Towing with a Yeti

[Steve130]

Hi all.

Although we have not yet got a Yeti, we are seriously thinking about one. It will need to tow our 1550kg MTPLM single axle caravan.

Which would be the most suitable, the 1.6tdi or the 2.0tdi?

I know that the weight of the Yeti will be the main factor with the towing weight ratio, we would also like the auto gearbox as well, would this be ok for towing or would a manual be better?

Our current car is a TDV8 Range Rover, but with fuel costs, road tax (£550) and insurance, plus I do a fair bit of running around with work commitments, much as I love the Range Rover, it is time to get a motor that is more economical and will do the same job.

 

Steve.

[Guest FurryFriend]

We had this exact same predicament, and previously ran a Nissan Elgrand V6 3.5 that was outrageously greedy on fuel. 

So we did some serious calculating. 

We now run a quite amazing Yeti 1.2DSG. We sold  our caravan. 

You see, when we worked out all the bills, and how often/little we used the caravan, and the site fees, equipment, servicing, storage, insurance,  depreciation etc etc, we now find that around 10 nice comfy hotel weekends a year works out as far more pleasurable, and without all the hassle of setting up, carrying water, pooh, and putting up awnings in torrential rain. 

Towing with todays fuel costs, is a mugs game. 

And you can use all 3 lanes of motorways when you are not towing . We sold  our Land Rover several years ago for much the same reasons. 

 

Just a thought. 

Edited 2 July, 2017 by FurryFriend

[PirateSyrett]

18 hours ago, Steve130 said:

Hi all.

Although we have not yet got a Yeti, we are seriously thinking about one. It will need to tow our 1550kg MTPLM single axle caravan.

Which would be the most suitable, the 1.6tdi or the 2.0tdi?

I know that the weight of the Yeti will be the main factor with the towing weight ratio, we would also like the auto gearbox as well, would this be ok for towing or would a manual be better?

Our current car is a TDV8 Range Rover, but with fuel costs, road tax (£550) and insurance, plus I do a fair bit of running around with work commitments, much as I love the Range Rover, it is time to get a motor that is more economical and will do the same job.

 

Steve.

 

Hi Steve!

 

Welcome to the forum. We faced the same issue as you and swapped our TDV6 Discovery for a 170 Yeti 4x4 Elegance and haven't looked back. The 170bhp is an astonishingly good tow car and since it's got the bigger brakes it stops well too. Xenon headlamps are awesome in the face lifted version - much better than our Discovery.

 

On towing, we've happily towed our 1550kg, 6.5m German caravan or our 2050kg boat (below) long distance on the evil coast road between Cornwall and Hampshire without issue. I acknowledge that towing purists don't like the fact we ignored the 85% recommendation, but we've done it frequently and it works well (in part because we always ballast the Yeti with people and kit to its axle limits which we check on our local weighbridge). When towing close to our legal limit of 2100kg it would be useful to have a slightly lower first gear, but we've never had an issue with traction and have always got moving. Once running, it goes and stops astonishingly well and is happy upto the speed limit - but we don't push it and we have over 20 years experience towing trailers upto 37 foot long.

 

The Yeti's a great choice and sooooo much cheaper to run than our Disco!

 

Hope this helps, M

 

 

[logiclee]

Even with a top spec 2.0Tdi 4x4 you will be towing over 100%. The Yeti is basically a tall Mk6 Golf so has a pretty small wheelbase.

 

I've been towing caravans for over 20 years but for a 1550kg MTPLM Caravan I'd be looking at something a little bigger and heavier.

 

Lee

[PirateSyrett]

Lee,

 

Good advice!

 

We're just starting to look for our next tow car and having 'stretched' our wonderful Yeti we're looking for a bigger towing margin. Top of the list is a VW Tiguan DSG (2500kg limit) or Kodiaq, but Skoda's rather random tow weight homologation for that car means you've got to be careful when choosing your spec. Some cracking lease deals on the Tiguan at the moment too!

 

Best wishes, M

[eribaMotters]

Steve,

I tow a lightweight low profile eriba. It is 1200kg and with a 110bhp 2.0 diesel a nice match, returning up to 40 mpg on UK roads.

With a 1550kg normal van I would want the 140 or 170bhp 2.0 diesel. Both come with the bonus of 4x4 and a search will show many owners run such a combination. It should be a good match. I am also assuming you cave come across  http://www.towcar.info/

 

Colin

[GreenlineIIEstate]

We were towing a Sprite with an MTPLM of 1355kg with our 2015 1.4tsi 4X4 L&K Yeti and it towed great.

We did however have a problem with the boot space of the Yeti hence the Kodiaq which is now on our drive.

Only towed the van from home to storage (about 3 miles) so far but the Kodiaq feels much much better.

[Beanfeast]

I currently have a 5 berth 1400kg caravan towed with my Yeti 4x4 2.0tdi 170. It's an excellent tow car and easily pulls the caravan, including motorway hills remaining in 6th gear - something I really didn't expect it could do! We've recently done a long trip up to Scotland and back towing the caravan and it really did impress me, I was a bit worried about the size of the Yeti in comparison and the likelihood of snaking occurring. No worries though, it felt completely solid and in control at all times.

 

Previous to this I had a Nissan Xtrail 2.2tdi, whilst that was also a good tow car the handbrake didn't hold the setup on steep hills and you needed to drive in 5th on most motorway journeys. The Yeti just beat it hands down, cheaper to run, better towing torque, felt more in control and wallows around less. 

 

[VAGCF]

18 hours ago, GreenlineIIEstate said:

We were towing a Sprite with an MTPLM of 1355kg with our 2015 1.4tsi 4X4 L&K Yeti and it towed great.

We did however have a problem with the boot space of the Yeti hence the Kodiaq which is now on our drive.

Only towed the van from home to storage (about 3 miles) so far but the Kodiaq feels much much better.

I'm not surprised!

 

Dropped the Yeti in for a service this morning and had a look around the Kodiaq - it's humongous! Nice inside and reminded me of my previous Audi A6 Avant. I thought Skoda was supposed to be the cheaper end of the group. Not any more! 

[Steve130]

Thanks for all your replies.

I know that the Yeti is somewhat light compared to the Range Rover and will be approaching a towing match of around 100% (Range Rover is 50%). I have towed for over 30 years so count myself as an experienced tower but not complacent. I have looked at the mtplm of the caravan and it is 1500kg, so 50kg within 100%.

I will go and have a serious review first before I commit myself.

Thanks again for the advise.

 

Steve.

[PirateSyrett]

3 hours ago, Steve130 said:

Thanks for all your replies.

I know that the Yeti is somewhat light compared to the Range Rover and will be approaching a towing match of around 100% (Range Rover is 50%). I have towed for over 30 years so count myself as an experienced tower but not complacent. I have looked at the mtplm of the caravan and it is 1500kg, so 50kg within 100%.

I will go and have a serious review first before I commit myself.

Thanks again for the advise.

 

Steve.

Fwiw our unladen 170 4x4 Yeti weighs 1660kg according to our certified local weighbridge (no options but full tank of fuel and me - 75kg) vice the 1460kg optimistically listed in the brochure.

 

Real world weights might improve your ratio significantly.

[lawnmowerman]

Rear overhang measured from centreline of rear axle to tow ball will have a significant effect on the safety of the outfit (snaking).

 

Yeti has a very small overhang whereas a Superb's will be much larger.

 

The smaller the better.

 

Bill 

 

[Ootohere]

Yet the Superb gets overall Towcar of the Year awards like last year, and the Octavia has had as well.

Must comes from the Tail not Wagging the dog, or those Caravanning Publications & Clubs knowing nothing....

Yeti has had Towcar of the year in the Smaller 4x4 classes.

Edited 6 July, 2017 by Awayoffski

[lawnmowerman]

29 minutes ago, Awayoffski said:

Yet the Superb gets overall Towcar of the Year awards like last year, and the Octavia has had as well.

Must comes from the Tail not Wagging the dog, or those Caravanning Publications & Clubs knowing nothing....

Yeti has had Towcar of the year in the Smaller 4x4 classes.

 

No doubt about it, modern caravans with their hitches that dampen out oscillations help enormously. But as they age and the friction pads wear they become less effective.

 

It is simple mechanics that the shorter overhang resists snaking better than an equivalent set-up with longer overhangs.

 

When you near or exceed the 100% level then the shorter overhang can be a safer option.

 

Bill 

[Ootohere]

Simple mechanics is lovely, and the theory is all good, but as you know if you tow much and tow with different vehicles, weight is nice, 

(with some power to weight) and a bit of wheelbase is even nicer, and that is lacking with the Yeti.

Edited 6 July, 2017 by Awayoffski

[lawnmowerman]

On 06/07/2017 at 23:17, Awayoffski said:

Simple mechanics is lovely, and the theory is all good, but as you know if you tow much and tow with different vehicles, weight is nice, 

(with some power to weight) and a bit of wheelbase is even nicer, and that is lacking with the Yeti.

 

Of course a longer wheelbase helps (polar moment of inertia?) so many factors to consider.

 

Towing experience invaluable.

 

Bill 

[Pete1961]

I need something that will fit in the std garage, & able to tow 2000 Kg total weight small plant trailer. Yeti 4x4 would in theory do this. The 85% rule might not matter so much as the load is compact & low centre of gravity - not much wind area, unlike a caravan. Journeys would only be local. I gather the 4x4 is a 6 speed box.

I did speak to the Suzuki Jimny crowd re towing a smaller set up - 1300 KG max. They said no problems BUT the Jimny Hi / Lo box only really gave a lower 1st as the gears otherwise overlapped ie 1st hi became 2nd in lo - so you only gained one extra gear, Hence the 6 speed on the Yeti rather than a Hi / Lo range box? Or is the extra gear to give a 70 mph cruising speed @ 2000 rpm, rather than a lower first. Any thoughts on using a Yeti in this way?

I am impressed by the huge boat & trailer pulled by Pirate Syrett.  

[Ootohere]

Wecome,

The Suzuki crowed seemed to not tell you the important bit. Also they were talking nonsense.

I towed lots with Suzuki Jimny Automatics over the last 19 years, they are Rear Wheel Drive in '2 High', and part time AWD in '4 H' for loose poor surface / traction selection, maybe towing off grass, mud, snow, not on the road where there is grip, and you have '4 Low' for offroad and loose surfaces but you can not drive on the road in '4 low' or '4 high; as a permanent thing, and you can not use Low 4 either if there is grip and you will wind up the transmission.

You would not go above 25 mph really in Low.

They are are part Time AWD as are Vitara, S-Cross, Swift & Ignis 'Allgrip',  as will be the New Jimny in 2019.  There used to be Grand Vitara that had Permanent 4x4.

Edited 10 October, 2018 by Offski

[Pete1961]

Thanks Offski, To be fair they did say I would only need the Low box to ascend very steep hills (one is momentarily 1 in 4 here) & that generally the Jimny would do the 1300 Kg & more in high. In fact one guy towed 2000 Kg illegally without harm to the Jimny. I do wish to be legal though & machines of size that can earn me £220 per day  would need the Yeti. With the Jimny I would be limited to the smallest machines that do not dig that well & bounce (eg the Kubota 008 I hired last week)

 

I more wondered how the Yeti might perform at or close to its 2 tonne / 2.1 tonne legal max. I would be within a 20 mile radius of home & could stay off motorways if need be. I would go for a Defender but cannot fit it in the garage, My area is just too rough to leave the car outside permanently, too many chav footballs kicked at car headlights, real answer is to move (if only I could). Thanks again for the interest

[Ootohere]

They were talking crap though.  As to climbing very steep hills, Jimny's need revs, and crawling is OK, but as to long steep hills towing that is not when i would select 4 Low.

Actually Low up hill or down hill was not great as came from the factory which is why some fitted lower gearing transfer boxes, stronger transfer box mountings, and locked front hubs rather than the vacuum ones, and Air Lockers or Detroit lockers / LSD's

and as to using it on the Road that requires being stopped to Select 4 Low, then to come out of 4 Low.

Wheels straight ahead to select 4 high.

Jimny were 1,298cc Single Overhead cam and 1,328 cc DOHC etc. Automatics really so more usable for towing.

 

Re Towing on the road for 'Reward / Commercially' that is a different thing from towing for leisure and pleasure.

 

Best get the right Yeti with the right tyres and you are sorted.

Or maybe a Mitsubishi Shogun SWB or similar that has good Towing Ability.

 

Horses for courses.  If you need a 4x4 do not get an AWD.

   & do not tow, near to the limit, you can have to carry more gear or people,

and it is one thing going up hill, down hill safely is far more important IMO.

Edited 10 October, 2018 by Offski

[Pete1961]

Thanks, I have found a trailer (Bateson 2000MD) weighs 364 Kg empty, is designed to take up to 1636 Kg when laden - is designed to comply with 2WD towing max for Transit vans & similar, I can be flexible with what load I actually put on there. I wondered what a comfortable practical max might be for a 4x4 Diesel Yeti, either 2000 or 2100 Kg  max manufacturers tow weight. Eg  a load of 1371 Kg, 1170 Kg, 1130 Kg.

I really wanted to know the purpose of the 6 speed Yeti box? Does it give a crawler 1st gear or a higher 5th, or somewhere in between?  I will study the Shogun SWB when I get a chance as an alternative.

I doubt the tow vehicle or trailer would ever leave the hard road of tarmacadam, I only need the 4WD for its towing weight ability.

Also I have been told the Jimny is a poor long distance cruising car without a trailer, likewise the Defender, is the Yeti useable in this way

[Llanigraham]

First gear is not a crawler gear

[g6zru]

I towed with a 110 and a 140. Both were good but the 140 was best and returned the best fuel consumption. The 1.6 is NOT recommended for towing.

Don't forget to factor in the towbar and elecrics costs.

 

Fred

[Urrell]

1 hour ago, g6zru said:

The 1.6 is NOT recommended for towing.

 

Where does it say that?
 

 

[Ootohere]

You would want one that VW / Skoda never had in and gave New Engine Management and fitted the flow piece in the intake then gave a 24 month Peace of Mind Guarantee on then someone got shot of.

http://skoda.co.uk/dieselinfo