V6 and/or V8 towing with Highlander, 4Runner, or Pilot

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We have a 2720SL that we presently pull with a '98 Explorer 4X4 with a 4.0 SOHC V6 engine which seems adequate, however, has become a reliability problem. Our desire is to replace the Ford with either a '05-'08 4 Runner with a V6 or V8, or a '08 V6 Toyota Highlander, or a Honda Pilot. With our 3500 lbs. I believe the V6's should be adequate. Our hopes are to equal or better what the Ford does. Payload wise, we are light campers, and our extras are few. I, however, question that the stouter V8 (with its extra torque) may actually provide more MPG (under this load) since the V8 can handle the load no sweat and doesn't have to keep shifting down and straining. This vehicle will be driven about 10 K miles yearly (5 K as a TM puller and 5K as a sightseer). We live in eastern TN (hills) and do most of our pulling in the east, however, do plan a yearly trip to places like Yellowstone. I am interested in economy, however, more importantly the correct vehicle/engine combo. Anybody with experience with these vehicles and engines, please share your thoughts. I am all ears. Thanx, Jerry

I am pulling a 3326 with V6. Flatlands I get 15-18 MPG at 55-60MPH. I think my trip average from New Mexico to Louisiana was 14.7.

Not that you would want to do it, but top speed up mountains above 6,000 ft was around 75 and it was humping to do 70 (9-11 MPG) at 55 it was doing about 10-13 MPG.

Well we just ran thru North Georgia, Tennessee and into Kentucky today and were getting about 13.7-14 mpg at 70mph with a 5.4L V8

We also live in east tennessee and tow a 3124KS with an '04 Expedition. We usually try to go west at least once per year, and LOVE the 5.4L V8 for towing. In the flats, we use overdrive and in the mountains the OD gets turned off. We average around 14 mpg on a round trip of 5000-6000 miles. Towing locally, we get about the same mileage.

Regards,
Bob

We have a freind who just got a V-8 4Runner and tows a 3023. He's only used it on two short trips so MPG is still not firm. He says it pulls with no problems. He did get a WDH though. If you go that way, be sure to get the FACTORY tow package so you get the wiring harness and all the heavy duty components. I'm considering this as a possible next TV for me (I tow a 3124KB). I know there are folks on the forum who tow with a Highlander and a Pilot, so you should get some good feedback on those TVs as well. I'd think any of your options would be a good choice for a 2720.
Good luck.
Alan

We tow a 3124KS with a 03 Pilot. It has the factory equipped tow package. We get about 20MPG when NOT towing and about 14-15 MPG when towing. That mileage can go down if we hit headwinds or are in the mountains. We live on the West coast and have about 10,000 miles towing clear to the Atlantic and back though we did stay on the southern route. Also a couple of trips up to Oregon but no altitudes above about 5000 ft +/-.
As for power, the Pilot does fine on the flat and hills are ok if you have a good speed up but starting out from a stop on a hill can be slow, slow, slow.
We use a reese WDH and I have installed after market air lifts in the rear coil springs so I can distribute the hitch weight. We also use a prodigy brake controller which I love and works beautifully, but without that I fear the brakes on the Pilot just aren't up to the task. The rotors on the disk brakes are not heavy duty and are subject to warping when subjected to hard braking which generates a lot of heat. The wheel base on the Pilot is also a bit short for towing a 3124 but for a smaller trailer such as the 2720 it may be adequate. If I were to do it over again my choice would be a long wheelbase pickup with a V8 and tow package. Something like a Chevy Silverado or a Toyota Tundra.
Hope that helps a little.

We now are towing with our 08 Highlander V6. Have only been on one trip so far for 600 miles round trip. We use a WDH and have the factory installed tow package but still needed to have the wiring for the break controller and hitch receiver installed. I am very pleased with the ride and do not regret trading in my 2001 Ford F150 V8. As for mileage we were just over 19mpg going and bucking the winds coming back around 14-16mpg. Both of these were better than what I was getting with my F150. Don't get me wrong, I loved my truck but the ride of the Highlander sure helps to ease the pain (a little).

[Mr. Adventure]

The 2008 Highlander has 270 HP with the standard V6. Back in the 60's, this would have been a muscle car. Lots of people have reported good experience with Highlanders as tow vehicles, and I would expect the new Highlander to be even better with it's excellent gas mileage, longer wheelbase, higher horsepower, and higher tow rating than the older models.

Toyota has been real straight about their tow ratings, where the Gross Combined Weight Rating has been the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating plus the Tow Rating (read the owner's manual where they tell you about towing). Most manufacturers make you take vehicle payloads out of the tow rating, and make you work at the arithmetic a bit to understand the actual trailer load limits (the marketing materials double count the vehicle payload with the tow ratings).

Obviously, the brake controller and WDH are mandatory.

We tow with an older 180hp 3.4 V6. It does fine. No overdrive is used and we go 65mph most of the time.

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Thanks all for you helpfull input. Please keep it up as I remain all ears. Everything helps. We went out looking today and found a few Highlanders and oodles of 4 Runners on our three local dealers' lots. Pricewise it looks like the V6 4 Runners would be about $1000 cheaper. We ran into a guy with a 98 Ford Explorer with 75 Kmiles (like ours) and he told of his broken crankshaft, sooo, we are getting more motivated to make the move. Thanx, Jerry