Diesel power still makes sense for towing
TOW CAR ADVICE
LAST YEAR, DIESELS made up just 5.1% of the new car market, but you don’t have to go back too far to find their share at much nearer half of all sales.
Come 2030 and the ban on the sale of new cars powered by internal combustion engines, and we’ll be saying goodbye to diesel altogether. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time for caravanners to abandon diesel power. There are signs that demand for diesels on the used car market is stronger than among new car buyers, so secondhand prices remain firm.
For towing, diesel is the one to beat, providing great fuel economy and pulling power. Diesels may be a dying breed, but they have never burned fuel more cleanly or achieved better mpg. Here are some of our favourites.
KIA SORENTO 2.2D EDITION
Price £49,495 Kerbweight 1954kg 85% match 1661kg Towing limit 2500kg
For our money, Kia’s Sorento diesel is one of the best SUVs you can buy for under £50,000.
It does only just sneak under the £50k barrier, though, as Kia now offers the car in the one fully loaded specification.
Edition vehicles are packed with goodies, including leather upholstery, air-con for all three rows of seats, a head-up display, surround-view camera system, a 12-speaker stereo set-up and a panoramic sunroof. Those are just the edited highlights – you really want for nothing.
All the toys and gadgets in the world don’t make a good tow car. Fortunately, the Kia possesses the qualities we look for. With a kerbweight just shy of two tonnes, the Sorento diesel has an 85% match figure of 1661kg. That’s the maximum weight of van we’d recommend towing for stable, stress-free journeys, especially if you are new to towing.
We’ve found the Sorento to be reassuringly secure and confidence-inspiring when towing vans of that weight.
The Kia’s diesel engine has 325lb ft of torque from as little as 1750rpm. That’s easily enough to handle a sensibly matched caravan and make short work of hilly roads.
If just under £50,000 is well over what you want to spend, we’ve seen current-generation Sorento diesel vehicles priced at around £30,000 available on the used market.
ŠKODA SUPERB ESTATE 2.0 TDI 150PS SE L DSG
Price £36,165 Kerbweight 1606kg 85% match 1365kg Towing limit 2000kg
If you own a mid-sized caravan, the Škoda Superb Estate is very probably all the tow car that you might need.
In fact, it’s very probably all you need and more when it comes to boot space.
With its generous capacity of 660 litres, you’ll struggle to find a car with more room for your bags. There’s certainly no need t
