which car to tow our T@B Maxx?

gkillmaster

We currently tow our trailer with our Toyota Tacoma 4-cyl truck and it works great. However, we are looking to sell our truck and get a car instead. Which cars will do the job comfortably? We have an eye on the Suburu Outback and Misubishi Outlander but would love to hear other's experiences and opinions.

Many thanks!

Greg K.

GibW

We tow our 2017 T@B Max-S with a 2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i 4 cylinder. Overall it does okay especially if you can keep speeds to 55-60. We average 15-16 mpg. In the mountains you will have to drop your speed to 40-45 to make some of the grades. So while the Subaru does okay, we will be looking for a tow vehicle with more capacity - probably more like 5000 lbs and a higher tongue weight capacity than the Subaru. 

keithp

I'm towing with a 2016 Outback 6 cylinder. Seems to tow just fine; I regularly head over Mt Hood without any issues, although I do take it easy on the uphill sections.

Sharon_is_SAM

We use a 2015 6 cylinder Toyota Sienna minivan.  Have not tested it in the mountains yet.  Lots of storage which gives you a lot of options.

jason330i

I would suggest selecting a tow vehicle rated to tow 3500 lbs or more. The stronger the tow vehicle, the better the tow experience.

ClaudeA

I second Sam's suggestion. The Toyota Sienna tows it with ease and you can shift it manually if you want. When towing I put it in 5th gear and consistently get between 15-17 mpg depending on wind, mountains etc..

rkj__

Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Ford Escape, and Chevrolet Equinox can all be equipped to tow a T@b.

You did not give much information regarding what you are looking for, other than your two example vehicles, and a ball park tow rating.  The more information you give us, the better suggestions we can give you. 

TabberJohn

Any vehicle with 3500 lb factory tow package (not after-market) can handle a T@B 320 plus gear.
If you go lower than that wear and tear on TV will be a factor as will power and speed especially in the mountains.

UK/EU caravan sites often show T@B 320's being pulled by sedans but they must be turbo's if 4 cylinder.
This one seems a bit extreme --

Homebodyatheart

Anything with 6cyl and factory tow package, rated 3500#. 5000# is better.

mash2

I tow with a 4 cyl Ford Escape 2.0 ecoboost and factory tow package and have had good luck.  Mileage in the high teens (18-20) while towing.

ericnliz

@mash2, I would have to assume that you're not encountering ANY mountainous terrain, and the mileage you describe is on flat surface. 
In my humble opinion, to tow even a T@B 320 (any model) with a vehicle that has under a 3500# towing capacity, and anything less than a 6 cylinder engine is pushing the limitations, and extremely taxing on that tow vehicle. Not only is it taxing on the motor, and transmission, but the braking system, and, in some cases even to the frame & suspension of the vehicle. If you're close to the limitations of the vehicle, you're only pushing your luck, especially in an emergency stopping scenario. Just my opinion, you, are in fact entitled to your own opinion. I would just rather err on the side of safety.

rkj__

ericnliz said:

@mash2, I would have to assume that you're not encountering ANY mountainous terrain, and the mileage you describe is on flat surface. 
In my humble opinion, to tow even a T@B 320 (any model) with a vehicle that has under a 3500# towing capacity, and anything less than a 6 cylinder engine is pushing the limitations, and extremely taxing on that tow vehicle. Not only is it taxing on the motor, and transmission, but the braking system, and, in some cases even to the frame & suspension of the vehicle. If you're close to the limitations of the vehicle, you're only pushing your luck, especially in an emergency stopping scenario. Just my opinion, you, are in fact entitled to your own opinion. I would just rather err on the side of safety.

An Escape with the 2.0L Ecoboost puts out 245 HP, and is rated for 3,5000 lb towing.  That's about the same HP as my truck's 3.7L engine, which has a 5,500 lb rating, and tows a T@b well.  At high elevations, the turbo 4 would likely out-perform several naturally aspirated V6 engines. 

ericnliz

@rkj__, Thanks for the info. I wasn't necessarily commenting about a turbo 4 cylinder motor, but rather, non-turbo 4 cylinder vehicles with a LOWER tow rating capacity. Guess that also brings up the HP rating of the 2.0L Ecoboost as to what RPMs you're turning to put out that 245 horsepower rating. I guess I just have to grin when I see the miles per gallon some folks are proud of with their 4 cyl motors. My Avalanche (5.3L V8) gets between an average of 14 to 17 miles per gallon depending on the terrain I'm traveling over while towing, and I KNOW I'm well within the towing limitations of my vehicles fully loaded with gear. I suppose it's a personal matter, and what you feel comfortable, and safe with.

TabberJohn

Ford 2.0L Ecoboost is a 4 cylinder turbo.
2014 model is 240 hp @ 5,500 rpm, 270 lb.-ft. of torque @ 3,000 rpm.
2017 and later models have an updated 2.0L engine with specs at 245/279.
Factory tow package is rated at 3500 lb with transmission and chassis to handle that load.
Yes towing will halve your mpg but that also means 26-29 mpg when you unhook and go site-seeing which we do a LOT.
On top of that we LIVE in the mountains.
As I mentioned above a 4 cylinder turbo sedan is a common UK/EU tow vehicle for T@B 320's and Ariba's. 
As @Trailpixie said "Americans like to overbuild everything". I will add "overthink it". 

Bottom line: If you travel light and understand the limitations you can tow a T@B 320 safely with an Outback and tow package rated at 2700 lb. Or you can go to the other extreme with a truck rated at 5000 lb or more. You'll likely forget the T@B is even back there. Anything in between is the sweet spot IMO. YMMV (literally).

4ncar

There's always a 3/4 ton dodge with a Cummings! I have always said mine would pull a house...in theory, if I hitched my tab to it...it would! Lol

rfuss928

IMO, it all depends..............

If your favorite campsite is only a couple hundred miles from home and you'll visit there a few times a season, with some experience you will be fine with a TV with marginal capacities (2000#)

If your new trailer is an enabler for a country wide tour of National Parks you will want at least a 3500# rating for comfort,confidence and reliability.

Have Fun!!

jason330i

I believe the 2.0 turbo escape can handle the Tab fine. But keep in mind there are other factors besides tow rating. The wheelbase, the weight, and the GVWR all play a role with the tow experience. And the escape is considered a "compact" SUV. I personally prefer something "midsize".

Trailpixie

Here is an interesting analysis I did the other day.

POWER to WEIGHT RATIO for TOWING

 

2017 GRAND CHEROKEE

• Weight 4545
• Tow Rating 3,000 lbs
• HP 290
• Torque 260
• power to weight ratio Hp/lb  0.064
• torque to weight ratio ft-lbs/lb 0.057
• power to weight ratio with 2,000 lbs camper Hp/lb 0.044
• torque to weight ratio with 2,000 lbs camper ft-lbs/lb 0.040

 

2018 OUTBACK

• Weight 3814
• Tow Rating 2,700 lbs
• HP 256
• Torque 247
• power to weight ratio Hp/lb 0.067
• torque to weight ratio ft-lbs/lb 0.065
• power to weight ratio with 2,000 lbs camper Hp/lb 0.044
• torque to weight ratio with 2,000 lbs camper ft-lbs/lb 0.042

 

2016 FORESTER XT

• Weight 3614
• Tow Rating 1,500 lbs
• HP 250
• Torque 258
• power to weight ratio Hp/lb 0.069
• torque to weight ratio ft-lbs/lb 0.071
• power to weight ratio with 2,000 lbs camper Hp/lb 0.045
• torque to weight ratio with 2,000 lbs camper ft-lbs/lb 0.046

rfuss928

Trailpixie - I would add   TV weight/trailer weight  to  your comparison.
IMO:
Higher is better for stability and control.
Lower should be higher fuel efficiency

You can do the math

Have Fun!

jgram2

And having the factory tow package is a big plus. All I know about torque is it's the power to pull from a stop and pull a load up a hill-lower rpms and horsepower will help you travel faster. I never want to go TV shopping again as long as I live.

Rolltide82

Toyota 4 runner

Homebodyatheart

Tongue weight is also a factor in the mix. It needs to be included when making TV decisions.

mash2

Towing with Ford Escape has been great.  No problems with the Sierras...plenty of power for the grades in California, Utah and Colorado.  The mileage I quoted is fromm the last trip (San Francisco to Lassen NP).  Mix of flat and mountains, weighted to flats.  As others have noted, the HP and torque are relatively good for the car (similar to some of the 6 cal vehicles that tow in the 3-4000 pound range, and when not towing I get 28-30 MPG on normal freeway travel.  For me, it has been a great tradeoff of power and efficiency.  f

drpprmt

We tow with a VW Tiguan.  Specs show it capable of towing a carefully loaded max but I asked several VW dealerships if this was wise before I purchased our max.  All said the tow specs on the Tiguan were very conservative.  We have found this correct in our use.  We just pulled over several mountain ranges and we carefully watched the RPM's when going uphill and speed going down.  No problems.  Look at posted specs and ask questions.

wizard1880

VWs are notoriously conservatively rated for towing.  We use our Jetta TDI for local trips though it's only rated for 1500.  In Europe it's rated for 2800+, but for legal / liability reasons they limit it on this side of the pond.   I choose to be my own insurance here by doing this.

At a minimum, you should have a tow vehicle that is capable of the trailer's GVW, in our case that's either 2700 (2800?) or 3500 LBS, depending on model and year (I believe all T@b 400s have a 3500 GVW)  I know folks with Subaru's that rate at 2800 towing capacity and they do just fine.  Of course you don't want to be screamin' over the mountains with that load, just take it easy.

dmerzbac

@mash2 Wow! 18-20mpg is great. I can only manage 14mpg with my '13 Escape 2.0.

mash2

I never go over 55.  Might help with the mileage (I'm in no hurry).

jgram2

@mash2 & @dmerzbac did you mean to post these comments in TV Mileage?