Thanks Randa

That's a really interesting post for us. Our Karoq Scout 4x4 is leased and we will be looking to change it within the next year.

We are thinking that we will look seriously at some kind of hybrid to replace it but obviously whatever we go for will have to pull our Troll with some enthusiasm and still return some decent mileage. As far as I am aware the four wheel drive has only kicked in once in the last 12 months so we might be going back to 2 wheel drive with some winter tyres or Michelin all season ones.

Oddly we have been a bit disappointed with our overall mpg, compared to our previous Octavia Scout 4x4, but it seems to give a better mpg when towing than the Octavia. They have identical 150 BHP Diesel engine & 6 speed box..............

It would be good for more posts like this one about hybrids and towing in the real world.

MikeT

Cheers Colin

Your Audi does look very classy. As part of the VAG group I'm sure Skoda would have a similar petrol engine to yours. The difference between towing our Troll and your Triton can't be very much.

We will probably start looking a bit more seriously after Easter. Skoda in Germany have marketed a new style Skoda Octavia Scout that looks very nice but Kath is taken with the added height of the Karoq.

We will see.

Mike

Hi Folks, we used a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV as a tow car for our Troll GT540 for the last couple of years, managed a few trips from Yorkshire to Devon no probs. However I did get a bit nervous towing in the Yorkshire & Derbyshire dales, the engine would scream like a banshee when going up Greenhow hill from Pateley Bridge and as mentioned by others the mpg was not so good, I think 15 - 17 mpg ish. That said it was a good reliable car / milk float, the 4x4 is also not bad for the occasional off road journey. Recently changed car to a Subaru Outback 2.5, just back from 2 week camping in France, 28.5 mpg whilst towing which is not bad in my book.

We tow 540 Troll with Kia Sorento 2.2 Diesel Auto and return 30-32 mpg usually in France or Spain. Driving solo we return 38-42mpg on journeys.

Hello Folks,

We've not that long ago returned from another enjoyable trip to France.
Outward journey to Auvergne area via Paris.
Return journey from Moulins, Auvergne via Paris to Aumale, Normandy.
Home, Aumale to the Netherlands.

Car: VW Golf GTE 1.4 TSI (204Hp) PHEV DSG
Torque 350nm
Caravan: Triton 410 High model

We set off that's me, the wife and our cocker spaniel.
The car had a full charge( I always charge to 80% of full capacity and on normal house charging facilities)
Full tank of petrol, 40L. Set the DSG in E-Mode and added regenerative braking

We set off at about 03:00 am, out of town onto the motorway, set the adaptive cruise control to 90 kph (maximum for towing Netherlands)
Once over the border and into Belgium, reset to 105 kph.

The journey went great until we hit Paris, the wife insisted we turn off the GPS as she had found a nice route on the internet. There she was with a map in hand giving instructions, wasn't long before I heard take the next left, no second left, sorry, meant go right, we're lost. That was it spent some time admiring the back seedy streets of the city, even made a few U-turns. Didn't take long to realise that Paris was a hilly city. I turned the GPS on and before long we were back on route.

The first camping we arrived at I thought would be empty, wrong, it was full. The only pitch with electricity was one with 2 amp, no chance of charging the car.
I did intend to record the car's MPG on arrival but forgot.

The car always had at least 4 kilometres distance of charge showing with the regenerative braking and always set off in pure electric mode.

I recorded the mpg from this camping to Normandy.
Results: Left without charging the car, but with a full tank of petrol. On arrival at the camping in Aumale (Camping le Grand mail) The car gave 8.1 L/Km. about
34 imp. mpg and I hadn't been driving like a vicar.

To summarise: When I'm at home and I'm driving short distances about 20 miles or so, don't use petrol as I put the car on charge at home.
If we go on a long journey solo, it does about plus 75 miles to the gallon
Towing in hilly areas about 34 mpg

All in all a very capable vehicle. I've only had it in GT mode four times and only for short distances, (showing off) it's a beast.
The cars that I have been interested in were the PHEV Kia Niro, Kia Optima and Mitsubishi outlander. I was warned away
from the Mitsubishi at the beginning of my search. Good reports from owners of Kia, but went for a test drive in the VW first
and that was it,
If I was living in the UK I probably would have gone for the VW Passat PHEV as it looks in my opinion more mature and fitting
for an OAP like me

Hi Randa, I now know I should have done, but didn't. I do know that it was very, very economical.
Alan