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mikeflys
Meridian, Idaho
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Joined: 03/29/2010
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My FB feed has been continuously hit with adds for this little car/truck. Biggest selling point they seem to be pushing is the claimed 5000lb towing capacity. Is this believable? Just a quick search of the web finds several small TT's that weigh in at around 3900lbs. Could this rig safely pull one? Or am I missing some big piece of this puzzle?
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p220sigman
Tallahassee, FL, USA
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Joined: 09/16/2004
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Two issues I see. First, to get the 5K towing capacity, you have to get either the top of the line or the next to the top of the line model which are going to start at 37K. The other is the carrying capacity is still only about 1500 lbs.
There are a number of trucks in that price range that will have more capability. The Ford Ranger comes to mind. If memory serves, the XLT 4x2 starts at about 30K and is rated to tow 7500 lbs with more carrying capacity. There are others I'm sure.
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bgum
South Louisiana
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Joined: 02/22/2006
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Toyota tacoma 6800 lbs towing starts at $27000. It appears the Santa Cruz is no bargain as a tow vehicle.
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jdc1
Rescue, Ca
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Joined: 05/30/2011
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My daughter uses her Subaru Accent to tow a 5,000 trailer. Does it work good? Yes, it has the power. That's all I can say. The transmission already has been worked on. Will it last? Probably not. That little turbo'd engine just doesn't seem, to me, a good idea for towing much of anything. Now, a Hyundai? They already have a reputation for lived motors. Why take a chance on exasperating that issue?
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Lwiddis
Southern California :(
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Joined: 08/12/2016
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Beware of Hyundi claims. Daughter leased an electric Hyundi with an advertised range of 300 miles or so and then a year later Hyundi lowered it to 240-250. It won't go beyond the new range. Computer was reset. Saving their battery for resale I believe.
There is also a recall but no dealers local Hyundi will do the work.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad
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KD4UPL
Swoope, VA
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Joined: 03/16/2008
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Sure it's believable. It would probably tow a 5,000 pound boat just fine. It would probably tow a 5,000 pound load cinder blocks on a flatbed just fine.
There are many different types of trailers and a hard sided travel trailer is probably, by far, the most difficult to tow. The high percentage of tongue weight, inability to move the tongue weight, large frontal area, poor aerodynamics, and large side sail area make a travel trailer a difficult tow.
Just because a tow vehicle says it will tow 5,000 pounds doesn't mean just any old trailer at all. The same vehicle that might handle a 5,000 pound boat just fine might be a struggling handful with a 4,000 pound RV.
Further, some people have very different expectations. I expect my tow vehicle to be able to maintain interstate speeds up a mountain while towing. Some people are just as happy to be doing 45 with their 4 ways on up the mountain. Some people have never tow within 100 miles of a mountain. I also expect my vehicles to last for 200,000 or more miles. Some people think a vehicle is worn out at 100,000.
That vehicle probably would pull a 4,000 pound RV but I doubt you'll like the experience, particular up a mountain, and I bet it won't live very long.
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rjstractor
Maple Valley, WA
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bgum wrote:Toyota tacoma 6800 lbs towing starts at $27000. It appears the Santa Cruz is no bargain as a tow vehicle.
Gotta read the fine print on Toyota's website. The unicorn $27K Tacoma can only tow 3500 lbs. A Tacoma that can tow over 6K starts at closer to $40K.
As far as towing with a DI turbocharged engine, there seems to be a feeling that a little tiny high-strung turbocharged engine will wind itself to pieces even trying to tow a little popup. Look at the specs on this motor- 2.5 liter, 281 hp/311 torque with max torque at 1700 rpm. Don't see any issues here- this motor's actually a little bigger than the Ranger's. Heck, GM uses a motor that's hardly any bigger in a FULL size truck- 2.7 liters (still 4 cylinder) with 310 hp/348 torque, so that motor's even more high strung! 5700 lb GVWR and 1600 payload, don't see any problems here towing a smallish TT.
My main concern would be the DCT in a towing application. I don't know how well these take abuse trying to launch on a steep hill. I'd prefer one over a CVT any day though.
Really, in the OP's situation, the only thing that would steer me away from the Santa Cruz is how it looks-![[emoticon]](http://www.rv.net/sharedcontent/cfb/images/eek.gif "eek") and that only matters to me, no one else.
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mkirsch
Rochester, NY
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Joined: 04/09/2004
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If you buy the one with the 5000lb tow package, I don't see why not.
You may not like it but it will get you safely from point A to point B.
Then again you may be the type that will drive 100 miles on 3 flat tires and claim they didn't notice the difference in driving characteristics of the vehicle. I should expound on that to say, and wouldn't care that you had to keep the pedal mashed to the floor just to do 55.
Putting 10-ply tires on half ton trucks since aught-four.
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bgum
South Louisiana
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Joined: 02/22/2006
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rjstractor wrote:bgum wrote:Toyota tacoma 6800 lbs towing starts at $27000. It appears the Santa Cruz is no bargain as a tow vehicle.
Gotta read the fine print on Toyota's website. The unicorn $27K Tacoma can only tow 3500 lbs. A Tacoma that can tow over 6K starts at closer to $40K.
As far as towing with a DI turbocharged engine, there seems to be a feeling that a little tiny high-strung turbocharged engine will wind itself to pieces even trying to tow a little popup. Look at the specs on this motor- 2.5 liter, 281 hp/311 torque with max torque at 1700 rpm. Don't see any issues here- this motor's actually a little bigger than the Ranger's. Heck, GM uses a motor that's hardly any bigger in a FULL size truck- 2.7 liters (still 4 cylinder) with 310 hp/348 torque, so that motor's even more high strung! 5700 lb GVWR and 1600 payload, don't see any problems here towing a smallish TT.
My main concern would be the DCT in a towing application. I don't know how well these take abuse trying to launch on a steep hill. I'd prefer one over a CVT any day though.
Really, in the OP's situation, the only thing that would steer me away from the Santa Cruz is how it looks- and that only matters to me, no one else.
$32100.00 SR5 V6
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Thermoguy
Graham, WA
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Joined: 01/04/2017
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I finally saw what I would consider the right trailer with the right tow vehicle, when it comes to small SUV's. Today, I think a Hyundi, coming the other way, with a nice, small, narrow trailer. Looked perfectly sized for the little SUV...
I have a V6 Explorer with a 5000lb towing capacity and tow package. I can't imagine towing a travel trailer that size and enjoying the drive...
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