What Car? Q&A - Which 4x4 will tow my horsebox?

Q: I'm looking for a reliable second-hand 4x4 to tow a horse trailer. I won't be dragging the trailer up the side of a mountain, but I will need to pull across unploughed fields from time to time. I've got about £12,000 to spend. What do you recommend?
Kirsty Waring

A: We'd recommend a Nissan X-Trail. It's been our favourite compact 4x4 for many years and, as it's Japanese, it should prove to be very reliable.

It's advisable not to tow more than 85% of a car's kerbweight. In this case, the X-Trail weighs 1650kg, so you can happily tow up to 1400kg.

Avoid the later two-wheel-drive versions if you want to do mild off-road towing across a field, and stick to the later dCi diesel rather than the old Di engine.

A three-year-old model in SE specification with this engine should cost you £11,250 if you're buying from a dealer, or about £10,500 if you find a private seller.