Hi i am looking to buy a caravan and i own a 1.6i octavia estate is this a powerful enough car to pull a 4 birth caravan? i believe it will pull up to 1200kg but i don't want to kill the car in the process, does anyone tow with a 1.6 i would be grateful for any feedback. thanks

Well, I don't have any towing experience, but I'd say that you'd probably be looking at a bit of a struggle anywhere other than flat roads with the 1.6 engine. It's not the most powerful in the world really. Have you already got a towbar fitted? If so, could you 'test drive' a caravan to see how the car coped?

:+1:, a caravan + a fully loaded car is going to make the 1.6 grunt quite a lot I would imagine. No visiting the peak district with that combination. Oh, and you can keep away from Weymouth too

will be fine as your 1.6 will be the 101 bhp version it should be ok, I towed a 4x4 sierra rally car on a 4 wheel trailer 150 miles behind my 1.6 felicia and even that was ok (unless you were a copper lol)

go for it

I tow with mine (only a light but old style caravan (1984) which weighs around 650kg) and the 1.6 pulls it fine. You do end up getting into 2nd gear on the hills. The engine is quite torquey and it pulls well. I generally try and keep the rev's above 2000rpm so its not ladening the engine too much.

Well, I don't have any towing experience, but I'd say that you'd probably be looking at a bit of a struggle anywhere other than flat roads with the 1.6 engine. It's not the most powerful in the world really. Have you already got a towbar fitted? If so, could you 'test drive' a caravan to see how the car coped?

thanks for the advice it is as i expected i'll just have to talk the wife into letting me have a scout now

I tow with mine (only a light but old style caravan (1984) which weighs around 650kg) and the 1.6 pulls it fine. You do end up getting into 2nd gear on the hills. The engine is quite torquey and it pulls well. I generally try and keep the rev's above 2000rpm so its not ladening the engine too much.

thanks for the advice i think i'll wait till i get a bigger engined car!

No worries - Im still dreaming of an RS lol!

I too have a 1.6L, when I bought it, it had a tow bar fitted, over the years I have pulled a number of items with it, dont know the weight of the items pulled but a few were caravans. The engine will do fine once you drive gently and have plenty of fuel on board. Also remember to pump up the tyres for both the car and the vehicle you are pulling.

I have noticed though that its much easier to pull a carvan on a calm day, so check the weather forcast before you set off.