fuel consumption when towing

[mrdave2003]

I get about 47-50mpg solo with my manual D5 (2004), not much town driving, with about 30-35 max towing a 1300Kg single axle. I am careful with weights so we don't load up too much and have the light weight gas bottles up front.

[rogerb]

Best say not to use a V70 T6 for towing as on our last trip , down through Cornwall , with 1800kg of caravan and a a full car we got 15.5 mpg!
As con paired with the polestared 185 D5 XC90 that got 23 mpg with a slightly lighter caravan on an earlier trip down to Cornwall .
The T6 will pull out of junctions and slip roads ,like the caravan is just not there.
I don't tow over the limit , but don't hang about ether . I could properly get a bit more if I tock it a bit moor slowly , but I don't like holding traffic up .
Roger

[stuartggray]

I have a V70 p2 140hp manual. It gets about 30-32 mpg normally. When it's towing my light Swift Corvette (950 Kg max) it drops to about 28-30.

[volvoid]

Seems very much the case that big engines in general and torquey diesels in particular are best for towing.
No surprises there, but the relativley huge fuel consumption of smaller cars when towing suggests that the engines are under a lot of strain to do it, they just arent tuned for it.

Anyone got any experience of tuning boxes / chips etc on any cars and what effects they have ?

[volvoid]

While I think of it, does anyone find that the more expensive "super" fuels are beneficial ?

[heyskull]

I was away in my phase 1 Volvo V70 140BHP manual last weekend and after having a service my towing MPG came up as 24.6 to the gallon over the 250 miles we travelled.
Which in my eyes was pretty good as I am towing a twin axle 1100 KG (unladen) caravan.
I have probably increased the MPG due to increasing the caravan speed on motorways up to 55-60 MPH at this speed I can comfortably get the car into fifth gear as it was labouring at 50MPH and to keep speeds up had to be left in fourth.

SC

[debcab06]

My 1999 V70 Tdi classic has shown 53.7 miles per gallon on a run from Cheshire down to Cambridge...I would think its ACTUALLY doing about 45 mpg as a rough estimate on what I put in and finished with/mileage

When towing the Sterling 495 caravan (1320kg) the car computor shows 39.7but I think the ACTUAL is probably about 35mpg

[mordred1973]

Originally Posted by debcab06

My 1999 V70 Tdi classic has shown 53.7 miles per gallon on a run from Cheshire down to Cambridge...I would think its ACTUALLY doing about 45 mpg as a rough estimate on what I put in and finished with/mileage

When towing the Sterling 495 caravan (1320kg) the car computor shows 39.7but I think the ACTUAL is probably about 35mpg

Ooooooo what is 35mpg......lol

[graym]

I've got a 2013 XC90 2.4 diesel. I get about 26mpg normal running around town/motorway and about 15mpg towing a 1900kg caravan.

[heyskull]

Originally Posted by graym

I've got a 2013 XC90 2.4 diesel. I get about 26mpg normal running around town/motorway and about 15mpg towing a 1900kg caravan.

That is horrific MPG especially for a diesel 2.4 vehicle.
I realise that is a heavy caravan but that is a very high consumption.

SC