What 4wd performance estate for towing?

[Mike_C]

Hi all,

I could be in the market for a replacement vehicle over the coming months and want something that fits the following criteria:

- Nice to drive - I don't want a big, wallowy 4x4 necessarily, but something comfortable to drive, all the leather and toys, etc - would really like a panoramic roof if possible, but that may be narrowing my search substantially!
- Estate or 4x4 size, rather than a saloon/coupe, so I can take stuff to the tip (big garden = lots of garden waste!) - doesn't need to be huge, think 3-series rather than 5, Freelander rather than Discovery 3, etc
- Auto, ideally with tiptronic - just cos I'm getting lazy to be honest
- 4wd, as frankly I had enough of getting stuck in the snow last winter
- Towbar - would be nice to tow the motorbike to trackdays so need to be able to fit a towbar to the vehicle

Now, the obvious answer is some form of Subaru, but I have a lower limit of 25mpg - and I know the petrol Subaru's are terrible on fuel, and their diesel engines aren't great - is this fair?

So, any recommendations? Can be a traditional 4x4 or a 4wd estate. Current favourites are a 3.0D X5 (or X3) - budget is circa £10k.

Cheers!

[jdbecks]

I have a Subaru Outback 2.5 4wd, its really comfy has all the creature comforts...seems pretty reliable,It has a tow bar, and although I have not towed anything with it..I reakon it would do it no problems.

my car has the following,

2 sunroofs
auto climate control
cd player
half leather and suede seats ( can get them in full leather)
heated seats
heated mirrors
electric windows, sunroof, mirrors etc
cruise control
hi/lo ratio
heated front windscreen wiper thingy..I think its ment to heat up the ice on the frontwindscreen to stop the wiper blades sticking to it...but think its more gimicky than anything usefull
cup holder
I think thats everything..

Its got good luggage space, I can get about 30mpg from it, handles well and seems to pull well, it weighs about 1500kg, all the seats can fold down completely flat and it is really comfy to drive. only bad thing is, visability when parking is not to great..and does not seem to have a very good turning circle compared to other estates I have driven.

Edited by jdbecks on Monday 5th July 23:11

Edited by jdbecks on Monday 5th July 23:13

[Vidal Baboon]

Allroad?

[slipstream 1985]

remember if you got your licence after 96 you need to do a seperate test for a trailer.

[Mike_C]

slipstream 1985 said:

remember if you got your licence after 96 you need to do a seperate test for a trailer.

Can tow a trailer up to 750kg I believe? Which a motorbike trailer + bike should be fine!

Allroad a bit too big I think, guy at work has one.

Will take a look at the Outback, but neither appeal as much as an X5 at present...!

[mrmr96]

slipstream 1985 said:

remember if you got your licence after 96 you need to do a seperate test for a trailer.

No you don't.

[anonymous-user]

Vidal Baboon said:

Allroad?

+1

This was my first thought.

[R1chardP]

Might have trouble getting a RHD one but something like a 535xd would de ideal.

Incidentally on the towing front, the restriction is that the max gross weight of the car + the max gross weight of the trailer has to be less than 3.5 tons if you got your license after '96.

[CraigyMc]

mrmr96 said:

slipstream 1985 said:

remember if you got your licence after 96 you need to do a seperate test for a trailer.

No you don't.

Fancy expanding on that?

DVLA says you need one: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensi...

[R1chardP]

CraigyMc said:

mrmr96 said:

slipstream 1985 said:

remember if you got your licence after 96 you need to do a seperate test for a trailer.

No you don't.

Fancy expanding on that?

DVLA says you need one: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensi...

I think that link is for seriously big trailers. This one is for somthing that you are likely to tow with a car:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensi...

[anonymous-user]

CraigyMc said:

mrmr96 said:

slipstream 1985 said:

remember if you got your licence after 96 you need to do a seperate test for a trailer.

No you don't.

Fancy expanding on that?

DVLA says you need one: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensi...

That says licences attained from Jan 1st 1997 can tow up to 750kg. Unless I've read it wrong.

[Vidal Baboon]

R1chardP said:

CraigyMc said:

mrmr96 said:

slipstream 1985 said:

remember if you got your licence after 96 you need to do a seperate test for a trailer.

No you don't.

Fancy expanding on that?

DVLA says you need one: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensi...

I think that link is for seriously big trailers. This one is for somthing that you are likely to tow with a car:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensi...

But you will need it for anything totalling over 750kgs that exceeds a MAM of 3.5t.

Edited by Vidal Baboon on Tuesday 6th July 09:48

[R1chardP]

Hot off the DVLA:

DVLA said:

Category B vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) or a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.

For example:

•a vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a MAM of 2 tonnes coupled with a trailer with a MAM of 1.25 tonnes could be driven by the holder of a category B entitlement. This is because the MAM of the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes and also the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the drawing vehicle
Whereas

•the same vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a MAM of 2 tonnes when coupled with a trailer with a MAM of 1.5 tonnes would fall within category B+E. This is because although the combined weight of the vehicle and trailer is within the 3.5 tonnes MAM limit, the MAM of the trailer is more than the unladen weight of the drawing vehicle
•Vehicle manufacturers normally recommend a maximum weight of trailer appropriate to their vehicle. Details can usually be found in the vehicle's handbook or obtained from car dealerships. The size of the trailer recommended for an average family car with an unladen weight of around 1 tonne would be well within the new category B threshold.

[CraigyMc]

MSTRBKR said:

That says licences attained from Jan 1st 1997 can tow up to 750kg. Unless I've read it wrong.

You are, of course, correct.

I will now shut up.

C

(Been talking this stuff over with the missus, who passed her test post '97. She has to tow 3 tons though, which is why it's a different kettle of fish).

C

[anonymous-user]

Sounds like the perfect car for you would be a Mazda CX-7!

[Mike_C]

A CX-7? Hmm...

[schmalex]

Truly shocking pieces of st IMO.

I had one as a hire car in the US last year & couldn't wait to get rid of it.

I think Audi released an Allroad version of the A4 a year or 2 ago. Not sure what prices on these are at the moment.

Alternatively, the Subaru Forester may be a good bet

[LongLiveTazio]

US cars are often vastly different to similarly named European cousins, though.

[anonymous-user]

schmalex said:

Truly shocking pieces of st IMO.

I had one as a hire car in the US last year & couldn't wait to get rid of it.

I think Audi released an Allroad version of the A4 a year or 2 ago. Not sure what prices on these are at the moment.

Alternatively, the Subaru Forester may be a good bet

Are you taliking about the CX-7? the UK versions are set a lot different to the US versions! they are one of the best driving SUV's out there!

[Hereward]

Audi A4 Avant Quattro. You can get 2.5 and 3.0 diesel variants.