Car/Truck to pull glider trailer

On Wednesday, March 25, 2015 at 5:04:01 AM UTC+13, wrote:
Hi All,

I am new to this group and last fall added a glider rating to my ASEL certificate.

I am planning to replace my car this summer and in anticipation of purchasing a glider someday, I would like to purchase a vehicle that would do a good job towing a glider. I also want it to get the best gas mileage that it can while still being a good tow vehicle. I don't want something that is marginal and will make long distance towing a stressful affair, but also don't want a vehicle that is overkill.

What is the typical range o gross weights of a single seat glider plus trailer?

Recommendations on a good tow vehicles?

I've towed gliders up to DG1000 and Grob twins with a '95 Legacy Wagon and my current '97 Outback wagon. Both with 2.5l non-turbo. The Legacy was automatic, the Outback is a manual. The manual is better.

I've towed the Grob from Auckland to Wellington, and the DG multiple times between Wellington and Taihape and Wellington and Masterton/Greytown, both of which involve some decent hills.

Glider towing is more about stability than about power. Even if you have to go slowly up one or two hills it probably only costs you a couple of minutes on the complete journey time. However with the 2.5l Subarus I've never had a problem keeping up with the speed limit or the traffic, whichever is slower. Less power would be fine as long as you don't get into cooling problems.

Stability mostly seems to mean the tow ball being as close as possible to the rear axle, and having decently solid rear suspension.

The new(ish) Subaru XV might well make an even better tow vehicle than the Outback, as it has a very short rear overhang even though it has less power.. The CVT would be interesting.

With a 100 km/h (65 mph) speed limit I use about 8 l/100 km empty, and 11 l/100km towing the DG1000. Google tells me that's 29.4 mpg and 21.4 mpg in USA units.