Ask an expert

Hi. I have a 2 berth Caravan weighing approx 1000kg all loaded. I currently use a 1999 Toyota Rav4 3 door 2.0l as tow vehicle. Down to Thames it tows fine but over December down to Paunui it struggled quite a bit on the hills. I am worried i will damage the motor.

Now looking around for something with more torque. This will mainly be my caravan vehicle and therefore do not want to spend too much. $15k at most. Definitely diesel or a bigger petrol vehicle? What is a good torque specification to consider? Will a Van be up to it? When looking at diesel, must it be Diesel Turbo models?

Thank you for assisting.

Cecil

A diesel turbo will be the best for towing but they come at a price. The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado diesel turbo will work well for towing your caravan but in this price range you are likely to find a vehicle with high mileage. The 3.4L petrol model should also do the trick although it is a bit on the thirsty side. A conservative approach would be a petrol 2.5L Nissan X-Trail fitted with an automatic or manual transmission (not CVT).

Thanks for this. How would I know if it is a CVT transmission?
Any other vehicle in mind as I see there is not many of the 2.5 model around?
Will my RAV get engine damage if being pushed to the limit on some hills?

Hi

How would a Mazda Tribute 3.0l V6 compare with my RAV 4 in overall towing of my 1200kg caravan?

Thanks

A Constantly Variable Transmission (CVT) flares when accelerating hard - like driving a vehicle fitted with a manual gearbox with a slipping clutch. The engine revs high while the vehicles speed catches up.

The Mazda Tribute 3.0L V6 is rated to tow a 1600kg braked trailer and towing a 1200kg braked trailer won't be a problem for this vehicle.