Find me the most fuel efficient family vehicle that can tow 3500 lbs.

[GolfVIDriver]

Don't sweat it. Though if you get banned, make it a glorious exit!

I am not sure how I can top the last one.

[FlashRedGLS1.8T]

And d@mn, I had no idea that the Q5 2.0T had a 4,400lbs tow rating.

[2.0T_Convert]

This brings up a point, what constitutes a 'family vehicle'?

Comfort over long trips?

Over the holiday weekend we went for frozen yogurt in my fathers new toy Tundra crewcab and even with the nice leather I knew right off I would hate to be back there for a several hour long drive. I can't imagine the Tacoma is any better in this regard.

[GolfVIDriver]

And d@mn, I had no idea that the Q5 2.0T had a 4,400lbs tow rating.

Neither did I. That's DAMN impressive for the size of the thing. I mean it went SOLIDLY to the top of the must drive list, the fuel economy is amazing.

[tampaSi]

Is this a trick question?

Pilot EX-L 4WD is leasing for $359 a month right now and is rated for 4500 pounds. 20 mpg combined and takes regular.

http://automobiles.honda.com/current...odelName=Pilot

[Turbio!]

Neither did I. That's DAMN impressive for the size of the thing. I mean it went SOLIDLY to the top of the must drive list, the fuel economy is amazing.

I would suggest that you should drive the much cheaper and mechanically similar Escape 2.0 Ecoboost before you pull any triggers.

[caj1]

Ride With G agrees with you (and so do I). Here's the numbers:

36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00136

Granted I don't know the miles allowance, but that MF is worse than what we got on the Equinox, and the residual is the same.

It will probably just come down to hitting break even on the Equinox, and waiting for the right lease deal.

Audi rarely has good lease deals; definitely not on a vehicle this much in demand.

[FlashRedGLS1.8T]

I would suggest that you should drive the much cheaper and mechanically similar Escape 2.0 Ecoboost before you pull any triggers.

Do we know the tow rating of the Escape 2.0 Ecoboost yet?

[MoPho]

The new Hyundai Santa Fe Sport has a towing capacity of 3500lbs and is estimated to get 23/33/26mpg





.

[akuma]

The new Hyundai Santa Fe Sport has a towing capacity of 3500lbs and is estimated to get 23/33/26mpg





.

i think only the turbo tows 3,500 lbs and that version gets 22/31 in FWD. also i think dude hated the Sorento although i believe the Sorento was based on the last generation Santa Fe platform.

[MoPho]

i think only the turbo tows 3,500 lbs and that version gets 22/31 in FWD. also i think dude hated the Sorento although i believe the Sorento was based on the last generation Santa Fe platform.

You are correct. This is quite a bit different than the old Santa Fe/Sorento

[boner]

I think it comes down to what people are willing to pay for that combination. If you don't need to tow, you can get 25-35mpg out of a roomy crossover these days, and that's enough for most people. If you do need to tow, you can own a dedicated and reasonably affordable tow vehicle AND a daily driver for around what a diesel midsize SUV tends to cost, or you can step up to a fullsize pickup.

for me (and probably for alot of people), that idea falls down when the practicalities of owning a dedicated, only used for towing vehicle come into play.

example: there's a decent looking f-150 up for sale down the street from me for $1500. could easily get down close to $1000 i think. great. but then insurance is gonna be another $1000/year, pretty much regardless of wether i just put theft coverage or full coverage on it. then i've gotta put it somewhere. i live in the city. my driveway is already pretty full. and then it's ANOTHER car to maintain....yeah, i know trucks are usually pretty good in that respect but still, it's there, it's gonna break at some point.... l

all of this so i can tow ~4, 5 times a summer??? how does that make sense?

i really don't see how it's hard to get all the requirements into one car. as has already been mentioned, they exist, just not here.

that is why i think they have missed the boat.

[vdubdave]

Do we know the tow rating of the Escape 2.0 Ecoboost yet?

3500lbs, as I posted on the first page. I still think this would be the best option for the OP unless he could somehow manage to get a great lease on a Q5.

[curvedinfinity]

GolfVI, if you like the Equinox a lot, why not just keep it? Its a pretty good fit for your requirements -- not the best FE, but not a huge difference. If its a lease, what about trying the new Terrain Denali with 3.6L that's coming this summer? Down a smidge in MPG (probably 1 mpg), but a fantastic motor in the applications I've driven it. Maybe a bit higher tow rating too.

[curvedinfinity]

Has anyone suggested my Buick Roadmaster Wagon yet? Gets 24mpg and can tow 5000lbs.

Just saying

Great having you here Rut

[coolalex]

Ford diesel turbo trucks have a large comfortable interior, get 20 city, 30 highway and will tow anything.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

[FlashRedGLS1.8T]

Ford diesel turbo trucks have a large comfortable interior, get 20 city, 30 highway and will tow anything.

[coolalex]

Your loss.

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[Turbio!]

Ford diesel turbo trucks have a large comfortable interior, get 20 city, 30 highway and will tow anything.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

I've driven several. They didn't hit 25 highway at any point, let alone any 30. Let's not exaggerate.

[coolalex]

We took my buddys to chipotle 60 miles roundtrip, cost 6 in gas

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[FlashRedGLS1.8T]

Your loss.

I don't know what I'm missing.

[coolalex]

You drive a mark 4



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[Turbio!]

You drive a mark 4



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You should be able to make your point better than that.

We took my buddys to chipotle 60 miles roundtrip, cost 6 in gas

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

Doubt it. That's how much went into the tank, perhaps, but you've only got half the information required to calculate fuel economy.

[Shomegrown]

Ford diesel turbo trucks have a large comfortable interior, get 20 city, 30 highway and will tow anything.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

"Diesel math" at its best.

[ValveCoverGasket]

Has anyone suggested my Buick Roadmaster Wagon yet? Gets 24mpg and can tow 5000lbs.

Just saying

its not a big block crew cab pickup, so its not capable of towing anything... TCL needs to be driving a semi truck to tow their fishing boats to the lake, otherwise its just not safe!

[2.0T_Convert]

Ford diesel turbo trucks have a large comfortable interior, get 20 city, 30 highway and will tow anything.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

How would a Ford diesel truck tow the Freedom of the Seas?

[FlashRedGLS1.8T]

You drive a mark 4

Your posts are becoming less coherent, an impressive feat.

[GolfVIDriver]

We took my buddys to chipotle 60 miles roundtrip, cost 6 in gas

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

That's impressive. It doesn't even burn gas, and yet it burns gas.

Get out of my thread.

[Shomegrown]

That's impressive. It doesn't even burn gas, and yet it burns gas.

Get out of my thread.

Doesn't burn much on the back of a wrecker with a tank full of gas.

[muffintop]

My brother towed a 340 Sea Ray (about 13k lbs) with a V6 Ford Ranger once. Had to block the suspension but it was done.*


Get a 7.3 powerstroke and slap a natural gas kit on it. More power than anything mentioned in here and it will get great mileage with the kit. Just don't put huge wheels and tires on it and throw away your MPGs.


* - No hills were involved in this journey.

[Turbio!]

That's impressive. It doesn't even burn gas, and yet it burns gas.

Get out of my thread.

It's like a Zen koan, but it makes you less enlightened.

[2 doors]

Let me get this straight: You want a more fuel efficient vehicle to tow a boat. A gasoline powered boat. A gasoline powered boat that costs hundreds of dollars to fill up every time you take it out. What is the boat fuel usage cost compared to the car usage cost? Seems to me, that if your wife really cared about spending less on fuel costs, you'd be looking at a SAILBOAT!!!




(PS: I still lust after your old 2500 'burban)

[GolfVIDriver]

It's all about sacrifices, you see. The money I save in gas in the car can be lit on fire and incinerated in the boat.

Somewhere in the cosmos, that logic makes sense.

[Numbersix]

Let me get this straight: You want a more fuel efficient vehicle to tow a boat. A gasoline powered boat. A gasoline powered boat that costs hundreds of dollars to fill up every time you take it out. What is the boat fuel usage cost compared to the car usage cost? Seems to me, that if your wife really cared about spending less on fuel costs, you'd be looking at a SAILBOAT!!!




(PS: I still lust after your old 2500 'burban)

Yeah, Matt and I have gone round and round with that. He doesn't see the light in the fact I fill up my 38 foot (sail)boat's 56gal diesel tank once a summer...whether it needs it or not.

[PoorHouse]

How much is it to rent a slip for the summer?