Towing with a Ford Kuga

[saru]

We have a Kuga, 180ps, 2L TDCI. Everything we've read says it's a good tow car, has anyone any experience please.

And what is the max you would recommend towing with it?

 

[ClareKelly]

Morning Saru,

Happy New Year.

I've towed with the Kuga a lot. Through snow and rain! It's a great crossover vehicle suitable for both off roading and for day to day running around. Last February, I took it to Scotland on a skiing trip and was extremely happy with the way it handled ice and snow and could reverse the caravan well in tricky conditions. I towed a small family van and found it to be extremely stable indeed.

What van do you have?

 

[RogerL]

I'll stick my head over the parapet first as this sort of question always leads to the same sort of argument among those trying to help - an argument that's nothing to do with you, Saru.

I don't have the towing limit, the kerbweight, your driving licence date or knowledge of your towing experience to hand - but I'd suggest that towing a 1400kg MTPLM caravan would be fine IF you passed your driving test before 1998.

It mustn't exceed the car's towing limit - and 85% of car kerbweight is suggested for beginners - but I don't know what those figure are. If you passed your test in/after 1998 you'll be limited to a total outfit weight of 3,500kg which uses maximum weights for car/caravan, not the actual weight, so it will depend on the maximum weight of the car. You can of course take the +E towing test which removes all towing limits as far as caravans are concerned.

 

[saru]

We haven't got the van yet Clare, taking lots and lots of advice before making our final decision but we've looked at a Bailey Cadiz, Eccles Solitaire, we're looking at a Venus....all the ones with fixed rear twin beds and rear bathroom.....although we are looking at rear lounge ones too. WE have 2 big dogs so want to have a separate sleeping area.

RogerL, we both passed our tests before 97, hubby's an LGV driver, I used to be a bus driver, so both confident drivers but no van experience. The vans we're looking at are between 1400 - 1600 MTPLM.

Any advice or criticism is welcome, we are complete novices

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

we both passed our tests before 97, hubby's an LGV driver, I used to be a bus driver, so both confident drivers but no van experience. The vans we're looking at are between 1400 - 1600 MTPLM.

Any advice or criticism is welcome, we are complete novices

As every individual vehicle, even different variants across the same model, has its own towing limit then you need to check this figure for the specific vehicle. If you already have the towing vehicle then the info is normally stated on the V5 certificate. If you don't have the vehicle yet then you can get the figure either directly form the manufacturer or a look-up table from the internet BUT BE WARY as look-up tables are not always accurate.

 

[RogerL]

RogerL, we both passed our tests before 97, hubby's an LGV driver, I used to be a bus driver, so both confident drivers but no van experience. The vans we're looking at are between 1400 - 1600 MTPLM.

Any advice or criticism is welcome, we are complete novices

I've seen the way van, truck and bus drivers behave :evil:

But seriously, that does help a bit - looking at the range of kerbweights I think 1500kg might be a sensible limit - as long as the towing limit is at or over that.

If you look at the car's VIN plate there will be 4 weights - 2 are the axle maximums - the other 2 are the maximum train weight and maximum vehicle weight, the difference between that last 2 is the basic towing limit. That limit may go higher if the car is lightly loaded but no all vehicle approvals feature that.

 

[carper2]

I've got a 14 reg 2L 160ps and tow a Lunar Clubman Clubman SB 2012 MTPLM 1440kg. I have towed it about 2500 miles at home in and through France to Spain. I am very happy with it. The book states it can tow up to amaximum of 2100kg.
I am towing at 85%

Les

 

[saru]

I've got a 14 reg 2L 160ps and tow a Lunar Clubman Clubman SB 2012 MTPLM 1440kg. I have towed it about 2500 miles at home in and through France to Spain. I am very happy with it. The book states it can tow up to amaximum of 2100kg.
I am towing at 85%

Les

Thanks Les,

We'd worked it out that we could tow 1900 ish but for obvious reasons don't want to go that high.

We've driven down through France into Spain many times, but always hotels and apartments. Too many times of accommodation where we've had to go out and buy essential kitchen equipment and (me being a clean freak) having to clean before unpacking and then clean before leaving...........plus now we have 2 dogs and all their baggage as well as ours to cart into hotels on the journey and a caravan seems the sensible option.

Looking forward to a leisurely trip this year, France, North of Spain and into Portugal this time

 

[RogerL]

Many cars have towing weights higher than their kerbweights - for towing car trailers or goods trailer where the weight is low down that's not a problem but exceeding the kerbweight with a caravan is far more likely to end in grief.

The highest kerbweight I can find for a Kuga is 1707 kg. Les, above seems to be on the money towing 1440 kg.

 

[xtrailman]

We have a Kuga, 180ps, 2L TDCI. Everything we've read says it's a good tow car, has anyone any experience please.

And what is the max you would recommend towing with it?

I have a Mazda CX-5 (kerb weight 1663kg) with similar power outputs to your 180ps Kuga.
I tow a 1565kg caravan with no issues, it does tow more stable than my previous 173ps xtrail which was 1725kg.

Most I would tow with my car is 1650kg provided it has ATC fitted.

 

[RayS]

The engine may be much the same as that in the Freelander 2 I have - matched with a 6 speed auto box.

if so, you should have no trouble whatsoever up to 1500kg - which is what I tow - and the feel is it would be good for at least another 150 kg on that (assuming that the legal requirements allow).

 

[Tonyex]

I used to tow with a 2.8CRD Jeep cherokee for 10 years. I changed to a 63 plate KugaTitanium 2.0 TDCI Auto in Feb last year, and tow a 2011 Pegasus 534 (MTPLM 1497kg). Absolutely first rate, outfit very stable, cruises at 60mph in 6th with cruise control ,something the jeep never did ! I get 29mpg, compared to 21 with the jeep on a good day and no wind ! The V5 gives a mass in service (kerbwt) of 1778, includes 75kg for driver, so I have an 84% match. The van is loaded to 1482kg and a noseweight of 96kg suits fine; I carry only the awning in the car, and we are two up. Hope this is of use.