Best tow vehicles for 19'

[Ruthe]

My husband Terry and I are pretty sure that we're going to buy a 19' and we're starting to research tow vehicles. I've read various threads and have been taking notes, but I'd appreciate it if people would let us know what they like (or dislike) about their tow vehicles. We are pretty positive that we don't want to tow with a pickup -- comfort is important and so is the ability to go up mountain passes in the Rockies.

Regards, Ruth

[dave macrae]

Well Ruthe I am sure you will get enough different answers to this quetsion to make your head spin. We tow our 19 ft with a 2003 Gmc Yukon Xl. There was a variety of deciding factors for us, The ability to control the trailer and enough power to easily tavel in mountain passes was a big consideration. The Suv vs Pick up debate in my mind is simply a matter of personal choice and what you like to take with you when you travel, there are pros and cons to both. There are many who tow with a variety of smaller capaicty vehicles in and around the 5,000 lb tow capacity and they seem to be fine, but one observation is that these vehicles don't in my mind have enough increase in fuel mileage to compensate for the other trade offs. Also keep in mind the trailer is likely to far outlast the vehicle.

[J Mac]

I have a Ford Ranger 4 x 4.
It has a 5000 pound towing capacity And it fits in my garage.

[Jim Bennett]

Ruth, I already had a pickup, and like you did not want to use one for towing. I ended up buying a Honda Pilot. Pretty much any bigger 6 cylinder engine in an SUV will give you adequate towing capacity.

We have traveled through many a mountain pass with our Pilot, and have only had to slow down to 80 kph on a couple of the steepest passes, with the trailer fully loaded.

What I like about the Pilot is that it comes with towing capacity built into it, and in the case of the Touring model, all I had to do was install a brake controller. When hooking up, the tongue weight does not drop the rear end very much at all, and I don't have a need for a WDH with the loads I carry right now. It also has a lot of room to put stuff in. We are still well under the allowed weight capacity when towing, though we do pack more minimally than most.

If I was looking right now, the Jeep Cherokee with its new diesel engine would be at the top of my list to check out.

[dave macrae]

It probably has alot to do with what sort of needs you have for passengers too, we for example have two adlults and one child but we will often have a extra child so that means more weight and stuff. The rear cargo area of the Yukon is spacious and every one has a comfortable seat. It has a large fuel tank so distance between stops is good as well.

[cpaharley2008]

I tow my 19' with a pick up or a Toyota FJ Cruiser.

[Ruthe]

Jim, we're wondering how comfortable the ride is with the Pilot and also what would draw you to the Jeep Cherokee, especially because the Pilot sounds so good. We're not particularly worried about cargo space, and while we have lots of grown kids and grandkids we don't expect them to be travelling with us more than one or two at a time.

[Jim Bennett]

Ruth, the ride of the Pilot is a little firmer than many other SUV's of the same size I have ridden in. I am good with that, but others may like a softer car like ride. The rear seat in the Pilot has a ton of room. A 6'6" friend had lots of leg and foot room. I actually scoffed at the 3rd row seats, but have taken advantage of them a bunch of times when with friends or family we carpool to functions a fair bit.

My brother has last years Jeep Cherokee, and really likes it. He did have some electrical problems they took care of, but otherwise a real nice vehicle. What draws me the most though, is the diesel offering. More torque and tow capacity, and better mileage, though you do have to pay a premium for it.

Both Nissan and Toyota's offerings are worthy of a look too.

[rvomaha]

We tow with a Ford Flex with the tow package and just love this as a car, let alone a tow vehicle. It is rated at 4500 pound towing capacity. You could check what we've written about it on our blog, including our satisfaction with how easily it towed the Escape 19 across the Eisenhower Pass. It is a terrifically comfortable vehicle, with 3 rows of seating. The incredible leg room in the third row gives us good flexibility for family use with our grown up kids. Plus I think it is quirky-cute and stands out from the crowd. --Liz

[azjack]

Ruth, you can read what I have to say about our Jeep Grand Cherokee towing our 19' under that subject. For mountain towing the Dodge Hemi is tough to beat as I will not hold up traffic on the highest passes in the country and the shorter wheel base allows ease of parking especially with the two wheel drive unit. We do not go where it snows now so 4 wheel is out. We spent too many years in Colorado, Utah and N. Dakota.
Jack of Tucson

[Jubal]

Define the primary use of the vehicle (towing, hauling, passenger capacity, etc.)Secondary consideration should be towing capability. Thirdly how much are you willing to spend.
Knowing the type of vehicle that meets your needs and cost. Drive all the vehicles that meet these requirements. If you have narrowed down the search,try to rent the vehicle you desire for a road trip. Lastly use Consumer Reports to determine what you should be paying for the "ideal" vehicle that fulfill your needs. If a pickup meets you needs (regular, extended, crew cab: regular, short, long beds),you will find that most of the pickups have the same ammenities as passenger cars or suv's

[azjack]

I used a couple of the 5.4 Ford super crew to tow a 17' casita, single axle, 3000# trailer all over the west including Colorado passes. It was a good vehicle for everyday use and I could carry full sized bikes in the bed when towing. The only problem was the 12 mpg when towing as I drive and the over all length. Next I tried a Honda Ridgeline towing the same 3000#, still 12 mpg towing and a lot of 4 to 5000 rpm over hills. The honda was also nice and a couple of main seals leaked, probably due to the high rpm. It was also a foot and a half shorter than the Fords. When I ordered the Escape 19, I needed more torque and considered several SUV types, mostly with diesel and high prices, then someone sent me to the Jeep dealer. After one drive and info about the unit I saved many thousands and took it home. It is three feet shorter than the super crews, gets much better mileage as stated earlier and I can be doing 70 at the end of the on ramp while towing 3800#. I believe the hemi design and the shutting down cylinders using newer tech must have something to do with it since the Jeep weighs several hundred more than the Fords did. Hope this info helps you decide on a TV.
Jack of Tucson (with small amount of the white stuff on the hills behind the house)

[Bark]

We tow with a V6 4WD Tacoma with the automatic, and really like it. We're getting 16 or 17 MPG with it, and usually drive in 4th gear rather than the overdrive 5th. With a 2" drop drawbar, we're able to run with the trailer level. We're not using a WDH, and we use a Prodigy brake controller.

The truck's rated capacity is 6500#, which seems to me to overstate what I'd be comfortable with. Having said that, we've found the truck is capable of handling all the mountain passes we've driven in Alberta and BC, with just the occasional downshift into third (which has the engine doing 3,000 RPM at 80km/hr).

[DonM]

I use a Nissan Xterra Offroad 4x4. Rated at 5000# towing. My choice as an all purpose toy/ fun / fishing / scuba / biking etc. truck. Second only to my Toyota 4Runner ( '96) as a superb offroad fishing truck.
Pulls the 19 just fine. I live on a mountain - goes up without an issue. This model comes with a transmission cooler. Good value as a basic SUV.

[gocamp]

I don't know anyone who drives down the highway at 80km/hr