This is wrong and potentially offering dangerous advice.

The "rule" or more accurately the guideline is that the percentage is calculated by dividing the actual laden weight of the trailer by the kerbweight of the car (the kerbweight being the weight of the car including a 90% full fuel tank, a supply of other necessary liquids, the driver and no load except the tools and equipment with which the car is provided plus say 25kgs for the tow bar!) and multiplying by 100. To help calculate noseweight - an ideal is 5-7% of the actual laden weight of the trailer.

There are many people on the road who are not only towing illegally (and potentially dangerous to other road users) because of the vehicle/trailer weights but also if the combined weights of both exceed 3500Kg and do not have a full C1/E on their licence then they are driving with no licence and no insurance. This happens often with younger people towing a horse and box behind a 4x4.

Bob

Bob - the 85% suggestion comes from ensuring the tail doesn't wag the dog - which is more noticable when going downhill than up.

I have seen plenty of rig loaded up to the hilt - yet towed responsibly and safely. I have also seen far more which are badly loaded with more weight distribution yet towed behind a car capable to towing far more.

The weight issue I think clouds the responsibilities when towing. A well balanced twin axle heavy load beats a badly loaded single axle in my book.

With regards to youngsters - you put a horse box on a 4*4 and you are approching 3500KG - a Disco 3 comes in at 2700KG!!

My RR Sport and my Swift come in at 2600kgs for the car and MTPLM of 1607kgs for the Swift twin axle I pull. Ive been stopped to check my licence and to weigh the train and axle weights but there isnt much they can say when I produce a Class1 HGV licence!! lol Ive never managed to get an over load on any axles or the total train weight, so far..... And I do carry a lot of stuff if away for a few weeks. I appreciate that the RRS has a 150kg nose weight and was very surprised to see 75kg for the XC60!! My outfit comes out at around 60% match which is perfect as far as Im concerned.

I'm actually surprised that VCUK have deemed themselves worthy of an official response on the forum given that all they did with me was berate me for posting the problems I had with the xc on here. Its good to see the forum benefitting some members over this issue and I hope that Dazzler can get some sort of satisfactory solution to his dilemma as I can appreciate TOTALLY the frustration he feels when trying to get VCUK to address any problems.

Just received the Caravan Club magazine this morning along with the towcar of the year supplement where VCUK placed both versions of the xc60 on test and they commented in there that the 75kg nose weight did seem a bit low for the size of the vehicle. Puts it in line with a Renault Kangoo, Skoda Yeti and the likes. Obviously Volvo are now making sure that every organisation is aware of the differences between the auto and manual models.

4wheeldriver has been rather selective in his report on the Caravan Club Tow Car of the Year Awards The XC60 D5 auto, with its 90kg noseweight, won its price class, whilst the front wheel drive XC60 drivE (75kg noseweight) was runner up. A very good result to add to the Camping and Caravanning Club/ Practical Caravan victory for XC60.

I didnt feel I was being selective as the problem being discussed here is the low nose weight for the manual over the auto. The AWD did win its class but the overall winner was the VW Golf 2.0 diesel.

Volvo UK have today posted a new catalogue/ price list on their web site which now agrees with the manual.

Towing weights vary but all Xc60's are now 90kg towball load EXCEPT the 2 wheel drive 175hp manual gearbox which is 75kg.

Wow! Errors.ommissions, commissions and the effects.
 

Well done everyone for getting some clarity in all this.:thumbs_up:
I suspect that the economy and the numbers of cars not being sold might have something to do with the "about turn / volte face" by Volvo.
The comment on the towcar competition reports about the apparent low nose weight for the XC60 would have been seen by everyone who reads these things (me+ at least 2 others) and lodged in that part of the brain that dismisses cars as they don't seem to fit the bill.
Caravans are getting heavier, so Range Rovers are going to be at a premium for a while.
Manufacturers never get these customers back, and someone at Volvo who knows what they are doing must have actually taken charge, to try to stop the rot.
It's all a bit late though isn't it.
All you VOC members with pre Ford cars which have done under 100K must be laughing at us foolish people who thought upgrading / renewing was somehow advantageous.
I'll be looking for 97/98 V70 XC sub 100k (just run in) diesel with all the toys.
Now don't need 7 seats as eldest just started uni.
Bits on the XC90 are just too expensive. Tyres etc
And 30MPG for a diesel is horrendous.
I suspect that our local council is also going to hit SUV's with higher parking charges. Following the Chancellors tax lead.
We can expect Volvo to deliver a "baby" any day.
Just won't be able to tow anything with it though, will we?
Good job I didn't upgrade the caravan!

I find this shocking to see Volvo publishing these critical facts incorrectly for the first time and then taking so long to rectify a really simple problem getting their facts published correctly. I would blame this complacency on the Ford culture and control.

Just a thought, :lightbulb: I was wondering if any of you have looked on your Registration Certificate V5C. Under Vehicle Details are the technical permissible maximum towable mass of trailer, braked and unbraked. This is a Government Agency issued document that should have spot-on the correct information. Is this information correct? and/or has anyone used the V5C to their advantage in a towing weight dispute?

The V5C does not mention the towball down load limit which is what the discusion here was about - BUT it is a legally enforcable figure & your insurance cover depends upon obeying it.