Hi All,

First post from a long time lurker.

We may be in a position in the next 12 months or so to swap the car. At the minute were looking at either an Octavia 3 or facelift Insignia. Failing these it will likely be something a little bigger but secondhand (including the Superb).

The main reason for this is I tow a caravan occasionally but this is likely to increase. We currently run a Vectra which copes with the 1400kg van but could do with a little more power.

Ultimately the question is, is anyone towing with their Octavia yet? If so, what engine, bodystyle and van weight?

Thanks in advance.

Pad

The 1.6 TDI/DSG Octavia (II) hatch tows admirably.

Not a caravan, just twin axle trailers.

That's good to know. I fear the current weight loss drive that cars are going through is going to harm towing weights somewhat.

Maybe a last of the line Octavia 2 may be an idea

Check out Autoexpress they did towing car tests the other week with the caravan club. From my poor memory (and it's probably wrong) the 1.2 TSI won one group and the superb won overall.

My octy III vrs est tows really well at a steady 65mph with a 4 berth van on but cant remember the weight of it of the top of my head. Mpg wasnt bad at 35 either with only 800 miles on the ole girl

Actually Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI CR 150PS is the overall winner of the Tow car awards 2013 so it must be good for towing a trailer. Not tried by myself yet.

Link: http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/towcarawards2013

As far as I can see, according to the sales brochure the 2.0 litre diesel 4x4 estate has the highest towing weight limi at 2 tonnes, so from a legal point of view the Octavia is OK.  And judging by the awards cited above, it should be excellent tow car in practice as well.  

Actually Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI CR 150PS is the overall winner of the Tow car awards 2013 so it must be good for towing a trailer. Not tried by myself yet.

Link: http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/towcarawards2013

 

To use your tone, actually  read this http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/skoda/superb/66328/tow-car-year-2014-skoda-superb-estate-20-tdi-4x4-elegance the clue might be in the link.

 

I never said the caravan club, I sais Auto express with the caravan club.  Oh and just check on the left it mentions the Octavia 1.2tsi as the best £16000 to £20000 towing car.

To use your tone, actually  read this http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/skoda/superb/66328/tow-car-year-2014-skoda-superb-estate-20-tdi-4x4-elegance the clue might be in the link.

 

I never said the caravan club, I sais Auto express with the caravan club.  Oh and just check on the left it mentions the Octavia 1.2tsi as the best £16000 to £20000 towing car.

No.

 

According to Top Gear the best towing car is a Land Rover Discovery.

 

Lol, a 1.2 litre tow car - what a joke.

To use your tone, actually  read this http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/skoda/superb/66328/tow-car-year-2014-skoda-superb-estate-20-tdi-4x4-elegance the clue might be in the link.

 

I never said the caravan club, I sais Auto express with the caravan club.  Oh and just check on the left it mentions the Octavia 1.2tsi as the best £16000 to £20000 towing car.

 

Sorry fot that missunderstanding, in fact i wasn't really replying to your first post. Just wanted to pass the information of some other towing tests.

And I agree the word "actually" wasn't the right choice and i didn't mean to express my "tone" with it, but sorry for that since english is not my first language. Have a nice day    

Sorry fot that missunderstanding, in fact i wasn't really replying to your first post. Just wanted to pass the information of some other towing tests.

And I agree the word "actually" wasn't the right choice and i didn't mean to express my "tone" with it, but sorry for that since english is not my first language. Have a nice day    

 Apology accepted, as Sheldon Cooper has said it depends on where you look.

Thanks all.

I think what clouds the issue is the fact that the size of the car is big for the weight. Top spec models are coming in around 1400kg making it a 100% match for my caravan when ideally we should be 85-90%

This is the issue with the current weight loss of cars sadly. Not a problem if your buying a car and can at the same time. A royal pain if not!

Thanks all.

I think what clouds the issue is the fact that the size of the car is big for the weight. Top spec models are coming in around 1400kg making it a 100% match for my caravan when ideally we should be 85-90%

This is the issue with the current weight loss of cars sadly. Not a problem if your buying a car and can at the same time. A royal pain if not!

 

Ehm ... Both the 1.8 TSI and 2.0 Diesel are rated at 1600kg Making your caravan an 87.5% match

and as others mention, the 4x4 2.0 Diesel comes in at 2000kg

 

IIRC the old octavia's are rated lower than this!

My understanding is that the percentage is based on mtlpm of the caravan and kerb weight of the car. The idea being that is represents the worst possible case.

I've not really subscribed to the theory but if I'm podding out the thick end of 23k I'd like to make sure everything is properly sorted.

As I'm a post 97 licence holder then to tow a 1400kg van with a car below the kerb weight of 1400 kg would render me otherwise than in accordance with my licence.

I can and will in the future be doing my B plus E towing course but even then the notional 85% would be eclipsed by all but the majority of vrs models...

Oh sorry, I misunderstood something.

 

EU did away with those rules for Denmark, so these days all that matters to B licence is that legal max load of Car and Caravan put together stays below 3500kg. Hence I completely missed the point. When you wrote 1400kg I thought you'd misread the tow rating of the Octavia.

 

 

I can and will in the future be doing my B plus E towing course but even then the notional 85% would be eclipsed by all but the majority of vrs models...

 

Ehm .. I consider myself fluent in English but I think my language skills are failing me here, I don't quite get the meaning of this  :|

Although I'll make 1 point: Why worry about the 85% if you're doing B/E towing (law difference again/ or some caravan'ers best practice I'm not aware of?)

 

OK 2 points: I'm sure you'll be happy with a Skoda regardless if which model you end up in  

No problem at all. My iPhone wasn't telling me you were in Denmark!

 

The Caravan Club recommends the 85% rule, as do the camping and Caravanning club. Whilst I recognise its a guideline it's sensible and I'd rather be closer to 85 than 100!

 

From looking at the brochure there are only 3 versions with a kerbweight over 1400kg. All of these are vRS variants which I wasn't really interested in. 

 

Obviously towing at 100% with B + E is allowed, but I'd be happier doing that with a vehicle designed to tow (ie a suv) than a family car that is capable of the same. I'd just feel safer.....

 

Of course there aren't these issues with a Superb but then I'd have to let the wife drive it!