Family of six looking for tow vehicle

Wes Tausend wrote:
...

I still think the Expy is a reasonable match for what you are trying to do. It is made for large families and towing, and Ford does not even feel the need to sell a larger SUV any more. While everything is a compromise, I wouldn't recommend too heavy of trailer for a light vehicle, but I have little problem with heavy weight inside the vehicle pulling a less-than-max trailer. Perhaps you need a full-family test drive in the Expy to get a feel for general ride. My guess is that it will feel, and handle fine. I suspect the soft OEM tires may be the limiting factor for factory load ratings, as marketing tends to require passenger comfort over load capacity. Heavier tires ride rougher.

Here is an official 2012 Ford Expy load chart.

Sure, some of the suggestions, such as a large van, would be better for roominess and maybe towing, but they will suffer lower fuel economy while not towing. My crew transport company did have large, thirstier vans, but seldom used them unless the needed extra seating over 7 people, and they were still 1/2 ton only.

You once asked, "Does the "traction control" it has make a difference?" Yes, it may if you need it. It is especially made for towing.
Quote Trailer Life Review:
"Expedition features standard Trailer Sway Control. It works in conjunction with AdvanceTrac with RSC (Roll Stability Control) to determine from the yaw motion of the vehicle if the trailer is swaying and takes measures, such as applying precise braking or reduced engine torque, to help bring both vehicle and trailer under control."

I should point out that we do have heavier vehicles to tow our 30+ foot camper, but we bought specifically for towing and plan to get even larger campers. We normally do not drive these trucks for everyday, but use an economical Prius for a daily driver. There is just two of us normally.

Wes


...

Wes I copied the below colored text from your Ford link. It sums up why the EL is not a good choice.

Don't be a victim of marketing hype. Don't just focus on the max. tow rating, but examine ALL the towing parameters. The below colored text is part of the fine print. Many choose to just ignore the fine print, however Ford is sure to include this statement to cover themselves when someone buys and overloads their EL based on the marketing hype

Trailer tongue load weight should be 10-15% of total loaded trailer weight. Make sure vehicle payload
(reduced by option weight) will accommodate trailer tongue load weight and weight of passengers
and cargo added to towing vehicle. Addition of trailer tongue load weight and weight of passengers
and cargo cannot cause vehicle weights to exceed rear GAWR or GVWR. These ratings can be found
on the vehicle Safety Compliance Certification Label