Best 4x4s for towing a trailer?

tobiano1984

tobiano1984

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I'm hoping to get a trailer in the New Year and am after recommendations on what to pull it with!

Assuming I'll get a decent sized trailer capable of carrying two big horses...

I currently have a relatively old A3, and originally was thinking of also getting a 'tractor' - something old but capable of just local journeys with the trailer and doing farm/yard jobs.

However I think running two vehicles would be pretty expensive so am now looking at getting a 4x4 that isn't a horrendous gas-guzzler and can be used as an every day car as well.

Does anyone have any recommendations? I initially thought of a Freelander, although lots of people are very rude about them! Would also look at a truck....

My budget would be around £5k for the car. I don't cover huge distances on a daily basis, probably 10-20 miles a day, with the odd 200 mile round trip to visit the family once a month/6 weeks, and with the trailer I'd only be going to local shows and hunts within a 30 mile radius.

Freelander, Discovery, HiLux, L200....?
 
I use an L200 for towing and as my everyday car.
I travel 30 miles a day to and from work and tow on sat and sunday. I put £40 diesel in a week.
 
We have just got an old LWB trooper and I'm in love with it already. People say they guzzled fuel but it seems quite good. And pulls our two big boys really well
 
There's load of threads on this subject and the consensus is that everybody likes something different. For me I've had the following experiences:-

Nissan Terranos - SWB and LWB - excellent towers, good run about cars, not too bad on fuel - not made anymore though.

Mitsubushi 4Track - hated it but loads of people love them.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Automatic - love it. Excellent tower, not good on fuel. I don't use it as my main car but I still seem to be filling it up all the time. Lovely to tow with a auto though and luxury interior.

Isuzu Trooper - good powerful tower, not too big to run about it but not luxurious like the Jeep. Not sure of the fuel consumption as its one that I borrow from time to time.
 
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Don't go for a freelander if you're looking to tow 2 big horses - I have a freelander for general driving and towing and absolutely love it :-) it tows really well but with one big horse you can feel its there! (Just have to go steady and think well ahead & I've never had an issue - I mostly tow my mini Shetland with it!) plus you'd be well over the legal weight limits with 2 horses in any of the small SUVs. have to say I loved my husbands old discovery to tow with - very powerful & heavy so don't get pushed around too much by the weight of a heavy trailer. Sadly they don't have the best reliability record - but we never had issues with ours!
 
Thanks everyone - will get on Autotrader and see what there is out there!

I said two big horses - although my horses are 15hh cobs, but would like the option to be able to take liveries/friends and they all seem to have massive creatures!
 
I used to have a freelander but could only tow 1 medium sized horse with it. I now have a Mitsubishi shogun and it is a fabulous towing vehicle tows mine and my friends cobs like they aren't even there. It is a bit of a gas guzzler I think something like 27mpg but they are reasonably priced I paid about £7k for my 05 plate and saw a few 03/53 for around your price range. Just stay away from an 06 because they are priced very low but the tax is £400 a year!
 
I did alot of research before buying my 4x4 and the best one from both owner reviews and general reviews was the L200, so that's what we noughts 2008 animal, £90 to fill it and you get 450 miles for that average 30mpg

Our is great never had any issues I do lots of miles and its comfy for long journeys as well as just nipping about.
 
We used to have a jeep and i hated it. Man from the AA doesnt rate them for towing either.

Now we have a toyota (an older one) and i love it. Goes past the petrol station too! We have towed two big horses with it, didnt know they were there. Ones an idx the others a shire x.
 
Another vote for the Kia Sorrento - the manual doesnt give as high a payload as the automatic so make sure you take that into account when looking. Its has a real car feeling and as scribble says its definitively not a tractor!
 
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