SUV vs. Truck for Upland Rig & Daily Driver?

[CRMarks]

Does anyone have any advice or pros/cons evaluation concerning whether an SUV or a truck is a better option for an upland hunting rig that also serves as a daily driver? I currently have a Subaru Forester that I love everything about except for the fact that it can't tow anything. I'm just starting out as a primarily upland hunter for dusky grouse and quail across AZ. Other year round fun usage would be for hiking/camping in the AZ high country. I live in Phoenix, so the rig has to reasonably function in a large metropolitan area. My specific considerations for the vehicle are:
1. Budget - $40k (looking the range of preferably a used vehicle 2017 and newer with less than 75k mileage)
2. Towing capacity of greater than 3,000 lbs (I'm looking into getting an expedition-style offroad small travel trailer)
3. Backseat sole use is for carrying my dog every day to the park/training when we aren't in the field (22 lb Britt and I tend to use a harness to buckle her into the seatbelt. I don't have a family, so people carrying isn't a factor.

Thanks for any advice you can share!

 

[bpitt]

I've been hunting, locally, out of an '86 4Runner the last couple of years. No complaints. Plenty of room, Im short enough that I can sleep in the back if I need too, and it keeps everything dry. When we travel out west, we take our 2WD Ford truck, and we've been able to go wherever we need too, and haul big ice chests in the back. Problem is, when it rains, some gear gets wet back there.
If I were in the market for a new rig, I'd consider a 4Runner, or a 4 door Tocama.

 

[BucksnDucks]

I had a 4-Runner before I was married for many years and traveled thousands of miles hunting and fishing. The SUV worked well for me then and was large enough for dogs, gear and a partner. I switched to a 1/2 ton truck with a shell years ago and haven't thought about hunting out of a SUV since. A truck bed is just plain bigger and easier to access and pack gear. I built a box with drawers and used it to sleep in while car camping. I also found the utility of the truck bed with shell removed invaluable for non hunting uses as I started a family and became a home owner. There is an obvious benefit to trucks if you plan on towing a camper. You could tow with a smaller vehicle but you are asking a lot, especially on hills or when loaded down with gear. Trucks are built to tow with the rear gear ratio and weight. Aslo, know a trailer's weight (dry weight listed) will increase greatly with all the gear added including water and batteries. If you want to stay on the smaller side a Tacoma is hard to beat. If you plan on towing I suggest looking at a full size 1/2 ton truck.

 

[BirdManMike]

I have a 2010 FJ. When/If it dies, Ill buy (probably) a Subaru, the Ascent or similar, most likely. My problem with trucks (other than price of the truck itself which has gotten ridiculous) is that I am going to need $1000s of accessories to get what I want. In my FJ, I can fit 2 people, 2 dogs, 2 falcons, a crate of pigeons, and some gear (or just myself, a dog, a falcon, some pigeons and a lot of gear), plus a lot more gear (or a field dressed deer or antelope if I am doing a 2-fer hunting weekend) on a hitch rack. In the truck, I can fit all that stuff and more, but I need a topper, dog crates, a perching system for the birds, etc etc in the bed which, at that point, totally defeats the purpose of even having a bed because I cant use it (without a lot of effort removing/rearranging stuff) for anything that the SUV cant be used for!

I have a small travel trailer. Its a Sherpa trailer which are made up in Libby. Your Subaru will easily pull it (my wife's Crosstrek can do it). Its really handy, something to consider, and they come in the super-rugged setups for Jeep trails and the like.

 

[LuketheDog]

Does anyone have any advice or pros/cons evaluation concerning whether an SUV or a truck is a better option for an upland hunting rig that also serves as a daily driver? I currently have a Subaru Forester that I love everything about except for the fact that it can't tow anything. I'm just starting out as a primarily upland hunter for dusky grouse and quail across AZ. Other year round fun usage would be for hiking/camping in the AZ high country. I live in Phoenix, so the rig has to reasonably function in a large metropolitan area. My specific considerations for the vehicle are:
1. Budget - $40k (looking the range of preferably a used vehicle 2017 and newer with less than 75k mileage)
2. Towing capacity of greater than 3,000 lbs (I'm looking into getting an expedition-style offroad small travel trailer)
3. Backseat sole use is for carrying my dog every day to the park/training when we aren't in the field (22 lb Britt and I tend to use a harness to buckle her into the seatbelt. I don't have a family, so people carrying isn't a factor.

Thanks for any advice you can share!

4Runner or Tacoma

 

[RaiderRich]

Interesting thread. I am more of a Nissan guy so Frontier or Pathfinder but the Pathfinder I would look at the 2022 redesign which takes it back to its off-road roots. I have a 2015 Frontier that has been great and brand new 4X4 SV only set me back $27,000 in 2016. Can't go wrong with the Tacoma or 4Runner choices though.

As a general rule of thumb and yes this varies a ton, but generally pickups are better for towing and SUVs are better for comfort and dry storage space.

Given you are not concerned with passenger capacity I imagine it will be a flip of the coin for you between truck and SUV.

Find what you like and go for it.

Let us know!

 

[rustednuts]

Does anyone have any advice or pros/cons evaluation concerning whether an SUV or a truck is a better option for an upland hunting rig that also serves as a daily driver? I currently have a Subaru Forester that I love everything about except for the fact that it can't tow anything. I'm just starting out as a primarily upland hunter for dusky grouse and quail across AZ. Other year round fun usage would be for hiking/camping in the AZ high country. I live in Phoenix, so the rig has to reasonably function in a large metropolitan area. My specific considerations for the vehicle are:
1. Budget - $40k (looking the range of preferably a used vehicle 2017 and newer with less than 75k mileage)
2. Towing capacity of greater than 3,000 lbs (I'm looking into getting an expedition-style offroad small travel trailer)
3. Backseat sole use is for carrying my dog every day to the park/training when we aren't in the field (22 lb Britt and I tend to use a harness to buckle her into the seatbelt. I don't have a family, so people carrying isn't a factor.

Thanks for any advice you can share!

Fellow AZ resident here. I went through the SUV vs truck debate 2 years ago. I ended up with a SUV. The truck market is so much more expensive and maintenance cost are more significant. I found that I could financially replace a SUV a lot sooner than a truck so if I beat on it more it didn't matter. Most offroads in AZ require low to moderate clearance. I find I can go 90% of the places in a SUV. SUV also keeps dust off your gear more than a topper.

 

[elkduds]

Honda Ridgeline. Kennels fit in the bed, huge back seat that folds out of the way. AWD w offroad transmission settings. Tows 5K#s, more like 4K @ CO altitudes. Honda engineering, reliability, durability, low cost of ownership. Mine has a topper. Highest rated midsize pickup. Fits in parking lots, feels more like a car than a truck on the road.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

I prefer a truck. You can separate dirty/smelly things from the cab space.

 

[F250]

I think the towing capacity of 3,000 lbs. plus your load of gear will steer you toward a 1/2 ton pickup.

 

[hank4elk]

Ditto the above.
If your going to tow or carry anything you need a truck,1/2 ton. Even my Tacoma has it's limits. The F-150 offroad I have,has limits too.
It would be fun to have a suv again for the car ride get around just about anywhere deal,but it would be just as dirty inside here too. And I'd need a truck.

I'd keep the daily driver for the city and I bet I could find a good used 4x truck in a day in AZ....

 

[rideold]

I lean more towards the SUV design because I like the dog in the heated/AC part of the vehicle. I have an old Sequoia (2002). Sufficiently beat up so I could afford it. Big enough I can sleep in the back with gear. Seats 8 adults when needed. Enough clearance to drive anywhere I need. Gas mileage sucks but it's a big vehicle so you get what you get. The 4.7 liter V8 will run forever. Cheaper than a Land Cruiser. It's my daily driver but I don't drive much or very far unless going hunting. All around it's a pretty perfect vehicle. When I think about replacing it (after my kids are done learning to drive in the next couple of years) I come back to the same vehicle. The newer ones are a bit bigger so I'd probably buy the same generation as I have. The only other vehicle I'd consider is a Tacoma but I'd be putting a cap on it so I can sleep in the back and lock things up so that kind of makes it like a SUV.

 

[Rzrbck918]

I have a Ram 1500 and a Ford Expedition EL. Honestly we use the expedition more for western hunting and we just got back from Silverton where we pulled a tandem axle trailer with a Polaris General 4. Towing rating is 9000 lbs. There are pros and cons to both but anytime I take the dogs we use the SUV. Gas mileage is not great in either when pulling a trailer with the wind sail on it but thats not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. The expedition is an EL and has three rows and significant storage behind but we lay the third row flat and carry anything we can think of. I have spent several nights in the back of the expedition. If I had to choose, I would have an SUV especially if I was going to pull a trailer anyway.

 

[Nutrioso]

Lot of great points here but I’ll add one I didn’t see covered. I hunt out of a pickup with a topper and love it. But, the biggest drawback is when I hunt your home state. Early season hunts or training, the back of that rig where the dogs travel can get too darned hot. Then I am traveling with the dogs in the cab and the expensive (and safe) dog crates empty in the back. If I were mostly a quail hunter, I would go SUV so the dogs can ride in crates in air conditioned space.

 

[KB_]

i personally perfer a truck, But a 4 runner or maybe even that new ford Bronco (not the sport) would be a a hell of an upland rig. I think the bronco you can get where you can hose off the inside which would be great for off roading and having pets.

 

[Ben Lamb]

1/2 ton truck with a topper.

I can fit 2 kennels in it and have enough room for gear still including my 12x12 tent & camping gear. I love my dogs, but I don't want those filthy beasts in the truck with me unless they are 110% worn out.

 

[hank4elk]

...my Tacoma has a insulated shell. Got it to carry the doggies and camp from.

 

[CRMarks]

This is all great stuff, thanks everyone. I think I'm going to end up going the 4Runner route in the end. I'm definitely the guy who has his dog in the cab with him 100% of the time, no matter what. Hell, half the time when we're out in the high country, I end up more disgusting than her. We'll see what the vehicle market shapes up to be in the next few months and I'll update with what ends up in the driveway.

 

[CRMarks]

I have a 2010 FJ. When/If it dies, Ill buy (probably) a Subaru, the Ascent or similar, most likely. My problem with trucks (other than price of the truck itself which has gotten ridiculous) is that I am going to need $1000s of accessories to get what I want. In my FJ, I can fit 2 people, 2 dogs, 2 falcons, a crate of pigeons, and some gear (or just myself, a dog, a falcon, some pigeons and a lot of gear), plus a lot more gear (or a field dressed deer or antelope if I am doing a 2-fer hunting weekend) on a hitch rack. In the truck, I can fit all that stuff and more, but I need a topper, dog crates, a perching system for the birds, etc etc in the bed which, at that point, totally defeats the purpose of even having a bed because I cant use it (without a lot of effort removing/rearranging stuff) for anything that the SUV cant be used for!

I have a small travel trailer. Its a Sherpa trailer which are made up in Libby. Your Subaru will easily pull it (my wife's Crosstrek can do it). Its really handy, something to consider, and they come in the super-rugged setups for Jeep trails and the like.

That's really interesting on the Sherpa trailer. Does your wife's Crosstrek have the CVT? I kept getting warned that the CVT would pretty much destroy itself if towing anything up any kind of hills.

 

[SFC B]

I have had vehicles in all of the categories being discussed here, currently driving a F150 ext cab long bed. From what you are looking for I would say a Tacoma like this https://www.toyota.com/configurator...or/0218/interiorcolor/FC23/packages/option72/ Even at list price you are well below your 40k ( enough room for a nice topper and extras). Dog room in the extended cab portion plus a good amount of room in a coverage 6 ft bed and ample towing for a teardrop type trailer. I had a 2009 SR5 double cab 4x4 and it was great.