Towing

A good report on the Kia Sorento but in the vital specifications I think a clarification on the tow weight is needed. Towing capacity is given as 2000kg but you should have noted it only has a towball loading of 100kg — which by Australian accepted standards of 10 per cent, means it can tow only 1000kg.

My son is in the market for a used 4x4 twin-cab ute with a budget of $20,000. He tows a 4.6-metre boat plus camping gear once a year. What would you suggest is the best buy among older-model utes?

Your advice please as we have a Falcon and have towed a caravan, about 1900kg fully loaded, with it for several years. It will soon be time to replace the tow vehicle but not the van. We like the convenience of a family sedan for most of the year and then the towing capacity for perhaps three months a year, but we don't want an SUV or four-wheel drive. We are keen to buy something like the Falcon but cannot seem to find a suitable replacement.

We are looking for a replacement vehicle for our Mazda6 wagon, with our 14-year-old son starting to hit his growth spurt and the recent purchase of a Jayco pop-top caravan. We're in north Queensland and most of our driving is long highway kilometres. I am thinking something diesel for the towing ability and economy, preferably seven seats, and have been looking at the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Isuzu MU-X. I have discounted the Holden Captiva7 for poor reviews, the Toyota Prado as overpriced and Mitsubishi Pajero as too old.

Our 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe is a diesel with electric brakes and the recommended towing capacity is 2000 kg. Our horse float is 1050 kg, and with a horse and gear the total is probably about 1700-1750 kg, so well within the towing capacity of the car. A lot of the pony clubs around northeast Melbourne are in very hilly areas or require driving through them. The car doesn't struggle up the hills, but should I be concerned about driving up really steep hills with the towing load close to capacity?

I have a limited budget of about $15,000 and I am looking for a second-hand vehicle to tow a horse float. I have previously towed with a borrowed Ford Territory RWD and found this easy to drive. Would it be a good purchase, or would something like a Mitsubishi Pajero be a better option? I do not need the 4WD aspect.

I own a 2008 Nissan Patrol with a 3.0-litre common-rail turbodiesel automatic with an allowable towing capacity of 2.5-tonne, which I use to tow a 21-foot caravan with gross weight about 2.5 tonnes. I get all sorts of mixed messages from my Nissan dealer and many other Nissan owners about whether it is wise to tow the caravan in overdrive or not. Many say you should never tow this weight in overdrive and to always disengage overdrive at the start of the journey, while others say it is ok. What are your thoughts?