Whats pulling your RPod

Thanks for your input and I am sharing your thoughts on the Nissan but it still makes a good tow vehicle along filling our non-towing needs.  If we get a larger trailer then another tow vehicle will be in order.

f150.   jon

Well sounds like you have chosen a really good trip.  We have taken our 179 from Michigan in Februarys down to St Pete (visiting family) and then out to NM around Deming for the 5 years that we have owned our RPod.  We find that it is a good warm up in the spring.  We normally are gone for about 70 nights.  We are currently towing our pod with a Nissan Pathfinder (6 cylinder).  We use a weight distribution hitch and we are happy with the setup. But the low point is, as you have found out is the average MPGs, which I find is about 12 mpg traveling about 60 mph.  We still enjoy the springs in southern NM.  Enjoy camping on your western trips and summers in Michigan.  If you are not made your reservations for the R-Pod rally in Traverse City at Holiday Park On June 13th to the 16th, you may want to consider attending.  Check out the post on the Traverse City Rally by JATO.  Hope to see you there.

Update:
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.

Recently pulled tan R177, from Mi to FL, then to NM Here’s the skinny on pulling a 2600 lb Rpod with a Pacifica. Bottom line…. on the flat or a low grade (2% or so) it’s just fine; with only an anti sway bar. It will get about 14 mpg at about 65 mph with no wind.

Steep grades are a pain in the neck. It will pull up a 7% grade but I don’t like high rpm’s so I limit it to 3500-4000 RPM, it does prox 45 mph. To slow for me. Not having complete control over the downshifts, like older model Pacificas, exaserbates the issue.

MPG’s - Its hard to average less than 12 or more than 15! I believe the weight is not the major issue but exceeding the Chrysler spec of 40 sq ft of frontal area is. Going from memory, I think the Rpod’s are about 56 sq ft.

Hope this helps others thinking of pulling with a Pacifica.

Frank

We have a 2018.5 171 rpod and have towed it since we got it new with our subaru ascent.  We've found it has more than enough power to tow it even in the mountains and it drives well even in cross winds.  In a couple years we would like to get an EV and are hoping battery development (and coverage of charging stations) will be a bit further along by then.