With the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars over a decade away, there’s still a place for diesel cars, according to the Camping and Caravanning Club. Diesel sales have declined heavily in recent years, driven down by the ‘dieselgate’ emissions scandal and the rise of hybrids and electric vehicles. Diesel-powered models now account for fewer than seven per cent of all new cars sold, data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows.
Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Hartlepool Mail, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Battery electric cars have long since overtaken diesels, taking a 16 per cent share of the new car market so far this year. Even so, the unique strengths of diesel engines mean they shouldn’t be written off just yet, argue the towing experts from the Camping and Caravanning Club.
“Diesel engines are well-suited to towing,” says the club’s editor-in-chief, Rob Ganley. “A good diesel has lots of torque (twisting force) – think shire horse rather than racing thoroughbred. This means diesel-powered cars tend to hold speed well on hilly roads and motorway inclines.
They also accelerate well while towing without needing to be worked as hard as a petrol engine. “A modern diesel that meets the latest Euro 6 emissions standard is much cleaner than many car buyers realise, and thanks to good fuel economy they generally emit less carbon dioxide while towing than a comparable petrol engine,” adds Rob. The What Car? Tow Car Awards 2024 The Camping and Caravanning Club has just published the results of the Tow Car Awards 2024, a joint venture between the Club and What Car? magazine.
Advertisement Advertisement This year’s field of 30 cars showcased the variety of vehicles which are now suitable for towing, with a mix of diesel, petrol, hybrid, and fully electric cars. Of the seven award winners in 2024, two were powered by diesel engines. The Range Rover Sport D350 won the ‘Money No Object’ award, while the Kia Sorento 2.
2 CRDi was named ‘Best Used Car’. Of the other winners, two were petrol-powered, two were hybrids, and one was an electric car. “It just goes to show the variety of car types that are capable of towing very well,” says Rob.
“Which is right for your needs depends on the kind of caravan or trailer you tow, what other journeys the car is needed for, and whether you have somewhere to recharge at home.” “We’re not suggesting that one power source is better than all the others for towing. But we don’t think anyone with a trailer or caravan should dismiss diesel from their thinking just yet.
” Alternatives to diesel power Advertisement Advertisement More petrol-powered new cars are sold new in the UK than any other kind, accounting for 56 per cent of the market, according to SMMT figures. Petrol cars are the most obvious alternative to diesel for tow car drivers. Like diesel and unlike fully electric cars, refuelling a petrol while pulling a trailer is quick and easy.
Although petrol engines don’t tend to match equivalent diesels for pulling power or fuel economy, the difference has closed in recent years. “The overall winner of the What Car? Tow Car Awards 2024 is the Volkswagen Passat 1.5 eTSI,” says Rob.
“It’s powered by a petrol engine with mild-hybrid assistance. Being a ‘mild hybrid’ electricity never turns the wheels directly, but it helps to reduce the strain on the engine. “Stable, roomy, and practical, the Passat makes a great buy.
” Petrol-electric hybrids Advertisement Advertisement Most hybrids combine a petrol engine with an electric motor, although some use a diesel engine. The majority of modern hybrids are approved for towing, and two such cars won their class at the Tow Car Awards. The Nissan X-Trail uses a petrol engine to act as a generator for electric motors.
The BMW X5 xDrive 50e is a plug-in hybrid, using both a powerful petrol engine and an electric motor to propel this large SUV. “The variety of different hybrids on sale can be confusing for car buyers,” Rob says. “The plug-in models are best suited to drivers with somewhere at home to recharge.
Other hybrids make efficient alternatives to diesels, and don’t ever require plugging in.” Switching to electric power Some tow car buyers don’t realise that it’s possible to tow with a fully electric vehicle (EV). Many new EVs can tow, while the winner of this year’s ‘Best Electric Car’ award is heavy and powerful enough to cope with towing a large, luxurious caravan.
Testing has shown that manufacturer quoted range will be impacted if an EV is towing a caravan or trailer, with range decreasing by around a half. The impact is similar among petrol and diesel vehicles, but they are easier to refuel. Advertisement Advertisement “The Kia EV9 AWD is the best electric tow car we’ve yet tested,” says Rob.
“It’s quick, stable, and extremely spacious for up to seven.” The results of the What Car? Tow Car Awards 2024 prove that a variety of new cars can tow well, from petrols to hybrids to full EVs – and not forgetting diesels. Tow Car Award 2024 winners Overall winnerVolkswagen Passat 1.
5 eTSI 150 R-Line Up to 1549kgFord Focus Estate 1.0 mHEV 155 Active X 1550-1699kgVolkswagen Passat 1.5 eTSI 150 R-Line 1700-1999kgNissan X-Trail e-Power 213 e-4orce Tekna 2000kg+BMW X5 xDrive50e M Sport Electric tow carKia EV9 GT-Line 378bhp AWD Used tow carKia Sorento 2.
2 CRDi 3.
