Which New Tow Vehicle Would You Choose?

[mgb4tim]

Our tow vehicle, a 2004 Suzuki XL7, was totaled at a red light in April. Our "new" tow vehicle will be a 95 XJ6, once I get the hitch installed this weekend. Light duty towing only, for sure, but at least I can drag around 1500-2000#

[astrotrailer]

I used a 2002 Highlander until last year when I bought a 2113 Highlander. I kept the old one as my 2nd car. The new Highlander is rated to 5000 pounds but my 5x8 cargo conversion isn't anymore than about 1200-1300 pounds packed up with astronomy and camping gear. I do notice my 2113 can head up steep hills pulling the load with no slow down. The older car required that I moved to the slower lane. I get about 18 mpg pulling the trailer and the Highlander rides like a car not a truck. I really like it as a day to day car. My commute is only about 5 miles, so gas millage isn't that big if deal. I am glad I am not driving a full size pickup everyday when I have to pull into a parking lot. My Highlander is a lot easier to maneuver in the parking lot.

[rowerwet]

2113? does it run on unicorn farts? I thought peak oil was gonna drive us to some other fuel source by then...

[printer88]

Wife's 2012 Subaru Forester has been great for us. At $23k out the door it was a no-brainer! Pulls our 5x8 cargo conversion no prob

[Esteban]

I chose to buy a new 2015 Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium with a CVT and the all weather package. Really like it. Foresters hold their value very well so buying a relatively new used one didn't make economic sense to me. Whatever (little) saving there might have been to buy used was not worth it when I plan to keep the Forester for many (10+) years. At freeway speeds I get 30-32 mpg. My average mpg so far is 26+ mpg. I'm 6'4" tall and very comfortably fit in my Forester. I'll take it to the dealer tomorrow for a (free) 6 month service.

I've installed a class III 2" Hidden Hitch receiver to it. Also had a local car stereo shop wire the Forester for a brake controller and a combination 4-way and 7-way trailer connector. With the 7-way connector it''s now wired to control trailer brakes and to recharge a trailer battery when towing. It can now haul either a utility trailer or a teardrop trailer with electric brakes.

Its a fun, comfortable, economical, daily driver. I will tow a Northern Tool 5'x8' utility trailer when I need cargo capacity similar to a pickup truck. Needless to say it will be used to tow my 5'x10' teardrop for camping and travel adventures. I've done some mild off road driving up Figueroa Mountain in Santa Barbara County and it easily handled very rutted dirt roads.

[Jim.Johnson]

I just got a 2011 Hyundai Santa fe with the tow package and V6. I'm liking it a lot after towing with a 4 cylinder Toyota Tacoma manual. My dogs are happier too now that they have the whole back seat instead of sharing one bucket seat [WHITE SMILING FACE]. I travel with two Beagles. I've talked with several teardroppers that use the same vehicle and are very happy with it.

[gudmund]

Die-hard GM guy here (don't care what anyone thinks being every one has THEIR own opinion!) Mine would be one of the new Colorado's but not until they come out with their "X-treme" version. I like them lowered with NO 4 wheel drive!! and the one thing I do not like about the new one is that it is just to high pff the ground for me!! I do not do "off road" - grew up drag/street racing not 4- wheeling!!!!! and I still them in the weeds - well, almost in the weeds, anyway. (even at age 61)http://www.tnttt.com/posting.php?mode=reply&f=67&t=60075#

[pchast]

I had one of them ordered back in November. I refused it when it came in. The 2wd had taller spacers
holding the suspension to the same height as the 4wd. They sold it to another within an hour...

I have no idea how you would lower the unit without re-welding/replacing the frame?

[gudmund]

The new 2wd Colorado is the same height in the rear as the 4wd because they are built the way as the full sized trucks with springs mounted on top of the rear axle which ends up raising the back end about 5 to 6 inches higher than the old Colorado's and S-10's that were built with their axle mounted on top of the springs. They were easy to lower with longer u-bolts and spacers but now on the new Colorado you would need to remount the axle back on top of springs or change the springs to lower - a lot of work!! The front is either torsion bars which are usually adjustable up or down that/or coil over shocks which my older Colorado has which when I put new shocks on, I just put new springs on with the new shocks that were 2 inches shorter for the lower look I wanted. For the new Colorado I will just wait to see if they come out with the "X-streme" model in the future like they had on earlier models which come already lowered front and rear, if not the one I have now seems to be holding up just fine so far. But, who knows, maybe I will grow out of the want for the lowered look in a few years when I get along into my later sixty's. But when it comes to trucks, I just hate having to climb up when getting into them along with still liking the look of them in the "weeds", or at least halfway into the weeds without the bottoming out feel. Yes, there is a point were they are just too low!!!! T.Hoefer