Why so many 4X4s?

[oldagetraveller1]

Haven't lived in UK now for some years but on a recent trip there I was astoished by th number of 4X4's towing vans. Can anyone explain?
In mainland Europe' they are relatively rare as towcars. Most vans are towed by standard saloons which never seem to be a problem. European vans are generally heavier, so it can't be a weight issue. My caravanning friends here say that it's a pecularly British thing and suggest it's a machismo issue??
I ask because I am thinking of changing my non street -cred, but totally reliable Kia carens CRDI140 and I wonder if I'm misssing something? I caravan extensively throughout Europe and have never felt the need for a 4X4, so what's the secret??

 

[Damian]

There is nothing magical about what tow car a person uses, it is purely and simply down to personal choice.
As long as it is suitable it can be any wheel drive configuration you want.

If YOU are happy with your car,,,,why change it ?
Street cred or macho has absolutely nothing to do with YOUR choice of vehicle.

 

[mullsy1]

Not sure about machismo,most of the 4x4s seem to be driven by women

 

[Philspadders]

i haqve a 4 x 4 but that was simply because i use it on dirt tracks and farms and a saloon simply does not have the ground clearance or wet grass and mud ability.
I think 4 x 4's are chosen as they are percieved as being the right type of tow vehicle due to the weight. The down side is the high overturning moments suffered by 4 x 4's. Of 3 vans i saw overturned last year , all were towed by 4 x 4's and all the 4 x4's had flipped as well,... 2 sorento's and 1 discovery.

 

[xtrailman]

I drive an X trial because it has the option of four wheel drive, gives good ground clearance, useful for going down country lanes to access rivers for fishing, these lanes are often full of deep holes.

Gives a 100kg nose weight with the diesel variant, and is good to tow a trailer to 2200kg.
Because of the shape allows tall objects to be loaded in the boot, something a hatchback couldn't do.

And finlay has a useful 1720kg plus kerb weight, allowing a decent 85% tow weight.

And they make it very easy for the elderly to get into the car, due to the elevated seating.

 

[JohnGriffiths]

I think 4x4's overturning is probably far more complex than just instability due to their height. There must also be an element of overconfidence by the driver because the Sorento/Disco/whatever just feels so firmly planted and powerful. Perhaps there was less care about loading, less worry about speeding. Presumably the vans being towed larger than average?
But back to the original query, I think there could be a subconcious machismo desire to have a 4x4. I've got one, and if I'm honest it isn't as refined, quiet, fast or comfortable as the last few saloons I've had. But it does feel good when the snow is a foot thick.

 

[ProfJohnL]

The car anyone uses for towing is down to a set of personal choices they make, but in one respect the UK caravan industry is beset with the magical a 85% towing ratio guidance that is unique to the UK which probably has a bearing in many cases. I msut point out that it has no basis in law.

This figure is used by virtually all towing guides and it means that if caravanners are set on a 1700Kg MTPLM caravan, then the towing guides all suggest you need a 2Tonne towcar! Very few normal saloons come with that sort of kerbweight, but there are plenty of 4x4s that do.

There is also a perceived belief that having a 4x4 is an advantage when it comes to wet caravan sites, but in all my years of caravanning and towing large box trailers wet or dry my standard single axle drive vehicles have been perfectly able to get me on and off sites. And I can say the same about driving in snow and ice

I am sure for some there is an image issue, or mines bigger than yours culture. But that’s life.

 

[Martin24]

MTLMP of 1750 for van and I like to keep within 75% is one reason for having one!! The fact that all holidays are either on CLs, CSs, rally fields or THSs is another reason. Fitting in 3 children 2 dogs and 3 bikes on roof is another. The fact that I like an elevated seating position another oh and the aggressive stance against other road users especially on the school run is quite nice too, although I could walk the 0.3 miles instead I suppose!!

 

[Parksy]

It could be that the British government is so obsessed with taxing motorists to death ostensibly to appease tree huggers who have never been elected that the choice of affordable large saloons which would be suitable for towing UK caravans is limited here.
UK caravanners prefer their home comforts, we don't have Continental sunshine so we expect well equipped caravans but these carry a weight penalty.
Continental tourers tend to see their caravans as tin tents with spartan equipment levels in comparison to UK caravanners. They have more of the right sort of weather for outdoor living, cooking on BBQ's, eating al fresco etc. Their caravans are often lighter than UK spec. caravans because they don't need so much on board equipment.
My 4x4 imported 2.8td Mitsubishi Pajero has no problem safely pulling our t/a Abbey Vogue 620 with all of the home comforts, if I wanted to take up camping again I'd buy a tent but I'm a bit too old and decrepit now which is why I chose the best outfit to suit us and our present situation.
I've just imagined the reaction if I blitheley told Herself that we were going to downsize and get a continenal caravan with no mod cons

Rather than male machismo coming in to play it might be that the fairer sex enjoy a spot of luxury so men are really at the mercy of their wives or significant others when it comes to choice here in the UK.

 

[DavidKlyne]

I am never sure what the fuss is about 4X4, they are just another type of vehicle. My Sorento has a smaller footprint than a lot of the Mecedes I see towing German vans. I may have had a slightly different reason for buying a 4X4. Before my hip replacement I suffered from years of leg and back pain using ordinary saloon cars, that was much improved by changing to a 4X4 where I had a more upright driving position. I suppose I could have had a white van and got the same effect!
David

 

[OmOnWeelz]

We've towed with and driven lots of different cars and sitting a little higher up in a 4x4 givs you a better view of the road ahead and all around as you can see over most cars and quite a lot of hedgerows. It's more like being on a liesurely holiday coach trip when towing.
I can't ever remember when we've driven over wet fields and pitched on grass on European sites and rarely have we had the caravan the likes of 1in3 gradients and narrow Cornish and Welsh roads across the channel. We have dogs and get out in the country without our caravan and our 4x4 brings me work and retirement extra earnings. Friends and visiting rellies from Oz and Canada all love the adavntages of touring in our 4x4 as well. W've softened our 4x4 choice after 3 Disco's and have a BMW on order now. 'Quick' enough and quicker than many sport jobs, superb tow power ombined with refinement and comfort. Our tow cars just suit us, our life style, our comfort and towing needs and earn me a bit of money and I like a bit of bling

 

[RegandPat]

Last year I had a old 4x4 and we both loved it, yes it was heavy on diesel plus it did some times wonder on bumpy roads but now I have changed to a smaller estate with a bit more pock and comfort.
As we are driving around we do envy 4x4 drivers but we will give the estate a go for a year and see how we get on.
The first thing I found when hooked up was I could not see through the van windows but the petrol consumption is a lot better.
Yes I did fill like a king driving the tug and I did take it off roading.

 

[Philspadders]

ive got a 4x4 but realy its an SUV , Kia Sportage. And its quieter on the m wyas than my bmw 320d i use for work, and more comfortable.
I like the upright driving position withj 4x4 and MPV's, anmd prefer it to the low down , stretched out saloon postion.
One thing that annoys me though when some folks complan about 4 x 4's, they never ever seem to make a noise about audi saloons with 4 x 4, subaru's, and other saloon deriverd 4x4 vehicles.

 

[ChrisUK]

I'm very happy with my XTrail SUV. Its got a big tall boot for tall objects, I don't get stuck when I pull off the side of the road to bird watch, its comfortable, it does more MPG than my wifes Saxo, its great in the snow. It can not zoom arround corners like my old Mazda 6 did but I'm past that. I got into a 6 the other day and I felt like I had to bend double to get into it without banging my head - which I did!
I might have bought a heavier saloon, but could not afford the likes of BMW5 series etc.
Like another post I don't recall a muddy field in France and you don't see many dry ones in the UK

 

[mullsy1]

Spot on about pulling off the road where the ground clearance also comes in handy.The previous government were guilty of opportunism regards the road tax for 4x4s,exploiting the very vocal distain toward these vehicles and their drivers.

 

[OmOnWeelz]

Well one thing is, you have to have a sense of humour if you own and drive a 4x4. Moderator's please note! A SENSE OF HUMOUR

 

[Parksy]

Well one thing is, you have to have a sense of humour if you own and drive a 4x4. Moderator's please note! A SENSE OF HUMOUR

???
Why drag the moderators who both own 4x4s anyway into it?

 

[ProfAlGoogle]

Each to there own, if drivers feel more secure and confident using a 4x4 to tow there caravan then fine by me. I toyed with the idea a few years back that I needed a 4x4 and went out and bought a shogun, kept it less than a year, just did not work for me. What does make me smile, and I see it quite often is the little 2 berth caravan behind the back of a big 4x4, I can appreciate that they may need the car for other use, but I bet a lot are misled, when a smaller tug would suffice.

 

[NickinFrance]

Apart from towing a caravan or powerboat, this is why we have one:
/sites/practicalcaravan.com/files/images/Greenhouse23.jpg

/sites/practicalcaravan.com/files/images/car2.jpg

 

[ProfAlGoogle]

Lol Nick, think you might be better off with a lorry mate, perhaps a Volvo FH range....................

 

[Parksy]

Spot on about pulling off the road where the ground clearance also comes in handy.The previous government were guilty of opportunism regards the road tax for 4x4s,exploiting the very vocal distain toward these vehicles and their drivers.

The 'very vocal disdain toward these vehicles and their drivers' was i.m.o. initiated by the last government in collusion with the tree hugging Biased Broadcasting Corporation.
In effect what they did was to isolate one section of the motoring public (those who use 4x4s) to launch a propaganda war which blamed the 4x4 user for all ills.
Every news broadcast or newspaper derided 'Chelsea Tractors' and showed pictures of polar bears drifting into oblivion on broken off bits of ice shelf with the inference that those of us who choose to own 4x4s were to blame.
This was obviously puerile nonsense but it helped to divert attention from nose in the trough politicians.
This present ConDemnation lot have given up trying demonise 4x4 owners and have instead, again with the collusion of the media, decided to demonise the old, the sick and the unemployed instead.
The fact that bankers who are really responsible for the economic mess are still being paid million pound bonuses on top of their wages is quietly pushed to one side while the unemployed who are out of work as a result of the bankers criminal greed are being demonised for not having jobs.
M.P's who have fiddled thousands of pounds by lying on their expense forms meanwhile get away Scot free except for a couple of sacrificial lambs.
Same old conniving lying politicians, just a different set of victims to marginalise......

 

[xtrailman]

Well said.
Perhaps we need to riot.

Otherwise this government is going to destroy what little we have left.
Constant tax increases, constant gas and electric increases.
Higher council rates, 7% last two years!
Higher diesel costs.
Higher food cost.
Vat increases.
Mean while we are being governed by lieing , fiddling, incompetent, rejects.

Now i feel a lot happier, so into the cold garden to do a bit of weeding.

 

[Philspadders]

if it was not for the Bankers, right about now we would be in an even bigger mess. As for the Unemployed..over the last 13 years there has been a massive increase in the numbers of long term unemployed, backed up by a benefits system that made it unattractive to go out to work, indeed they could "earn" more by staying at home.
Those unemployed who have lost there jobs are certainly not being demonised and many are actively trying to find work. These people deserve the government help they get. I my self faced losing my job in 2009 along with 30 others as i battled to save the company, luckily we came through it... but only just.
In the UK 6million earn their living directly from the public purse, 3m from manufacturing and the rest seem to be stuck in retail or banking.
The only sectors making money and earning foreign income are the Bankers and Manufacturing. We can no longer continue to support the "benefits" society we now have.

Ray , if you feel that way why not stand as a local councillor or get involved in local politics and try to change it.
If you look back to the 70's under that Labour Government what occured. The same as know. We had inflation at 25%, constant strikes, filth in the streets, power cuts, rising fuel costs , rising income tax etc. Local coucil rates were out of control with labour councils setting rates that no one could pay... unless you were in social housing and if you did not pay.... the mortgage holders just paid more. Great times.

 

[ProfAlGoogle]

Lol, From why so many 4x4 to a political debate, see you all latter, of to earn me crust.....................................

 

[Dustydog]

Politics must be the most over-rated mis understood biggest waste of money that was ever invented. Whoever has been in power in my lifetime hasn't made one iota bit of difference to me or millions of others. If they had they would still be in power. I wonder what the next coalition will look like?

Thank goodness I had the freedom of choice to pick my 4x4 and pursue caravanning without some Whitehall Toff or Overpaid Union President telling me what to do.
If peopel prefer towing with a 4x4 then so be it. Personally I prefer using the 4x4. IMO the choice of a conventional 2x2 vehicle is somewhat limited in my application and probably that of a lot of others.