towing with a small suv? 2024
jbmaine reply :
Hi all,
I'll be picking up my new boat come spring, and will need a better vehicle to tow it with. It will be a 16 ft tin boat, and boat, motor, trailer, and gear should come to around 1700-1800 lbs. We can only afford one vehicle in our family, so I'm looking for a smaller size SUV that's all around good on gas. I've started to look at the Ford Escape with a towing package. The towing package will allow it to tow up to 3500LB .
Before I get to far into this, I was wondering if anyone could tell me if they see issues with towing that much with a vehicle that size. The trailer does not have brakes of it's own, and I don't plan on towing more than 50 or so miles.
your input would be appreciated.
Thanks
Jim
CroakHunter reply :
There should be 0 problems towing that light of a load with a modern vehicle of any size. Even at 2000 lbs that's barely half of the load suggestion in the vehicle.
RPreeb reply :
I don't think that towing a boat that size should be a major issue. You may find it a bit slow on hills, but otherwise it should pull okay.
Having just bought a camping trailer last year, I've gone through this discussion a few times now, and I ended up having to buy an F-150 with tow package to pull my 5500 lb max trailer. You are a lot lighter and don't have that drag chute behind to have to overcome.
moguy1973 reply :
Might want AWD if you put in on steeper ramps. FWD doesn't like slippery steep ramps. My buddy with a FWD Explorer has had issues on sloppy ramps before and have had to call someone with a 4WD to get him out.
burrows reply :
Will you be buying new or used?
WIGuide reply :
On something that small you should be fine, if you launch at any dirt ramps or any that can be rather steep I'd definitely opt for the 4wd version as mentioned earlier.
jbmaine reply :
Thanks for the replies,
I'm going to be looking at used vehicles and definitely AWD. I'd love a full size SUV, but as our only vehicle I need something more efficient. I'll be replacing a Subaru Forrester. I was looking at the Escape because of the towing package, but am open to something different if it does the job.
Jim
CroakHunter reply :
Depending on how used you're talking. Take a look at the Ford's with the ecoboost twin turbos. I have a f150 with the 3.5 v6 ecoboost and regret not getting one sooner. I average about 22mpg on the highway, and 16 city driving, have 365hp (really fast truck) and the truck didn't blink when I pulled my wife's full size car sitting on top of a 22 ft dual axle trailer with no trailer brakes. Any other v6 wouldn't have cut it
And btw, I'm not a Ford guy...at all. I actually work for and build toyotas
BrianinMD reply :
It should be fine, just remember to take it easy. Stopping distance is going to be noticeably longer. Try to get a tow package which includes a trans cooler also.
And have to agree with CroakHunter, the ecoboost option is great. My 2017 with 470ft lbs of torque is great, and getting 20.8mpg in all driving, have not been able to check highway miles do not spend much time on them and usually towing.
TOXIC reply :
Whatever you get make sure it's set up to tow if you want it to last. No matter what, I would put a transmission cooler on whatever vehicle you get if it doesn't have one. Step up your brakes when it's time for new pads and don't go cheap. Make sure you change the oil in your tow vehicle on a regular basis and for whatever duration the owners manual calls for with extreme driving (usually city/dusty or towing).
MickD reply :
I tow about 2500 with a V6 Terrain and the handling is fine, and you should have no problem with the Escape or any other of similar size. The 2018 Equinox has what I think the ideal engine for your application (and mine), which is a 175 HP 2.0 liter turbo 4 cylinder. It will tow your load fine (I used to tow with a 175 HP minivan and it was fine) and will get great fuel economy without the trailer. Take a look if buying or leasing new.
3dees reply :
a few years ago I pulled my VT 19 with a Ford Edge. never had a problem. a 16' tin shouldn't be a problem.
TheRodFather reply :
A buddy of mine just bought a brand new Tracker 170 with a heavy 4 stroke jet, total package weight with gear is 1830lb. He is towing with a Honda CRV. It's working, not too sure about longevity though, hard on breaks and trans, like everyone else mentioned.
boostr reply :
I would opt for the AWD Ford Edge with a tow package. It's bigger than the Escape, but smaller than the Explorer.
On 10/4/2017 at 6:54 PM, CroakHunter said:Depending on how used you're talking. Take a look at the Ford's with the ecoboost twin turbos. I have a f150 with the 3.5 v6 ecoboost and regret not getting one sooner. I average about 22mpg on the highway, and 16 city driving, have 365hp (really fast truck) and the truck didn't blink when I pulled my wife's full size car sitting on top of a 22 ft dual axle trailer with no trailer brakes. Any other v6 wouldn't have cut it
And btw, I'm not a Ford guy...at all. I actually work for and build toyotas
That's what I'm looking into this winter, when the dealers want to get rid of their older models.
Further North reply :
I tow an '05 Crestliner CMV 1850 with a 2014 Ford Escape (SE model, 2.0L, with tow package). That boat is probably around 1,000 lbs. heavier with an average load that what you are proposing to tow. The CMV is an 18 1/2 ft. boat, 8 ft. wide, with a Johnson 140 four stroke (really a Suzuki DF140 with a Johnson logo)on it and it has a 40 gallon fuel tank.
I've been towing the CMV for three seasons now including round trips to Canada every year and two or three hour trips closer to home.
Zero problems, it works just fine.
Make sure you get one with the factory tow package, that is what gets the tow rating up to 3,500 lbs. With an aftermarket hitch, it is only rated at 2,500, IIRC. Also remember to tow in Sport Mode, it makes a huge difference.
Mileage wise, I see mid 20s day to day (country roads, mostly), higher 20s on the highway as long I don't have to be the fastest guy on the road, and on the annual trip to Canada I've averaged just above 16 MPG all three years. On that trip, after I fill up with gas in International Falls, the whole rig is probably pushing 3,000 lbs. Pulling the boat at 60 MPH on a flat, level raod, the engine is runnign about 2,000 RPM...I'm amazed every time I do it.
BTW, the built in anti-sway is really, really good; I had a deer jump out in front of me this summer in the middle of a curve with zero warning...and I flinched a bit...I could feel the anti-sway kick in right away. Between that and just under 40 years experience pulling trailers, we were nowhere near losing control.
BrianinMD reply :
On 10/5/2017 at 3:39 AM, boostr said:I would opt for the AWD Ford Edge with a tow package. It's bigger than the Escape, but smaller than the Explorer.
That's what I'm looking into this winter, when the dealers want to get rid of their older models.
They are dumping 2017 models now....trucks of 2018 are coming in....how I got my 2017 f150 3.5 eco with an msrp of 52k for 37k. Deals are out there now.
jbmaine reply :
Thanks everyone,
This is just the kind of input I was looking for. I'm not picking the boat up until spring, so I'll have plenty of time to find what I need.
Jim
NHBull reply :
You will be fine, but remember that stopping is harder than pulling, plan accordingly
BaitFinesse reply :
It's impressive that a focus platform can tow up to 3500 lbs. No way my forester could do that.
Further North reply :
On 10/5/2017 at 5:03 AM, BrianinMD said:They are dumping 2017 models now....trucks of 2018 are coming in....how I got my 2017 f150 3.5 eco with an msrp of 52k for 37k. Deals are out there now.
Yeah, they are. There's a bunch of 2017 Escape SE models with tow packages sitting at my local Ford dealer. Prices look good to me.
On 10/5/2017 at 5:39 AM, NHBull said:You will be fine, but remember that stopping is harder than pulling, plan accordingly
Yup. Learn to look waaaay further out than when you're driving normally.
On 10/5/2017 at 6:08 AM, BaitFinesse said:It's impressive that a focus platform can tow up to 3500 lbs. No way my forester could do that.
Yeah, it is. I was extremely skeptical, until I tried it.
Dealer didn't quite know how to take it when I showed up with my current rig with the boat hooked up...told him I needed to do a test drive pulling my boat...
"I'm not sure we can let you do that?"
"OK, I'll find someone who will..."
We were pulling the boat down the road 10 minutes later...
On 10/5/2017 at 5:36 AM, jbmaine said:Thanks everyone,
This is just the kind of input I was looking for. I'm not picking the boat up until spring, so I'll have plenty of time to find what I need.
Jim
This time of year is a great time to score a good deal on the vehicle (new and used) if you can swing it
gimruis reply :
I used to tow my Ranger RT178 with a Ford Escape and it worked fine in terms of safety. The issue I had was that the actual weight of the vehicle wasn't very heavy so it was always "laboring" to tow the boat with efficiency. My mileage went down significantly when I was towing the boat too. I upgraded to an F-150 that has some balls and now I don't even notice the boat is back there, plus my mileage is the same now whether I'm towing or not. Your boat is lighter than mine and you will probably have a newer Escape than I was using.
jbmaine reply :
I'm going to have to go used, $$$ just to tight with buying a new boat. But I have all fall, winter to find what I need. Truth be told it will be nice to get rid of my forester. I've been less than happy with it.
Jim
Further North reply :
I just looked at the inventory at my local Ford dealer...they have Escape SE models with the trailer package going for $26K - 27K, while used Escapes are fetching between $17K - $21K...
I'm a die-hard "buy used" guy...but $5,000 to get no miles and a longer warranty might have me checking my numbers for overall cost of ownership.
...but then again, if new Escapes are going for $26K in NW WI in October...that's gonna put a hit on the selling price of used ones in pretty short order...
boostr reply :
If anything go with Certified Pre Owned. Those are ussualy returned leased models with low miles, and you can get them for a really good price because the depreciation has already been paid off on them during the length of the lease.
Lures'n'Liberty reply :
By "16' tin boat," do you mean a tiny little Jon Boat with a tiller drive 5hp or a decked out 16' bass boat with a deck, console, bigger motor, live wells full of water, etc? If you're talking about a small Jon, your numbers are way off on the weight. Unless you've got way more trailer than you need, you're probably well on the low side of 500 lbs and with surge brakes I could safely pull that with my motorcycle, although I'd probably have trouble coming up a launch ramp. You could also flip that boat over and haul it on the roof like a canoe if you're really weighing all the options.
Further North reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 12:47 AM, boostr said:If anything go with Certified Pre Owned. Those are ussualy returned leased models with low miles, and you can get them for a really good price because the depreciation has already been paid off on them during the length of the lease.
Good advice - two of our three cars are like that, the third was driven by the car dealer's wife*.
*How do I know that? He lives three houses down the road and we share a passion for upland hunting...
jbmaine reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 3:05 AM, Lures'n'Liberty said:By "16' tin boat," do you mean a tiny little Jon Boat with a tiller drive 5hp or a decked out 16' bass boat with a deck, console, bigger motor, live wells full of water, etc? If you're talking about a small Jon, your numbers are way off on the weight. Unless you've got way more trailer than you need, you're probably well on the low side of 500 lbs and with surge brakes I could safely pull that with my motorcycle, although I'd probably have trouble coming up a launch ramp. You could also flip that boat over and haul it on the roof like a canoe if you're really weighing all the options.
My new boat is a Lund Fury XL Sport with a 50 hp . Looking at all the specs and figuring all the gear It should come in at just under 2000lb. I'd like to tow it with a vehicle rated for at least 2500lb (3500lb would be better). I don't like towing right at the edge of capacity.
Jim
Lures'n'Liberty reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 4:17 AM, jbmaine said:My new boat is a Lund Fury XL Sport with a 50 hp . Looking at all the specs and figuring all the gear It should come in at just under 2000lb. I'd like to tow it with a vehicle rated for at least 2500lb (3500lb would be better). I don't like towing right at the edge of capacity.
Jim
Not pulling that with the Gold Wing LOL. Really though, there's lots of good stuff out there. I love my '17 Tacoma, rated at 6200 it would do you just fine, however it's a pickup truck, not an SUV. the older 4.0 Tacos will do fine, as will a 4 Runner or the smaller Highlander. A Rav 4 would be just a wee on the light side though. As far as the Escapes go, there's an '08 in my company fleet and while reliable so far, it's a major nickel and dimer. Had it back to the dealer 5 times for hard starting conditions related to the chip in the key that a do it yourselfer can't do without a dealership scantool along with a laundry list of stupid stuff like the rear wiper arm breaking off and suspension parts wearing prematurely. The timing cover is starting to leak oil and if it goes like the others, it's going to start chucking belts soon. 45,000 miles ago it was indeed Certified Pre-Owned, bought right off the Ford lot. IMHO, it was a certified pre owned piece of **** and I wouldn't buy another one.
CroakHunter reply :
Can't go wrong with a toyota. I feel like they make the best of the best of every style of vehicle. The new rav4's are nice. And not too pricey.
MickD reply :
The fuel economy will always go down when towing. Unless you can repeal the laws of physics.
Further North reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 4:35 AM, Lures'n'Liberty said:As far as the Escapes go, there's an '08 in my company fleet and while reliable so far, it's a major nickel and dimer. Had it back to the dealer 5 times for hard starting conditions related to the chip in the key that a do it yourselfer can't do without a dealership scantool along with a laundry list of stupid stuff like the rear wiper arm breaking off and suspension parts wearing prematurely. The timing cover is starting to leak oil and if it goes like the others, it's going to start chucking belts soon. 45,000 miles ago it was indeed Certified Pre-Owned, bought right off the Ford lot. IMHO, it was a certified pre owned piece of **** and I wouldn't buy another one.
Completely different vehicle from any Escape made 2013 or later.
Completely different...engines, chassis, drive line...even the wheels...I'd not be surprised if they didn't share any common parts beyond the bulbs in the tail lights...Comparing a pre-2013 Escape with a post-2012 Escape is like comparing different brands of cars...
Lures'n'Liberty reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 5:56 AM, Further North said:Completely different vehicle from any Escape made 2013 or later.
Completely different...engines, chassis, drive line...even the wheels...I'd not be surprised if they didn't share any common parts beyond the bulbs in the tail lights...Comparing a pre-2013 Escape with a post-2012 Escape is like comparing different brands of cars...
absolutely correct. Just say no to 3.0
Further North reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 5:26 AM, CroakHunter said:Can't go wrong with a toyota. I feel like they make the best of the best of every style of vehicle. The new rav4's are nice. And not too pricey.
I like Toyotas, have had several...but when I was looking at vehicles a used RAV4 with similar miles was several thousand dollars more that an used Escape...and to get the RAV4 up to anywhere near the same tow capacity, you had to go to the V6...which shot the day-to-day fuel economy right back down to the vehicle I was getting rid of because gas was $4/gallon.
...also, having owned many brands I never found them to be any more trouble free than other brands, in fact one of our blew a head gasket at what I felt was unreasonably low mileage...under 50,000.
Lures'n'Liberty reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 5:26 AM, CroakHunter said:Can't go wrong with a toyota. I feel like they make the best of the best of every style of vehicle. The new rav4's are nice. And not too pricey.
Wouldn't say the best, if you're looking for luxury, they're lacking, you've got to go Lexus if you want the bells and whistles. Toyota is pretty utilitarian, they're good at giving you the options that you need without extra doo-dads that you don't. New Rav4's are nice and not pricey, but they're only rated to tow 1500 lbs.
RPreeb reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 5:26 AM, CroakHunter said:Can't go wrong with a toyota. I feel like they make the best of the best of every style of vehicle. The new rav4's are nice. And not too pricey.
On 10/6/2017 at 6:02 AM, Further North said:I like Toyotas, have had several...but when I was looking at vehicles a used RAV4 with similar miles was several thousand dollars more that an used Escape...and to get the RAV4 up to anywhere near the same tow capacity, you had to go to the V6...which shot the day-to-day fuel economy right back down to the vehicle I was getting rid of because gas was $4/gallon.
...also, having owned many brands I never found them to be any more trouble free than other brands, in fact one of our blew a head gasket at what I felt was unreasonably low mileage...under 50,000.
Same here. I drove 6 different Toyotas from 1973 until 2003. They just got too high on themselves. I was able to get a better deal on a Honda - Toyota just wouldn't budge on price so I went another direction.
Now we have 2 Fords, a 2010 Edge (bought in 2014 with just 21,000 miles) and a 2016 F-150 3.5L EcoBoost (bought new a year ago). They have been every bit as dependable as any of my Toyotas ever were.
I have nothing against Toyota, but I don't see them as significantly better than most others these days. Even when you see those "reliability" ratings (like JD Power, etc.), the actual quantifiable differences are negligible - more of a marketing tool than any real world difference.
CroakHunter reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 6:04 AM, Lures'n'Liberty said:Wouldn't say the best, if you're looking for luxury, they're lacking, you've got to go Lexus if you want the bells and whistles. Toyota is pretty utilitarian, they're good at giving you the options that you need without extra doo-dads that you don't. New Rav4's are nice and not pricey, but they're only rated to tow 1500 lbs.
I didn't know they were only rated for that. That's kinda sad. We build the highlander, sequoia, And Dianna at my plant here in southern indiana. Hard to believe 1000 highlanders a day come out of that plant and we still can't keep up
Lures'n'Liberty reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 6:25 AM, RPreeb said:
Same here. I drove 6 different Toyotas from 1973 until 2003. They just got too high on themselves. I was able to get a better deal on a Honda - Toyota just wouldn't budge on price so I went another direction. Now we have 2 Fords, a 2010 Edge (bought in 2014 with just 21,000 miles) and a 2016 F-150 3.5L EcoBoost (bought new a year ago). They have been every bit as dependable as any of my Toyotas ever were. I have nothing against Toyota, but I don't see them as significantly better than most others these days. Even when you see those "reliability" ratings (like JD Power, etc.), the actual quantifiable differences are negligible - more of a marketing tool than any real world difference.
I was able to beat them up quite a bit on my Tacoma, there's a few tricks to getting a deal on a new Toyota, though. Go to www.toyota.com and use their vehicle locator. Build a truck that you like and get the specs. Be very specific, it just so happened that when I bought my truck, within my region there was only one Summit White Access Cab TRD Sport with a manual transmission and red/orange piped interior, which is exactly what I wanted. I picked up the phone and called every dealer within 50 miles and told them to give me the best deal that they could. I called back all the ones who gave me a price with the lowest, then I repeated the process. Twice. Then I beat the guy at the last dealer down another $200. The process was worth over $3,000 and I walked out of the dealer with a bad ass little truck that was built in the United States of America for almost 10k less than a new, similarly equipped, assembled in Mexico F-150 and it has a sweet looking hood scoop. Now if only I could find a kayak rack for the access cab roof that doesn't cost $500, I'd be set.
Lures'n'Liberty reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 6:41 AM, CroakHunter said:I didn't know they were only rated for that. That's kinda sad. We build the highlander, sequoia, And Dianna at my plant here in southern indiana. Hard to believe 1000 highlanders a day come out of that plant and we still can't keep up
They very well may have used to be, but they aren't anymore. All 4 cyl, all have rear struts, no frames, nothing remotely close to heavy duty about the rear suspension. It's a good little SUV, but it's a little wee thing. Figure Toyota makes 5 SUV's and a crossover, the Rav4 is the smallest of them all and it's target market is buying little tiny tin can SUV's like the Chevy Trax and Jeep Renegade. The tow capacity is probably a big reason you can't keep up with the Highlanders.
Further North reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 6:25 AM, RPreeb said:
Same here. I drove 6 different Toyotas from 1973 until 2003. They just got too high on themselves. I was able to get a better deal on a Honda - Toyota just wouldn't budge on price so I went another direction.
Now we have 2 Fords, a 2010 Edge (bought in 2014 with just 21,000 miles) and a 2016 F-150 3.5L EcoBoost (bought new a year ago). They have been every bit as dependable as any of my Toyotas ever were.
I have nothing against Toyota, but I don't see them as significantly better than most others these days. Even when you see those "reliability" ratings (like JD Power, etc.), the actual quantifiable differences are negligible - more of a marketing tool than any real world difference.
We're getting a bit of topic here, but spot on, IMO, and a very reasonable evaluation.
American makes absolutely earned a reputation for spotty quality and prices too high for the product they were selling back in the 70s, 80s and 90s...I didn't buy an American car from about 1982 until 2000...but these days, they are just as good as anything else...and typically less expensive by enough to get my attention...the price difference really shows up in the used market...or it did last time we shopped in Dec., 2014.
These days, there's 3 Fords in the garage: The 2014 Escape, a 2012 Focus and a 2006 Freestyle. No problems worth mentioning with any of them, nor do I expect any. There's no particular reason they are all Fords, other than at the time we made the purchases, data and dollars told us they were the best choice for us. Other folks' may be in different places, that's cool with me...
gimruis reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 5:42 AM, MickD said:The fuel economy will always go down when towing. Unless you can repeal the laws of physics.
Yes, but the amount it goes down is significant when using a small SUV compared to a full size truck. I know this because I used to tow with a small SUV and now I tow with a full size truck. The mileage using the SUV went down by almost half and the mileage with the truck goes down by 0.1 mpg.
The towing capacity of the Escape was 3500 pounds. The towing capacity of the F-150 is 12,000 pounds. That's also a significant difference.
jbmaine reply :
Just to get back on topic, or maybe not so much, I need a vehicle to tow my new boat come spring. My forester just will not do it. My wife has disabilities and has to have a vehicle that's easy for her to drive. I figure around 10k for my forester plus around 10k cash is my limit . I also insist on AWD and good gas mileage. So my parameters are a used small or midsize SUV capable of towing at least 2500lb.
As far as brand, I'm not locked into ford, but not too many small SUV's have much towing capacity. I've heard good and bad stories on just about every vehicle made in the last 3 or 4 yrs
Jim
Further North reply :
Jim, here's what I'd do - in fact what I did back in 2014:
- Figure out what you need.
- Figure out what you want.
- Research based on specs, reviews and questions you ask on forums like this.
- Eliminate the ones that don't meet your needs. That's the easy step, it'll help you ignore a buncha static and noise.
- Eliminate the ones that go way over what you need. For example, you're not gonna need a V8 Diesel quad cab long bed...and you probably don't even need to spend the money on an EcoBoost Ford F150, even though you thinnk they're cool as heck.
- This should leave you with a list of a half dozen or so.
- Get pre-qualified for a loan so you can get 'er done when you find your vehicle.
- Go test drive them. Filter on the stuff you want, and when you find what you're looking for, at the right price...be ready to write the check on the spot.
MickD reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 9:31 AM, jbmaine said:
On 10/6/2017 at 8:46 AM, gimruis said:Yes, but the amount it goes down is significant when using a small SUV compared to a full size truck. I know this because I used to tow with a small SUV and now I tow with a full size truck. The mileage using the SUV went down by almost half and the mileage with the truck goes down by 0.1 mpg.
The towing capacity of the Escape was 3500 pounds. The towing capacity of the F-150 is 12,000 pounds. That's also a significant difference.
But the day to day fuel economy of the 12,000 capacity vehicle is significantly worse than the smaller vehicle. So there is a trade-off. And the laws of physics do prevail. The fuel economy will go down on any vehicle the equivalent of driving the towed weight down the road (approximately because there may be a small advantage of the towed weight drafting the tow vehicle). But anyone can believe what they want and buy what they want; it's not my money.
I have to argue, with due respect, that your down by half and only .1 mpg just do not make sense.
Lures'n'Liberty reply :
For 20K you have a lot of options out there, and a few that may be a bit more comfortable if you're willing to step back to something 6-7 years old. A Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon is a hell of a rig and it gets surprisingly good gas mileage, as modern LS V8's shut down cylinders when you don't need the extra power. Don't walk past the conversion vans, either. Your disabled wife may really enjoy heavily cushioned seats that swivel and lighted steps to help her in and out. That back seat that folds down into a bed makes for a great alternative to a hotel if you go to a lake for a weekend, too. It's not unheard of to find insane deals on low mileage conversion vans bought for family excursions that never happened.
Lures'n'Liberty reply :
If the above doesn't suit you, you're looking right at the Mid Size SUV market. The Rav4/CRV/Equinox/Compass/Sportage size is not rated to do what you want them to do. You're looking at Highlander, Pilot, 4 Runner, Santa Fe, Pathfinder, Explorer, Grand Cherokee, maybe a few more. Google tells me an Escape is rated to tow 1500-2000 lbs, depending on equipment, so it's probably out, too. One that's a real standout on the list is the Hyundai. Korean cars were total turdburglars for a long time but in the last 10 years they've really stepped up their game, and they'll get you quite a bit of car for your money. As far as a pickup goes, 20k won't get you much under 10 years old or 100k miles outside of a Nissan Frontier, which is by no means a poor choice. A 4 door mini truck with a super short bed makes quite the fishin' truck that will keep you from having to haul the neighbor's couch.
Further North reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 9:01 PM, Lures'n'Liberty said:Google tells me an Escape is rated to tow 1500-2000 lbs, depending on equipment, so it's probably out, too.
Ford Escapes with the tow package are rated for 3500 lbs.
https://www.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/17RV&TT_Ford_Escape_Sep7.pdf
Google isn't very smart, apparently. 
Further North reply :
Here's how the gas thing (MPG) shook out in my head back in 2015:
Our existing vehicle, a SAAB 9-7x (Chevy Trailbazer/GMC Envy with a SAAB badge on it) averaged about 16 MPG.
That meant about $3,750 a year in gas*.
The Escape averages about 23 MPG...or about $2,610.
Dunno about you folks, but I can find a lot of things to do with $1,140 a year...or $11,400 of the time we're likely to keep the vehicle.
...even if it's 19 MPG on the lower MPG vehicle, that's still $550 (I rounded up $0.80) and $5,500.
So back to my example...
I'll give the $1,140 to 'my guy" who will invest it for us...over the last 10 years, he's averaged 9%.
So at the end of year one, the $1,140 is worth $1,243** (I rounded $0.60 this time), and we add another $1,140
At 10 years, it winds up looking like this:
In my world, that's about $1,000 less than I paid for my last new-to-me used boat...or if I let it float, part of a larger picture that's going to let me pull the plug on working for a living before I'm 60...
Keep in mind the real number is something like $18,150 if I give "my guy" money once a month, or $18,330 if I give "my guy" money every two weeks as an auto-deduct out of my paycheck**...Compound interest is truly the 8th Wonder of the World...***
Sorry to wander off topic...but I love this stuff...
*20,000 miles; $3.00/gallon to keep the math simple)
**Yeah, there's fluctuations in markets...but the 9% is easy, and I'm anything but aggressive in investing.
***the difference between a 19 MPG vehicle and a 23 MPG vehicle are $7,230, $8,275 and $8,810 respectively. Nothing to sneeze at...
RPreeb reply :
My wife's Edge gets about 21-22 mpg, and it's 7 years old. My understanding is that the newer ones do better than that, and it's a lot more car than an Escape. I'm a big guy, and I fit the Edge comfortably (we originally bought it for my vehicle, then swapped when we had to buy the F-150 to tow the camping trailer). I didn't even bother to look at the Escape any farther than just sitting behind the wheel.
I also got to drive an Equinox and a Jeep Cherokee over the last couple of years. The Equinox was small for me, but otherwise okay to drive, but the Cherokee had perhaps the most uncomfortable seat of any vehicle I've ever driven. The Jeep was a high end model, with all the bells and whistles, but nothing could make up for that seat.
Further North reply :
On 10/7/2017 at 7:34 AM, RPreeb said:My wife's Edge gets about 21-22 mpg, and it's 7 years old.
is that best case, or average?
I've seen 32 MPG best case on our Escape.
Average hovers around 23, a buddy with a 2010 Edge who lives a couple miles from me and drives about the same patters reports about 20 MPG.
Darn near bought an Edge, would have been great with the extra back seat room...but $$$ won out over something that gets use less than one trip in 50.
gimruis reply :
On 10/6/2017 at 7:47 PM, MickD said:I have to argue, with due respect, that your down by half and only .1 mpg just do not make sense.
I tracked the mileage electronically with both vehicles. The Escape labored and mileage dropped by 45%. The mileage goes from 17.8 to 17.7 with the F-150. I'm not making these numbers up, they are directly from the Ford product when I am driving.
I'm not denying that the Escape or other small SUV gets better mileage when not towing. That's pretty obvious.
MickD reply :
Your 150 is as magic as the Impala of a friend of mine, 40 mph overall for three years. I advise you both to keep them. I doubt if you will do as well with the next one. At least for the non-towing vs towing. But that 17.8 while not towing is pretty low.
The difficulty is driving the same for all comparisons.
Angry John reply :
I had one of these before my wife totaled it and it was great including towing. If i recall correctly it had a towing capacity of 3500 and tons of power. Fits in your price range of 20k. Easy in and out for family and when empty i could get over 30 a gallon. https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=464171165&zip=38134&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D38134%26startYear%3D1981%26maxMileage%3D60000%26sortBy%3DderivedpriceASC%26incremental%3Dall%26firstRecord%3D0%26endYear%3D2015%26modelCodeList%3DSIENNA%26makeCodeList%3DTOYOTA%26searchRadius%3D0%26driveGroup%3DAWD4WD&startYear=1981&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0&endYear=2015&modelCodeList=SIENNA&makeCodeList=TOYOTA&searchRadius=0&makeCode1=TOYOTA&modelCode1=SIENNA
RPreeb reply :
On 10/8/2017 at 9:57 AM, MickD said:Your 150 is as magic as the Impala of a friend of mine, 40 mph overall for three years. I advise you both to keep them. I doubt if you will do as well with the next one. At least for the non-towing vs towing. But that 17.8 while not towing is pretty low.
The difficulty is driving the same for all comparisons.
My 2016 F-150 with 3.5 4x4 Ecoboost gets between 18 and 19 mpg in general driving, 20-21 highway in summer with the cruise usually at 80 on the interstate - mileage is about 1 mpg less on average in winter.
When towing my 24 foot camping trailer I get 8-10 mpg depending on wind. I've never towed a boat so I can't say what mileage I'd get with that - it would certainly be more than with the camper, but I very much doubt that it would get 17 mpg.
I never tow at more than 65 mph (cheap OEM trailer tires 
), but with 365 horses and 420 lb/ft of torque I have power to spare for dragging my camper up any mountain pass in Colorado at whatever the legal speed is, and that's more of concern to me than a mile or two per gallon.
gimruis reply :
On 10/9/2017 at 8:02 AM, RPreeb said:My 2016 F-150 with 3.5 4x4 Ecoboost gets between 18 and 19 mpg in general driving, 20-21 highway in summer with the cruise usually at 80 on the interstate - mileage is about 1 mpg less on average in winter.
I don't have a V6 ecoboost. Mine is a V8 5.0 Liter.
Further North reply :
On 10/8/2017 at 8:38 AM, gimruis said:I tracked the mileage electronically with both vehicles. The Escape labored and mileage dropped by 45%. The mileage goes from 17.8 to 17.7 with the F-150. I'm not making these numbers up, they are directly from the Ford product when I am driving.
I'm not denying that the Escape or other small SUV gets better mileage when not towing. That's pretty obvious.
I had the same thing happen on a Ford Expedition several vehicles ago...towing relatively light loads had little impact on MPG, it just sucked all the time...
Side note: I'm amazed* that a lot of people seem to buy vehicles for things they do a low percentage of the time and absorb the impact of that every day. That's why we looked so hard when be bought the Escape...I tow my boat considerably less than 10% of the time I drive the vehicle...I didn't want to deal with the cost penalty of having a full size SUV of pick-up truck on a daily basis** if there was a way to get the job done another way.
*"Amazed" isn't really the right word...more like wondering why more people don't look into alternatives.
**1) They cost more up front with similar equipment levels, by a significant margin. 2) They cost more to operate.
RPreeb reply :
On 10/9/2017 at 10:46 PM, Further North said:I had the same thing happen on a Ford Expedition several vehicles ago...towing relatively light loads had little impact on MPG, it just sucked all the time...
Side note: I'm amazed* that a lot of people seem to buy vehicles for things they do a low percentage of the time and absorb the impact of that every day. That's why we looked so hard when be bought the Escape...I tow my boat considerably less than 10% of the time I drive the vehicle...I didn't want to deal with the cost penalty of having a full size SUV of pick-up truck on a daily basis** if there was a way to get the job done another way.
*"Amazed" isn't really the right word...more like wondering why more people don't look into alternatives.
**1) They cost more up front with similar equipment levels, by a significant margin. 2) They cost more to operate.
I haven't found that it's significantly more expensive to maintain my F-150 than it is my wife's Edge. Oil changes and the multi-point checks that they do when I take it in for the oil change are about all of the regular maintenance required. Tires may be a bit higher because of size, but I only buy them about every 4 years, so the amortized cost difference is minimal in the long run. I find it very handy to have a truck for a lot more than just towing the camper. I also have access to a couple of utility trailers in which I haul stuff a few times a year. Living a very small town (400 people) in a rural environment makes a recreational level pickup a very logical choice for a daily driver.
And for me the creature comforts are a real selling point. Driving my truck is like kicking back in an easy chair. Large, comfortable seats, plenty of room for 5 adults, good sound system, backup camera for easy hitching, manual 4 wheel drive so I control when and where. Plus, I just like driving it. The 600 mile cruising range with a 36 gallon tank means that for a lot of my driving, even for weekend trips, I don't need to find gas while on the road. Even when towing the camper, we drove from SE of Des Moines, IA to home in NE Colorado (600 miles) with just one gas stop along the way, and still arrived with more than 1/4 tank left.
Lots of positives that more than balance any loss of mileage and a little more difficulty in some parking lots, which are really the only negatives that affect me.
TOXIC reply :
Least everyone forget that all it takes is one major repair from towing with a smaller vehicle (transmission, differential, etc.) to completely zero out any savings in MPG. And just because it's rated to tow doesn't mean it's designed to tow which means more in maintenance costs like brakes, oil changes and overall wear and tear. I tow a lot and at one time towed a 20 foot boat with a V8 Ford Explorer. Was it "rated" for the weight? Sure it was, even had the tow package but I put that vehicle to an early death and moved on to a truck. I tow a 21ft Heavy Ranger now and started with a 3/4 ton HD truck and more recently dropped down to 1/2 ton with an 8 speed transmission and Active Fuel Management which increased my MPG towing and I'm not tearing up the vehicle doing it. As long as you know going in what the risks are, then more power to ya!!
BrianinMD reply :
On 10/9/2017 at 11:19 PM, RPreeb said:I haven't found that it's significantly more expensive to maintain my F-150 than it is my wife's Edge. Oil changes and the multi-point checks that they do when I take it in for the oil change are about all of the regular maintenance required. Tires may be a bit higher because of size, but I only buy them about every 4 years, so the amortized cost difference is minimal in the long run. I find it very handy to have a truck for a lot more than just towing the camper. I also have access to a couple of utility trailers in which I haul stuff a few times a year. Living a very small town (400 people) in a rural environment makes a recreational level pickup a very logical choice for a daily driver.
And for me the creature comforts are a real selling point. Driving my truck is like kicking back in an easy chair. Large, comfortable seats, plenty of room for 5 adults, good sound system, backup camera for easy hitching, manual 4 wheel drive so I control when and where. Plus, I just like driving it. The 600 mile cruising range with a 36 gallon tank means that for a lot of my driving, even for weekend trips, I don't need to find gas while on the road. Even when towing the camper, we drove from SE of Des Moines, IA to home in NE Colorado (600 miles) with just one gas stop along the way, and still arrived with more than 1/4 tank left.
Lots of positives that more than balance any loss of mileage and a little more difficulty in some parking lots, which are really the only negatives that affect me.
I am in the same mind set, have a 2017 F150 3.5Eco, sure towing my boat is small percentage of actual driving but comes in handy for some many things. Plus its a very comfortable vehicle to drive, 5 adults sit comfortably, 20.7mpg on all driving, truck bed for hauling things I would not want inside a vehicle, the 10 speed trans is very smooth, and the 36 gallon take is just great.
Only downside I have is the parking in some lots also, but found its easier to back in especially with the backup camera on the 7 inch screen.
THE_Vue's reply :
I tow with my Nitro 640 thats about 2200lbs boat with my 05 Honda Pilot. Its rated for 3500lbs and has a 8 passenger great family car at the same time too. The Pilots are fairly cheap right now in these year models. But the 09 and up pilot are even better with gas mileage due to the variable cylinder management, cancels out a piston to save gas. And these are also rated up to 3500 with the tow package and AWD.
BaitFinesse reply :
Another option would be to NOT daily drive the tow vehicle. Maybe have a nice older truck paid in cash that is used to pull the boat, plow the driveway and dive in bad winters then have a regular car for regular daily driving use.
Don't want two car payments? Then don't. Buy what you can afford. If you can't pay cash then that means you can't afford it.
Lures'n'Liberty reply :
Seeing a few topics of maintenance, sometimes the bigger trucks are cheaper to maintain in the long term. It's out of the realm of the SUV, but to give an example, front brake pads and rotors for a half ton truck are $100 while the front pads and rotors for a 3/4-1 ton are $150. Front brakes on the 1/2 ton last 15,000 mi and the rotors are shot, front brakes on the 1 ton last 30,000 mi and the rotors are ready to wear out a second set of pads. These aren't 100% accurate numbers nor do they carry over to every brand on the market or driving style but a pretty accurate description of the cost and wear ratio.
Further North reply :
On 10/11/2017 at 4:32 AM, BaitFinesse said:Another option would be to NOT daily drive the tow vehicle. Maybe have a nice older truck paid in cash that is used to pull the boat, plow the driveway and dive in bad winters then have a regular car for regular daily driving use.
Don't want two car payments? Then don't. Buy what you can afford. If you can't pay cash then that means you can't afford it.
That' works for a lot of people in this area...I ran the numbers on it (using vehicles I found that I wouldn't mind making a 2,000 mile round trip in) and, for us, going with the Escape was an easy winner, dollar wise. It's useful to know that I use my tractor to run a 4 ft. wide snowblower for the driveway, and our vehicles are AWD, so there's no need for a bad weather vehicle...those things change the equation a bit.
...and with all three stalls of our garage already full, it would have had to sit outside. That drives me nuts...no can do.
TOXIC reply :
On 10/11/2017 at 4:51 AM, Lures'n'Liberty said:Seeing a few topics of maintenance, sometimes the bigger trucks are cheaper to maintain in the long term. It's out of the realm of the SUV, but to give an example, front brake pads and rotors for a half ton truck are $100 while the front pads and rotors for a 3/4-1 ton are $150. Front brakes on the 1/2 ton last 15,000 mi and the rotors are shot, front brakes on the 1 ton last 30,000 mi and the rotors are ready to wear out a second set of pads. These aren't 100% accurate numbers nor do they carry over to every brand on the market or driving style but a pretty accurate description of the cost and wear ratio.
For a real world example on brakes (the most important part of the towing equation IMHO), my 3/4 ton Silverado HD 4X4 spent it's life towing a 21 foot Ranger and a 3 horse trailer. I changed the pads and rotors at 159,000 miles right before I traded it in. They were due but still had life. We will see how my 2016 1/2 ton does but its only got 15,000 on it right now. I will say I can feel the difference in stopping power between the 2 and is the only thing I miss from my old truck. Smaller vehicles, smaller components so govern yourself accordingly.
jbmaine reply :
Thanks for all the replies and advise,
In our situation, my wife is a short disabled women with bad knees. She cannot climb up into a vehicle, so we are held captive to a smaller SUV. We are also a single income family and cannot afford a second vehicle. Right now we are around 35 miles from our fishing spots on mostly level ground. Within a couple of yrs we plan on moving to within 10-15 minutes of our fishing spots so the wear and tear from towing a boat with a smaller SUV should be minimal. If we could afford it, and my wife could drive it , I would have a pickup in a heart beat.
Jim
Lures'n'Liberty reply :
On 10/11/2017 at 7:16 PM, jbmaine said:Thanks for all the replies and advise,
In our situation, my wife is a short disabled women with bad knees. She cannot climb up into a vehicle, so we are held captive to a smaller SUV. We are also a single income family and cannot afford a second vehicle. Right now we are around 35 miles from our fishing spots on mostly level ground. Within a couple of yrs we plan on moving to within 10-15 minutes of our fishing spots so the wear and tear from towing a boat with a smaller SUV should be minimal. If we could afford it, and my wife could drive it , I would have a pickup in a heart beat.
Jim
Ever think about a lowered truck? Just food for thought, but a lowering kit and/or some running boards may make it easy for your wife to drive a truck. Your mileage may vary with some of the other models but I know you can lower a Tacoma 4x4 pretty easily without causing problems in the future. It may also be worth your while to test drive a Honda Ridgeline. *truck in ad below is first $15k double cab I found on craigslist in Maine.
https://www.andysautosport.com/products/djm_suspension__DJM2806-3.html https://maine.craigslist.org/ctd/d/2007-toyota-tacoma-v6-4dr/6326677007.html
Lures'n'Liberty reply :
On 10/11/2017 at 6:14 PM, TOXIC said:For a real world example on brakes (the most important part of the towing equation IMHO), my 3/4 ton Silverado HD 4X4 spent it's life towing a 21 foot Ranger and a 3 horse trailer. I changed the pads and rotors at 159,000 miles right before I traded it in. They were due but still had life. We will see how my 2016 1/2 ton does but its only got 15,000 on it right now. I will say I can feel the difference in stopping power between the 2 and is the only thing I miss from my old truck. Smaller vehicles, smaller components so govern yourself accordingly.
A 2500HD is actually a one ton with a slightly lower weight rating for registration purposes, hence the "HD" designation. When GM brought out the 2500HD, sales on the actual 3/4 ton 2500 were so poor that they discontinued it at about the same time Ford did away with the goofy light duty 7 lug F-250, the only truck made since that's actually a 3/4 ton is the new Nissan Titan HD. Did you buy the HD new? That's pretty unbelievable to get over 100k out of a set of brake pads on anything, although I would be inclined to believe it if a second brake job was done with Wagner Severe Duty (not the standard Wagner) brake pads and rotors, they stop extremely well and last an incredibly long time, IMHO they're the best investment you can make when servicing a '99 & newer Chevy truck, especially if you don't just use it to pull your ghost trailer. As for the difference in stopping power, you're in 2 different classes. All 2500 & up GM trucks have what's called Hydroboost, it's a hydraulic brake booster that runs off of your power steering pump whereas 1500 trucks use the more common vacuum style booster. If you do a little research and have some skills at spinning wrenches, you can get everything you need to upgrade your half ton to hydroboost at a good salvage yard for a pretty reasonable price, too.
Lures'n'Liberty reply :
On 10/11/2017 at 4:32 AM, BaitFinesse said:Another option would be to NOT daily drive the tow vehicle. Maybe have a nice older truck paid in cash that is used to pull the boat, plow the driveway and dive in bad winters then have a regular car for regular daily driving use.
Don't want two car payments? Then don't. Buy what you can afford. If you can't pay cash then that means you can't afford it.
Also a good call. I keep spare vehicles around, they really don't eat much and the peace of mind that comes with knowing there's another way to work sitting in the back yard is well worth the annual cost of registration. I don't plan on taking my '92 S-10 with space shuttle miles on any 300 mile fishing trips any time soon but when I've got to haul a load off to the dump, go fetch some landscape supplies and leave them on the truck for a week, take a little romp in the woods, or whatever, I've got a second truck to do it in. My girlfriend's car is almost 20 years old, too. Should it decide to crap out, she can still get to work. When I bought my new Tacoma, the dealer offered me $200 for it on a trade, so really, I mean why bother? I can still squeeze another 10 years of work out of her, plus the new truck is a stick and the GF can't drive it, the S-10 is automatic and she can run it anywhere she wants to go without bothering me, therefore I have more time to fish. Same deal as someone else stated above, having a 4x4 around when the roads get bad isn't a bad thing. Before saying a word about insurance, either, ask your agent about a multiline discount. More often than not, adding an extra $1000 car with liability only coverage as a pleasure vehicle will either reduce your overall monthly payment or raise it by less than you carry in your change pocket.
Further North reply :
I like the extra vehicle idea, it just doesn't work for us.
One question:
On 10/13/2017 at 10:07 PM, Lures'n'Liberty said:I can still squeeze another 10 years of work out of her,
I hope that's the S-10 and not the girlfriend...
What I did for the "hauling stuff around" issue: 4' x 8' utility trailer from Menard's for <$300 Annual maintenance = so close to zero it's not worth worrying about and if it lasts 4 years (it's already 8) I've saved $ on registration.
As a bonus, I built and attachment that converts it to a canoe/kayak hauler as needed so I don't have to muscle them up on the roof.
Robeng reply :
Look at a Hyundai Santa Fe AWD. Good gas mileage too.
Lures'n'Liberty reply :
On 10/13/2017 at 11:00 PM, Further North said:One question:
I hope that's the S-10 and not the girlfriend...
What I did for the "hauling stuff around" issue: 4' x 8' utility trailer from Menard's for <$300 Annual maintenance = so close to zero it's not worth worrying about and if it lasts 4 years (it's already 8) I've saved $ on registration.
As a bonus, I built and attachment that converts it to a canoe/kayak hauler as needed so I don't have to muscle them up on the roof.
Both, LOL!!! Nah, really they're both great girls, girlfriend grew up with 500 head of dairy cattle on the family farm, so I've got more faith in her than the tired old Chevrolet!!
I'm looking at trailers myself, too, trying to figure out how to get her, 2 kids, bikes, quads, dirtbikes, kayaks, canoes, coolers, clothes, lumber, roofing materials, or whatever other crap that doesn't all fit in the 6 1/2 foot bed in my tacoma back and forth to camp.
I wish the Menard's trailer was an option here in PA, (OK no Menard's here but Harbor Freight has about the same deal) but the hoops you have to jump through to get a box store trailer registered are flat out insane. Applying for titles, waiting on PennDOT, 2 enhanced inspections (that you must legally flatbed your trailer to and from because it's illegal to tow it) at a place an hour away, more waiting, and cost & fees nearly twice the cost of the $300 trailer in the first place, you're better off buying a bigger trailer from a dealer or a used one that's already registered. For a lot of people, a $1000 pickup is a good route to go.
MrPeanut reply :
I tow a 16' boat with an Edge with the tow package, for me it was the ideal compromise btwn MPG and towing capability. I got it certified pre owned for not much north of 20k. I avg 21-22 in general, while towing it's not horribly worse although I"ve never actually calculated it.
It can tow up to 3500, the major difference with that and the escape is its a bit bigger on the inside which makes it a bit more comfortable. I don't think it's much higher off the ground than the escape if I remember right, but when getting into comfort and ease of getting in, those are all preferences and everyone will have a different opinion for their own situation
Further North reply :
On 10/14/2017 at 5:33 AM, Lures'n'Liberty said:I wish the Menard's trailer was an option here in PA, (OK no Menard's here but Harbor Freight has about the same deal) but the hoops you have to jump through to get a box store trailer registered are flat out insane. Applying for titles, waiting on PennDOT, 2 enhanced inspections (that you must legally flatbed your trailer to and from because it's illegal to tow it) at a place an hour away, more waiting, and cost & fees nearly twice the cost of the $300 trailer in the first place, you're better off buying a bigger trailer from a dealer or a used one that's already registered. For a lot of people, a $1000 pickup is a good route to go.
That's nuts...we don't have to register trailers in WI <3,000 lbs. (Including the stuff you haul on it).
That utility trailer will never haul that much.
BTW, I was wrong - Not Menard's, Farm and Fleet. I've got no idea why I typed Menard's...getting old's not for the faint of heart...
Lures'n'Liberty reply :
On 10/14/2017 at 6:23 AM, Further North said:That's nuts...we don't have to register trailers in WI <3,000 lbs. (Including the stuff you haul on it).
That utility trailer will never haul that much.
BTW, I was wrong - Not Menard's, Farm and Fleet. I've got no idea why I typed Menard's...getting old's not for the faint of heart...
We're not allowed to talk politics on this site or I'd go on a rant about the Stolenwealth of Pennsylvania and how a License is actually a Liberty that the government steals and then sells back to you along with your constitutional right to free ingress and egress and how it's being violated, but I'd rather not have the admins boot me.
Further North reply :
On 10/14/2017 at 5:43 AM, MrPeanut said:I tow a 16' boat with an Edge with the tow package, for me it was the ideal compromise btwn MPG and towing capability. I got it certified pre owned for not much north of 20k. I avg 21-22 in general, while towing it's not horribly worse although I"ve never actually calculated it.
It can tow up to 3500, the major difference with that and the escape is its a bit bigger on the inside which makes it a bit more comfortable. I don't think it's much higher off the ground than the escape if I remember right, but when getting into comfort and ease of getting in, those are all preferences and everyone will have a different opinion for their own situation
I like the Ford Edge a lot - we had a 2017 as a rental car for a week and a half earlier this year out in Arizona...put 2,700 miles on it...Had more back seat room than our Escape...and with the same motor (2.0 liter EcoBoost) got not far off in MPG.
I just checked...with the factory tow package, it'll handle 3,500 lbs with the 2.0 EcoBoost. That may be a serious contender when my wife's Freestyle gives up the ghost...
gimruis reply :
On 10/9/2017 at 11:19 PM, RPreeb said:The 600 mile cruising range with a 36 gallon tank means that for a lot of my driving, even for weekend trips, I don't need to find gas while on the road.
That's one of the best parts about my upgrade. The Escape had a 15 gallon tank and I filled up twice a month during fishing season (or more). With the truck and its massive 36 gallon tank, I fill up less than once per month. In the winter I often go almost 2 whole months without buying any gasoline.
jbmaine reply :
Hi All,
Just an up date-- After looking at a couple of small SUV's, we decided a small vehicle wasn't really comfortable for us, so we started looking at mid size SUV's. After hitting just about every dealer within 75 miles we found a really good deal on a ford certified 2014 edge with 40,000 miles and a factory installed tow package. We've had it for a couple of days now and really like it. thanks for all the advise and suggestions
Jim
Further North reply :
On 10/28/2017 at 3:01 AM, jbmaine said:Hi All,
Just an up date-- After looking at a couple of small SUV's, we decided a small vehicle wasn't really comfortable for us, so we started looking at mid size SUV's. After hitting just about every dealer within 75 miles we found a really good deal on a ford certified 2014 edge with 40,000 miles and a factory installed tow package. We've had it for a couple of days now and really like it. thanks for all the advise and suggestions
Jim
Good choice - I think you'll like it.
Michael Wood reply :
I am thinking about buying 2019 Ford Escape Titanium with 4 wheel drive.
2.0L EcoBoost Class II Trailer Tow Package
max rating 3500 lbs
Would like to to tow my stratus 295 pro elite 19.6ft
Boat 1700 ibs
motor (Mercury EFI 150)= 500lbs
Trailer 2 wheels approx 750 lbs *(maybe less)
3 Batteries
Gas
My ramp is .5 miles from my house, but there is a hill to back down.
Seems like Im cutting close??? What do you think?
MN Fisher reply :
On 7/30/2019 at 1:30 AM, Michael Wood said:I am thinking about buying 2019 Ford Escape Titanium with 4 wheel drive.
2.0L EcoBoost Class II Trailer Tow Package
max rating 3500 lbs
Seems like Im cutting close??? What do you think?
That's right on the edge, and the towing rating is mainly for level ground. You want some extra capacity if you're going to be backing that thing down a hill.
Does the Escape have an optional towing package? Tranny cooler is the main thing, extra heavy-duty brakes is the second thing. Might want to think about those options.
Michael Wood reply :
Thank You! I am taking my rig to a truck stop and getting exact weight. The escape does have 4WD if that makes a difference.
Also thinking about getting rid of fiberglass boat and getting something like 17ft Alluminum Express bass boat that has aluminum trailer. I don't think it has brakes, but seems light enough.
MN Fisher reply :
On 7/30/2019 at 2:00 AM, Michael Wood said:The escape does have 4WD if that makes a difference.
4WD means it's easier to get it going as all four tires are involved. The tranny cooler means your transmission won't overheat and the heavy-duty brakes means you can stop somewhat before a 1/2 mile.
I'd take one of two routes myself - more powerful tow vehicle, or the lighter boat.
jbmaine reply :
This is the second year towing our Lund Fury XL with our ford Edge. I would not want to tow anything bigger with the Edge, or have a vehicle any smaller to tow the Lund.
Michael Wood reply :
jbmaine
Do you know your weight? Boat, Trailer, motor?
Way2slow reply :
If the Edge has a low range for the 4WD, that would get you up the ramp ok. Definitely would not be my choice of tow vehicles for a 295 Pro. I think once you are committed to the vehicle, you will find it won't be long before you doing more than thinking about trading the 295 for a 17' aluminum.
'
Almost anything is possible, Back in 1966, for two years I towed a 14' glass boat and 65hp Merc, with a 1962 Carman Ghia. The road was fairly level and the ramp was about five miles from the house but it was a fairly steep ramp. Burned out two clutches in those two years just getting it up the ramp. I that thing, it didn't take much more than an hour to change the clutch though.
How ever, today my wife has a Toyota Highlander with the factory towing package. It's rated for over 5,000 pounds towing and no way under the sun would tow my 20' Javelin more than a short distance with it, I mean like maybe around the block. I keep a 4WD Silverado 2500HD just for towing that boat and a 93 4WD Toyota Pickup for my daily driver.
slowworm reply :
On 7/30/2019 at 1:30 AM, Michael Wood said:I am thinking about buying 2019 Ford Escape Titanium with 4 wheel drive.
2.0L EcoBoost Class II Trailer Tow Package
max rating 3500 lbs
Would like to to tow my stratus 295 pro elite 19.6ft
Boat 1700 ibs
motor (Mercury EFI 150)= 500lbs
Trailer 2 wheels approx 750 lbs *(maybe less)
3 Batteries
Gas
My ramp is .5 miles from my house, but there is a hill to back down.
Seems like Im cutting close??? What do you think?
So after lurking for ages I have something concrete I can contribute. Yay for me!
In a word - don't do it. You need something bigger, or a smaller boat.
I tow a Pro Team 175txw 60 HP with a 2014 Ford Escape with the factory tow package. That package adds a tranny oil cooler and enables the electronic sway control.
The published package weight of my boat is about 2200lbs. With gear and gas lets call it 2400 lbs. This is nicely below the 3500lb tow limit, and to be honest the Escape tows that package quite nicely. But you can certainly feel the weight behind you. I liken the ride to driving my wife's little Toyota matrix with 4 adults in it. It will accelerate uphill, but you have to anticipate a bit.
Stopping is also fine. But here's the catch. In the Escape users manual you will find this:
Separate functioning brake systems are required for safe control of towed vehicles and trailers weighing more than 1500 pounds (680 kilograms) when loaded.
Everybody misses that caveat.
I have surge brakes on my trailer. And again I can feel the weight behind me, and again it's like driving the Matrix with 4 big adults in it. Not an issue if you leave some thinking space and anticipate the stops. If I really had to stand on the brakes I have confidence that it would stop readily enough, but that is kinda harsh on things.
Your boat is about 1000 lbs heavier than mine, give or take. There is no way, even with surge brakes, that I would want to hitch that up to my Escape and go anywhere. Without surge brakes it would not even be legal in my state.
And with that I say hello to Bass Resource ….
Slowworm.
Michael Wood reply :
slowworm
Thank You!
jbmaine reply :
On 7/30/2019 at 2:26 AM, Michael Wood said:jbmaine
Do you know your weight? Boat, Trailer, motor?
Total weight-- around 2500 lb.
Further North reply :
On 7/30/2019 at 1:30 AM, Michael Wood said:I am thinking about buying 2019 Ford Escape Titanium with 4 wheel drive.
2.0L EcoBoost Class II Trailer Tow Package
max rating 3500 lbs
Would like to to tow my stratus 295 pro elite 19.6ft
Boat 1700 ibs
motor (Mercury EFI 150)= 500lbs
Trailer 2 wheels approx 750 lbs *(maybe less)
3 Batteries
Gas
My ramp is .5 miles from my house, but there is a hill to back down.
Seems like Im cutting close??? What do you think?
Before we add gas, gear, batteries, etc...you're already pushing 3,000 pounds.
Feels like you'd be cutting it close, and I towed with a 2014 Escape for three seasons.
On 7/30/2019 at 2:24 AM, jbmaine said:This is the second year towing our Lund Fury XL with our ford Edge. I would not want to tow anything bigger with the Edge, or have a vehicle any smaller to tow the Lund.
I towed my 18 1/2 ft. Crestliner for until last season with the Escape; it was fine. My boat's a bit longer, wider and heavier than yours and the Escape had no problems with it, ever. The edge is fine, also. Lots of pretty ling trips here.
We did some vehicle swapping around last winter, and I'm now towing with a 2016 Edge Titanium. We still own the Escape and it's been problem free, and is pushing 80K on the odometer. It still does back-up duty as needed.
**************************
I'll drop this here: Our Edge has the 3.5 L V-6...I like the 2.0 L EcoBoost 4 cyl. better, for towing.
The V-6 has 280 HP, 250 ft./lbs. torque.
The 4 cyl. has 240 HP (10 less) and 270 ft./lbs. torque (20 more). That's a lot, and it makes a difference.
They did a re-design of the 2.0 EcoBoost engine, I think in 2015, and bumped it up to 245 HP and 275 ft./lb. torque. Even more better.
The built in anti-sway in Ford's tow packages for the Escape and Edge is really good. Our has only activated once (deer in the road), and it gets the job done, right now.
Edited by Further NorthQuia volui illam mutandi, non adipis anserini inepta!
Ray K reply :
Maybe I can add something constructive here. I've towed my last two boats with a 2014 Escape Titanium 2WD with the 2.0 EcoBoost engine and currently a 2018 Titanium 2.0 EcoBoost with 4WD. First boat was a Nitro Z7 Sport and now my current Z7 Tournament boat. Both weighed about 3200 loaded. I've been totally happy with the Escape as a tow vehicle. Power is plenty sufficient and mileage when not towing is close to 30 MPG on the highway. I don't feel that the boat held the Escape back in any way but, would have preferred that the trailers have surge brakes which neither has. But, the braking feels very adequate. I do agree that this rig is approaching the maximum rating of 3500 lbs for the factory towing package but I feel very safe trailering all over the state with it. The longest trip I've made was almost 600 miles from Guntersville, Alabama where I bought the Z7 Sport about 3 years ago back to Orlando. I put over 76000 miles on the 2014 Escape and never had a warranty issue except for a radio problem.
Johnbt reply :
"Separate functioning brake systems are required for safe control of towed vehicles and trailers weighing more than 1500 pounds (680 kilograms) when loaded.
Everybody misses that caveat."
I think most if not all manufacturers misstate the towing capacity. I have a 4Runner and what they advertise isn't precisely what's in the owner's manual.
Edited to add: Even this Carmax ad lists 2 different towing capacities. Looks like they read the manual about braked and unbraked limits.
www.carmax.com/research/toyota/4runner/2015/features-specs
"Towing Capacity (Max.) 1655/4700 lbs."
Johnbt reply :
Things changed with the introduction of SAE J2807 and the agreement by the manufacturers to use the specific standards it lists for starting, stopping, grade, etc. The makers can no longer get away with rating their trucks based on a work truck that comes with the bumper deleted, the spare deleted and all that game playing. It adds a passenger and the weight of the hitch and such, too.
http://www.trucktrend.com/how-to/towing/1502-sae-j2807-tow-tests-the-standard
Most if not all vehicles sold with 5000 pound capacity listings can't meet the braking standards of J2807 without having brakes on the trailer. I mostly read the parts about 5000 pound capacity because that's what my '16 4Runner has - supposedly - until I read the manual.
Fwiw, back in the day, my buddy fished regional tournaments and worked with Shimano, etc., and there was a regular who towed his bass boat all over behind a Corvette. I know it can be done, but should it be done? 
Further North reply :
On 8/3/2019 at 11:37 AM, Ray K said:Maybe I can add something constructive here. I've towed my last two boats with a 2014 Escape Titanium 2WD with the 2.0 EcoBoost engine and currently a 2018 Titanium 2.0 EcoBoost with 4WD. First boat was a Nitro Z7 Sport and now my current Z7 Tournament boat. Both weighed about 3200 loaded. I've been totally happy with the Escape as a tow vehicle. Power is plenty sufficient and mileage when not towing is close to 30 MPG on the highway. I don't feel that the boat held the Escape back in any way but, would have preferred that the trailers have surge brakes which neither has. But, the braking feels very adequate. I do agree that this rig is approaching the maximum rating of 3500 lbs for the factory towing package but I feel very safe trailering all over the state with it. The longest trip I've made was almost 600 miles from Guntersville, Alabama where I bought the Z7 Sport about 3 years ago back to Orlando. I put over 76000 miles on the 2014 Escape and never had a warranty issue except for a radio problem.
Great experience to share, and mirrors mine 100%.
It seems like soe folks are stuck 20+ years ago in terms of technology and current capabilities.
On 8/4/2019 at 12:36 AM, Johnbt said:Fwiw, back in the day, my buddy fished regional tournaments and worked with Shimano, etc., and there was a regular who towed his bass boat all over behind a Corvette. I know it can be done, but should it be done?
There's a whole bunch of, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should." metaphors there...
...but depending on what year the Corvette was...there were some seriously weak years out there...I lived through 'em...made me ill...
boostr reply :
@Micheal Wood Maybe look into a F150 Super Crew with an 2.7 Ecoboost with tow package. I have F150 Scab with the same motor and it pulls my Stratos 176XT like it's not even there.
A-Jay reply :
Been Very happy with the towing capabilities of this one.
A-Jay
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