Forty-two cars were put rigorously through their paces over an intensive
four-day period. An independent panel of six driving judges assessed
handling, stability, the cars’ attitude when hitched, acceleration and
braking. ‘Caravanability’ judges also appraised the cars on their ability to
accommodate large, bulky loads such as water carriers and awning bags and
checked for ease of access to electrics sockets
The vehicles were divided into six price
Classes and two All Wheel Drive categories: Under 1800kg and Over 1800kg.
Vehicles are split into Classes to enable The Caravan Club’s 900,000
members, and consumers in general, to make an informed choice regarding
their car purchase depending upon their ideal spending figure. These results
are important not only to caravanners but to any car driver who tows; boat
and horsebox owners have an equally keen interest in these awards.
The results of the Competition were announced at the annual Caravan Club
Towcar of the Year Awards ceremony held at the Royal Automobile Club in
London on 26th September. Special guest, Mark Blundell, who is a former
Formula 1 driver and current F1 race pundit, joined the judges and
Competition organisers at Millbrook and then presented the coveted Class
awards to representatives from the winning manufacturers at the RAC. Mark
Blundell commented, “It was an eye-opening experience to visit Millbrook and
see how the cars are tested so rigorously and professionally. I am delighted
to be involved with The Caravan Club Towcar of the Year event as caravanning
is hugely popular with motorsport fans. Thousands of fans each year travel
from circuit to circuit with their caravans as they provide the perfect
accommodation solution for a race weekend.”
Bob Black MBE, Caravan Club Chairman, commented, “The Volvo V50 D5 Sport
displayed poise and elegance, its modern good looks will turn heads and
Volvo maintains its reputation for quality and safety. The V50 is a pleasure
to drive and it really is a superb towcar. This vehicle is sure to be
popular with our members, both as a new and used car in future years"
More about the winning vehicles…
Under £13,500 Class
Winner: Kia Rio 1.5 CRDi – Kia’s little Rio showed you don’t need to spend a
fortune to buy a useful towcar. The 1.5-litre diesel Rio always felt in
control and left the driver feeling confident even when crosswinds gave it a
good buffeting. The gearbox is well sorted, the hill start was easy and the
handbrake held car and caravan rock steady.
£13,501 To £16,500 Class
Winner: Fiat Sedici 1.9 MultiJet Eleganza – One of the great surprises in
this year’s Competition, the little Sedici’s one of those cars you want to
drive enthusiastically, and it pays off. The Fiat stormed up the test
track’s long 14% gradient in the third of its six gears, braked nicely and
handled a 17% stop and restart with no problem.
£16,501 To £20,000 Class
Winner: Mazda 6 Diesel Estate TS2 2.0litre 143PS Manual – The Mazda 6 gets
on with the job. It made a mighty fine job of towing a caravan with
faultless stability, one of the best handbrakes in this year’s Competition
and a gearbox with six well-chosen ratios and a nice action that makes you
want to make the most of them. A sensible shape, with plenty of carrying
capacity and a decent noseweight limit makes this a great towcar.
£20,001 To £25,000 Class & All Wheel Drive Under 1800KG Class
Winner: Subaru Impreza WRX 2.5 – Four-wheel drive ensures there is always
plenty of grip, the five-speed gearbox has a lovely action and is superbly
mated to an engine with power and torque to spare; and a firm suspension
means nice flat cornering. The Impreza will not disappoint as a towcar.
£25,001 To £33,000 Class & Overall Winner
Winner: Volvo V50 D5 Sport – Crisp acceleration thanks to a willing diesel
engine and smooth-shifting five-speed automatic transmission, confident
brakes, exceptionally easy to use handbrake and fantastic stability – this
car really has the whole, perfect package. Plus, clothed in modern-looking
estate car style that Volvo calls ‘Sportwagon’, this really is a
head-turning car. And if all that wasn’t enough to convince you, low
operating costs and great load carrying space really do add the finishing
touches to this superb towcar. Volvo has always had a strong reputation in
the field of towing, as well as build quality and safety; the V50 carries on
the tradition in fine style.
Over £33,000 Class
Winner: Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI Estate – The seven-speed automatic gearbox
is a dream – you have to watch the rev-counter to detect when it is changing
up and down. But for its huge torque – 540lb ft from only 1600rpm – you
would never guess the E320’s V6 engine was diesel-fuelled, it is so quiet
and refined.
All Wheel Drive Over 1800KG Class
Winner: Kia Sorento 2.5 CRDi XE Manual – Caravan Club members will know
the Sorento was last year’s Towcar of the Year. This year the returning
champ was just beaten into second place in its price class, putting it out
of contention for the main prize, but it took a category award for All Wheel
drive cars over 1800kg. It is still a great towcar, not only because of its
towing attributes but because it feels like a quality package. Offering a
comfortable ride, the 2.5-litre diesel engine is refined and the selectable
four-wheel drive is easy to engage when you need it
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