Choices

[Todd780]

My kid will be nine this year. None of use are huge. I am 5’10 and my wife is 5’7.I know vehicle pricing is insane right now but I would love a full size truck but the pricing I can’t bring my self to do it. I am not against used but I prefer new.

Have you done the backseat knee test in any of them? Trust me, if you kid isn't comfy, no one will enjoy the drive, haha.

I was constantly getting a knee or a 5 year olds foot pushed into the back of a driver seat of a Suburban.

Do you feel a truck or an SUV would work better for you?

What's preferred, more interior cargo room or do you want to be able to put stuff in a box?

 

[WMDunkin]

Have you done the backseat knee test in any of them? Trust me, if you kid isn't comfy, no one will enjoy the drive, haha.

I was constantly getting a knee or a 5 year olds foot pushed into the back of a driver seat of a Suburban.

Do you feel a truck or an SUV would work better for you?

What's preferred, more interior cargo room or do you want to be able to put stuff in a box?

I am still a little ways out for the knee testing. But yeah the box vs interior is a big question. I have a little trash trailer. We take our own trash. I would like a truck bed so I can get rid of the trailer but I need options for cargo liners. If I go SUV then towing and all that doesn’t really factor in. But if I go truck I want it to tow over 7k because my daughter rides horses and in the off chance they need to be pulled the two horse trailer is gwvr of 7k. I do understand I am what if-ing a lot but my real needs/wants are most align to like a ridgeline. However it doesn’t hit some of the key points.

 

[Todd780]

But if I go truck I want it to tow over 7k because my daughter rides horses and in the off chance they need to be pulled the two horse trailer is gwvr of 7k. I do understand I am what if-ing a lot but my real needs/wants are most align to like a ridgeline. However it doesn’t hit some of the key points.

Okay. If you are considering towing 7K, I wouldn't look at a midsize.

I tow a 23' foot travel trailer that is 3,900 lbs dry. So maybe 5,000ish lbs loaded? No way I'd tow it with a midsize.



I know those trucks are rated for 7,500 lbs trailers. But, what's written in paper and how it handles the weight in real situations are two very different things.

I reaaaaally wanted to make a 2023 Ranger work for me for a variety of reasons over an F150.



But couldn't do it due to our trailer. Ended up staying half ton.

You could get a mid range half ton crew cab for 45K. Here's a Ford for example. Supercrew, 5'5 box, XL, STX 2.7 EcoBoost and 4x4.

It would handle that weight much better than a midsize. And you can get them with a payload package.



But, I'm sure a similarly equipped Ram, GM or Toyota would be similar....

 

[WingShot]

I have a '21 Ranger XLT with the Tremor Package, and really like the truck. It tows our caravan just fine (GVWR=5732#, Length=18'). It's strengths are tow/cargo capacity and off-road capabilities. It's just the Princess and I, and two medium size dogs (most of the time).

The vehicles you are considering all have different strengths and weaknesses depending on the intended to use. Comparing a mid-size truck to a Ford Bronco to 4Runner, is kind of like comparing apples to oranges to peaches. Then you throw the Ridgeline into the mix. Seems like you need to narrow down your wish list a little bit, and one will rise to the top.

 

[jbaucom]

If I go SUV then towing and all that doesn’t really factor in. But if I go truck I want it to tow over 7k because my daughter rides horses and in the off chance they need to be pulled the two horse trailer is gwvr of 7k.

I don't think I understand...do you need to tow a horse trailer or not? What do you tow the horse trailer with now? Why does towing not factor in for an SUV but it's a requirement for a truck? I don't know what your travel style and sleeping arrangements are, but with a kid and a dog in the back seat, you're going to run out of cargo space inside of a mid-size SUV pretty fast. A truck bed provides significantly more cargo space than mid-size SUVs. The back seat of a mid-size crew cab truck is not much better than the back seat of a full-size extended/double/quad cab truck. Given the criteria that you've mentioned and the vehicles you asked about, the choice is simple - only the Ranger meets all the criteria. The 4Runner would be most comparable to the Pathfinder that you have now, though I've been unimpressed with the back seat of the 4Runners that I've been in. So if the Pathfinder is working well for you, then I'd expect the 4Runner to work equally well. However, I wouldn't buy any of them for 3 people and a dog (basically like having 4 people...); I'd get a full-size crew cab truck. A carefully optioned 101A package F150 crew cab 4x4 with the 2.7 should come in around 45K.

It sounds to me like you need to jot down your real needs, the features you absolutely must have, and the things that you want or that would be nice to have. Then you can decide if a full-size or mid-size, truck or SUV fits your needs better.

 

[Todd780]

I have a '21 Ranger XLT with the Tremor Package, and really like the truck. It tows our caravan just fine (GVWR=5732#, Length=18'). It's strengths are tow/cargo capacity and off-road capabilities. It's just the Princess and I, and two medium size dogs (most of the time).

The vehicles you are considering all have different strengths and weaknesses depending on the intended to use. Comparing a mid-size truck to a Ford Bronco to 4Runner, is kind of like comparing apples to oranges to peaches. Then you throw the Ridgeline into the mix. Seems like you need to narrow down your wish list a little bit, and one will rise to the top.

View attachment 717038
View attachment 717049

Nice set up! Yes, for a trailer such as yours a midsize truck would work. If towing 7,000 lbs though..... maybe not.

Also, with a 7,000 lbs trailer, I'm thinking going over payload could be an issue as well.

 

[WingShot]

Nice set up! Yes, for a trailer such as yours a midsize truck would work. If towing 7,000 lbs though..... maybe not.

Also, with a 7,000 lbs trailer, I'm thinking going over payload could be an issue as well.

Absolutely! I wouldn't be at all comfortable towing 7K with the Ranger. I backed out of buying an OP15 with GVWR of 6600 because of that. Even with this setup, if I'm carrying full water and maxed out, there is only about 600#'s left for cargo.

Just not entirely sure what the OP is looking for in this case.

 

[Oscar Mike Gulf Yankee]

Saw the Bronco at the Moore Expo this past weekend. Beyond cool, a friend has the basic Bronco and it rides nicely over speed bumps.
You can sleep in the Bronco, two can sleep in there if you like each other. The Bronco should be a great off roader with that wheel base.
Which ever you pick, best of luck !

 

[WMDunkin]

thanks for all the input guys. Let me help narrow my “wants and needs”

“needs”
LED/projector headlights
Active cruise (wife’s can changed my mind of that, amazing)
Some means to haul trash (bed preferred but not needed)
Sitting for four adults
All weather driving abilities (shift work 24/7/365)
Preferred to be under or around 45k (planning on keeping for 10-15 years)

“wants”
Off road capabilities (subjective)
Towing of 7k or more (once in a blue moon horse towing for emergencies)
Truck bed (almost a need, I want to get rid of my trash trailer)

I don't think I understand...do you need to tow a horse trailer or not? What do you tow the horse trailer with now? Why does towing not factor in for an SUV but it's a requirement for a truck? I don't know what your travel style and sleeping arrangements are, but with a kid and a dog in the back seat, you're going to run out of cargo space inside of a mid-size SUV pretty fast. A truck bed provides significantly more cargo space than mid-size SUVs. The back seat of a mid-size crew cab truck is not much better than the back seat of a full-size extended/double/quad cab truck. Given the criteria that you've mentioned and the vehicles you asked about, the choice is simple - only the Ranger meets all the criteria. The 4Runner would be most comparable to the Pathfinder that you have now, though I've been unimpressed with the back seat of the 4Runners that I've been in. So if the Pathfinder is working well for you, then I'd expect the 4Runner to work equally well. However, I wouldn't buy any of them for 3 people and a dog (basically like having 4 people...); I'd get a full-size crew cab truck. A carefully optioned 101A package F150 crew cab 4x4 with the 2.7 should come in around 45K.

It sounds to me like you need to jot down your real needs, the features you absolutely must have, and the things that you want or that would be nice to have. Then you can decide if a full-size or mid-size, truck or SUV fits your needs better.

Yeah the biggest issue I have with full size trucks are the pricing. I am not paying near 50k for no carpet flooring and basic infotainment etc. I would love to find the dream budget full size truck. For space and comfort but it seems near impossible.

As for current sleeping/cargo/towing. We normally rent camp with one of the Napier tents that attaches to the rear of the vehicle. We did most of our camping in a wagon wrx. We normally don’t do more then a weekend but would like to start going longer. So a cooler and a backpack for each person and the camping gear and we are set. The towing of the horses would be only emergency based currently. My daughter does team stuff with horses and they are normally trailered for them since the farm owns the horses not a single rider. I currently only two a 5x8 trailer to the dump (2k at best normally 1k). We have rented RV trailers around 4K lbs but it’s not ideal with the pathfinder. But I don’t have anything I need to tow in my driveway.

 

[WMDunkin]

H

Okay. If you are considering towing 7K, I wouldn't look at a midsize.

I tow a 23' foot travel trailer that is 3,900 lbs dry. So maybe 5,000ish lbs loaded? No way I'd tow it with a midsize.

View attachment 717034

I know those trucks are rated for 7,500 lbs trailers. But, what's written in paper and how it handles the weight in real situations are two very different things.

I reaaaaally wanted to make a 2023 Ranger work for me for a variety of reasons over an F150.

View attachment 717035

But couldn't do it due to our trailer. Ended up staying half ton.

You could get a mid range half ton crew cab for 45K. Here's a Ford for example. Supercrew, 5'5 box, XL, STX 2.7 EcoBoost and 4x4.

It would handle that weight much better than a midsize. And you can get them with a payload package.

View attachment 717037

But, I'm sure a similarly equipped Ram, GM or Toyota would be similar....

How in the world did you get that to 41K?!?

 

[Grassland]

None of these vehicles will tow 7k

 

[WingShot]

None of these vehicles will tow 7k

The Ranger’s tow capacity is 7500.

 

[Grassland]

The Ranger’s tow capacity is 7500.

Yeah a theoretical max on paper.
I've just glanced at the specs for a Tremor. Maximum payload is 1478lb. So realistically it will probably be less. 15% tongue weight is 1050lb on a 7k trailer. Plus I'd hazard a guess you'd want a weight distribution hitch too. Throw another 80# on that.
You're down to 350ish lb payload after that, so assuming you don't weigh over 150lb (which Ford assumed the driver weighs) and don't take anyone else or anything else you'd be running with a tight margin on payload.

 

[WingShot]

Yeah a theoretical max on paper.
I've just glanced at the specs for a Tremor. Maximum payload is 1478lb. So realistically it will probably be less. 15% tongue weight is 1050lb on a 7k trailer. Plus I'd hazard a guess you'd want a weight distribution hitch too. Throw another 80# on that.
You're down to 350ish lb payload after that, so assuming you don't weigh over 150lb (which Ford assumed the driver weighs) and don't take anyone else or anything else you'd be running with a tight margin on payload.

I figured that’s what you were getting at. I know the math. But there is no doubt the Ranger can tow 7500 pounds.

 

[Todd780]

H

How in the world did you get that to 41K?!?
View attachment 717287View attachment 717288

No clue? I just built it, lol I used zip code 59001. Maybe it's a different price in your location?