Hi all,

Newbie calling from Sheffield, I need some help if possible?

The wife currently has a Subaru Outback, she uses it mainly for work and sometime towing a horse box, the horse box weighs 920kg and the horse weighs about 600kg.

The stables where she has the horse is about 6 miles away but during the winter the roads from home to the stable can be a bit dicy with snow and ice.

Am seriously looking at a 140bhp Yeti, question is, do I need a 4 x 4 or will a 2WD be OK. I have looked on the Skoda website and it's saying the oil burner can tow 2000kg braked!

Answers on a postcard please?

Steve

Ah shucks I will comment

(i) winter tyres regardless of what or how many driven wheels

(ii) Might be better with 4WD but remember steering & stopping will be as much an issue as getting moving.

(iii) Yes RTFM regardless of the Caravan Clubs advice I always simply look at what the vehicle manufacturer allows/recommends towing weight wise.

Ps

Thats not a Horse, its only a Pony?

Well based on the weight, I tink.

Very much what DD says.

Winter tyres will sort a lot of the icy problems out, no matter how many wheels are driven. 4WD is not the great cure-all people think it is going to be. It might be great going up hill, but going down or round bends gravity is a far greater power!

The diesel's have a greater towing capacity, at 2000kg, however that is more than the car weighs, so the 80% GUIDLINES are certainly applicable. I do know that my car used to tow a horse box, but only for short journeys. The 4x4 will certainly give you better traction getting off grass fields.

Go for 4x4, remember it's not just winter that the horse will need towing, it's across sopping wet fields in March that she'll need to find some traction.

Seen a fair few 2 wheel drive cars (usually saloons or estates) that have needed towing off the gymkanha field!

We switch on the "off road" setting on our Yeti and have had no problems at all.

Incidently we tow about the same weight as you - a Richardson trailer (think it's about 920kgs) & a 16.3 horse.

Without question you go 4*4 for that extra little bit of capability.

And don't worry too much about weights and advisory towing levels. When you tow something as precious at SWMBO's horse, nothing else matters - you need what you need.

There is a thread elsewhere all about towing horse trailers. Go search. Lots of useful info there.

G

Keep the Outback it will do you just fine.

Keep the Outback it will do you just fine.

Ignore this person, he knows nothing about Yeti's!!

If you only drive/tow on tarmac roads then 2WD with suitable tyres will be fine, but if you want to go through fields, steep gravel tracks, etc then 4WD is the way to go.

2.0TDi 140PS 4x4 would do the trick nicely.

If you go for the 140 it will be a 4x4 unless I am mistaken as they don't do that engine with a 2WD