Ask an expert

I have read on an English motoring site that both the 2 litre Ford Focus Wagon and the Subaru Impreza 4WD are capable of towing a light caravan up to 1200 kgs, however in New Zealand they are not recommended for such. I currently have a Honda CR-V 2.4 which does an admirable job, but costs an arm and a leg in fuel. What are the best alternatives in a smaller 2 litre car?

Hi there,
it depends on the year, vehicle, and transmission type you are looking at. A NZ new 2012 Ford Focus has a Powershift transmission that was particularly prone to faults and therefore not recommended for towing nor lists a rating. The 2012 Impreza NZ new has a 1,200kg braked trailer tow capacity. It has a CVT transmission which is normally not recommended for towing, but Subaru has a very good one hence the manufacturer listed a tow rating. Subaru engines are not really known for delivering outstanding fuel economy, but are great at everything else. NZ sources a lot of vehicle from Japan and they don't seem to tow over there and so there is little tow information for those vehicles, so we have to look at the NZ new ones and the import equivalents. Maybe look at a Mazda 6/Atenza, Toyota Camry, Mazda CX-5, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson and see if you can find anything suitable.