I'll start by saying I know nothing about cars and trucks. And all this spec talk is a foreign language. But here's what we have learned about towing and tow vehicles: *Listen to the people on this forum.*
Look at all the opinions, and there are many, and determine which ones you think sound safest. There can be no shortcuts when it comes to towing a vehicle.
A dealer at an RV dealership or camper show will tell you "Of course your minivan can tow this 32-foot travel trailer! Just look at the Dry weight!"
They say 80 % GVWR is the max. You need to be well under that. When we went out to South Dakota, we had a trailblazer and a pop-up that was well under weight. Pack all the storage boxes, and add a Thule Roof Box on the truck, four people who like to eat, and four bikes, plus everything that we pretty much owned, and that Trailblazer worked incredibly hard.
Get more tow vehicle than you need.
You need to be able to tow, but more importantly, you need to be able to STOP. Your loved ones in the car need to be safe. And the people on the road deserve to be safe as well.
And definitely get the sway bar. As soon as an 18-wheeler buzzes by you, and your trailer starts swaying back and forth, you'll panic.
