in the early 21st century we had 2 S80s with D5 engine one after the other and they were excellent tow cars. I read a good write up on the new Volvo EV which could have a range of about 500 miles, but it is not cheap at over £110k.
- Jul 8, 2020
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I sometime use the Wife's 2016 XC60 to tow our twin axle, very comfortable and tows effortlessly.
- Jan 20, 2023
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As with any car, it's always worth checking up on reliability before purchase. Personally I wasn't impressed with either of my V90's from that perspective (and even less with the local dealership). Not all cars are bad but my experience put me off buying another.
- Jul 18, 2017
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By the same token, we bought a second hand S or T reg Volvo S80 and had no issues with it. We traded it in for a new 2004 S80. Within 6 months the whole rear end had to be replaced. Next was the gearbox as one day it totally locked up. Another issue was a lag in the gear box when it could not decide which gear to select. The earlier Volvo was proper Volvo. I think the 2004 was manufactured after Ford took over Volvo. The one thing that stood out with both cars was comfort!
- Jan 20, 2023
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Yes I remember you saying the issues you had with your last S80. It's a shame as I loved my Volvo's, both from a styling, comfort, practicality etc, etc point of view. The problem I had was I was paying premium money for cars that just didn't live up to that expectation. As a contrast my brother's had a 2019 XC60 from new with hardly any issues (apart from a random speedo display fault).
- Nov 11, 2009
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We’ve been through this point before that problematic Volvo S80 was a pure Volvo design albeit probably manufactured under a Ford ownership but in the same Gothenburg factory as before Ford took over. But a cars performance 20+ years ago is hardly a basis for the OP looking to buy a car today.
Fords input improved Volvos. I had a 2010 Gen 3 XC70 AWD a nice car and better than previous generation. But again not really relevant to the OP.
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Reliabiity on modern cars can be random - most examples of a particular model will have no significant issues over their lifetime but if you're unlucky and get the odd rogue then it can taint your view of the range.
Volvo have been through a lot of upheaval, remaining largely independent during Ford ownership but rather more integrated into Geely.
If only car makers were forced to publish their claims history, we could all get a clear picture of real reliabilty - rather than relying on individual tales.
- Jul 18, 2017
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What I was trying to put across is that all brands suffer from models that were previously good or poor, but that does not mean that a newer model also has the same issues.
BTW the Ford Mondeo had the same issue of the gear box lag, but I do not know if Ford inherited it from Volvo or the other way around. Ford still had the issue on the 2011 Mondeos.
Sometimes gearboxes with electronic controls are designed to be leisurely during gearchanges to try to suit the nature of the car - but this works better with a very high torque engine which doesn't drop out of its optimum window if the "wrong" gear is used.
I know in my own case that the transmission electronics are deliberately slower, more relaxed in my Touareg than the equivalent Porsche Cayenne despite mechanically identical engines and gearboxes - it wouldn't surprise me if Volvo deliberately chose relaxed settings rather then go for pure performance.
- Jul 18, 2017
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The lag was positively dangerous for example you are approaching round about, you slow down, you decide that you have enough time to enter and clear the roundabout wither endangering people. However your car goes into neutral and coasts into the roundabout and there is now a danger of a collision.
The instinct is to press down on the accelerator as you know that if you brake a collision may be imminent. Your car then takes off like a scalded cat! Ford admitted to us there was an issue and suggested that we use the Sport gear.
I am told that the issue has been resolved so would be happy to buy another Ford.
- Nov 11, 2009
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Mondeo gearbox was different to Volvo S80.
My daughter had a Ford Powershift automatic and despite two warranty rebuilds and software changes it pretty well mirrored your experience. She moved to a Toyota Corolla hybrid now has an MG hybrid. Both very smooth and responsive.
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- Jul 18, 2017
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There may have been a possibility that the same software was used in both brands after Ford took over?
In their time with conventional torque-converter automatics both Ford and Volvo used an Aisin-Warner transmission, like many other brands including Toyota, but each brand specified their own electronics, so Mondeo and S80 would have shared the same Aisin-Warner transmission but with different electronics and different names
Ford switched to using the Getrag DCT transmission, which they built under licence as the Powershift - Ford withdrew the Powershift in North America and reverted to conventional torque-converter automatics.
Ford switched to using the Getrag DCT transmission, which they built under licence as the Powershift - Ford withdrew the Powershift in North America and reverted to conventional torque-converter automatics.
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