Review automatic towing cars?

reeac

I don't know how you can force an auto to stay or change into too high a gear - it will decide for itself which gear to use.

marlot

Gloomendoom wrote: »

..., I was given a piece of advice by a chap that retired early after 30 years repairing worn autoboxes. He said to avoid using top (overdrive) gear when towing a heavy caravan/trailer as it over-stresses the gearbox....

I agree. The Toyota Landcruiser handbook says to tow in '4' (its a 5-speed box). This allows the torque convertor to lock up, and the whole thing to run cooler.

insert_random_name_here

Have towed with Landcruiser Colorado, Discovery, and currently Subaru Legacy. All autos. All superb.

marlot

knightstyle wrote: »

Thanks Marlot but that Sorento is the latest...

There are some other reviews on that site.

eg. http://www.practicalcaravan.com/reviews/tow-car/28270-honda-cr-v-22-i-dtec-ex-auto

khcomp

I picked a car up from Lincolnshire last year & brought it back to Wales using a Honda CR-V petrol auto - towed really well & surprisingly economical - as said elsewhere, Parkers.co.uk give tow weights for new & used cars. Depends how much & how often you're towing: Obviously, larger 4x4s generally 'tow well', but you have to decide whether you want the penalties in road tax & fuel when you're not towing.

forgotmyname

Marktheshark wrote: »

Towed with many cars over the years.
The worst, Mondeo TDCI, always in the wrong gear with its 6 speed manual box.
Omega estate Auto was ok but needed revving to get going.
Renault 1.9 RX4, manual, not powerful enough and really struggled.

The best was mercedes E320 CDI auto estate, the levelling suspension keeps it level and with a 3.2 245 BHP straight six turbo diesel, you need a passenger to remind you you have a caravan on the back, it was effortless towing and had the brakes to stop as well.

Always in the wrong gear? 6 speed TDCI.. How? It should easily pull its own kerbweight whatever gear you choose unless you were trying to tow a 30 ton trailer?

I set my cruise control and gearchanges are not needed, petrol model on the other hand does need a lower gear on the hills.

knightstyle

Sorry folks but am I being thick? If not where on Parkers can I see the towing limits for 2010 automatics? Trying to find it for the HRV at the moment.
Also for the qashquai 1.6 and 2.0.

marlot

knightstyle wrote: »

Sorry folks but am I being thick? If not where on Parkers can I see the towing limits for 2010 automatics? Trying to find it for the HRV at the moment.
Also for the qashquai 1.6 and 2.0.

Isn't the HRV the Jazz on stilts? I wouldn't have thought that was heavy enough to tow a cavan safely.

It is recommended that the weight of the loaded caravan should be no more than 85% of the car's kerb weight. I typically tow at 70% - and have a very stable outfit.

forgotmyname

Choose the car and then select the data, dimensions, weights, fuel etc and towing weights.

knightstyle

Thanks got it, didn't realise you have to click on the model for the auto version to pop up.
Didn't realise the 1,6 Qashquai only had a towing limit of 700kg, that is less than the our Juke with the same size engine!