Best petrol tow car for £10,000?

I am currently running a 2007 Land Rover Defender. I love it, but towing a medium sized caravan brings consumption down to 17mpg and for normal use 28mpg. The cost of diesel, tax and maintenance is becoming onerous. Also, clean air zones make the vehicle no longer practical for certain areas of the country.

I'm thinking of downgrading to a tiny Eriba caravan (kerb weight 750kg) therefore I need the most economic 4x4 petrol tow car. I was thinking of a Suzuki Jimny 2010 (1030 kg kerb weight)

Any ideas for a compact petrol 4x4 enabled small car, capable of towing, say, a 750kg braked trailer/caravan? My budget is around £10,000 for an old workhorse.

Asked on 28 December 2022 by Tom

Answered by Lawrence Allan
The Suzuki Jimny is a very good off-roader but it's regarded as quite a poor tow car by those who test or use them. It's not particularly stable and secure even with a relatively light caravan due to its short wheelbase and tall body, so we'd advise against it. We'd be looking at something like a Suzuki Vitara or Dacia Duster, both of which are available with proper four-wheel drive and decent at towing.
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