In a league ofits own
Transcription
In a league ofits own
In a league of its own Skoda Superb claims its fourth Towcar of the Year crown ES’ JUDG TS EN COMM cars 1 on all 4 start d entere ge 4 on pa SUPPLEMENT SPONSORED BY BAILEY OF BRISTOL CARAVAN CLUB : TOWCAR OF THE YEAR 2014 MORE CARS, MORE STARS! Clive White describes the 31st Caravan Club Towcar of the Year competition as one of quality and quantity IT MAY not have been quite an all-time record entry, but 41 contenders for The Caravan Club Towcar of the Year 2014 award reflects restored confidence from the motor manufacturers. The Club is not only grateful for the car makers’ wholehearted support, but is also proud to play its own part in this most welcome revival. As well as this impressive number of entries, the quality and diversity of the vehicles was very notable. The results of this competition offer caravanners a comprehensive and continually updated reference source on new (and in years to come, used) towcars. The prices of this year’s entry ranged from just over £14,000 to £96,000, with just about everything else in between! 16 AND COUNTING Bailey is proud of its 16-year association with The Caravan Club’s Towcar of the Year competition AS THE UK’s premier event of its type, this competition not only supplies caravan owners with important information on the choice of a potential new tow vehicle, but also provides a practical examination of Bailey’s product performance. In addition to supplying the caravans used in the competition, the Bristol-based manufacturer fields a technical support team, including representatives from chassis manufacturer Al-Ko Kober, to work at the event. During the four-day test, the caravans are taken on more than 200 circuits of the Millbrook Proving Ground, featuring a lap of the high-speed circular track and a demanding hill route (equating to approximately 1,100 test miles). Throughout this period, Bailey ensures that its caravans remain in a road-safe condition and that each unit is correctly matched to the relevant tow vehicle. Working at Millbrook, Bailey has first-hand experience of the lengths to which The Caravan Club goes to ensure that each car entered is examined thoroughly and fairly. From the initial scrutineering through the outfit 2 www.caravanclub.co.uk Whether humble or grand, each towcar endured the same gruelling series of trials, including: acceleration and braking tests; mid-range 30-60mph performance monitoring; high-speed towing stability and emergencybraking assessments; demanding ride, handling, cornering, climbing and descending evaluations; and searching hill stops and starts. All tests were carried out with the cars towing suitably-ballasted Bailey caravans. In addition, each vehicle underwent a ‘caravanability’ examination for load capacity, towing-equipment design and quality, handbook information, spare-wheel provision, trailer lighting, indicator-alert warnings etc. Then, each set of judges marked the vehicles accordingly, their findings later combined with value-for-money assessments, to decide the final results. From the class winners, a secret ballot among the judges revealed the overall Towcar of the Year 2014 victor. The ‘AWD Under and Over 1,800kg’ winners were similarly selected. For 2014, a special Judges’ Award required the judges to champion their most noteworthy towcar feature or features. The result might come as a surprise to you, but I’ll say no more than, sometimes, less is more! preparation stages, ‘caravanability’ assessment and on to the actual driving/towing itself, every aspect of performance is tested rigorously to arrive at the final result. To give Club members greater insight into what it takes to find the Towcar of the Year, Bailey has produced a website on the competition. This site includes a full listing of the winners, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at what takes place during competition week, including video footage of a full test circuit. For all this and more, see towcarcompetition.co.uk – the site will be updated with the 2014 competition results from 21 October. October 2013 The Caravan Club Magazine 3 PASS p4-13 TCOY2014v3:News template 30/08/2013 11:45 Page 2 Where, when and how? ALL CAR manufacturers and importers are invited to enter vehicles into The Caravan Club Towcar of the Year, the original and most prestigious competition of its type which, this year, celebrates its 31st anniversary. Caravans, supplied by Bailey of Bristol, are loaded to 85% of each car’s kerbweight, unless a lower weight is dictated by the car manufacturer. Noseweights are set at 7% of the caravan’s weight unless this exceeds the noseweight limit imposed by the car maker or the coupling manufacturer, in which case the highest allowable figure is used. After a careful scrutineering process to ensure the cars conform to the specification declared, there are exhaustive track tests to assess all models’ towing ability, including acceleration and reversing tests, as well as ‘caravanability’ checks to gauge how ‘caravanning friendly’ they are. How easily can you fit a folding table and two chairs, and an awning and its poles into the boot, for instance, and how accessible are the towing electrics? As usual, testing took place at the Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire, the country’s premier automotive testing facility, during August. The weather was generally fine and dry, giving all cars equal footing when tested. Al-Ko’s stability control system, ATC, normally comes as standard on the majority of Bailey caravans but it was deliberately not connected for TCoY’s driving test, so that any inherent instability would show up. CLASS 1 : UNDER £16,000 Driving judge Clive White sums up the cars’ towing attributes, while Lee Davey provides their caravanability details SSANGYONG KORANDO SE £15,597 Class winner The new Korando SE skimps on little. Its neatlystyled and acceptably well-finished cabin is quite cossetting, though more insulation from engine and road noise might be welcome. Oh, and this model is 2WD only – good for economy, but not so great for hill starts, where it struggled a bit, but eventually prevailed. Stability at speed was good and it tackled the hill route with enthusiasm, though PRICES The prices quoted in this supplement in both the car write-ups and the detailed information panel on p14-15 are the on-the-road costs of that model of car plus its towing equipment and any extras that will, or might, affect its towing performance – automatic transmission, for instance. We have not included the cost of extras that were fitted but did not affect towing, such as leather upholstery, metallic paint or telephone wiring. 4 Caravanability A class-leading boot capacity almost accommodated our entire caravanability load and, combined with a full-size spare, good towing mirror attachment and easy caravan hook-up, plus an 80kg noseweight limit, it’s easy to see why the little SsangYong fared so well. KIA RIO 1.4 CRDI 3 £15,052 If you choose a small-engined car for towing, you might well accept any potential compromises it may impose when pulling your caravan. Some judges did, others didn’t, hence a mixed bag of scores. Those who did commended the willing little diesel, but it did feel sluggish in the mid-range, and on hills. Hill starts also demanded a certain technique. But, apart from an iffy manual handbrake, the Rio managed well over 60mph, with good stability and very good caravan control. A very likeable little car. SUPPORTING ROLES This was the 16th year in which Bailey of Bristol had supplied all the caravans used in the competition. Representatives from Bailey and Al-Ko, which provides all Bailey’s chassis and running gear, were on hand throughout to lend their support and ensure that all the caravans were correctly ballasted. The fact that none of the caravans suffered any damage, or developed any fault during testing procedures for Towcar of the Year, speaks volumes for Bailey and Al-Ko products, and The Caravan Club gratefully acknowledges the help freely given by the companies. needed second gear on steep gradients, if momentum was lost. But, overall, a good showing and a worthy class win. DACIA DUSTER AMBIANCE 4X4 £14,190 Judges’ Special Award If value for money is your main goal, then you can’t argue against the Dacia. Yes, its engine was raucous when working hard, its strangely-weighted steering a bit ponderous, the ride sometimes rather choppy, and the interior basic – or ‘practical’ if you prefer – all in the best old-school 4x4 traditions. However, it towed without complaint. It also provided good high-speed stability and stopping power, adequate hill-route performance and a hill stop and start that shamed many more expensive towcars. The judges pretty much unanimously gave the not-so-dusty Duster their Special Award, for offering so much, for so little. Caravanability A tiddly boot, a tyre inflation kit instead of a spare and a 50kg noseweight limit all helped push the Rio to the bottom of the list. It scored well on towing mirrors and sockets but was hampered by a 2in drop when hooked-up. Caravanability The Dacia loadspace scored a ‘Close, but no cigar’ but, as with the Korando, earned high praise from the judges for its full-size spare, easy caravan connection and good towing mirror fit. www.caravanclub.co.uk CLASS 2 : £16,000-£20,000 SKODA OCTAVIA SE 1.2 TSI £18,373 Class winner Here’s another pint in a quart pot, which divided opinion like the Kia. As the last judge to try this Skoda, by the time I got to it, it had been christened ‘Stinky’ due to its hard-worked clutch and the resultant smell in the cabin. Approaching the hill start, my trepidation was unfounded: with a bit of care, job done. A competent towcar in all other respects, and to condemn its small capacity misses the point of an excellent, economical car that can tow when asked. It had the last laugh by deservedly winning its class. Well done, Stinky! Caravanability Top marks for storing the caravanability bags and boxes and, should you need yet more storage space, another 75kg is available on the roof. Noseweight is reasonable at 75kg and the car only lost marks due to poor tow-mirror fit. VAUXHALL MOKKA TECH LINE 1.4 TURBO 4X4 £18,652 If you fancy something that’s a bit more unusual than a Corsa, Mokka might be to your taste. This dumpily-cute urban SUV didn’t, however, possess enough of what it takes for towing, feeling rather too susceptible to crosswinds and twitchy at motorway speeds. Gearing felt a little too high to keep the turbo on song, which is where it needed to be for towing, since it struggled on the inclines and hill start. But it has a nice interior and would likely be a lot of fun to own as a solo car. Caravanability Much like the Trax, the Mokka shone in the boot department, but lost points for having a tyre inflation kit instead of a proper spare, a nonfunctioning tailgate catch and a handbook that’s not great on the subject of towing. CHEVROLET TRAX 1.7 LT VCDI £19,384 This North American cousin of Mokka should have possessed more grunt, but it provoked the same comments of lacking power, so perhaps it shares its inappropriate gearing for towing with the Vauxhall. It also shared its cousin’s tendency to become a bit wayward at speed. Pity, as they both share chunky good looks with their own individual sense of style. The Chevy even features a curious, but novel, analogue tacho with digital-everything-else instrument display, to add to its sense of fun. Caravanability The Chevy mimicked the class-winning Skoda Octavia for boot space and roof load, but lost out due to an inflation kit instead of a spare wheel and unclear handbook data, as well as having a semi-hidden data plate. Almost, Chevrolet, almost! CHEVROLET CRUZE STATION WAGON 1.7 LT VCDI £19,712 What a pleasant surprise the Cruze turned out to be! It’s one of those cars that changed my perceptions, and it seemed to have been liked by most judges, for most things. Though presumably sharing a similar power train to the Trax, it performed better – perhaps because of carrying and hauling less weight. With care, its hill start was undramatic, after a solid parking-brake hold, and it popped eagerly round the hill route, only struggling on the steepest gradient. Dynamically sound at speed, it could be described as Cruze controlled. Caravanability The Cruze scored well for squeezing in our luggage, but promptly lost marks for having yet another inflation kit instead of a proper spare wheel, as well as boasting a lack of towing data in its handbook. SPECIAL TOWCAR INSURANCE DISCOUNTS You could benefit from a special offer of up to 10% premium discount on any of the class winners from Towcar of the Year 2014 – as well as some cars in the same model ranges. Just call 0800 028 4809 quoting ‘Towcar’ for information on qualifying vehicles and for a personalised quote. Applies to new policies taken out from 1 October 2013 to 30 September 2014. October 2013 The Caravan Club Magazine 5 CLASS 3 : £20,000-£25,000 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SPORT 2.0 TDI DSG £24,185 Class winner Jetta set a standard that couldn’t be beaten in this competition over the last two years, and it nearly made it an unprecedented hat-trick of overall victories this time round. Unsurprisingly, there was the same poise and composure that, on previous occasions, wowed judges – and one of them awarded straight top marks in every category. Being picky, DSG gearboxes have a tendency to hunt for ratios when worked really hard, but I doubt many owners would push their cars to this extent. Another worthy class win. Caravanability The Jetta is an everyday car with a generous boot that coped with everything that was asked of it. Scores were good on all points, helped by a full-size spare and 75kg loads on both towball and roof. KIA SORENTO 2.2 CRDI KX2 AWD £20,465 Always a caravanners’ favourite, and quite rightly, too. It does nothing less than adequately and most things rather more so. It has an uncanny talent for responding to the driver’s wishes in a car-like fashion, yet still manages to feel like a proper 4x4. The Kia inspires confidence in any towing situation and one judge commented, “Great SUV – tows brilliantly!” Couldn’t have put it better myself. Caravanability A 100kg noseweight and roof-load limit helped the Sorento score highly; it only lost marks for its almost inaccessible tyre inflation kit. Both the towing mirrors and the caravan were connected with ease, and the towball only dropped a creditable 1in with caravan hooked up. SSANGYONG KORANDO SPORTS EXT £21,966 Arguably the most comfortable of the trio of pick-ups in this year’s competition, the SsangYong still possessed much of the roly-poly, jiggly-joggly ride quality that characterises the breed. The engine was pretty strident when pulling hard and, once higher speeds were attained, the outfit began to sway. Millbrook’s hill route proved a bit of a handful, the large steering wheel not helping its cause. The slightly-awkward handbrake grabbed well during the hill start, and pull-away was strong, if not pretty. It’s about as stylish as a pick-up gets, with its integrated load-bed hard-top and good passenger accommodation. Caravanability The Korando’s huge load area eagerly consumed all that was thrown at it, and it scored well for having a full-size spare wheel and for easy connection of both the towing mirrors and caravan. Poor handbook data let it down, with unclear roof load limits. MG6 GT 1.9 DTI-TECH TSE £20,574 I grew quite fond of the MG6 during a recent Towcar Test for The Caravan Club Magazine, and it was good to be reunited with it. Dynamically, the ‘6’ is subtly impressive – subtle because it hides its light under a bushel and you only get to appreciate it over time. However, its talents were discovered by some judges who liked its balanced handling and assured towing. For those who like it, the 6’s quirks will be individualistic characteristics – except for its handbrake, surely designed by a committee of arm-wrestlers, especially for left-handed contortionists! Caravanability Began well by passing the boot-based luggage test with ease, but then drew a blank with zero roof load. However, if your belongings will fit inside the car, the MG performed at a reasonable level throughout the remainder of the caravanability test. 6 www.caravanclub.co.uk MITSUBISHI ASX 4 1.8 DI-D 4WD £23,345 KIA CARENS 1.7 CRDI 3 £24,249 SSANGYONG TURISMO EX £24,571 The 4WD ASX didn’t really impress significantly in any particular area. But, then again, it didn’t disgrace itself either. The general consensus was of it being a bit sluggish, but stable enough at higher speeds. It towed round the hill route without drama, though lost a bit of steam on the steeper gradients. Surprisingly, there was some initial tyre scrabble on the hill start, but it then gripped and went. You might want to avoid frequent Alpine towing, but it’ll happily take you and your caravan away to Holland. Kia’s latest compact and tautly-styled MPV is an attractive and practical family car. But, looking at the judges’ comments, it might struggle when full of family and luggage while towing their caravan. Some cited turbo lag, others a lack of power, which makes me suspect the normally-okay 1.7 is battling with tall gearing that has been imposed for economy reasons. The car is fine when solo, but less suited for towing. Surprisingly, too, it was criticised for a bouncy ride and light steering, while a less-than-impressive hill start also went against it. Remember the Rodius with its rear ‘loft extension’ styling? Well, thankfully, Turismo looks a lot better, but still offers acres of versatile space for the money. However, that’s about as far as it went, with the nicer of the judges’ comments mentioning “boats’ tillers” concerning the steering and “seasickness” regarding its ride. Nautical, but not nice! Caravanability The 80kg roof-load limit is reasonable, but a 60kg noseweight isn’t so good. Combine this with a lack of boot space and a skinny spare wheel, and we started to feel sorry for the ASX. Mirror and caravan connection were both good, though. Caravanability Caravanability The loadspace is colossal, even with all seven seats in use, and an easily-accessible spare helped the score count. An inaccessible jack and poor (for class) 45kg roof-load limit lost some of those points, though. Fared well with most of the caravanability tests, thanks to a 100kg roof load limit, big boot, good mirror fit and reasonable 75kg noseweight, but stumbled at the final hurdle, with a space-saver spare wheel and a lack of handbook towing data. MAZDA CX-5 2.2 SKYACTIV-D 2WD SE-L NAV £24,313 SKODA OCTAVIA ELEGANCE ESTATE 2.0 TDI CR £23,828 Owing to its close relationship with VW’s Jetta, it’s not surprising that the Octavia received many compliments and good scores. So many of the former, in fact, that I was a little surprised it didn’t get the better of the Jetta. Rest assured, Skoda’s towing performance and dynamic qualities were spot on, with only one tiny criticism concerning the handbrake, which needed a strong pull up to hold effectively. A smartlydesigned, nicely-constructed estate with some useful loading features. Caravanability An attractive SUV outside and in, even if the latter is finished in unrelenting anthracite. While 2WD should have provided better performance, traction seemed to be its Achilles heel – some judges felt it lost its grip on hill starts. However, it was reasonably agile for an SUV, handling the hill circuit with confidence, and remained stable at speed. Caravanability Scored well for its capacious boot and useful handbook towing information, but lost marks for a difficult-to-access tyre inflation kit, no details on roof-loading limits and towing mirrors that touch the body of the car when retracted. MAZDA6 2.2 SKYACTIV-D TOURER SE-L NAV £24,649 Mazda’s new 6 certainly looks the part, with its boldly-contoured front wings and Jaguar XF-inspired profile. However, it was surprising that it didn’t fare better performance-wise and dynamically, especially considering the magazine awards it has accrued. Judges were split on the 6’s performance and ride quality, though its sporty, secure handling was generally commended. Hill starts were clutch-slipping affairs, but it has a nice fascia and good driving position. Caravanability Load capacity is good but the retractable boot cover is fiddly to use. Scored reasonably well, but has a tyre inflation kit instead of a spare and towing mirrors that foul the bodywork when retracted. Gobbled up our luggage with ease, but lost valuable points due to a poor caravan bulb failure indicator warning and a tyre inflation kit. On a positive note, both towball and roof can accommodate 75kg. October 2013 The Caravan Club Magazine 7 CLASS 4 : £25,000-£31,000 SKODA SUPERB ELEGANCE ESTATE 2.0 TDI CR DSG 4X4 £30,614 Class winner, All Terrain Under 1,800kg winner and Towcar of the Year 2014 Champion Superb’s winning ways have become almost habitual in this competition over the years, and it demonstrates the car’s depth of abilities that it returned to trounce some very capable opponents indeed to notch its fourth overall Towcar of the Year win. No need to describe its run around Millbrook –take it as read that it’s about as good as it gets, with just my usual nit-pick about sometimes over-eager DSG gear shifts. Caravanability This car is a load-lugger, make no mistake. A limit of 100kg on the roof, 80kg on the towball and a capacious boot make it a tough caravanability act to follow. Great handbook towing information, full-size spare wheel and everything was simple to fit. Superb! SUBARU FORESTER 2.0D XC £27,568 Years ago, when Subarus used to be regular entrants in TCoY, we often said the company needed a diesel. Since it arrived, some years ago, the extra torque and fuel economy it offers is praiseworthy, but we miss the lovely offbeat burble of the petrol unit. While there’s no pleasing some of us, diesel is favourite for towing, but other factors like an only-just-adequate clutch, possibly too-high gearing and lifeless steering prevented it from attaining top marks. Caravanability VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GT 2.0 TDI DSG £25,612 TOYOTA RAV4 ICON 2.2 D4-D TOUCH + GO £27,093 A Jetta with no boot. Should be good – and isn’t it just! If Golf’s strong pricing hadn’t put it in the same class as the Superb, things may have been different. Even when pushed extremely hard, the Golf always felt like it had a bit more in reserve, whether in terms of power, stability or grip – very reassuring. After its rock-solid hill hold, pulling away was serenity itself. I’d better not mention poor DSG gear shifts again... It’s a good job that ‘Touch + Go’ only refers to Toyota’s multi-media system and not the car’s performance. Luckily, RAV4 proved itself a capable towcar in every respect. Just a few remarks about bodyroll, running out of steam on steeper inclines, and needing careful throttle/clutch balance for hill starts, cast it into the ‘okay’ rather than ‘outstanding’ towcar bracket. Caravanability Caravanability Size may not be everything but, in this case, it proved to be the Golf’s undoing. Some of our typical caravanner’s load had to be left at the roadside and the small door mirrors made for ‘interesting’ towing mirror attachment. Towing mirrors that foul the body, plus a tyre inflation kit and a confusing manual didn’t help the RAV to shine. However, a decent boot, plus healthy noseweight and roof load limits proved that the Toyota can happily go caravanning. 8 The Forester posted a decent caravanability score. Attaching the caravan dropped the rear by a piffling half an inch, towing mirrors proved an easy fit, while roof and towball loads are both acceptable at 80kg. www.caravanclub.co.uk HONDA CR-V SR 2.2 I-DTEC £29,675 HYUNDAI I40 PREMIUM SE TOURER £27,914 stability, with efficient stopping power when needed. Its only deficiency was running out of steam on the steepest hills. Otherwise a good-to-drive car with pleasant accommodation for family and luggage. The i40 is Hyundai’s crack at the ultra-competitive mid-range family-car class, and a nicely individual alternative to the mainstream contenders it is, too. It will also provide you with a pretty capable towcar that offers good performance and secure motorway Caravanability The i40 didn’t look happy with the caravan attached, and dropped 2in at the rear. Boot space is great but won’t help the Hyundai’s sagging rear end. Mirror fit was good, space-saver spare wheel not so good. Nice materials, stylish design (though it wasn’t universally liked) and excellent finish result in a rather smart SUV, with an underlying sporty flavour. That may account for a few moans about a choppy ride and perhaps the rather un-diesel-like power delivery. Generally, though, CR-V was liked for its good towing performance and sound stability at speed. There were only two complaints about loss of grip on the hill start. It should make a fine addition to your caravan. Caravanability “I’d consider buying this car”, wrote Russ, one of the caravanability judges. Indeed, it scored well throughout, only losing a few marks for a skinny spare wheel, before bombing-out with a minimum score on roof-loading limits, owing to an unstated amount in the vehicle handbook. MITSUBISHI L200 BARBARIAN AUTO £27,992 Model names like ‘Bricklayer’ or ‘Plasterer’ don’t quite cut it in the roughty-toughty world of pick-up trucks. So, ‘Barbarian’ it is, then, and you might have to be one to appreciate L200’s finer (or rougher) points. The rather commercial diesel’s narrow rev band saw the auto box up and down its ratios rather too often, but it was stable enough to just over 60mph. On the twisty, hilly bits, precious momentum was lost in bends, only to make the next hill a struggle. However, the hill start was no problem. Caravanability With a massive ‘kitchen sink’ loading capacity, those who fail to travel lightly won’t be disappointed. Put simply, it laughs in the face of caravanability, only dropping marks for a lack of roof load limit information, plus some minor tow-mirror fouling. ISUZU D-MAX UTAH £28,504 You really have to have a specific commercial or social need for buying many ‘crew-cab’ pick-ups, or at least be a dyed-in-the-wool enthusiast. Otherwise, to the rest of us, they’re unwieldy beasts. The Isuzu won few friends among the judges, being slow, bouncy and ponderous, despite which it was relatively stable once it got some speed up. It stopped reassuringly, too. Utah felt like it would climb any hill, in its own time, and hold a caravan securely there with its superb parking brake. No doubting its pulling-away ability, either. Caravanability As a pick-up, the Isuzu offers generous luggage carrying capacity, but there is the risk of that luggage getting soggy and/or being blown about without some sort of cover in place. Noseweight is good at 100kg but elsewhere the judges noted, “No spare wheel, no tyre repair kit, no nothing.” So maybe not as good a caravanability entrant as you might think. October 2013 The Caravan Club Magazine 9 CLASS 5 : £31,000-£41,000 JAGUAR XF 2.2D LUXURY £35,300 Class winner Not bad for Jaguar’s first visit to The Caravan Club’s Towcar of the Year competition – two class wins for XF, plus another couple for the Land Rover camp. The four-cylinder 2.2 can get a bit vocal when hard pressed, but that’s the only minor downside. Sporty performance, frugal fuel consumption and a superlative towcar. The praise flowed freely from the judges: “superb”, “brilliant”, “effortless”, “beautifully poised”. They just kept coming – and we’ve not got to the V6 yet! Well done Jaguar! If you want one, the XF range starts from below £30,000. Caravanability A Jag, scoring well in caravanability? I kid you not. Boot load was good, as were most other areas, and it only dropped marks due to a tyre inflation kit. It boasts 75kg roof and noseweight limits, so a great result! HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2.2 CRDI PREMIUM £31,683 subject of its handling. Otherwise, it still looks like an especially safe and sound proposition for pulling your caravan anywhere, any time. Here’s one of those 4x4s that overtook the dear old Shogun, and is another long-time caravanners’ favourite – a situation that looks set to remain on this showing. A set of above-average scores from all the judges was only marred by a dissenter on the The Santa Fe holds 100kg on its towball and roof alike, but was only scored as ‘adequate’ on boot space. Marks were lost owing to a deeply-hidden inflation kit. That aside, it passed the remaining caravanability tests with comparative ease. Caravanability VOLVO XC60 D4 SE £31,513 I was surprised how the neat and tautly-styled new XC60 divided opinion. “Confidence inspiring” played against “wouldn’t want to go beyond 60”, but we all agreed on it making hard work of hill starts. I like the five-cylinder diesel and the rest of the drive train, and found the ride sporty as opposed to “uncomfortable”. The cleanly-designed fascia is only marred for me by the gimmicky multi-function gauges. As a towcar, I reckon it’s alright. Caravanability The XC60 has a good roof-load limit of 100kg, offers easy attachment of both the towing mirrors and the caravan, and a boot capacity that is decent enough. But it lost marks for having a space-saver spare and for poor boot access with the caravan hitched up. 10 www.caravanclub.co.uk VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT ALLTRACK 2.0 TDI DSG £32,660 If towing gets much easier than this, it’s likely to be at a higher price and in a rather more substantial vehicle. But the Alltrack provides the ability to “hardly know you’re towing” in popular-family-car guise. It remained stable at high speeds, stormed up hills and negotiated corners as if no caravan was present. Its electric parking brake gripped limpetlike, then obediently and automatically released as the Passat pulled elegantly away. away well below 60mph, the outfit pivoting on the front wheels and see-sawing the steering wheel. On the hill route the damping felt poor, resulting in the car pitching and squirming disconcertingly. The hill stop/start was accomplished well and braking was good. But not what we’ve come to expect from M-B. Caravanability A smallish boot, lack of roof-loading capacity data and a space-saver spare are negatives here, but the SE Estate gained good marks for other areas, such as caravan indicator failure warnings and a minimal 1in towball drop with caravan hooked up. MITSUBISHI SHOGUN 3.2 DI-DC LWB SG3 £34,491 I haven’t driven a Shogun for ages, and it’s remarkable how big 4x4 dynamics have moved on, overtaking this one-time off-road favourite. Yet there was something reassuring about having the old girl around. Yes, she now feels her age, and is a bit ponderous, but one judge summed her up beautifully as, “Good country 4x4 stuff.” If you like this approach to off-roaders, get one before they give her a makeover. She won’t let you down, with or without a caravan. MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER GX5 £34,629 The new Outlander only really managed to impress one driving judge. For the rest, comments like “sluggish” pervaded the performance sheets, while the bouncy ride apparently provoked threats of nausea. This seemed to colour (not the nausea, I hope) other perceptions. However, the Mitsu coped well enough with stopping and starting on the hill. Stability was okay at 65mph-plus and emergency braking was accomplished satisfactorily. Caravanability Healthy load limits on both the towball and roof gave the Outlander a good start, but it lost marks due to almost impossible towing-mirror attachment and seemingly inaudible bulb failure warning. Full-size spare is easily accessible, though. Caravanability Little troubled the Passat, with its full-sized spare, cavernous boot space, plus 90kg noseweight and 100kg roof-load. Everything fitted well and “Lovely towbar and electrics” was noted on the sheet. Very few marks were dropped. MERCEDES-BENZ C220 CDI EXECUTIVE SE £33,044 Sorry to say, this C220 was a big disappointment dynamically. Its suspension felt mushy from the outset but, come the speed test, it was swaying Caravanability One word summed-up the boot space – “Massive!” A full-sized spare wheel, 135kg noseweight and 100kg roof-loading also helped the Shogun achieve high marks. The only niggle was a tailgate that fouled the top of the caravan jockey wheel. LAND ROVER FREELANDER 2 SD4 HSE LUX £40,612 In any other company, Freelander could have reasonably earned itself an award. However, its price put it at the top of this competitive band. Nevertheless, praise flowed for Land Rover’s baby as it gave a very good account of itself on the hill route, handling the corners and gradients with most un-SUV-like confidence and poise. Near perfect electric parking-brake hold and pull-off added to the plus points. Mostly good high-speed performance was halted (intentionally) by excellent braking. Rarely has Freelandering felt so right! Caravanability Surprisingly, the high boot and low headroom hampered luggage loading, while a lack of data plate and poor towing and roof-loading limit information in the handbook did little to help the Freelander rack up the points here. However, it did achieve maximum marks for a generous noseweight of 150kg. October 2013 The Caravan Club Magazine 11 CLASS 6 : £41,000-£51,000 CLASS 7 : OVER £51,000 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER SDV8 AUTOBIOGRAPHY £96,190 Class winner and All Terrain Over 1,800kg winner The ultimate car never really exists, because there’s always something more to come, but for TCoY 2014 this very special Rangie comes close. All the clever innovations that Land Rover can contrive, blended seamlessly with years of 4WD development, experience and engineering, then enveloped in the finest materials, all results in the Range Rover. It’s best described by a judge who awarded nothing but top marks, as, “Simply perfect for towing.” So, if you can afford it, why not? A well-deserved hat-trick for Jaguar Land Rover. Caravanability JAGUAR XF SPORTBRAKE 3.0D PORTFOLIO £49,084 Class winner Brace yourselves for the superlatives again – one judge’s full set of top scores on the marking sheets was accompanied by the words “Just brilliant” against each one, while another wrote “Fab” in every category. Get the picture? With such a blend of power and torque (though this wasn’t the most powerful ‘S’ version), slick-shifting eight-speed gearbox and arguably the best-sorted chassis this side of the F-Type, it really couldn’t fail. It’s fun to drive solo, too. I think the XF made a good impression for Jaguar to become yet another top cat. Acres of luggage space, oodles of carrying capacity and a full-sized spare wheel combine to make the Rangie an amazingly capable towcar. Indeed, it lost very few marks in the caravanability tests. Caravanability The XF just about passed the luggage test and then refused to drop any of its composure in the ‘attitude when hitched’ test. Impressive stuff. The towing sockets are a little tucked away and it has a space-saver spare but, all-in-all, pretty good. VOLVO V60 PLUG-IN HYBRID £50,036 V60 wowed some judges completely, while others thought it hunted for gears and had unpleasant steering. Apart from some strange gear-shift points, I found it an impressive car, with great handling, poise and stability. Good hill stop/restart performance, too. Caravanability MERCEDES-BENZ E350 BLUETEC AMG SPORT £45,114 Phew! M-B’s reputation was restored by this E350 AMG, which provided a mostly satisfying drive. However, while there was performance aplenty, some murmurs of high-speed pitching were heard. Again, over the hill route, the car could be provoked into a pitching condition. Perhaps its optional Airmatic air suspension objected to towing? The awkward foot-applied parking brake held well and the Merc pulled away competently. As for ergonomics, well never mind the quality, feel the column control stalks! Caravanability The E350’s “Dark cavern” of a boot lost it a few marks, as did the tyre inflation kit and lack of handbook towing data, but a zero-drop when connected and easy towing mirror fit redressed the balance. Reasonable load to both roof and towball. 12 Poor luggage space and a tyre inflation kit lost the V60 precious points initially, but good caravanability-fit elsewhere bridged the gap. Weights are 90kg noseweight and 75kg on the roof, with plenty of other plus-points. LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 4 SDV6 HSE £53,895 Disco 4 has always been a great tow vehicle, but its more recent interior upgrades and classier fascia displays give it a deservedly more premium feel. Sharing much with Range Rover Sport under the skin, the bulky Discovery drove just as easily, and with the composure of a well-sorted family saloon, yet shrugged off any suggestion that a caravan might cause it the least bit of inconvenience. That’s its on-road talents, but we know it has many more, on any surface you choose. Caravanability Of course, the Discovery is no stranger to caravanning and coped with ease. Loads, both bulk and weight, are easily swallowed up, and the Land Rover equipment is well suited to the task in hand. LEXUS RX450H PREMIER £56,337 Hardly a unanimous thumbs-up for the Lexus, with a judging minority singing its praises. The majority, however, found it lacking power when it was most needed, for acceleration and hill climbing, exacerbated by the CVT transmission’s untimely and inappropriate ratio selections. To add to its woes, not only did the awkward foot-operated parking brake need a mighty shove to hold, pulling www.caravanclub.co.uk it is, with trailer hauling being a comfortable and relaxed affair. While there were no performance concerns, a comment or two arose about its sometimes wallowy Airmatic suspension and light, uncommunicative steering when driving round the, er… Benz. Otherwise, just enjoy the tow in this premium SUV. Caravanability away again caused some difficulties. Just shows how even an excellent solo car can sometimes be thwarted by the demands of towing. Scoring top marks with its colossal boot, good towing mirror attachment and caravan indicator warnings, the ML undid its hard work with a space-saver spare that was inaccessible when loaded. A noseweight of 140kg is generous. Caravanability I’d have to say that, out of the big Land Rovers here, this Rangie Sport was (marginally) my favourite, though any one of the trio was easily capable of a class win. Only problem was that they were competing against each other. As for the Sport, it’s more of the same outstanding performance, unanimously praised by the judges. If I can allow myself the indulgence of a quote from my own score sheet, “Ridiculously brilliant for its size and weight!” Need I say more? A substantial boot, zero drop on the ‘towing attitude test’ and fab towing equipment looked good, initially, for the Lexus, but a skinny spare with poor access lost it precious marks. Mirror fit is faultless, with weight limits of 75kg for the roof loading and 80kg on the towball. MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 BLUETEC 4MATIC AMG SPORT £57,624 Caravanability Slightly less luggage space than the class winner and a lack of towing data in the handbook did little to help this model shine in some of the caravanability tests, but it does have a full-size spare wheel and great towing equipment. I’d be surprised and extremely disappointed if the ML underperfomed. But no worries here, as it saw off all the towing challenges, like the real pro 31 YEARS OF SUCCESS 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 Citroën BX 16 TRS Volvo 360 GLE Ford Sierra XR 4x4 Renault 21 GTS Vauxhall Senator 3.0i CD Vauxhall Cavalier SRi Vauxhall Cavalier 4x4 2.0i Rover 416 GTi 16v Volvo 940 SE Turbo Vauxhall Calibra Turbo 4x4 Citroën Xantia 1.9 TD VSX LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER SPORT SDV6 £60,805 Past winners of The Caravan Club Towcar of the Year title 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Renault Laguna RT 2.0 Vauxhall Vectra 2.0i 16v Peugeot 406 GLX Dt 2.1 Citroën Xantia V6 Exclusive Audi A6 Avant 2.5 TDi Seat Toledo V5 Volkswagen Golf V6 4MOTION 2002 Peugeot 406 2.2 GTX HDi Est 2003 Skoda Superb V6 2.5 TDI Elegance 2004 Subaru Forester 2.0 XT 2005 Mazda6 2.0-D Estate 2 TS (136ps) 2006 Kia Sorento 2.5 CRDi XE 2007 Volvo V50 D5 Sport 2008 Ford Mondeo Titanium X Estate 2009 Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI 2010 VolkswagenGolf SE 2.0TDI 2011 Skoda Superb Estate Elegance 2.0 TDI CR 2012 VolkswagenJetta Sport 2.0TDI DSG 2013 VolkswagenJetta Sport 2.0TDI DSG 2014 Skoda Superb Elegance Estate 2.2 TDI DSG 4x4 October 2013 The Caravan Club Magazine 13 N os ew eig ht Ca ra va nw eig ht Ke rb w eig ht Bo dy st yl e Pr ice E B F 137 105 147 £14,190 £15,052 £15,597 SUV HAT SUV 1000 1053 1416 1294 1238 1666 75 50 80 C F C C 114 149 120 119 £18,373 £18,652 £19,384 £19,712 HAT SUV SUV EST 982 1211 1254 1254 1155 1425 1383 1475 75 75 75 75 G E LCV E C E E G K C 155 139 199 136 119 138 132 119 212 116 £20,465 £20,574 £21,966 £23,345 £23,828 £24,185 £24,249 £24,313 £24,571 £24,649 SUV HAT PUP SUV EST SAL MPV SUV MPV EST 1653 1373 1782 1279 1081 1225 1405 1335 1911 1341 1945 1615 2097 1505 1272 1441 1653 1571 2248 1578 100 100 112 70 75 75 75 85 105 88 L F G E LCV K G F 119 149 156 134 233 220 154 149 £25,612 £27,093 £27,568 £27,914 £27,992 £28,504 £29,675 £30,614 HAT SUV SUV EST PUP PUP SUV EST 1169 1396 1309 1401 1602 1693 1405 1344 1375 1642 1540 1648 1885 1992 1753 1581 80 80 80 80 115 100 100 80 E G G E K G E I 139 159 155 134 224 153 139 135 £31,513 £31,683 £32,660 £33,044 £34,491 £34,629 £35,300 £40,612 SUV SUV EST EST SUV SUV SAL SUV 1531 1640 1466 1407 1955 1369 1475 1509 1801 1929 1725 1665 2300 1610 1735 1775 75 100 90 75 135 100 75 150 G G A 162 163 48 £45,114 £49,084 £50,036 EST EST EST 1662 1505 1748 1955 1770 2056 84 75 90 K F J J L 224 145 189 199 229 £53,895 £56,337 £57,624 £60,805 £96,190 SUV SUV SUV SUV SUV 2196 1833 1849 1798 2006 2583 2157 2175 2115 2360 150 80 140 150 150 2 CO ad Ro d an b x ta g/ km CARAVAN CLUB : TOWCAR OF THE YEAR 2014 CLASS 1 Under £16,000 Dacia Duster Ambiance 4x4 Kia Rio 1.4 CRDi 3 SsangYong Korando SE CLASS 2 £16,000-£20,000 Skoda Octavia SE 1.2 TSI Vauxhall Mokka Tech Line 1.4 Turbo 4x4 Chevrolet Trax 1.7 LT VCDi Chevrolet Cruze Station Wagon 1.7 LT VCDi CLASS 3 £20,000-£25,000 Kia Sorento 2.2 CRDi KX2 AWD MG6 GT 1.9 DTi-Tech TSE SsangYong Korando Sports EXT Mitsubishi ASX 4 1.8 DI-D 4WD Skoda Octavia Elegance Estate 2.0 TDI CR Volkswagen Jetta Sport 2.0 TDI DSG Kia Carens 1.7 CRDi 3 Mazda CX-5 2.2 SKYACTIV-D 2WD SE-L Nav SsangYong Turismo EX Mazda6 2.2 SKYACTIV-D Tourer SE-L Nav CLASS 4 £25,000-£31,000 Volkswagen Golf GT 2.0 TDI DSG Toyota RAV4 Icon 2.2 D4-D Touch + Go Subaru Forester 2.0D XC Hyundai i40 Premium SE Tourer Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian Auto Isuzu D-Max Utah Honda CR-V SR 2.2 i-DTEC Skoda Superb Elegance Estate 2.0 TDI CR DSG 4x4 CLASS 5 £31,000-£41,000 Volvo XC60 D4 SE Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi Premium Volkswagen Passat Alltrack 2.0 TDI DSG Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI Executive SE Mitsubishi Shogun 3.2 DI-DC LWB SG3 Mitsubishi Outlander GX5 Auto Jaguar XF 2.2D Luxury Land Rover Freelander 2 SD4 HSE LUX CLASS 6 £41,000-£51,000 Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTEC AMG Sport Jaguar XF Sportbrake 3.0D Portfolio Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid CLASS 7 Over £51,000 Land Rover Discovery 4 SDV6 HSE Lexus RX450h Premier Mercedes-Benz ML350 BlueTEC 4MATIC AMG Sport Land Rover Range Rover Sport SDV6 Land Rover Range Rover SDV8 Autobiography All figures supplied by manufacturers. Prices are for cars as tested, including manufacturer-approved towing equipment and towing-related optional equipment. Class and AWD category winners in red. In cases where 85% of a car’s kerbweight exceeded the Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass of the heaviest caravan, excess ballast was loaded into the car. 14 www.caravanclub.co.uk br ak So e fu lo el co co m ns bi um ne pt d io In n gr su ou ran p ce Pa rk in g 14.1 16.7 10.3 109@4000 89@4000 147@4000 177@1750 162@1750-2750 266@2000 6/MAN/AWD 6/MAN/FWD 6/MAN/FWD H H H 53.3 70.6 47.1 10D 8 19 P/4/1197 P/4/1364 D/4/1686 D/4/1686 16.3 14.4 14.1 13.6 12.8 11.5 10.6 10.7 104@4500-5500 138@4900 128@4000 128@4000 129@1400-4000 147@1850-4900 221@2000-2500 221@2000-2500 6/MAN/FWD 6/MAN/AWD 7/MAN/FWD 6/MAN/FWD H H H H 57.6 44.1 62.7 62.7 13 11E 15E 21E D/4/2199 D/4/1849 D/4/1998 D/4/1798 D/4/1968 D/4/1968 D/4/1685 D/4/2191 D/4/1998 D/4/2191 11.9 14.1 20.8 16.3 10.9 12.1 18.4 13.0 19.8 12.8 9.4 10.9 15.3 12.1 8.5 9.3 14.4 9.8 15.4 9.9 194@3800 148@4000 153@4000 114@3500 148@3500-4000 138@3800 134@4000 148@4500 153@3400-4000 148@4500 311@1800-2500 258@1800 266@1500-2800 221@1750 236@1750-3000 236@1750-2500 244@2000-2500 280@1800-2600 266@1500-2800 280@1800-2600 6/MAN/AWD 6/MAN/FWD 6/MAN/AWD 6/MAN/AWD 6/MAN/FWD 6/AUT/FWD 6/MAN/FWD 6/MAN/FWD 5/AUT/AWD 6/MAN/FWD H H H H H H H H H H 47.9 53.5 37.7 54.3 62.8 53.3 56.4 53.3 34.9 64.2 21 15E 6E 20E 20 17E 16 18E 29 19E D/4/1968 D/4/2231 D/4/1998 D/4/1685 D/4/2477 D/4/2499 D/4/2199 D/4/1968 10.4 13.4 14.1 16.1 18.2 17.0 13.7 11.6 7.6 10.5 11.3 12.8 14.7 12.3 10.8 9.0 148@3500-4000 148@3600 145@3600 134@4000 175@3750 163@3600 148@4000 168@4200 236@1750-3000 251@2000-2800 258@1600-2400 240@2000-2500 258@2000 295@1400-2000 258@2000 258@1750-2500 6/AUT/FWD 6/AUT/AWD 6/MAN/AWD 6/MAN/FWD 5/AUT/AWD 5/AUT/AWD 6/MAN/AWD 6/AUT/AWD E H H E H H H H 62.8 49.6 49.6 55.4 32.1 33.6 48.7 52.3 19E 29E 25E 18E 10E 10A 26E 26E D/5/1984 D/4/2199 D/4/1968 D/4/2143 D/4/3200 D/4/2268 D/4/2179 D/4/2179 12.8 11.9 12.6 10.5 13.9 14.2 10.6 11.8 10.4 9.3 10.0 7.9 10.7 11.1 8.0 9.8 161@3500 194@3800 175@4200 168@3000-4200 197@3800 147@3500 197@3500 148@3500 295@1500-2750 311@1800-2500 258@1750 295@1400-2800 325@2000 265@1750-2500 332@2000 310@1750 6/MAN/FWD 6/MAN/AWD 6/AUT/AWD 7/AUT/RWD 5/AUT/AWD 6/AUT/AWD 8/AUT/RWD 6/AUT/AWD E E F F H H E E 53.3 46.3 47.9 55.4 33.2 48.7 54.3 40.4 28E 19E 26E 32 34A 22E 39E 27 D/6/2987 D/6/2993 D-E/5/2400 8.2 8.6 7.5 6.3 6.5 5.7 249@3600 237@4000 215 + 70@4000 457@1600-2400 369@2000 325@1500-3000 7/AUT/RWD 8/AUT/RWD 6/AUT/AWD F E E 45.6 46.3 155.2 44 42 41E D/6/2993 P-E/6/3456 D/6/2987 D/6/2993 D/8/4367 10.6 9.9 9.3 8.6 7.4 7.8 7.3 7.0 6.5 5.4 254@4000 246 + 49@6000 254@3000 254@4000 339@3500 443@2000 234@4800 457@1600-2400 443@2000 516@1750-3000 8/AUT/AWD CVT-AUT/AWD 7/AUT/AWD 8/AUT/AWD 8/AUT/AWD E F E E E 33.2 44.8 39.2 37.7 32.5 41 41E 43A 43 49 To rq ue Tr an sm iss io n A 30 ver -6 age 0 m (i ph n se to cs) w Av in g 40 er -6 age 0 m (i ph n se to cs) w in g Po w er 17.9 20.6 13.2 En gi ne D/4/1461 D/4/1396 D/4/1998 HEADING KEY: PRICE: OTR including cost of towing equipment and towing-related options. BODY STYLE: HAT = hatch; EST = estate; SAL = saloon; MPV = multipurpose vehicle; SUV = sports utility vehicle; PUP = pick-up. CARAVAN WEIGHT: in kilograms (kg) ballasted to 85% of towcar kerbweight, or to car manufacturer’s towing limit if lower. ENGINE: D = diesel; P = petrol; E = electric (or combination if hybrid); number of cylinders; engine size in cubic centimetres (CC). POWER: BHP @ rpm. TORQUE: LB FT @ rpm. TRANSMISSION: number of gears; type (MAN = manual; AUT = automatic; CVT = continously variable transmission); Wheels Driven (F = front; R = rear; A = all. PARKING BRAKE: H = hand; E = electric; F = foot October 2013 The Caravan Club Magazine 15 E< LE@:FIE N LE@:FIE M@>F DF;<CJ :FI;F98 FEI<K8 8II@M@E> @C<IJ@K <J EFN Room with a view – Unicorn Vigo in Rossini Upholstery K_\e\n9X`c\pLe`Zfie j\\`e^k_`e^j`eX[`]]\i\ekc`^_k% J`eZ\`kjcXleZ_k_i\\p\XijX^fk_\9X`c\pLe`Zfie_Xj j Y\Zfd\XÔid]Xmfli`k\n`k_k_\[`jZ\ie`e^ZXiXmXe fne\igifm`[`e^k_\le`hl\ZfdY`eXk`fef]jlg\i`fi g\i]fidXeZ\#XnXi[$n`ee`e^[\j`^eXe[dXib\kc\X[`e^ mXcl\]fidfe\p% K_\j\Zfe[^\e\iXk`fef]Le`Zfiedf[\cjkXb\k_`j g_`cfjfg_pXjkX^\]lik_\iYpdfm`e^k_\[\j`^ej]fi Xe8cl$K\Z_ZXiXmXefekfk_\e\okc\m\cYfk_`ek\idj f]XZZ\jj`Y`c`kpXe[[\j`iXY`c`kp% =fidfi\`e]fidXk`fegc\Xj\m`j`k nnn%YX`c\ple`Zfie$j)%Zf%lb