Looking to upgrade from my 2011 v6 edge. In the market for something in 2010-2015 model year to tow a 6x12 or 7x14 and also act as the family roadvtrip car. For the Grand Cherokees, is the V6 up for the task? Im in midwest so theres hills but no mountains. Theres tons of v6 JGCs but not a lot of V8s. Theres tahos/yukons/suburbans etc but I refuse to have a car with the GM "asshole lights" where the reverse lights stay lit while the asshole driver is walking across the parking lot but everyone else stops their cars because they think someone is backing up. What yr did GM start doing this? Can you turn it off permanently? Any of these would prob be a V8 so I assume they are up to the towing task. Exeditions? These seemed priced a bit less than their GM counterparts. Any downsides?
Just IMHO, but I wouldn't tow anything wider than six feet with a v6 gasser. Not that they can't physically do it, but it's annoying as all hell after a couple hours.
Don't buy a Tahoe. Buy a 1500 series truck with a v8 and put a truck cap on it that you can lock... Tahoe's are way overpriced and the truck will be way more utilitarian at the track. And there is a noticeable difference between a single axle 6x12 and a tandem 7x14 (Unless you have a diesel). I am seriously considering going the Econoline or Savannah route. It really seems like a better option.
A newer gasser Cayenne S with the turbo V6 would do just fine. Over 400lb-ft. The Touareg / Cayanne / Q7 would do OK. Diesels will do better, but not without their well documented issues. Forced induction models will do fine too, just burn more fuel. My Touareg TDI has no issues at all over the hills on the Penn Turnpike with my 6x12 behind. The NA V6 would work, but it will be working on the hills for sure. X5 (V8 or diesel) would probably work as well, but unless they changed it with the new one you have to cut a hole in the bumper to mount a hitch. Doesn't seem like something that was really designed for towing. A V6 JGC would be working pretty hard, particularly with a 7x14. A Pathfinder would be your other decent option, but won't handle as well as the others mentioned above when not towing. With any of these, get a trailer brake controller. If I were starting from scratch, I might very well have a Sprinter / Ford Transit and a compact fun little car instead of the Touareg and the trailer. With that said the 2013 Touareg is really nice for non-towing driving trips to to the point where we take it and leave my wife's 2016 Acura TLX in the garage.
I towed my 6x12 with my FJ Cruiser for 10 years. Never had a problem pulling it but the mileage was about 10mpg with a 16 gallon tank. = lots of gas stops on long trips.
The V6 stuff wont do the job without killing itself along the way. The Tahoe is the safest bet for doing the job and haling the family around without killing itself. All the fru fru stuff they will suggest will cost more in repairs from trying to do the job that the Tahoe will cost outright.
Nah. I ran it on regular all the time on road trips. I only used premium during the week when it was start/stop or when I knew it would be sitting at the airport. Funny thing is I just got a Land Cruiser and it only calls for 87.
2011-2014 Navigator L. 3rd row seat is an actual seat. 3 adults can sit back there more comfortably than in an Escalade/Suburban. I have one, it's been bullet proof so far. I bought a really clean 2011 model 2 & 1/2 years ago for $27K with 31K miles, now has 198,000 miles. I also have a 2015 Navigator L, it's been awesome too. 270K miles on it.
4th Gen Toyota 4Runner w/ 4.7 v8 tows a 7x16 fairly well, towing MPG isnt great tho at ~10. Wont be easy to find them with less than 100K now.
Man I wish they would have kept making those. That along with the last gen Pathfinder v8. Both great mid sized suv's that can tow.
My vote is for the Tahoe/Suburban! I towed my 7x14 dual axle in my Tahoe for 10 years with zero issues and about 6 years with the Suburban. As for the asshole lights, yes you can turn them off but I choose to leave them on....well...to be an asshole! lol
V8 still lives in the GX460 if you can stomach the ugly face. I have a GX470 which is pretty much a 4th Gen 4runner and it's pretty stout. Wheelbase is a little short for long trailers and you have to make sure to lock out overdrive. But otherwise it gets the job done.
My brother got a '15 GX recently and it is an awesome car. Known in the rest of the world as the Toyota Prado. Only reason I got the Land Cruiser is because I didn't want to buy the same car he just did.
For that size trailer Navigator or Expedition would do the job. If you compare used Chevy to Ford market, then you see Ford stuff definitely seems more reasonably priced than every dipshit with a 10 year old Chebby that thinks their shit is worth 20 grand because it has the LSx motor in it.
