Tow Car confusion - please help!

Agreed👍

I like power as well as weight.

. We also towed an Eriba but with a 2.2 litre diesel Freelander.- for 12 years. The weight ratio was about 60% rather than 85%.  That might seem overkill to some of you but we were rock steady on French autoroutes at 70 mph and the motor bike cops who flew by showed not the slightest interest. And of course we had the power to tackle a dozen big Alpine passes on holidays in and out of Switzerland. 

And now I see others, underpowered, who struggle on the A30 either side of Okehampton. I wonder how they manage going south from Clermont Ferrand. What works in flat country doesn’t work everywhere.

I agree. We're at 75% currently having been at 87% before, and towing is so much more relaxing. I have to say that having an auto also helps. It can lull you into a false sense of security though, especially on longer journeys

I’m with you two. You can’t beat a big beefy tow car which is why we always went for 4x4s in our latter years of towing. Terranos, a Disco, Sorentos and a Shogun all did the job with ease and no issues with using them as day to day cars either.

I agree if possible the old rule of thumb still applies ie, the smallest lightest van you can manage with coupled to the largest most powerful vehicle you can afford.

Bear in mind, however, that a favourable weight ratio alone won't guarantee that you won't struggle on steep hills. One may be running at around 100%, but if you've got the power the drive can be just as relaxing. The other day I witnessed a VW Golf towing a really big single axle caravan up a fairly steep section of dual carriageway at a speed that left a number of other cars standing. I don't know what engine he had in it, but it was impressive.

I towed at 100% with my Passat Alltrack and never had a problem on long climbs such as parts of the A9 to Inverness or driving through Bavaria and Austria. My current car and van is around 75% ratio and while it is less twitchy and a bit nippier, it isn’t so much I wouldn’t happily tow at 100% again. 

Indeed, my 1992 defender 90 (~1500kg) will tow my Ifor (3500kg). It will, but I wont', it's no fun being pushed down the road on drum brakes!

+1 for what other have reiterated in that 85% is just a recommendation. I agree with TimboC in that in my opinion, the heavier car you can buy, the better. 

I now tow with a Mercedes GLE so no towing issues issues whatsoever, and whilst its a fantastic driving solo (if driving a big car is your thing) it's not great fuel economy!

If going for a new vehicle triple check the compatibility of the towbar to an Alko hitch - i have been caught out with an Audi A4 before!

Happy Caravanning!