Truck vs SUV for a 400

jenniferlzr

I still haven't gotten a T@B 400 yet because I'm all over the place with the decision of my TV. I'm very reluctant to get a truck and I can't even put my finger on the reason. Size? Too manly? Too much vehicle for me to be driving around when I'm NOT camping. I know there are smaller trucks like the Tacoma, but I don't like them.  I've gone back to the Grand Cherokee since it looks like the only medium-priced SUV that will tow 7,200lbs. Did I read somewhere about SUV's not being optimal because of wind? I've looked through tons of posts and my mind is scattered. Trucks I've looked at are the GMC 1500, RAM 1500? and a Colorado something. Help!!

falcon1970

A couple of thoughts with which people may or may not agree:
1.  There are many, many women driving pickups.  Here in Texas it is very common.
2.  It is better to have too much tow vehicle rather than "just enough" tow vehicle.
There are many threads on this forum regarding people who want to tow with their "xxx" (insert whatever small vehicle you want) and want to know if it will tow a TAB.  Regardless of the vehicle, unless it is a Smart Car pulling a loaded TAB400, you can probably move it but probably won't enjoy it either.
In the interest of full disclosure, I tow a TAB400 with a Ford F-250 with the 6.2 L engine.  That TAB follows along like a tail on a dog--but without any wag.  I'm consistently getting 13 mpg under tow--unless I'm trying to climb Pikes Peak.

MuttonChops

@jenniferizr;  Maybe you need a not really a truck truck, Honda Ridgeline.
AWD model is rated at 5,000#, T@B400 maximum GAWR is 3,500# (your loaded trailer will most likely be several hundred under the GAWR), Ridgeline is a high MPG V6 built on a passenger van chassis - - - said to ride/drive very nice (car like).

Search here and the FBook page for Ridegeline owners.

ADRawli

We absolutely love our 2018 Grand Cherokee. It tows the 400 well, still getting around 13-14 miles per gallon, at least around our relatively flat area of Texas. It might not win any races uphill, but it is still adequate.  If you look at the GC, just make sure you get the 4 wheel drive as it has 6200lbs of towing where the 2x4 version was something much less, like 3600, if I recall correctly. The best part about this 4x4 Jeep is... it’s a Jeep. So, when you get to your campsite, the tow vehicle morphs into the “fun” vehicle for off road adventure. That is what it was built for, and ours is ‘trail rated’ which adds tow hooks and extra skid plates underneath for more piece of mind.   I wouldn’t take it absolutely any place I might take a Wrangler, but I would probably chicken out before it would anyway.  And... it’s technically my wife’s vehicle (I drive a BMW X5).   She loves the tough look of the GC, but it also has all the bells and whistle tech and comfort inside as well. All around great vehicle, and a great match for the T@B400.

pthomas745

I'm not a "truck guy", but in the last two years friends have bought trucks that did not fit the definition of an overly bloated "too big" truck.  A woman I know bought a stripped down, fairly simple F150 to tow her 22 foot Nash.  It has some basic towing assist features and an 8 ft bed, she put a topper on it and carries a big load of stuff.   Basic as it can be, and she has been everywhere with it. 

Another friend who is a "big truck guy" bought one of the new 6 cylinder Eco Boost 150's to tow his home made 11000 pound toy hauler.  (There are several engine models).  He had to get over his "big truck guy" "has to have a V8" self, and after a year he has become converted.  Good power, decent gas mileage, no loss of performance. 

So, your "just right truck" is out there. 

Denny16

Getting back to a TV for the TaB400, a 4x4 GC will work, but another Jeep alternative is the Jeep Gladiator Sport S, with 6,000 lb tow capacity and a 600 lb tongue weight, it is a PU, with a nice size 5-foot bed, designed to tow RVs, boats, etc.  Also, it is fully Trail Rated Jeep, can go almost anywhere a Wrangler can, and it looks like a Jeep, but with modern vehicle features and comfort.  It gets about the same MPG as a GC when towing the TaB400.
cheers

OneWurldGurl1

I bought a 2020 Chevy Colorado when I got my Tab. I I really love this truck. It’s extremely comfortable, and I think its small enough to be easy to drive. I also love how much room I have for camping equipment.

Tundra57

I like my Toyota Tundra. It tows well and is comfy and highly reliable. It is heavy so that myTab 400 boondock comes quietly. Have not seen the need for an anti sway. I get about 12 to 13 towing. On a long run i did to Florida from CT i got almost 15 but im light on the go pedal. It brakes well with the add on controller as i found out when some jerk cut me up in the pouring rain. No jacknifing or swaying.

There are so many options.  In my case I use the pickup as a pickup so its the right choice for me.

Just make sure the Tab is no more than 70% of the tow vehicle weight preferably less and the tongue weight is acceptable. The manufacturer might spec more towing capability, but if the TV is too light it might bite you one day.

Happy Camping. Stay safe all.

MuttonChops

OneWurldGurl1 said:

I bought a 2020 Chevy Colorado when I got my Tab. I I really love this truck. It’s extremely comfortable, and I think its small enough to be easy to drive. I also love how much room I have for camping equipment.

Agree . . . but not sure how comfortable* this TV would be with a T@B400

* At altitude the non-turbo V6 really has to work.
Plus I like having lots of extra capacity for any emergency push (or more realistic, getting around a bad driver semi) and am not sure the V6 has enough reserve power for the weight & frontal area of a 400.  {[possible 2022 Colorado will only have a turbo four (like Ranger) ]}

jenniferlzr

@T@Tundra57 - Just make sure the Tab is no more than 70% of the tow vehicle weight preferably less and the tongue weight is acceptable.  Is that dry weight or GVWR of the TAB?

gspdx

For anyone who is concerned about how a truck drives and maybe haven't driven one lately I would recommend driving one.  Maybe even rent one for a few days.   Most trucks these days are easy to drive, ride very well, and have all of the creature comforts of most any car/SUV.  And from a maneuverability standpoint the smaller trucks are no bigger than bigger SUVs.

I do get that a bigger truck can be a bit of a challenge to get around in.  I have a 2018 F-150 4WD and it is physically bigger than the 1997 Chevy 3/4 ton heavy duty truck I used to have (wider and taller).  So it took a bit of getting used to but I like trucks.  

Anyway - unless you live in a very urban area most of the pickup trucks today are very civilized.

I live in Portland Oregon, not in the suburbs, where we have lots of narrow streets and I can get around just fine with my truck.  And when I am out camping I am even happier with this vehicle.  I have also owned Jeep CJ7s and Toyota FJ40 Landcruisers and although I had lots of fun in those vehicles they I don't go 4 wheeling like I used to so the truck can get me in and out of where I want to go and it's smooth sailing on the roads when towing my T@B400.

If your concern is gas mileage SUVs won't do any better than a truck when pulling a trailer.  Unless you have a diesel you will not get great gas mileage while towing.  

If after that you still prefer an SUV then by all means get what you are comfortable with.  But I wouldn't stay away from a truck until you know for sure.

Denny16

I used to work for a rural county and had to travel the county backroads, some of which were unpaved.  I,used to drive a compact car (Dodge Dart), but one day the county garage super gave me a PU (1/2 ton 1960s Ford) that had AC (it was a hot day), and driving th backroads became so much more fun in the truck, less trying on me also.  I became a truck fan since, even though I normally drove sports cars.  But for towing and getting real work done, nothing bets a PU truck.
cheers

atlasb

We have had small import vehicles for the best of 50+ years.  We have towed with Honda  Element (LG 5wide), Nissan Pathfinder, T@B 320 and T@B 400.  Moved up to Nissan Frontier V6 Crew Cab and was fine with the 400.  Finally gave in to the Big truck and what a difference!  Being the past owner of 10 Nissans we got a used 2017 Nissan Titan Crew cab.  The comfort is way better than anything we had in the past don't know why it took so long to make the change.

If you are considering a regular size PU,  Do your self a favor and even if you are a Ford, Dodge/Ram or Chevy person, Drive and compare a Nissan Titan Crew Cab.  They normally are less expensive and the V8 has more than enough power.  The standard features on most of the Titans are some what a larger list than most of the other Trucks.  It is hard to find the used Titans and they do have the great warranty.  Resale is not what some of the others claim but that never has ever worked for us any way.  All the manufactures now are messing with the actual value by giving the big rebates and that devalues the vehicle for resale.  If you can buy a 60,000 truck and get the same one at the end of the year for 32,000 or about, then some thing has to give.  The Titan for us is a little over a foot longer than our Frontier was and a little wider, taller but it still will fit into our shop.  I was apprehensive about the larger size but after a little while behind the wheel, that is no longer a problem.  So far I have towed the 400 about 90 miles, pre covid 19 era, and up and down hills in the back country got about 14 mpg. In our hill country where we live I normally get around 20 mpg. The larger engine does not have to work as hard and the added space and comfort more than equals the change.

In the end, it is all a personal choice.  I was told by a wise older person, There is no substitute for more cubic inch displacement when it comes to power!

Intrinsic

We tow our 2019 400 BDL with a MBZ GLE 350 and plenty of capacity and no problems towing.  We have the same concerns about having a full sized pickup to drive everyday, so the GLE was a great alternative.

jenniferlzr

Intrinsic I've looked at them! The only problem with the Mercedes is it's a Mercedes! Traveling single, I don't want to be a target. My family is a big Mercedes family, but it kind of scares me to have such a nice car out in the woods. BTW, my long-time Volvo mechanic/service guy now works at Mercedes and says the new GLS is a "beast." 

Verna

Depending on where you camp, a shiny new SUV or a shiny new pickup is more of a target!  

Decades ago, the police chief of a town I lived in, interpreted the theft rate of vehicles as: “If you have a Chrysler (sorry guys, this is a quote) car, and you left it running with the keys in it, sitting next to a late model red pickup, the car would still be there and the red pickup would be stolen.”

Slyden9821

We tow with a Tahoe that has a tow package and it tows easily, plenty of power and plenty of storage and comfort. It’s much harder to back into a spot though because there’s not much space between the Tahoe and the 400. Wish we had our F150 back for that reason. If you use your mirrors and are good at backing, it won’t matter to you.

bergger

I could not agree more with atlasb reference the Nissan Titan.  I drove 3 different Toyota Tacomas from 1995 until just this past month when I made the switch to a 2018 Nissan Titan Pro4x.  Now I've been a Toyota guy for 25 years, Tacomas and 4Runners, and I still love them.  Never thought I would own a Titan until I drove one and fell in love.  What a great truck.  So much more comfortable, roomy, powerful and loaded compared to the Tacoma.  And much easier to drive than I expected.  Yes a little harder to park but fine with a little practice.  I would not count out a full size pickup in your search.  Go check one out and take some for a test drive. And if you decide to do that then absolutely check out a Nissan Titan.  Most over looked full size truck out there.