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PopUpTom's avatar
PopUpTom
Explorer
Jan 19, 2014

Practical Caravan (British Mag) 2013 Tow Car Awards

This is an interesting video of "family vehicles" being tested as tow vehicles. "Practical, easy to live with, and great to drive every day". These are sedans, wagons, and small SUV's - not trucks.

This is a British Magazine video, so the vehicles may differ from North American versions. The "caravans" used in the testing are very different single axle hard-sided campers (not pop-ups) from N/A models too - more like fiberglass Airstreams.

You will have to go to the website to get actual performance details for the vehicles tested. This video is just an overview of how they were tested.

I thought it was pretty cool, but I understand that the "real" tow vehicle (truck) guys and gals would not be interested. I'm OK with that and they don't need to watch it and waste their time.

Practical Caravan Testing Video
Folding Trailers
  • Road_Ruler's avatar
    Road_Ruler
    Explorer
    Feb 04, 2014
    RobertRyan wrote:


    Francesca remember the outcry on these forums about a car towing a 4000lb European Caravan and it could not been done?
    Baily Pamplona 25ft, 4,400lb towed by car.
    These are the only tow vehicles they use in Europe. No Pickups except for the very rare European 5th Wheelers.


    Nice rig Ryan. Thnxs for posting. It is amazing they can do it with the low tech connection systems. At least here in Canada the use of WDH's are such an upgrade.
  • Road_Ruler's avatar
    Road_Ruler
    Explorer
    Feb 04, 2014
    Francesca Knowles wrote:
    Did I hear right- did that fellow say that they were testing all the cars towing loads that were 85% of total tug weight? That's pretty impressive...

    Such a different world!


    FK, I'm surprised you haven't heard of cars towing trailers before.:)

    In Europe, Australia, Canada, cars have been towing trailers since the inception of trailering. After viewing the video listed above you can see why. They perform so well.
  • qtla9111's avatar
    qtla9111
    Nomad
    Jan 25, 2014
    Francesca Knowles wrote:
    Such a different world! Not just the tugs, either. Trailer design is so different over there.


    Yep, how long will it take for us to get the idea? Maybe we'll wait for the Japanese and Chinese manufacturers and then the competition will begin and we too can have something modern and technologically advanced.

    Funny, they call Europe the "Old World", maybe it's backwards.
  • RobertRyan's avatar
    RobertRyan
    Explorer
    Jan 25, 2014
    Francesca Knowles wrote:
    Did I hear right- did that fellow say that they were testing all the cars towing loads that were 85% of total tug weight? That's pretty impressive...

    Such a different world! Not just the tugs, either. Trailer design is so different over there.


    Francesca remember the outcry on these forums about a car towing a 4000lb European Caravan and it could not been done?
    Baily Pamplona 25ft, 4,400lb towed by car.
    These are the only tow vehicles they use in Europe. No Pickups except for the very rare European 5th Wheelers.
  • Francesca_Knowl's avatar
    Francesca_Knowl
    Explorer
    Jan 20, 2014
    Did I hear right- did that fellow say that they were testing all the cars towing loads that were 85% of total tug weight? That's pretty impressive...

    Such a different world! Not just the tugs, either. Trailer design is so different over there.
  • RimCountry's avatar
    RimCountry
    Explorer
    Jan 19, 2014
    The Skoda Octavia is the winner, a Czech car not available in the USA. Guess we'll just have to settle for using the Beemer. ;)

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