With huge numbers of people holidaying in Britain as a result of the pandemic, experts at the Caravan and Motorhome Club have named their Towcar of the Year awards, with the Seat Leon Estate taking the overall recommendation.
The Leon won the overall trophy, having been deemed the best option for anyone looking to haul a caravan with a weight of 1,100 to 1,200kg.
It’s the 39th instalment of the competition, making it the longest-standing towcar awards in the country, with each model put to the test around the Millbrook Proving Ground’s demanding and unique vehicle assessment facility near Bedford.
On the pull: The Seat Leon Estate has been named by the Caravan and Motorhome Club as the UK’s best motor for towing
A total of 32 models were put forward for this year’s award across a number of caravan weight categories to make it easier for buyers to know which cars could tow the caravan they own.
Winners have been made across seven caravan weight classes with the addition of two ‘family towcar’ categories as well as recently-launched gongs for other vehicle types, including pick-ups, electric cars and plug-in hybrid models.
Seat’s latest Leon – which is mechanically similar to VW’s current Mk8 Golf – took the crown for this year.
The particular version recommended by the club is the sporty FR 1.5TSI 150PS version, which costs from £26,965 in the UK.
Judges loved its spritely petrol engine combined with a seven-speed auto gearbox.
On the faster sections of Millbrook’s vehicle testing route, it was said to have remained calm and composed, while on hilly, twistier roads it felt agile, the engine coping really well with inclines.
It’s practical too, with the Caravan and Motorhome Club commending it for having plenty of room and a supremely comfortable cabin.
The Leon was recommended by the expert test team for its ‘lively performance’, ‘willing petrol engine’ and ‘composure at speed’ with a caravan hitched up
The decent-sized boot impressed the caravanability judges, accommodating all our touring equipment.
Nick Lomas, director general of the club said: ‘With the rise in popularity of the staycation, it’s more important than ever that the Club continues to provide qualified and unbiased information for its one million members to help them to find the right towcar for their needs.
‘We’ve also been receiving an increasing number of enquiries about the technicalities and practicalities of towing with hybrid and electric vehicles so it’s fantastic news we are seeing a boom in competition entrants and winners in these categories.’
Grenville Chamberlain OBE, the club’s chairman, added: ‘The Club is delighted to be able to share the wealth of data and information about towing vehicles to help both our members and all those who tow.’
How are the Towcar of the Year nominees assessed?
Each of the 32 models selected as the best towcars manufacturers had to offer were reviewed by the club’s own ‘scrutiny team’ before being handed over to a panel of ‘caravanability’ and driving judges.
Caravanability judges tested whether a car’s boot could swallow the bulky accessories normally needed on a caravan trip. They also measured the towball height, both solo and hitched up, and checked the towing information provided in the manufacturer’s handbook.
The cars were then hitched up to caravans ballasted to 85 per cent of their kerbweight, or towing limit if lower and – using specialised apparatus the technical – had their acceleration and braking capabilities measured.
The vehicles were then tested at speeds of up to 55mph on Millbrook’s ‘Alpine route’, which is the same location used for the dramatic Aston Martin DBS crash scene in Daniel Craig’s debut appearance as 007 in the James Bond film Casino Royale, released in 2006.
In fact, that crash set a new Guinness World Record for canon-assisted barrel rolls for a car with seven consecutive flips – and the film crew destroying three cars, with a DBS costing around £160,000.
The Caravan and Motorhome Club tested 32 vehicles at the Millbrook proving grounds near Bedford. It is famed for being the location used to shoot the Aston Martin DBS crash in 2006 Bond film, Casino Royale
The Casino Royale crash set a new Guinness World Record for canon-assisted barrel rolls for a car with seven consecutive flips. The film crew destroyed three £160,000 cars in total trying to capture the ideal crash sequence
Among the tests was a 17 per cent inclined hill start and a 26 per cent downhill brake test, while a car’s ability to join fast traffic from a standstill with an appropriate caravan hitched was also assessed.
Judges then took the vehicles to the high-speed bowl to further assess their capabilities at speeds in excess of UK legal limits.
In the safety of a controlled environment, the judges could induce some instability at 60mph to see how the cars reacted.
The vehicles were also put through reversing examinations.
All-important issues of driver and passenger comfort and visibility were also assessed.
CARS & MOTORING: ON TEST
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