Smaller petrol Tow Car recommendations

My recommendation is, i wouldn't. Unless your 4x4 is knackered stick with it. A new supposedly more economical car will cost you an arm and two legs in depreciation thus wiping out any theoretical savings on running costs. Otherwise you need to narrow down what floats your boat in a car and give an idea of your spend budget. German solidity, Italian or french flair, Japanese boredom (Subaru and Mazda apart). If changing i really would go for automatic and think about going rwd.

Likewise, we changed from a 2 L petrol to 2.2 L diesel and wow what a difference. Not only in terms of pulling power but towing was about 20 mpg with petrol compared to high 20s  (combined) now

I’ve got a 1.6 petrol engine in my Hyundai and I wouldn’t like to tow a dog kennel with it.

It’s a great run about but will never be a tow car. 

A word of caution , small petrol engine car + small weight caravan is do able.✔️

We towed many years ago a 2004 compass 362 2 berth all in weight 1075 kgs with a Rover 75 1.8 petrol , the caravan weight never went over 1000 kgs because I always kept gear to the minimum.

The Rover managed fine (max legal tow limit 1200kgs) until we changed the caravan in 2014 to a Swift SE which was 1200kgs all in weight , needless to say after nearly 2 years pulling at max weight...... the engine blew😭..... Sad but true..... it was the cleanest shiniest car in the scrap yard.

We still have the same caravan.... but the last 2 Tugs have been diesels enough said. 😉

 I towed a 1150KG MPTLM caravan with a 1.6 petrol Nissan Bluebird Hatchback of about the same weight without driver and 80 horsepower. Had the car from 3 years old until it was written off in an accident at over 14 years old and towed with it for 10 seasons. It had over 100,000 miles on it by then. The reason that it was so low in mileage was that after my wife's death I used it summer only and used an old 2 litre Bluebird estate in winter for 5 years. 

I know that cars are far more advanced as this was a 1999 car and no turbo but I personally would not want to tow a 1,350KG MPTLM van with a 1.6 car. I would rather choose a 1.8 or, preferably,  2 litre with a BHP of closer to 110. I wonder if there is that much choice with petrol engines above 1.6cc but then I have not looked.

Used to tow our Lunar Steller with OH’s 2.0ltr petrol Ford Focus CC.  On hills we had to use the gear box a heck of a lot and on a very good day we might get 18 mpg.  Personally I wouldn’t change my 4x4 diesel tug

I'll stick with my 14 year old X-Trail for towing and 19 year old Yaris for runaround. 

But K Series Rover engines are a weak point in almost any car (Elan & Cateram excepted)

Inevitably with the ecological pressures as well as costs IMO modern cars are being built just to do the job required. Gone are the days where the engineering was over-egged with reserves, now they can't be and we now have the in depth design technology not to need these reserves, we can calculate just what is needed.

In consequence, the modern family car is just that, its not a "tractor" happy to lug its own weight again, plus way more air drag, of a caravan hung on a hook. Engine power and torque-wise these are not the real challenges its the overall ruggedness of everything that gets loaded, these bits are simply not designed for that duty.

This is not going to change for the better in the direction of our requirements, its definitely heading the opposite way, designing for the task and just that.

So, I would not be looking at a small modern domestic car, and definitely not a petrol one for a tug. Best by far pick a motor with towing in its design spec, one expected to tow a caravan or horse box, then it will be designed at least in part for that role.

Or, buy or keep hold of a yesterdays more rugged vehicle, IMO ideally a diesel for hauling. A vehicle marketed before the excesses  of over designing were minimised as a vital part of being competitive, and being environmentally allowed.

With a MTPLM of 1350 I doubt you will find any small car with a high enough kerb weight to give decent safety margin as you should really be looking at at least 1500 kg. Even at that you would still be over 90% as a towing ratio.

I tow a similar weight caravan with a 2.0  petrol engine and that is near its limit. I know different makes have different power ratings but at 1.6  the torque rating which is what you need is too low on the models I have looked at.