Mazda Axela 1500cc, will it tow?

OP, without knowing how many km you average in a year, the 2000cc mazda 3 would probably cost about $200/ yr ($4.00/ week) more than the 1500cc model in running costs. The 2300cc model would probably be another $200 on top of that again. More if you do a high mileage or less if you do a lower mileage.
I think a 1500cc would NOT make a very good tow car.

O.K so I am bored and will pick this apart for something to do.

What you don't seem to understand is that cars like yours are new enough to be fairly heavy (due to the beginnings of safety features) but their engines are often still old fashioned and fairly inefficient.

While your car is sitting on the open road burning a maximum efficient mixture of 14.7:1 the Golf can be doing 40:1 (or even leaner).

BIG difference there.

Your car is also unlikely to have a 6 speed transmission, let alone a 6 speed dual clutch transmission that in the real world is more economical than its manual equivalent.

Let alone clever aerodynamics, electric power steering and all the other fuel saving equipment.

Besides, my best effort of 4.71l/100km over a long open road relatively flat run isn't even that startling when you consider that a couple on an actual economy run managed to average under 4.5l/100km over many tanks driving around the world in all sorts of conditions. Admittedly that was in the 1.6 litre version but anyone who knows those motors knows that the 1.6 is barely any more economical in the real world, I suspect because its been designed with low maintenance in mind (fully chain drive).

Lastly, anyone who has driven a Golf GTI will tell you that the electronic throttle is set to be very aggressive compared to the N/A version. The unintentionally brisk takeoff's mean you don't tend to do as well over a tank even though on the open road at cruise economy is much the same.

No doubt you will keep trying to troll me and continue to ignore the physics of the situation to protect your "doesn't sound right so it isn't right" mentality.Have fun with that.

We had a 60's caravan in the family with brakes, and if it doesn't they should put some on (unless its super tiny and light). That goes for whatever they are likely to tow it with.

They think it weighs about 1200KG, if my memory serves me correct even some Falcons are only rated for something like 1000KG unbraked.

Not even that much. Most vehicles are rated at 750kg unbraked even big cars and suv's

trolling !

your posting pure fantasy - i.e. making things up. thats almost the definition of trolling

go to any VW forum & make those claims, you will get laughed off by Golf owners

theres no 2.0L petrol in VW's lineup that is giving 23.5 km/L - & the 1600 isnt getting near that either

thats not my opinion, thatsmk5 Golf owners who are saying your bonkers

what you dont understand is anything about my car / model / engine

its neither heavy nor inefficient as it was stock. ive improved its fuel economy by a km/L

& as for autos, only complete plonlkers mate 4 cylinder engines to an auto. theres no auto on the planet more economical than a right foot jazz

your so far up your own exhaust pipe you cant see the rubbish your posting

Alot of automatics rev less than their counterpart manual cars, so can be as economical or more so by a small degree depending on drivers and conditions.

Way off topic I think, I remember my mum and dad having a 1982 ford laser ghia, we towed a fully laden trailer, 1 months supplies, Early 80's family tent, cookers etc etc etc. The roof rack had the kids tents, bikes and at least 4 surfboards form me and dad. Inside were 4 and 8 year old kids, 2 generous adults. We drove from wellington to north coromandel every summer. I was then and still am amazed that it got us there. It was brand new, after a ( mark5!) cortina and that struggled.

Let's at least TRY be real here.

Contrary to what all the would-be truck drivers on here are saying, you will get away with towing all sorts of things in an average-sized low-powered Jap 4-cylinder car. You just won't be going very fast up the hills. And if you're sensible you'd better take it easy going down the hills too.

But you won't spin out and kill everyone on the first corner, nor will your car crap out in the first 10km of the tow as some of the more alarmist people here seem to be suggesting.

If you are only towing your caravan once or twice a year, AND it's only an hour and a half's drive, AND if it's just a small single axle caravan, then just choose a car that you like driving that happens to have a towbar on the back and a sufficient tow rating.

YES towing heavy loads all day, every day is harmful to small automatic transmissions built for small engines. But if you are only towing for a short distance, once a year, then an auto makes towing delightfully easy. And you won't flog out your gearbox towing for an hour and a half, once a year.

YES it is irresponsible (and illegal) to tow a trailer heavier than your car's rated towing capacity - so choose a car accordingly. An ordinary-sized car like a Mazda Axela should be fine. A compact car like a Nissan Micra/March will not.

depends on if you want the doors to open by them selves, the chassis will strech like a bungee cord.

no way

too underpowered at 1500

and too light a car to tow caravan