I tow my 1300kg MTPLM Bailey Ranger 540/6 with a Volvo V70 D5. According to What Tow Car thats a 77% match. I have found the outfit to be extremely stable on all roads ensuring the nose weight is as close to 75kg as possible. I have never been struggling for power or grip to date and always feel confident in the cars ability to do what I want it to.
I currently enjoy 39 mpg solo and just over 30mpg towing whilst sitting in one of the most comfortable seats ever made. The road tax is fairly reasonable and should avoid being hammered in the upcoming price hikes.
Coupled with cruise control and a very flexible powerful engine it makes a superb choice for anyone with a caravan within its weight limits wanting to avoid a 4 x 4. I have nothing against 4 x 4s and very much like the Sorento. I just prefered the Volvo as most of the driving I do is solo and I dont require 4 wheel drive.
I tow my 1300kg MTPLM Bailey Ranger 540/6 with a Volvo V70 D5. According to What Tow Car thats a 77% match. I have found the outfit to be extremely stable on all roads ensuring the nose weight is as close to 75kg as possible. I have never been struggling for power or grip to date and always feel confident in the cars ability to do what I want it to.
I currently enjoy 39 mpg solo and just over 30mpg towing whilst sitting in one of the most comfortable seats ever made. The road tax is fairly reasonable and should avoid being hammered in the upcoming price hikes.
Coupled with cruise control and a very flexible powerful engine it makes a superb choice for anyone with a caravan within its weight limits wanting to avoid a 4 x 4. I have nothing against 4 x 4s and very much like the Sorento. I just prefered the Volvo as most of the driving I do is solo and I dont require 4 wheel drive.
I totally agree, I am now on my 3rd V70 & now have a D5. Would never dream off running a petrol one again for a tow car, like jeepster says the fuel comsumption is depressing, my old T5 managed 17mpg coming back from Scotland with a head wind, it got traded-in a few days later.
We are currently touring the Netherlands & being flat & very few hills gives even better mpg, we traveled over 120miles between sites the other day & OBC says that we averaged 37.4mpg doing a steady 55-60mph.
Remember the consumate tow car? My first and best ever towcar was the Volvo 240GLT Estate. What an amazing towcar. Then again it was in the 80's and vans were not what they are now. Sadly a V70 is too light for our van according to What Tow Car. We have recently changed from Mondeo to Sorento, but have not towed with it yet. We are hoping to get away to the N. Yorks moors tomorrow if the weather holds.
I've a 1999 (V reg) 2.5 TDI. It didn't state the kerbweight in my handbook so I had to get in touch with Volvo, they advised that because each car can be slightly different the kerbweights can vary so the exact weight for each car should be on it's registration document. Mine wasn't! but Volvo keep computer records of the spec of every car sold and were able to tell me that the kerbweight of mine is 1415 kg and a maximum towing capability of 1600 kg.
I know the heaviest is the V70 R produced 2005 with a kerbweight of 1732kg.
Mine tows beautifully, although my caravan is nowhere near it's weight limit so shouldn't cause any problems. It's stable, a very comfortable car to drive, the fuel economy is good and I love the boot space. Even when there are six of us going away there always seems to be enough loading room in the car for the awning, pup tent and clothes so we can keep the caravan relatively empty, which I find useful when we stop at the services for a break.
I do know that some owners have had problems with the rear suspension being a bit soft for towing and the back end riding a bit low once the caravan is hitched. I don't know if a previous owner has fitted stiffer springs, but mine is ok.
i find the caravan very level with the volvo and we keep most things like clothes i.e hung up and in the cupboards , food etc etc and yes okay the odd couple of cases of beer well we are hols you know lol no honestly its a brill match we had a 850 volvo estate and that was a beauty tow but the v70 is even nicer its lovely with that bit power under your right foot ,,
while i,m here we just can not decide where to next week dorset or south devon i.e freshwater site or peppermint park ? could not go this whit week as could not get time of work ,, i.d just thought i,d say
Glad to hear favourable reports of the Volvo V70, as my husband is hoping to have one on the Motablity Scheme in November. (The deposit is an amazing £1,299, so not to be missed!) We currently tow a Geist with a Nissan X-Trail, but not in 4WD unless the roads are very wet. Im indoors is worried about not having 4WD, but as we managed for about 17 years without it, I'm sure the Volvo will cope!
This towing capability of the V70 is something which comes up time and time again.
I've got a 2003 V70 D5 and tow my 4 berth perfectly well.
If I go by the weights on the plate, I could tow 1800kgs, that's if I ignore the "advisory" 85% rule. Nobody seems to know what the "real" kerbweight is on each model, so that complicates it more.
The newer models are heavier than mine, so this might improve the situation (or not)
In practice, which is possibly the only way to judge, is that at 58mph it's very stable, at 60mph it can start to snake a tiny bit. But I take very little effort to load the caravan "properly"
So taking all these things into account, I'd be comfortable in towing around 1600kg. That's what my mate does as well, and he's perfectly happy.
You could analyse figures until the cows come home, but the proof of the pudding etc>
I get around 35mpg when towing, 50 to 55 when not
One great plus point is that it's a joy to drive for the 98% of the time you aren't towing, maybe the 4*4's aren't, but that's for others to judge because I've never felt the need to buy one.
Here's some basic info which might help
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/summary.aspx?model=1073&page=3
we have a v40 and van is 1100 hubby is unhappy with hills really struggling in first gear only got £2,000 to replace any advice greatly recd. pulls lovely on motorway but as soon as we get any hills we are burning clutch also when trying to pitch on an incline is nightmare.
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Topic: Does anybody Tow with Volvo V70
