33 replies to this topic

[Rob and Linda]

[ snip ] I know lots of people that tow with the V6 with EcoBoost and say they are never without power. We have a friend with a V8 and he says the MPG between the V6 and V8 is negligible. I guess I would error on the side of more power than less.

 

Toddy

 

Todd, 

 

You do know that Ford's 3.5 EcoBoost has more torque than the 5.0 V8, and some 90% of that torque is on tap at RPMs as low as 1,700.  Great towing vehicle, beats the Ford 5.0 V8 handily.

[Larry R]

We are thinking of buying a 2017 Highlander which now says they tow 5000 but the engine is a 3.5 liter. We do on ocassion go over the Sierra Nevada's or do long passes like going into Death Valley. We are currently using our 2007 4-Runner which we are very happy with but it feels very truck like and want to get more of a car feel. Any thoughts are welcome.

[PeggyD]

I want to get a 2016 or 2017 Honda Pilot AWD. They have a 5000 lb towing capacity & definitely have a "car feel."

[Beetlefreak]

As far as I am concerned towing 5000 pounds is only half of the equation.  We towed our Liberty deluxe with a Honda Ridgeline.  Very capable of pulling the Casita anywhere we wanted to go.  The problem for me was its ability to carry the weight that we have.  We like to boondocks and that necessitates carrying extra water so add 35 gallons at 8 pounds per gallon plus all or our camping gear.  Weight adds up quickly and add the 500 pounds of tongue weight and we were pushing the limits of the Ridgeline carrying capacity.  Weigh the things you want to carry and consider that as well as the weight you want to tow.

 

I don't know about other trucks but our 2016 Silverado ride as good as any car that I have had including the Ridgeline and it gets better gas mileage.

Edited by Beetlefreak, 17 December 2016 - 05:49 PM.

[Rich & Penny]

I think it's important to have a TV that is heavy enough to control the trailer in an emergency situation.  We recently had a wreck with our off-road utility trailer down in Baja when I came around a corner a little too fast and pulled it back and dropped the right front tire off the pavement which put me into a back  and forth situation.  When I finally got control I saw our little trailer had flipped sending all of the contents flying but we did not wreck our truck or the poptop camper we were carrying.  Not sure what would have happened with a lighter truck.  Our trailer weighed about 2500 lbs when loaded which is  only a little less than our Casita.  Our truck is a Dodge 2500.  I was very glad we did not have our Casita in tow when this happened.   After 25 years of driving down Baja that road finally bit me.  We have pulled the Casita down there in the past.  

[vermilye]

As far as I am concerned towing 5000 pounds is only half of the equation.  We towed our Liberty deluxe with a Honda Ridgeline.  Very capable of pulling the Casita anywhere we wanted to go.  The problem for me was its ability to carry the weight that we have.  We like to boondocks and that necessitates carrying extra water so add 35 gallons at 8 pounds per gallon plus all or our camping gear.  Weight adds up quickly and add the 500 pounds of tongue weight and we were pushing the limits of the Ridgeline carrying capacity.  Weigh the things you want to carry and consider that as well as the weight you want to tow.

 

I don't know about other trucks but our 2016 Silverado ride as good as any car that I have had including the Ridgeline and it gets better gas mileage.

 

 

 

Have to agree.  While many small SUVs and mid size trucks have large towing ratings, the payload is usually much less than one would expect.  Add the weight of a WDH, the tongue weight of a Casita (average is currently 418 pounds at my Trailer Weights in the Real World spreadsheet.  I started the searchable by brand, etc a couple of years ago with Frederick's permission & have been adding to is when ever anyone supplies the info).  

 

In any case, by the time you add you, a partner, and your stuff, you may find you are well over the payload rating of your vehicle.  This will be hard on the ride & drivetrain, as well as brakes, etc.

In my case, I was OK with a 2016 Tacoma Off Road when towing an Escape 17B @ 360 pounds tongue weight, but when I switched to an Escape 21, I still had 2000 pounds of tow capacity left, but was over on payload by 150 - 175 pounds.  A F 150 EcoBoost is now on order...

Edited by vermilye, 19 June 2018 - 10:45 AM.

[Ron in Gresham]

We have used both an Acadia GMC with aftermarket hitch & V-6 and a Ford Explorer V-6 with factory tow package with fair experiences.

 

Due to tranny issues with Explorer traded at beginning of season into the Subaru Accent, and am significantly pleased.

 

We tow a 17' Spirit Deluxe, from the Northwest across the Cascades, the Sierras, down into southern Utan on the initial run with the Accent with better performance & better mileage with its 2.5L turbo than either of the other vehicles provided.  

 

The tow package is available beginning in the model just above the base model

[S&NWelch]

We started with an Explorer which was OK.  Had a little trouble on grades over 20% as the 6 in the Explorer was a little strained.  Moved to a F-150, with the OHV 6 plus turbocharged.  All the power needed.

 

[Tampa Rick]

I recommend a balance between power/tow capacity and mpg.....I do a lot of cross country trips from FL to Colorado/UT/SD/WY with my V-6 Nissan Frontier. It does well, I believe the capacity is 5,000 and the mpg is supposedly 15 mpg towing (from what I've been told).  Good to have overkill on towing but gotta take in mpg imo.

[propfishn]

One of the biggest glitches with towing is keeping the truck or suv under its max payload rating, one of the worst offenders here is a Tacoma, they have a low max payload rating, most models anyway like a double cab LB 4x4, or even an access cab LB 4x4. Its hard to stay under that rating and load all your camp gear, full tank gas,  and tongue weight, weight of people in cab, luggage, etc.  Tundra has max payload of 1630 which is pretty decent, F150 is even better. be sure to do the math on future towing rigs before buying, I know my 06 Tacoma access cab 4x4 is generally about 200 lbs overweight on max payload when I tow my 17 SD casita camping on vacations. You can juggle some items into the trailer to allievate excess weight in the truck sometimes.

[Jerrybob]

Got rid of our 2003 Chevy 2500 HD....good truck but mileage was never very good....it was just time for something newer.  Got a new RAM 1500....5.7 Hemi...3.92 rear...4x4...crew cab....tow package. With the 8 speed tranny and MDS....which shuts down part of the engine when not needed....this new truck is remarkable on gas mileage considering we have 395 HP. When not towing....I get 21 to 22 mpg.  When towing....on a recent short trip....I averaged 16 mpg....incredible compared to my old truck. My truck is overkill for our Casita....my tow rating is 11,500 lbs but I also tow a car trailer at times with heavier loads. Love the new RAM....best riding truck I ever owned.  I do not need a WD system with this truck....nor did I need one on my former truck.  Looking forward to many years of pulling our Casita.   

[marcee246]

I tow with a Honda pilot. I have the 2015 Spirit deluxe 17ft.

[cottons]

bigger is better

[jimd]

we are going to tow with a chev 2019 blazer   bought it for that reason   jim

[cottons]

congratulations