2024 Ram 1500 Laramie.Stellantis/Courtesy of manufacturer
I’m looking for help in buying a new tow vehicle, specifically for towing horses. I have an all-aluminum (read: relatively lightweight) two-horse bumper pull trailer with a tack room. I would guess it weighs around 2,000-2,500 pounds empty. Loaded up, probably around 7,000 pounds.
I’m looking at half-ton trucks but I just don’t know what to think about the smaller turbo engines that are available now. I was originally set on sticking with a V8 engine since I know what to expect. The smaller engines (Silverado as small as a 2.7-litre four-cylinder) tout higher tow capacities, but my main concern is longevity. Will these engines hold up for 10-plus years of towing? Any thoughts? – Beth
Mark Richardson: The fact is, until 10 years have passed, nobody really knows how those engines will hold up for a decade. Manufacturers can do all the extended endurance testing that’s possible, and cram a million kilometres of driving into a few months on a test bed, but it’s never quite the same as real-life experience.
Petrina Gentile: That’s true. Only time will tell, and Beth has hefty towing requests. It might be better to stick with a V8 or a classic V6 diesel – at least she’ll know what to expect.
Richardson: The beauty of the bigger V8s is that they’re less stressed to produce the extra power that’s needed for towing heavier weights. Like everything in life, less stress means longer lasting. That said, there’s always a happy medium.
Gentile: Agreed, so let’s look at the North American trucks first. Shall we start with Ford?
Richardson: Sure, though I find that North American pickups are generally similar, with more emphasis on brand loyalty than SUVs and cars. The Ford F-150 is the best-seller though, and there’s plenty of choice for towing capacities, starting at 8,200 pounds.
2024 Ford F-150 XLT.Courtesy of manufacturer
Gentile: Exactly – there are several engine choices from the 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 to a 3.5-litre full-hybrid V6 to the supercharged 5.2-litre V8.
Richardson: I think there are enough reliable options in that range for Beth’s needs without having to step up to a Super-Duty pickup truck. I’m assuming she isn’t filling the bed with heavy cargo – the towing capacity is reduced when the payload increases.
Gentile: Definitely no need for a Super Duty truck. I’m thinking of an F-150 hybrid – it has 430 horsepower and 570 lb-ft of torque. It can tow up to 12,700 pounds and has a payload of 2,120 pounds. What do you think?
Richardson: That’s a wonderful truck, though it’s far more than she needs and it’s not cheap – you have to buy the fully loaded Platinum edition, which will be around $94,000 before taxes. That’s literally twice the price of the most basic F-150. If Beth has lots of money to spend and likes her luxuries, then fair enough, but I’d recommend a more realistic 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 for strength and longevity. That’ll start around $50,000.
Gentile: It’s definitely a more reasonable and affordable option. The 3.5-litre V6 delivers 400 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. It can also tow between 10,400 to 13,500 pounds - which is more than enough for Beth’s towing needs.
Richardson: There are dozens of options for any of the Detroit Three pickup trucks, and each one comes with different tow packages and features. Beth should visit each of the dealers and go through the possible options with their salespeople to land on a price, but I think we can agree that today’s V6s are the equivalent of yesterday’s V8s.
Gentile: Absolutely. V6 is all she needs. What about a smaller engine? Beth mentioned the Chevy Silverado’s 2.7-litre turbo-four.
2022 Chevrolet Silverado LT.Courtesy of manufacturer
Richardson: The little four-cylinder is probably fine, and it’s amazingly strong, but Beth is concerned for longevity. I’d rather take the word of owners in a few years’ time over the claims of the manufacturer, no matter how well tested it is or how good the warranty is. In my book, more cylinders and more size mean less stress.
Gentile: I agree. Beth should skip the Silverado’s turbo-four and maybe look at a Silverado with the three-litre inline-six Duramax turbo-diesel?
Richardson: If she’s okay with the smell and higher price of diesel fuel, the three-litre Duramax will probably outlast its gasoline competitors. This was an all-new engine in 2020 and I’ve heard only good things about it.
Gentile: I love it. The turbo diesel is strong and fuel-efficient – it has 305 horsepower and 495 lb-ft of torque and with two-wheel drive, it can tow up to 13,400 pounds. It’s not too smelly or noisy, either. But it does cost more. The least-expensive two-wheel-drive diesel model costs around $65,000, including freight and pre-delivery inspection but before tax.
Richardson: Again, that’s far too much truck for Beth. I always liked the Ram 1500 diesel for towing, but there’s no longer a diesel option for that truck. The V6 is strong enough for Beth’s needs, with a 7,730-pound maximum, but there’s not much room for extra weight there. I’d recommend she go for the 5.7-litre V8 if she wants a Ram, but that limit is 12,750 pounds, which is way more than she needs. However, it’s only an extra $2,295 option.
Gentile: That’s on top of a base price of nearly $50,000. The price is going to jump up fast.
Richardson: And you were recommending the $94,000 Ford hybrid just now. The price always jumps up fast with all vehicles, but I don’t think the extra cost of buying the V8 is prohibitive. It’s the extra cost of fuelling it that’s going to hurt.
Gentile: It will. Full-size trucks are expensive nowadays. You can’t find cheap trucks like my dad’s old work trucks, anymore. How about the Toyota Tundra?
2022 Toyota Tundra.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Richardson: That’s not a cheap truck either, but it will certainly cover Beth’s towing needs. It’s only sold with a 3.5-litre V6 engine, and the basic edition has a towing capacity of 8,300 pounds. All the other Tundras have capacities of at least 10,000 pounds, and if you opt for the hybrid that’s attached to that engine, it goes up as high as 12,000 pounds. Beth doesn’t need anywhere near that, of course.
Gentile: The base model, which is a double cab with a regular bed, is all she needs. It starts around $54,000 before freight and PDI.
Richardson: The current generation of the Tundra was released just a couple of years ago, so it’s a modern design but has had the time to prove itself. I’d certainly recommend Toyota trucks for reliability and longevity. It’s why they hold their value so well.
Gentile: I agree. We’ve given Beth many options. What do you think is the best fit for her towing needs?
Richardson: We don’t know her budget, so we can only suggest options. I think she’ll find a better deal from a Ford F-150 with the V6 engine, but the Toyota Tundra is a solid choice. It may cost more to purchase, and might still take a while to get one, but the Toyota should last forever.
Gentile: The Tundra is solid, but I really like the diesel Chevrolet Silverado for its fuel efficiency and towing power.
What car should you buy? Write to Mark and Petrina at globedrive@globeandmail.com and use ‘What car’ as as part of your subject line. Emails with different subject lines may not be answered.
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