This market is simply to unaffordable and the gas is too high to buy a truck. I use a car more frequently to travel back and forth to work. However I do need to have the capability of a truck. Which cars can tow a trailer with no problem?
What capactiy do you need?
Along the lines of @oldguy72's thinking, go old style American full-size cars. You don't need to go back to the 70s and 80s to find cars with real frames, if you know what to look for. Try to find a lower mileage Ford Crown Victoria/ Mercury Grand Marquis. They're built on the Panther platform, which is body-on-frame construction, and are powered by the same V8 engine he mentioned, the 4.6L Modular V8. You'll get better gas mileage than with the truck, and, considering nobody wants big boat cars anymore, you'll probably find a good deal. they stopped selling them retail in 2008. The Grand Marquis survived until 2010, so they are going to be older. Find a low mileage one and maintain it, they will last quite a bit longer than most domestics these days.
There aren't many cars sold in the US that can tow,
and I wouldn't recommend a CVT transmission to tow (what most reliable cars come with nowadays).
You probably can tow a reasonably light weight with a Camry that has a conventional auto (but it will add lots of additional tear and wear)
If you want to save gas and tow, maybe the RAV4 hybrid is a good idea as it has a very reasonable towing capacity.
I'm with @dan to avoid CVT. Just about anything with a V6 or V8 and a non-CVT transmission will fit your specs.
The issue is that any work/tow rig right now is gonna be overpriced. Supply is down due to the chip shortage, etc., but demand is not; the guys that need tow rigs (think landscapers, contractors) haven't spent the last 2 years working from home in their PJs.
@oldguy72 and @justin-shepherd are on to something with looking for an older sedan. The only issue there is numbers - there just isn't many of them, and some of them are starting to go up in price due to collector value (which obviously is not a benefit to a buyer like you).
A newer alternative might be a Dodge Charger or Challenger with the 5.7L V8. I'd be under no illusion that they're great cars, they aren't, but the drive train is more then enough for your requirements, prices are less distorted than with trucks and vans, and repairs (which you will need) are generally cheap and easy. Plus, most of them have never been used for towing. If you look around you might find an older couple with a well-maintained, one-owner car that could work out OK.
Good luck, and welcome to the forum!
I'm unsure if you actually need a V6 or a V8 considering how strong modern engines have gotten...
Even a Mazda3 2.0L is enough considering Mazda claims their base model 165hp 2.0L can tow 2850 lbs.
You can even tow 2,500lbs braked even with a 1.0L (SEAT Arona) or a 3 cylinder turbo (208 II pruretech)...
@dan those hp numbers are largely irrelevant. They are developed at a buzzing RPM that you'll never see while towing. For towing you need low end torque, which you can only get with engine displacement. Yes, you can eventually get moving with any engine, but not quickly, and a small engine won't last long doing this.
@mmj A lot of modern engines have incredible low end torque, better torque at low RPM than at high.
For example, the 1.0 I mentioned earlier maintains the same torque 1250-4000 RPM range, and according to reviews it handhelds up-hill starts with 2,000lbs reasonably well and got an award for it. And I see these being used to tow a lot so far with no engine related issues.
Same with Toyota, the main advantage of the dynamic force is better low-end torque
As it seems, even the Honda 1.5T can tow 3,000lbs reasonably well, the review claims it "Pulls away smartly from a standing start"
( https://www.practicalcaravan.com/reviews/honda-cr-v)
It's torque curve isn't as ideal as many other engines, but at 2,000 rpm you're already getting about 240NM which is a lot.
https://www.automobile-catalog.com/wykres_power_lbft.php
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I wouldn't recommend towing on a 2.0L or less, but if it's something that's done only occasionally it's not that bad.
Also some Toyota hybrids are great at towing, Torque is instant and it protects the eCVT quite well.
240Nm is not a lot. By 2,000 RPM, a small truck like Tacoma is already making 350Nm.
Yes and that 360NM (peak) V6 can tow 6,000lbs, 3-4 times what OP said he needs - that additional 50% in torque is needed for busses, (the base gas/diesel sprinter has the same), pickups and light-duty commercial trucks (like the ISUZU ELF npr pro)
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But for towing 1,500lbs-2,000lbs from time to time? 240NM That’s the same NM figure as a 4cyl Tachoma - those can tow 3,500lbs, roughly twice (at least 75% more) of what OP said he needs.
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After all, reviews claim that 240NM is enough to do it reasonably well with 3,000lbs. It’s not a huge number for towing, but it’s a lot for a reasonably cheap car and I’d argue that for time-to-time use, it’s enough.
I guess I don't like to limit myself. I would rather have more capability and headroom for growth or tough situations, then be left wanting. But that's up to him.
Is a significantly higher purchase price, higher maintenance costs, worse handling, and terrible economy worth are worth it in the name of getting capability you do not plan on using? I can't think of many cases where it is.
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I see it a bit differently,
IMO a car should fit the owner absolutely perfectly 99% of the time,
Rather than the owner putting up with a car that doesn't fit him but is better in the other 1% of cases.
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Ever since I stoped choosing cars where I made sacrifices for gimmicks and excessive headroom I have no use for, and focusing on what makes everyday use better - I became a lot more satisfied with my cars.
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OP has asked about what car to chose to save on gas.
I gave him an answer to his question, to do the same as most small business owners who operate in places where gas costs the same as it currently does in the US - a modern, high output 4 cyl.
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Either way, It's his choice, and it's going to be interesting to see what way he chooses to go.
Suburu Outback can tow 2700 -3500lbs
And they came with manual transmission up until 2015 I believe, if you buy a used one
This market is simply to unaffordable and the gas is too high to buy a truck
I'm with @oldguy72 on this.
You shouldn't be personally affected by the cost of fuel you buy to conduct business, if you do it right.
Dedicate a truck for your business. Vehicles are a business expense and tax deduction.
To operate a successful business (or personal life, or country...), you have to have a balanced budget. Your operating costs should directly dictate and factor into the cost of YOUR services, and fuel is an operating expense. This is how things work in a free market economy. When fuel prices go up , so does the cost of everybody's goods and services, and so should yours.
For personal transportation needs, buy a smaller fuel efficient vehicle for yourself or family.
I’m looking to be able to carry bagged mulch, lumber other things so around 1,500 to 2000.