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Topic ClosedSUV Tow Vehicles
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Capt Kidd View Drop Down
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Joined: 18 Aug 2015
Location: Chico, CA
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Posts: 212 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: SUV Tow Vehicles
    Posted: 03 Jul 2018 at 1:04pm
I have a 2016 Dodge Durango with the V6 engine and all wheel drive.  on the flat level highways towing at 55 mph I get 15 mpg.  I just drove from Chico, CA to Roseburg, OR and had the cruise set at 55 and averaged 14 mpg.

It goes over the hills with no effort at all but does down shift going up hill.  Car has an 8 speed auto and usually runs in 6th gear which is 1to1.  Sometimes it will go along in 7th gear and only gets in 8th down hill.
The Pirate's Pod
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NickLPod View Drop Down
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Joined: 10 Jul 2016
Location: Ontario
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Posts: 13 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jul 2018 at 8:24am
We have a 2011 Audi Q5 quattro with the 3.2 litre V6 as the TV for our 2016 R-Pod 180. We bought the Q5 used (it had been a 4 year lease car in Montreal) in 2015 with only 42,000 km driven. It is very comfortable, extremely quiet (hardly any engine, road, tire noise at all) & pulls the Pod well (the big mirrors on the Audi are great to see either side of the trailer). We like to have a solid SUV for Canadian winter driving when the Pod is in storage & we can dream of summer camping trips ...
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Ghosthawk View Drop Down
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Joined: 01 Apr 2018
Location: Fargo ND
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Posts: 128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jul 2018 at 7:07am
After looking long and hard we went with a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee with factory trailer package.

Factory channels for roof racks (for the kayaks)
Listed tow capability was 5500 lbs.

It is a darker red color so I call it "big red" and people stay out of my way.

Have not towed with it yet, but in town it is getting about 25 mpg.

Inside it is the most comfortable vehicle I have owned, bar none. Seats feel awesome. Controls are nicely laid out. We paid 19,000 $ for ours with 90,000 miles on her. And then I bought the best possible extended warranty for the next 4 years.

Your mileage may vary, but thus far big red works for us. But we are still waiting on our pod.
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Location: Wake Forest, NC
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Posts: 6290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jul 2018 at 9:22pm
Originally posted by TheBum

Originally posted by StephenH

If you go for an SUV, make sure it has 4WD or AWD.

Did you mean to say "4WD or RWD"? In the vast majority of cases, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference in handling between 4WD and RWD. 4WD will allow you to handle off-road grades a little better and will be better in slick conditions.
Well, it should have been RWD, 4WD, or AWD. Anything but FWD. Smile
StephenH
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ouR escaPOD mods
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ToolmanJohn View Drop Down
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Joined: 23 Apr 2014
Location: Connecticut
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Posts: 451 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jul 2018 at 9:11pm
 If you know the distances and elevation changes for the kind of towing you're going to do, then a V6 or V8 SUV with at least a 5000 pound tow capacity is what you're looking for.

 If I was in the market, I would look at the new Durango(5.7 V8) , or a slightly used Lexus GX460 (V8), they are nice SUV's. I already have my towing overkill, 2013 VW Touareg TDI (diesel). The VW Touareg is not for everyone, and I would NOT have bought it unless it had a huge powertrain warranty (it came with 10yr/100K). I wouldn't risk a used one unless it had a great dealership and warranty.

Someone already mentioned the older(2003-2007??) Toyota 4Runner V8. That was a sweet combo, but I think it was axed because it was competing with the Lexus GX470.
2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler
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Ben Herman View Drop Down
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Joined: 26 Apr 2018
Location: Gr Junction, CO
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Posts: 355 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jul 2018 at 3:55pm
Out here in the west, the most popular TV seems to be a Toyota 4Runner w/ V8 engine.
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jato View Drop Down
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Joined: 23 Feb 2012
Location: Kewadin, MI
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Posts: 3227 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jul 2018 at 3:19pm
I would agree that the minimum tow capacity would be at least 4500 - 5000 lbs.  Maybe not necessary if you are only going to travel short distances and stay out of the mountains but if you decide on doing the Rockies a lot, which we do, 5000 would be the bare bones minimum.  Even with that there are some steep grades where our V-6 Explorer is working pretty hard to get us up and over the top.  
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'11 model 177
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"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
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TheBum View Drop Down
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Joined: 26 Feb 2016
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Posts: 1407 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jul 2018 at 2:57pm
Originally posted by StephenH

If you go for an SUV, make sure it has 4WD or AWD.

Did you mean to say "4WD or RWD"? In the vast majority of cases, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference in handling between 4WD and RWD. 4WD will allow you to handle off-road grades a little better and will be better in slick conditions.
Alan
2022 R-Pod 196 "RaptoRPod"
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Happy Tripping View Drop Down
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Joined: 27 May 2014
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Posts: 473 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jul 2018 at 2:45pm
Prepare to get deluged with responses, I'm surprised that more haven't responded up to this point.

My 2 cents - ANY SUV with a minimum of around 4500 towing capacity and a tow package will meet your need. I personally wouldn't go lower than around that, but a lot of people do, and many people recommend a higher tow capacity, it really depends on how high the mountains are that you want to encounter.

I use a Jeep Cherokee Trail Hawk
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Location: Wake Forest, NC
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Posts: 6290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jul 2018 at 12:30pm
If you go for an SUV, make sure it has 4WD or AWD. FWD will work, but as Alan said, it is much less than ideal since weight is removed from your front wheels which provide not only steering, but traction. When we were using the Ford Escape, it was really easy to spin the front wheels, even on dry pavement and with a WD hitch. I wouldn't have dared take it on a dirt road that had any significant hills. If Ihad to stop on an uphill slope, I might not have gotten started again.
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
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