The Tow Car of the year awards have been announced and JLR takes 4 awards with the Discovery the overall winner.

• 44 cars entered for 13 awards (with 12 separate categories and one overall winner) – all put through rigorous tests on a private test track to provide valuable insights of towing abilities to car buyers
• Judged by experts from What Car? and Practical Caravan magazines plus The Camping and Caravanning Club, the cars are separated into five weight categories and seven special categories (Best Ultralight Tow Car; Best Petrol Tow Car; Best MPV, Best Pick-Up; Best Budget 4x4; Best Hybrid and the Fuel Economy Award) – and one of these is chosen as the overall winner
• In addition to the dynamic towing tests, cars are also scored for practicality, driving (solo), plus the costs of buying and owning
• Exclusive first towing competition test of the new Land Rover Discovery – chosen as the overall winner of The Tow Car Awards 2017 - “As an all-rounder, it sets a new benchmark,” said the judges
• Congratulations to Audi, Ford, Hyundai, Jaguar, Land Rover, Skoda, Suzuki, Volkswagen and Volvo who also won awards this year
• An extensive archive of full-length reviews of nearly 500 cars tested since the first Tow Car Awards in 2007 is available at: thetowcarawards.com 
• The Swift Group, the UK's biggest leisure vehicle manufacturer, has provided a fleet of caravans for the testing every year since the competition started 10 years ago. Any standard stability aids fitted to the caravans are disabled or removed for the testing to ensure judges feel any instability 

The results of the Tow Car Awards 2017, organised and judged by experts from What Car? and Practical Caravan magazines and The Camping and Caravanning Club, reveal this year’s top cars for towing, with a unique archive of full reviews of nearly 500 cars tested since the first Tow Car Awards in 2007 available at www.thetowcarawards.com to help new and used car buyers make the most informed choices. 

To create the most informative towing reviews, the 44 cars entered for this year’s competition were judged for a total of 13 awards by separating them into five categories according to their kerbweight (from up to 1400kg to 1900kg+), seven special awards according to the type of vehicle, and then one overall winner. 

Every vehicle tows a caravan or trailer weighted to 85 per cent of the car’s kerbweight (or its maximum towing limit, if lower) and is put through a rigorous test programme in the safe surroundings of a private proving ground in Warwickshire. It’s not just about their outright performance though, as each car is also scored for its practicality and costs of buying and owning. 

This year’s winners range in size (and price) from the mighty, new Land Rover Discovery to the more humble Hyundai i30 hatchback, with a mix of hybrids, MPVs, estates and 4x4 models in between. 

This was the first towing competition for the new Land Rover Discovery and it continued the success of the previous model by winning its 1900kg+ weight class as well as being chosen as the overall winner. The judges said: “As an all-rounder, it sets a new benchmark.” 

Jaguar and Škoda collected two awards each for the successful combination of performance and practicality for their latest models. The new Jaguar F-Pace was another car tested for the first time at these awards, while the XF saloon won its weight class again. The latest Škoda Octavia and the Superb rose to the top of their weight categories again, with the Superb also winning the Fuel Economy Award, while Ford, Audi, Suzuki, Volkswagen and Volvo also achieved category wins.

The full list of categories and winning vehicles for the Tow Car Awards 2017 are as follows:

1. Up to 1400kg: Škoda Octavia Estate 2.0 TDI 150PS SE L DSG
2. 1400-1549kg: Škoda Superb 2.0 TDI 150PS SE L Executive
3. 1550-1699kg: Jaguar XF 2.0 i4 180PS RWD Portfolio Auto
4. 1700-1899kg: Jaguar F-Pace 3.0d 300PS AWD S
5. 1900kg+: Land Rover Discovery 3.0 Td6 HSE
6. Best Ultralight Tow Car: Hyundai i30 1.4 T-GDi 140PS Premium
7. Best Petrol Tow Car: Audi A4 Allroad 2.0 TFSI 252PS Quattro S-tronic
8. Best MPV: Ford S-Max 2.0 TDCi 180PS Titanium
9. Fuel Economy Award: Škoda Superb 2.0 TDI 150PS SE L Executive
10. Best Budget 4x4: Suzuki SX4 S-Cross 1.4 BoosterJet Allgrip SZ5 4x4 Auto
11. Best Pick-Up: Volkswagen Amarok 3.0 TDI 224PS 4Motion Aventura Auto
12. Best Hybrid: Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine Momentum
13. Overall Winner: Land Rover Discovery 3.0 Td6 HSE 

The caravans used for the towing exercises are supplied by the UK’s biggest manufacturer, the Swift Group. Any stabiliser hitches as standard are disabled or replaced with basic ones to ensure the judges feel any instability created during the rigorous test programme which is designed to push the brakes, handling and engines of the cars to their limits. 

This includes testing high-speed stability beyond the legal limit, slalom and emergency lane-changes, acceleration and braking tests, plus a hill start on a 1-in-6 slope. The cars are also scored on how well they can accommodate a typical load for a touring holiday, plus their buying and running costs, and what they're like to drive when not towing based on What Car?'s expert reviews of each model. 

Commenting on this year’s results, David Motton, Tow Car Editor of Practical Caravan magazine said: “All the winners of the Tow Car Awards 2017, whether they are big or small, have shown us that they’re particularly good as an overall package to tow, own and live with every day.

 “There can only be a limited number of winners, but as you can see from the full reports on www.thetowcarawards.com, many of today’s best-selling cars also performed extremely well. However, when it came to choosing this year’s overall winner it had to be the new Land Rover Discovery as it sets a new benchmark as an impressive all-rounder.” 

TV presenter and President of The Camping and Caravanning Club, Julia Bradbury said: “The Camping and Caravanning Club is delighted to have co-produced the Tow Car Awards for the 11th year. These results give really useful information for anyone choosing a car to tow with, to make touring as safe and relaxing as possible. 

“A big thanks to all the judges and our members who volunteered to help make the event such a success,” Julia continued. 

Tow Car Awards Overall Winners, 2007 to 2017:

2007: Volkswagen Passat Estate 2.0 TDI 4Motion Sport

2008: Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Titanium auto 

2009: Volvo XC60 D5 SE Geartronic

2010: Land Rover Discovery 4 3.0 TDV6 XS

2011: Volkswagen Passat Estate 2.0 TDI 170 Bluemotion Sport

2012: Jaguar XF 2.2D Premium Luxury

2013: Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI CR 150PS Elegance

2014: Nissan Qashqai 1.6 dCi (130PS) Stop/Start System Acenta Premium

2015: Volkswagen Passat Estate 2.0 TDI BMT 150PS SE Business DSG

2016: Skoda Superb Hatch 2.0 TDI 150PS SE Business

2017: Land Rover Discovery 3.0 Td6 HSE 

Kia starts the new year off with an SUV Event along with a host of other offers and deals.

• Free servicing on SUV’s ordered in January
• Zero per cent PCP offer on MY16 cee’d and Picanto five-door
• £1,000 customer savings continue on Carens, Venga and Sorento
• Free upgrade to Sportswagon on Optima
• Caravan Club offer increased to £1,000 on Sorento

Kia Motors (UK) Ltd is starting 2017 with a wide range of offers across its model line-up. 

For private customers looking to buy a new SUV in January, dealerships will be holding an SUV event, to showcase the exciting range of lifestyle vehicles Kia has to offer and allow customers to pick the right SUV for them. 

They will also now benefit from Kia’s servicing package – Care-3, free of charge on models ordered before  January 31 and registered by March 31. The offer is available on all Soul and Soul EV, all-new Niro, all-new Sportage and Sorento models.

For customers looking to buy a new Picanto five-door or MY16 cee’d a great finance offer of zero per cent PCP over three years is available with no deposit between January 1 and March 31.

From January 1 through to March 31 2017, private customers can also benefit from a £1,000 saving on Venga and Sorento as well as the facelifted Carens - which made its debut at the Paris Motor Show last year. 

2016 saw the launch of the All-New Optima Sportswagon. For customers who cannot decide between the Optima Saloon or this new model, a free upgrade will be available, making both cars available at the same list price from January 1 to March 31 2017.

The Kia Sorento comes with a £1,000 customer saving as well as free Care-3 for cars ordered in January. In addition, Caravan Club members buying a Sorento privately through the Kia dealer network will benefit from £1,000 towards Kia accessories. All grades have all-wheel drive, hill-start assist, trailer stability assist, reversing sensors and can haul between 2,000kg and 2,500kg depending on the version, meaning this SUV is a perfect companion for caravanning adventures.

Renault's Captur Dynamique Nav dCi 110 wins £17,500-£22,000 class at 2016 Caravan Club Award

• Captur Dynamique Nav dCi 110 wins £17,500-£22,000 class at 2016 Caravan Club Award
• Judges praised the amount of space available in the compact crossover
• Fuel economy and weight saving helped to secure win for Captur
• Captur is best-selling compact crossover in Europe
• Captur priced from £14,295

The Renault Captur has been awarded the title of Best Towcar of the Year in the £17,500 to £22,000 category at the 2016 Caravan Club Awards. The Captur, in Dynamique Nav dCi 110 guise, beat five competitors to secure the win having been put through its paces to test true ‘caravanability’.  

The judging criteria included value for money, load capacity and suitability for accommodating caravan paraphernalia, how easily it could be hooked up to a caravan and the quality of towing information contained in its handbook.

Commenting on the Captur’s practicality as a caravanning vehicle, the judges commented: “It was great to see such a diverse variety of vehicles entered into the competition this year. There is a vehicle choice for everyone’s needs, whether you tow a small trailer tent or a large twin-axle caravan.  On behalf of The Caravan Club, our congratulations go to all the winners and a special mention must go to the Renault Captur, which showed that light weight, economical cars can make great towcars!”

Sophie Richard, Product Manager, Renault UK, said: “Captur comes as standard with a number of practical storage and convenience features and with the optional Touring Pack fitted, the compact crossover is an accomplished and affordable caravanning vehicle.  We’re delighted with this award and that the judges at The Caravan Club have recognised Captur for its towing and touring abilities.”

Captur is available with an optional Touring Pack comprising of a quick release tow-bar, luggage boot net and front centre armrest.  Priced at £550, it turns the practical compact crossover into a convenient and comfortable towing and touring vehicle. 

Seven expert driving judges evaluated the Captur for its dynamic abilities and ergonomic qualities, with a test route including tight and twisty ‘country lanes’, 17 per cent hill stops and starts, circuits of a high-speed bowl and reversing tests over a four day test programme.

The Captur is currently Europe’s best-selling compact crossover and has sold over 416,000 examples worldwide since it was launched in 2013.

Priced from £14,295 the Captur is available in four trim levels with a choice of two petrol and two diesel engines, with CO2 emissions as low as 95g/km and combined cycle fuel economy of up to 78.5mpg.  The award-winning Dynamique Nav dCi 110 version can tow up to 900kg (braked) and its 110hp 1.5-litre turbodiesel engine has CO2 emissions of 98g/km, placing it in VED Band A, and combined cycle fuel economy of 76.4mpg.  It is priced at £17,695 and comes with a comprehensive specification including 17-inch alloy wheels, handsfree keycard, climate control, 7-inch touchscreen satellite navigation and cornering headlights.

Discovery wins TWO awards in the recently announced Caravan Club Tow Car Awards ceremony.

• Discovery HSE Luxury model claims a brace of class wins in The Caravan Club’s Towcar of the Year Awards

Land Rover Discovery is celebrating its second tow car honour within three months thanks to recognition in The Caravan Club’s Towcar of the Year Awards. The club’s judging panel voted the Discovery HSE Luxury the top model in two hard-fought classes – for all-wheel-drive vehicles over 1800kg and for vehicles priced in excess of £40,000.

In June, Land Rover Discovery claimed its fifth consecutive victory and seventh class win in eight years in the Tow Car Awards, a record unmatched by any rival.

At the Caravan Club’s London awards ceremony, the judges’ citation reported: “Towing is effortless with Land Rover Discovery. The V6 3-litre TD engine, mated to an impressive eight-speed auto gearbox, propels you up, down and round at speeds that a large outfit such as this would initially appear incapable of reaching. Greenhouse-sized windows give excellent rear visibility too.”

The Caravan Club tested 39 cars for this year’s competition, with five expert drivers assessing each car’s towing abilities including acceleration, braking and coping with hill starts. Two judges assessed the vehicles’ usability, and two further experts performed acceleration tests.

Land Rover Discovery boasts several intelligent technologies which help to enhance the towing experience. Trailer Stability Assist detects the presence of a trailer and, above 37mph, it monitors the behaviour of the trailer and uses selective braking of the appropriate wheels to help correct any problems. Towing Assist, a next-generation reversing aid, is also included with the optional Surround Camera System. The Towing Assist technology predicts the trajectory of both vehicle and trailer, guiding when coupling a trailer and providing a predicted path for the vehicle when reversing by superimposing coloured lines over the image on the touch-screen.

2015 Annual Tow Car Awards from the Caravan Club are announced.

The Volkswagen Group continued its dominance of The Caravan Club’s prestigious Towcar of the Year competition by lifting the trophy for a seventh consecutive year.

The competition’s 39 entries were split into six price classes and two weight categories, ranging from the Dacia Logan MCVLauréatedCi at just £12,114 to the all-singing, all-dancing Land Rover Discovery HSE Luxury 3.0 SDV6 at a shade over £60,000.  The diverse entry list included small 4x4s, saloons, estates, hatchbacks, SUVs, large off-roaders and an electric/petrol hybrid.

Each towcar endured the same gruelling series of trials – not only being judged on its towing performance over a testing circuit at the Millbook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire, but also for its ‘caravanability’ – ie how much typical holiday gear and caravan paraphernalia it could accommodate, how easily it could be hooked up to a caravan and the quality of towing information contained in its handbook.  Value for money (initial purchase price and running costs) was also added to the marking equation.

Seven driving judges put the cars through their paces and evaluated each one’s dynamic abilities and ergonomic qualities.  Tests included a mid-range 30-60mph acceleration assessment, high-speed towing appraisal, reversing, emergency braking, ride and handling evaluations as well as hill-stop and restart trials. 

Price Class wins in the competition went to: the Fiat Panda 4x4 1.3 MultiJet; Peugeot 308 SW PureTech 1.2 e-THP stop-start; SEAT Leon ST FR 2.0 TDI; Volkswagen Golf SV GT 2.0TDI DSG; Volvo XC60 D5 AWD R-Design NAV; and the Land Rover Discovery HSE Luxury 3.0 litre SDV6.

From these Class winners, the SEAT Leon ST forged ahead to take the overall victory, earning comments such as, “the SEAT’s engine kept its torquey feel and produced punch whenever and wherever it was required”, and “even at increased speeds, it remained unruffled and composed”.

All-Wheel Drive vehicles competed in two additional categories – ‘All-Wheel Drive Under 1800kg’ and ‘All-Wheel Drive Over 1800kg’. First place in the lighter category went to the Volvo XC60 D5 AWD R-Design NAV,  while the Land Rover Discovery HSE Luxury 3.0 litre SDV6 took the honours in the heavier group.

The results of the competition were announced at The Caravan Club Towcar of the Year Awards ceremony, held at the Royal Automobile Club in London on 24 September.

For the 2015 competition, the Judges’ Special Award went to the Mitsubishi Outlander GX4hs 2.0 PHEV – the PHEV hybrid’s innovative electric/petrol technology was assessed shoulder to shoulder against more traditional vehicles.

Grenville Chamberlain, Caravan Club Chairman, commented, “It was great to see such a diverse variety of vehicles entered into this competition.  Whether people want to tow a small trailer tent or a large, twin-axle caravan, there is a vehicle choice to suit all needs.  On behalf of The Caravan Club, our congratulations go to all the winners, and a special mention to SEAT for their victorious Leon.  I am sure we will be seeing competition entrants on Club sites in the near future.”

Jaguar Land Rover celebrate four wins at Towcar of the Year awards 2013

• The Caravan Club names Range Rover class winner in over 1800kg class and over £51,000 class
• Jaguar XF 2.2D Luxury wins the £31,000 - £41,000 class while the XF Sportbrake 3.0D Portfolio wins the £41,000 - £51,000 class

Both Jaguar and Land Rover are celebrating double successes in The Caravan Club’s Towcar of the Year awards 2014. The All-New Range Rover and Jaguar XF and XF Sportbrake each claimed awards in the prestigious competition, the results of which were announced at The Royal Automobile Club in London yesterday.

The Range Rover  was named as best tow car in both the over 1800kg and the over £51,000 class with the judges saying: “This vehicle was described as feeling more like a sports car than a two-tonne 4x4.  With clever innovation blended seamlessly with years of 4WD development, experience and engineering, the Range Rover was described as “simply perfect for towing”; large luggage space and plenty of carrying capacity makes this an amazingly capable towcar.”

The the Jaguar XF was named winner in the £31,000 - £41,000 class and XF Sportbrake took top honours in the £41,000 - £51,000 class. The judges described the Jaguar XF as: “a car with sporty performance and frugal consumption – a great towcar. “Superb”, “brilliant”, “effortless” and “beautifully poised” were just some of the ways judges described this vehicle.  Who wouldn't want to caravan with a Jaguar, especially one that provides such an effortless performance?”

Testing for The Caravan Club Towcar of the Year awards was carried out at Millbrook Proving Ground, each vehicle being assessed to determine its towing ability, dynamics when hitched, acceleration, braking and ability to cope with demanding hill starts.

The All New Range Rover which was launched to critical acclaim in 2012, has recently received enhanced technology upgrades and increased powertrain options for 2013. The existing choice of diesel and petrol powertrains is carried over with the additional availability of the powerful 4.4-litre SDV8 diesel in the Range Rover Sport, and the introduction of V6-powered, 340hp hybrid models (with CO2 ratings of just 169g/km).

The newly available customer-focused driver assistance technologies include: Traffic Sign Recognition, Lane Departure Warning and Perpendicular Park, while the new Land Rover InControlTM will deliver a host of connectivity features, keeping drivers and passengers in touch with their world.

The XF Sportbrake combines the luxury, performance and quality of the XF saloon with an extra dimension of versatility. The larger load area can be extended to a maximum 1,675 litres using a simple one-touch folding mechanism for the rear seats, and customers can build on the XF Sportbrake’s fundamental adaptability with a wide choice of accessories that are designed and engineered for sports and leisure. The optional towing system allows for braked trailers of up to 1,850kg.