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Skoda's range of towing systems have been designed to do much more than simply pull heavy loads. The factory-designed systems have been fitted to 22 per cent of Skoda cars in Ireland last year, with pricing starting from €499.
Unlike some aftermarket towbars, these complete systems include an electrical harness that plugs directly into the car, which deactivates the rear parking sensors and has an anti-theft device that triggers an alarm if the trailer is disconnected from the vehicle without permission. It can also detect if a bulb has gone on the trailer and can work with park assist systems in certain models.
Another feature of the Skoda towing systems is the Electronic Trailer Stability Assist, which works with the vehicle's ABS and ESP systems to reduce wallow and swaying at speed. When towing heavier loads, which can add a significant amount of strain to the vehicle's engine, the towing system works with the vehicle's engine cooling strategy which is altered to compensate for the additional load it is under.
For vehicles including the Skoda Octavia, Octavia Scout, Yeti and Superb equipped with 4x4 all-wheel drive transmissions towing capacity is up to 25 per cent greater than the standard front-wheel drive models.
Speaking on the topic of towing, Raymond Leddy, Head of Marketing at Skoda Ireland, said: "Legislation around trailer standards and towing licenses and testing has changed since October 2012, with many people uncertain of the regulation. In the main a standard category B licence does not entitle the holder with a standard large 4x4 commercial or SUV to tow a horsebox or livestock trailer because the combined maximum weight exceeds 3,500kg. In this case a test is required to acquire a BE licence. A Skoda Superb Combi 4x4 on the other hand can legally tow a standard 900kg horsebox and two 500kg horses on a standard B licence."
The all-wheel drive range at Skoda is set to expand in early 2017 with the arrival of the production version of its new large SUV, which was recently previewed by the Vision-S concept.