Ford Kuga performance towing

Mine was fine over the six years that I towed a 1350Kg Abbey with it.

Can i suggest the OP changes the thread title to something meaningful? Totally thrown by the link between ‘performance towing’ and premature clutch failure! I would also suggest looking in a Ford specific forum too, this might be a known problem. 

It's far too late for the OP to edit it now, FC. Maybe a mod will do it?

"Jugs" isn't helpful either 😋

I just read it as a typo, “jugs” for Kuga.
Personally, I think the OP just needs a better towing vehicle, but that’s only my opinion. That’s quite a hefty van for a Kuga, regardless of all the calculations around a towing match. I certainly wouldn’t want to follow it up Haldon Hill, or some of our Yorkshire inclines.........

I completely agree, TDA. You and I tend to have a very different idea from most others about what makes a good tow car. Our first consideration was how it would cope getting up the hill to home. If we felt it would do that, we had a winner.👍🏻

I don't have the data to give an opinion on whether the Kuga is an appropriate towcar for this size of 'van but as a general comment I am sometimes surprised by what some people consider an appropriate match.  I know that it is sometimes said that an experienced owner can safely tow up to a 100 percent match but after 43 years towing I still like to feel that the 'dog'  is securely in charge of the 'tail' 

Down the years, we have witnessed too many tails wagging dogs, and been stuck behind labouring outfits.
We only tried it once. Lightweight van, lovely MG sports car, nice big engine. Why not we thought? All went well until Haldon Hill, and then we were like Fred and Betty Flintstone pedalling to help get up that hill!😂 Clutch survived, we had a lovely holiday in sports car, got home safely, but MG did need a new clutch. After that we stuck to 4x4’s, proper ones with plenty to spare. Van used to hover along on back of 4litre Cherokee and Wrangler......

Mind, we did once witness a chap on a CL burn clutch out on his LR Freelander trying to get up onto one of higher pitches. That wasn’t the vehicle though, just a heavy footed driver😂 

 .... just a heavy footed driver

It does make you think doesn't it .... whether towing or not, 17000 miles on a clutch isn't very much 🙄

There are so many variables with individual driving style that contribute to clutch failure it is difficult to judge the OP’s problem. You only have to sit behind someone riding the clutch at a red light or hear the engine scream as someone tries to park at the local supermarket to appreciate the lack of mechanical sympathy among too many drivers. In 47 years of driving an average of 20k miles/year the only clutch failure i had was on my first car when the thrust bearing failed. I personally dont think the caravan is too heavy for a 2litre diesel Kuga. 

My sister eats clutches. I am trying my best to persuade her to get an automatic next car she has...... We didn’t grow up with parents who drove, and I was tapped every time by my OH if I dared to risk damage to clutch on some of the old classics we had in our early years. Some habits need curing. I think every car my sister has owned has required a replacement clutch..... 

However, there might indeed be an issue with the OPs car, so not suggesting it’s driver error.