Tow Vehicle Recommendation That Is Not a Truck

[Pico_Banana]

Hi all,

Title says it all. Here are the details:

I have a Hawk 2 horse bumper pull trailer with the side ramp. I currently pull it with a 2019 Ford F150 Raptor that serves as my husband’s daily driver. I would prefer something that’s a better tow vehicle but life requires some compromising. Horses are my hobby but cars are his.

Husband has expressed dissatisfaction about having to drive the truck, especially as his commute frequency has now increased to twice a week and he’s in the car for 3 hours on those days.

My car is a small SUV that serves as the transportation for our 3 greyhounds. I have a preference for cars with a good amount of power/zip, but I am willing to compromise on this.

My towing is very limited - usually no more than an hour one-way. Horses range in weight from 900-1200 lbs. Hoping to get to some more shows and clinics this year so might trailer once a month or so.

So here’s the challenge - are there any suitable vehicles that could both safely tow my horse trailer and be able to transport the three dogs? Evaluating the suitability of tow vehicles is not my strong suit so I would appreciate your thoughts.

[endlessclimb]

Would a 4 door truck suffice? I have a 4 door and it’s got tons of room in the back seats (that never get used, ha)

[Pico_Banana]

That’s what we have and it’s too cramped in the back for 3 tall, leggy dogs, unfortunately.

[LCDR]

Sure. I have towed for the past 18 years with two different year models of the Lexus LX570. The self-leveling hydraulic suspension is wonderful. It is quiet, had decent i terior room for people and cargo. I have no reason not to think the new Lexus LX600 would tow as well.

I do have a GMC 2500HD pickup that is newer than my current Lexus. I find myself opting for the Lexus when towing horses is the task. The truck I use primarily for our flat bed equipment trailer, but I have even pulled it successfully with the Lexus. I just have to limit the equipment trailer load to not exceed the Lexus towing rating and make sure the tongue weight is appropriate. I use a WeighSafe hitch to determine that and how I position the load, which is usually a small tractor and implements.

[endlessclimb]

Maybe take a look at some other models. The Raptors are not really built for hauling stuff around, others may be roomier in the back.

[imbassetma]

I have a 2022 GMC Yukon SLT 4WD (not the extra long one) and pull a 2 horse hawk (no dressing room, no side ramp). It’s a V8, has a factory installed tow package and makes everything feel easy. I only feel it when I have 2 horses and 1 of them is a draft cross. Around town and highway I get around 18-20 mpg. I love love love it. I would just look really hard at tow capacity as I imagine your Hawk with a side ramp is probably close to 1000lbs heavier than mine is without.

[NaturallyHappy]

I know someone who tows w a Chevy Suburban.

[LCDR]

I towed for my first 20 years with horses using 3/4 ton Suburbans with big V8 engines. Also used them as my commuter vehicles. They were just a pain to park at work. Plus 6.5 mpg while towing the horses really sucked. But I also used them for off road rounding up hounds after fox hunting, and never lacked for dog space.

[phantomhorse]

Are you also commuting daily? How far/long? Do the dogs go with you every time?

Wondering would it be possible to put a cap on the truck and put down some really nice dog beds for the pups in the back. Then have your husband use the SUV on the days he needs to commute and you use the truck as dog transport.

[Pico_Banana]

@phantomhorse

Are you also commuting daily? How far/long? Do the dogs go with you every time?

Wondering would it be possible to put a cap on the truck and put down some really nice dog beds for the pups in the back. Then have your husband use the SUV on the days he needs to commute and you use the truck as dog transport.

No, I am lucky in that I rarely commute. Although that might change to once a week and my commute is the same as his (not same days). Dogs do not go with me.

Husband is itching to get a new car. Not sure why he doesn’t drive my car (which is actually a really nice car) to work other than the fact that I don’t like driving the truck (not an issue as I rarely go anywhere) and the truck has ridiculously low miles on it despite its age.

Also, husband is not the type who would tolerate a cap on the truck. The reason we got the Raptor, despite it not being the best for towing, is that it was about the only truck that he could stand to think of owning. A cap on a truck would be anathema to him.

[Blueeyedroan]

Another vote here for the old 3/4 ton V8 Chevy Suburbans.
They were built to pack in the kids, the dogs, the kids friends, and tow the giant family RV too.
True tanks. Not overly expensive to maintain. Lots are still on the road and working at 400,000km and climbing.

• I’m an automotive service advisor. Seeing mechanical failures all day long is what I do for a living. Beware Chrysler/Dodge products that promise a good towing capacity on smaller (half ton and under) vehicles. The transmission and front end really won’t take it that well.

[LCDR]

I must post a warning about camper shells on pickups. Specifically using them with dogs or people inside.

Some years back, a couple near me were coming home and loaded three of their children in the back. Looking back to check they believed all the children had fallen asleep. They arrived home to find their children dead from carbon monoxide leaking into the space. Here is the complete report.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00001926.htm

, .

[thereadinghorse]

I could name tons of SUV to tow with, as this is the standard here. But I think our trailers are different to yours, so my recommendations most likely won’t fit your needs at all.

[Blueeyedroan]

You mean like a canopy?
That’s SUPER illegal to drive the vehicle with a person inside of it. And if you have dogs in it there needs to be windows, that are at least partially open to provide fresh air flow.
Box beds are meant to have holes in them, so water drains out. Any amount of exhaust leak (like many trucks have) will go right in there.
And if the monoxide doesn’t kill whats back there , the heat will in summer time!

[Janet]

I have always (since I got my license in the early 1970s) towed with a full sized van. My current one is a 1997 V8 Ford Econoline E-350. (They don’t mke the Econoline any more, it has been replaced by the Transit. When I need to replace my current one, I’ll look at a Transit.)
Lots of room in the back, and lots of storage that won’t get wet.

But I don’t use it for anything but towing the horse trailer, and going to motorcycle races. I have occaisionally used it for commuting when my “daily driver” was in the shop, and parking is not much fun. I once used it to drive extended family from Northern Virginia to Buffalo NY, and it was great for that. Otherwise we would have had to take multiple cars.

[LCDR]

Looks like the empty weight of the trailer described is 3,200 pounds. The 2024 according to Hawk has a 2-5/16 inch coupler. It looks like the loaded weight will be around 6,500 pounds plus, which likely means that you need to shop for an SUV that will handle 650-700 pounds of trailer tongue weight.

[Bogie]

I pull my Hawk with a Sequoia. I have a weight-distributing, anti-sway hitch (the Equalizer) and have never had any issues. We bought a Sequoia because I wanted something to drive that would also be suitable for driving the kids and all their friends when I wasn’t pulling a trailer. Mine is an older model and still going strong at about 200K miles.

[kaya842]

The specs I’m finding are 3,700-3,800lbs empty. Likely close to 7,000-8,000 completely loaded with 2 horses.

Model-105.pdf

We had a Chevy Suburban and towed our extremely light weight Brenderup with one horse in it and I hated every second of it. Maybe we had a lemon (the vehicle not the trailer) but it was not at all something I’d recommend.

I’ve also towed a Hawk with tack room with no side ramp with our 2018 F150 (with WDH) and honestly those things are heavy. IMO, there aren’t any SUVs that would do better at towing it than a truck. Our double cab F150 fits multiple dogs easily. Perhaps the Raptor is different sized?

From the outside looking in, the best option is to have the SO drive the SUV for commuting and you drive the truck on the rare occasion you need to commute.

[LCDR]

I am intrigued by the Rivian R1S. An electric SUV with seats for seven, 290 mile range (not towing) and towing rated for 7,700 pounds. Even has pet mode for the dog’s comfort. The link is to a trailer towing review.

https://s00n.rivianstories.com/posts/29270083

[Demerara_Stables]

@LCDR

I am intrigued by the Rivian R1S. An electric SUV with seats for seven, 290 mile range (not towing) and towing rated for 7,700 pounds. Even has pet mode for the dog’s comfort. The link is to a trailer towing review.

Do not do this. There’s a thread on the Eventing forum about hauling with electric trucks.

I have a 2023 F-150 Lightning. I absolutely love it, BUT I get just 180 miles of range when towing a very light (2500 lb) travel trailer. I would only haul a horse trailer 30 miles or less with an electric truck - they just aren’t there yet.