Better Tow vehicle - big SUV or 1/2 Ton Pickup
 

I want to pose this question and hear from the gang. Which is a better tow vehicle, a large SUV (Chevy Suburban or Tahoe, Ford Expedition, etc or a Half ton pickup like an F-150, GMC/Chevy 1500 or the like?

Pretty much the same tow results until you want to pick up a load of lumber, dirt, rocks, etc. in your Yukon!! I'm a pick-up truck guy.

I understand DonV's point about hauling with a pickup. I like being able to lock my equipment in my 2008 Yukon. It tows very nicely. However (and don't know if they have changed) but it has the tightest turning radius I have ever driven which makes it much too sensitive in backing the trailer. I did better in my Astro, 4-Runner and all my past cars. I need to try my daughter's 2017 Tahoe when she visits this summer. It still turns sharply but seems less sensitive.

I have a 2015 Ford Expedition EL with twin turbo v6. Best tow vehicle I have owned or used. use it on a 25' Rampone and 19' Seacraft. Can't even feel the seacraft when towing. Mileage wasnt great, 11mpg towing to keys last summer. Only change I might make is 4wd for lousy ramps, but havent had an issue yet. Nice to be able to lock everything up.

Unless you're going to be hauling a bunch of kids for extended trips, I'd throw a shell on that truck and have the best of both worlds. You can secure (somewhat) waterskis, surfboards, spearguns, etc. and also not have a ton of water and sand inside your vehicle.

11 mpg?????? I would be very happy with that!!! With the O/D off at about 2500 rpm I get about 9 mpg on my 5.4 Triton with the 3.73 rear end. Oh yeah....that's with the wind down hill! :)

You got me beat Don..
I got a whopping 8 mpg towing the Tsunami 400 miles with my 5.4 Triton F150 with 3.55 gears.Its horrible on fuel.I was giving some thought about changing to a big suv like a suburban or Expedition but as others mentioned I'd miss the pickup bed .
My truck bed is always is always full of stuff that would ruin the interior of a nice suv.My preference for dual use both as a tow vehicle and a trip to the lumber yard would be best with a pickup truck.
Bought the F150 in 05 and would love a new truck but with pricing from 40 to 60 grand (and even more) it aint gonna happen ,especially on a fixed income.

My 2002 F250 2WD 7.3 diesel Crew-cab with 3.73 gearing got me a bit more than 13 mpg average pulling my old 23' Tsunami, and still got 9.5 mpg tandem towing a 7000lb camper AND a 20' Seafari. (With the A/C on, of course).

At 55mph on the interstate, I recently achieved an average of 15.6 mpg pulling a friend's brand-new 19' Sportsman Island Reef from JAX to Destin. My truck has just under 300K miles. Unloaded I can get 24-25 mpg on the highway at 55 mph.

Hey Don
My 6.2 liter Yukon Denali shows off @ 11 mpg in town carrying groceries without towing.
It used to kiss my 23 SeaCraft on the back. It now makes love to my 19' Viper Skiff ....

With my extended Expedition EL, I can load a 4x8 sheet of plywood in the back and close the doors, or 2x4s or whatever up to about 12' diagonally until I have to open the back window. Mine is always full of crap back there but can still haul a bunch of people when need be.

Oh, I only see 55mph on the way up or down. I can't imagine driving hundreds of miles at that speed. Couldnt do it even in the 70s and 80s when that was the limit. I usually dont go over 65 though with the trailer.