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  • Towing and tow-ball capacity of 2011 to 2013 XC90

Hi All,

Considering adding an XC90 to the fleet (various 122S/142S/240/V70's etc). Probably looking at a 2011 to 2013 model, either 3.2 or diesel).

The key reason is that we would use it to tow a caravan (13 ft Jayco Crosstrack, tow ball loading requirement 150 Kg, max trailer weight 1935 Kg)

So the question is: obviously, the max trailer weight is well within the maximum 2250 Kg, but I am at a bit of a loss about the tow ball loading. The Volvo manual (Volvo online 2012 XC90) states that with a braked trailer max tow-ball mass is only 90 Kg, which seems quite low, but I have also seen various other reported information sources state to-ball masses up to 180 Kg for this era XC90. I understand that this could potentially be a legal / insurance issue, and was wondering if Volvo really did make it a rather lame 'recommended' maximum of 90 Kg, and anything over is illegal, or is it really 180 Kg?

At the moment, may have to consider some other type of tow vehicle. As for where we would be towing it, not really going to take it anywhere where a normal 2WD drive car could not go (i.e., no rough tracks etc, just planning on highways, and gravel roads).

look forward to getting your feedback.

Cheers,

Richard.

Hrm... I'm pretty sure its >200kg max

Let me find a spec sheet

I have a 2007 model, but my owners manual has a table which reduces the permissible tow capacity depending on the occupants - 2250kg is for 2 passengers only, 1700kg if you have 4 up.

If they didn't change the owners' manual, then you'd be overweight with more than 3 occupants.

Interesting, We would generally only be having two occupants. I do have access to a weighbridge, so I could always check, once the various details become known...There appear to be a few variables that I was unaware of...

A braked trailer may change everything. Safer to have such thing anyway. In an emergency you don't know where a trailer is going to go,it it's braking it is a better proposition.

I recently saw the result of an idiot in a Ranger who was in the fast lane, had unbraked trailer, must have reacted to a situation and the trailer threw him sideways and the trailer broke away from ute altogether, lucky no other cars were impacted somehow.

Has to be a braked trailer. Max towball capacity of any vehicle with unbraked trailer is 750kg.

In the "good old days" vehicles just had a blanket "tow capacity". This means any muppet can get a 100 series Cruiser, load the roofracks to 100kg, stuff 7 oversized bodies inside and throw a 3500kg caravan on the back - perfectly legal. I think the XC90 takes the more realistic approach (at least in 2007...) that if you have 7 bodies on board you shouldn't be towing at all, and even with 5 aboard you shouldn't be towing anything heavy at all. This should prevent the situation you mention.

These days, you also need to comply with towball capacity (ie the weight of the van actually carried by the car) and gross vehicle mass. There's quite a bit of discussion around over the current trend for dual cab utes as caravan haulers - the problem being by the time you throw a canopy, bullbar, winch, long range tanks, spare tyres etc with a 2500kg caravan you're probably going to exceed the gross vehicle mass...and most of these juggernauts driven by tradies and grey nomads are legally overloaded.

In Australia the tradition (for "stability"...) has been to make the towball mass 10% of the caravan / trailer and with a 2250kg caravan that's 225kg on the towball - which my manual says is the "hitch tongue load" maximum.

As you add passengers, the towing limit decreases and the towball load stays at 10% of that limit - so with 6 people in an XC90 the tow limit is 800kg and the towball limit is 80kg.

I love my XC90 and it's great at towing up to 1400kg comfortably, but for anything heavier I'd be looking for a different vehicle. Just my personal opinion. (And we're having the same discussion the other way...have you tried finding a reasonable ensuite van under 1400kg ?!) The Crosstrack seems to be an interesting vehicle - my cousin just bought one and loves it - but he has a Navara (some people never learn...)

5 days later

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Thanks Staggers,

I have looked at various places on the interweb, and finally found the document that I was after that explains the situation in a simple tabulated form, downloaded from a Volvo Car hosted site that has the various relevant manuals in it. The approach Volvo has taken seems quite scientific, towing capacity and tow ball load fully dependent upon passenger loading, makes perfect sense. It seems that most other manufacturers just give a single stated value. The table fully bears out Staggers comments.

I just could not bring myself to purchase a Navara or indeed any other type of those 4x4 vehicles (the only one I would have seriously considered would be a Toyota Troopy), but it have probably remained unused for 95 to 98 % of the year... With the XC90, you are somewhat more compromised with regard to off-road towing capacity, but you have a comfortable and safe car to drive around in the other 95 % of the time which makes more sense for my intended use.

Thanks for all the responses, all very much appreciated.

Cheers,

Richard.

a month later
4 months later

Have recently checked out an MY13 XC90 (D5)

Owners manual says tow ball limit is 90 Kg for a braked trailer (but you can tow up to 2250 Kg, giving a 4 % mass loading, which is generally regarded as ridiculous). The car is fitted with a genuine Volvo towbar and hitch that clearly states (with Volvo part numbers etc!! for the XC90, that the tow hitch load is 180 Kg (an 8% mass loading). A downloaded web edition of an owners manual states that the tow ball capacity and the braked trailer is dependent on the number of occupants of the car as detailed in the earlier part of this tread.

What the hell are Volvo doing here? So many bits of conflicting information on one model?

I think that I'll go with the downloaded manual.....

I believe there is a thread on this somewhere on here.

@Philia_Bear worked it out for his cc compared to BMW 530D.

In short.... regardless of trailer mass... can't exceed gvwr of the tow vehicle...

5 days later

Volvo (and other manufacturers) often increase the towball download limit in Australia so they don't miss out on sales to people who tow.

Google will return a lot of incorrect results - make sure to check an Australian manual and check the ** and fine print.

180kg is likely correct, and as above don't exceed the GVM & GCM.

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