I need something to store camping gear, occasionally tow a small boat and typically carry two people. For what I do I have tough time justifying the v6. I'm tall so the rav4 and others are to small for me this has great leg roomjimmac said:Power is adequate for an almost 4000 lb. vehicle with a 4 banger. No way wound I tow anything with it. If you are looking to tow, look for something with a bigger engine. Mileage is fair, if you are looking for something with great mileage, look for something smaller/lighter.
For me, it is the right size (fits 4 adults comfortably), has AWD, and the ride is quiet and smooth.
I traded in an 06 RAV4 for the Equinox. I am 6'4" and had no problem with the RAV; however with that being said, the Equinox does have more leg room and is more comfortable. I went with the Equinox for the better ride and nice looks. The RAV was very truck-like in its ride, but did have much more storage room. I put a 2" hitch on the Equinox for my bike rack, but not for towing. I think you are asking a lot from the I4 engine if you tow much more than an empty utility trailer. It just does not have the power. The RAV was a 4 cylinder also and I would not tow anything with that either. I have towed lots of things with bigger trucks and the 4's just don't have the grunt for it. I would feel like I would be asking too much from them....chevy22 said:I need something to store camping gear, occasionally tow a small boat and typically carry two people. For what I do I have tough time justifying the v6. I'm tall so the rav4 and others are to small for me this has great leg room
Hmm...I currently tow with a 3.8 impala with no issues but I want something bigger that can tow a bit bigger boat eventually not an easy decision here as I rarely tow 95% city driving.jimmac said:I traded in an 06 RAV4 for the Equinox. I am 6'4" and had no problem with the RAV; however with that being said, the Equinox does have more leg room and is more comfortable. I went with the Equinox for the better ride and nice looks. The RAV was very truck-like in its ride, but did have much more storage room. I put a 2" hitch on the Equinox for my bike rack, but not for towing. I think you are asking a lot from the I4 engine if you tow much more than an empty utility trailer. It just does not have the power. The RAV was a 4 cylinder also and I would not tow anything with that either. I have towed lots of things with bigger trucks and the 4's just don't have the grunt for it. I would feel like I would be asking too much from them....
Currently talking a small aluminum boat might I imagine the total setup is around 500lbs max. Mind you I may upgrade to something that weighs around 1100 someday.bballr4567 said:If the boat is an aluminum john boat you will have no problems towing it. You guys are acting like a "small boat" is a 15 ft bass boat.
I think you will be just fine with the I4 honestly. If you keep the speed lower than the posted limits you wont have any issues. Plus, you can get airbags for the springs if you need to keep the vehicle level. Lots of people use it on TDI cars because in Europe they are rated to tow 3500lbs but in the US its only 1500.
If its one or two times a year, you are good to go.![]()