Tow Car Awards 2019 – all the winners

The Volkswagen Arteon 2.0 TDI 150PS Elegance DSG fastback has been crowned Overall Winner at the Tow Car Awards 2019.

In all, 40 cars were entered, competing for nine awards and the VW fastback also won its 1550-1699kg weight class.

The cars were tested in groups according to their respective kerbweights (from up to 1400kg to 1900kg+), plus four individual awards: Best Ultralight Tow Car, Best Budget 4×4, Best Plug-in Hybrid, and a Fuel Economy Award.

Experienced caravanners from Practical Caravan and Camping and Caravanning (the monthly magazine for members of The Camping and Caravanning Club), were joined by one of What Car? magazine’s expert road testers. The judges assessed each car against four key criteria: towing, everyday driving, practicality, buying and owning.

This year, for the first time ever, the Tow Car Awards had an all-electric car entered – the Jaguar I-Pace. A legal towing limit of 750kg restricts it to micro-caravans or small trailers so isn’t a viable option for the majority of caravanners yet, but the Jaguar’s pace and stability while towing were certainly cause for optimism about the future of electric vehicles as tow cars.

Overall, the awards showed a trend to petrol from diesel, and for the first time petrol cars were outright winners in two award classes (by weight).

Tow Car Awards 2019 – all the winners

Up to 1400kg – Skoda Octavia Hatch 1.5 TSI 150PS SE L DSG
1400-1549kg – Seat Ateca 2.0 TSI 190PS 4Drive FR DSG
1550-1699kg – Volkswagen Arteon 2.0 TDI 150PS Elegance DSG
1700-1899kg – BMW 520d Touring xDrive M Sport
1900kg+ – Land Rover Discovery 3.0 SD6 306hp HSE
Best Ultralight Tow Car – Seat Arona 1.0 TSI 115PS FR
Best Budget 4×4 – Dacia Duster Blue dCi 115 4×4 Comfort
Fuel Economy Award – Ford Focus Estate 1.5 EcoBlue 120PS Titanium X
Best Plug-In Hybrid – Land Rover Range Rover Sport P400e HSE Dynamic
Overall winner – Volkswagen Arteon 2.0 TDI 150PS Elegance DS