Does anyone own this car for towing their trailer?

[Nickersnackersnockers]

I've just bought a Kia Sorento 2.5l CRDI XS for towing an Ifor Williams 510, that will have two 16h+ horses in it.

Does anyone else have this combination or know anyone who does pls?

Just wondering how they find it

Thanks in advance

Unless you have really light horses I would think that it's a bit much for the car?

Assuming it tows 2.5tonne (it did when we looked, but it was a while ago) - allowing 80% for safety and 1000kg for the trailer, each horse would have to be a maximum weight of 500kg. Most people that I know that travel two big horses use a bigger car. Sorry if that's not what you want to hear, although happy to be corrected if the figures are wrong.

If braked towing capacity is 2500 kg (& I do not myself know if this is true) Ifor W 510 is a little under 1000kg. Two 16h + horses are probably 1600kg, so you are pushing it.
Is it 4x4? Fairly important for towing, as it is this that will get you out of tight spots.
I towed a Wessex (890kg) with a Jeep Cherokee Sport 4x4 with a towing capacity of 2250kg. It was fine towing & had great 4x4 capability, BUT the big end went at 120,000 mi, which may have been due to towing.

The Kia will pull the trailer. Whether it should is another matter. The IW 510 I believe has a max capacity of 3,500kg. (You can check the spec on their website). The Kia has a max braked towing weight of 2,500kg.

With 2 big horses you are going to be overweight.

You run the risk of a) being pulled by the police, b) ruining your car, c) getting into a dangerous situation with an overweight trailer out on the road with 2 horses in.

I am moving up to a horsebox but never towed with anything less than 3,500kg braked towing weight (Landrover, Shogun, Trooper). Yes these big diesel 4x4s are horrendously expensive to run and keep on the road but they are the safest towing option by far.

@Nickersnackersnockers have had a quick google and some Kia's will tow 2.8, so a little more leeway, trailer comes up at a tonne though. What is your car rated at?

Go on the horse and hound forum in Tack Room and ask for ROG's opinion, he knows all about towing and what you can/cannot do.
Personally I think you'll be overweight with two, and I hate towing two even with a bigger car. Your average 16.2 TB/WB type is going to be about 500kg, anything cobby or IDH or overweight is going to weight more, then there's tack and equipment and fuel to take into account.

My 14.3 TB type weighed in at just under 500kg when he was muscled up so a couple of 16.2s, even TBs, are going to be 600kgs I reckon.

My 16:3 TB has an optimum weight of 630kg, obviously she fluctuates a bit.
I would happily pull one with the kia, and I am the queen of economy tow cars but I think 2 is pushing it rather,

Thanks all. The maximum towing weight of the car is 2800kg and the max weight of the trailer loaded is 2584kg. The weight of the trailer unladen is 950kg.

And yes it is 4x4

The camping and caravanning club has a towing calculator on their website btw

I've just looked on the CCC site for that and I would have to join (£52) to use it!

Ah I'll have a look after dinner for you
I'll see if you've given enough info

Bear with ...

Your horses will weigh over 600kg or if chunky potentially over 700kg.

We had a weigh bridge to our yard, my 15.3hh fine sports horse weighs over 500kg. The 16.1hh ID weighed over 750kg so do not underestimate your horses weights.

So you will probably be under 2.8t. However I would want something with more grunt if you have steep hills, or need to tow on grass.

My car tows 3.5t and I often tow mine and a big hunter type. I wouldn't want to try our steep hills with a smaller car.

It’s recommended you don’t tow over 80% of the capacity of the car so that’s 2240kg. If trailer is 950kg that leaves 1290. You won’t manage two 16hh on that.

I used to tow with our discovery and Ifor W HB 505 classic. Once we had our 15.2 Irish sports plus friends 16.2 warmblood, water containers, 4 saddles, tack boxes, etc onboard, I would not have wanted anything less as a towing vehicle. You could really feel the weight when going up steep hills but the disco just kept going. Particularly having to park on soft ground and having to do several point reversing to get out of tight spaces, it never gave up and pulled us out of everything.

Towing cars are great for a couple of ponies/ one horse using good hard standing parking, but not up to the job really, particularly if you compete in all weathers!

I am going to go against the grain here and say it will be fine. I think the 80% rule applies to caravans. I tow a 510 with a sorento with 2 horses and it copes with no issues.

The 80% rule applies to any trailer being towed.

The 80% rule applies to any trailer being towed.

Thanks, could you add a link to where this rule is written down, just had a look and couldn't find it anywhere.

Difficult to find anything concrete on the 80% rule. This is the nearest discussion I could find:-

forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/help-me-decide-between-trailer-and-box.685352/#post-12741028

As far as I aware there isn’t anything in the law but it’s recommended that the trailer weight is not more than 85% of the recommended towing limit of the vehicle. There’s stuff on the caravan site and also on other towing sites. When we bought our IW there was a towing guide and I think it may also have been in there but cant be sure.

It's not a 'rule', what an odd thing to call it. It's just a given that towing to your cars rated capability gives you less control and so is less safe. You can tow 100% but it's not as safe as towing 80%.

It's not a 'rule', what an odd thing to call it. It's just a given that towing to your cars rated capability gives you less control and so is less safe. You can tow 100% but it's not as safe as towing 80%.

Yes, I have a brain and some common sense so I do understand the logic thank you :) I was asking where it was written down - there are various posts (not just on this site) about recommendations/rules etc of 80% but no actual evidence of this. It would appear it is not written down anywhere in terms of being enforceable. I go on the basis that if a manufacturer gives a maximum tow capacity of a car then you can safely tow up to that limit.

OK, so think of it like a 30mph speed limit on a section of road. You are allowed to drive at 30mph,but sometimes it is wise to drive at 25 to go around a corner. You won't find it 'written down', but that's what people do because it is safer. Keep driving at 30 if you want to, it's your legal right, but I'm slowing down!