Toyota 4Runner

My tiny single axle hybrid sleeps 6, including teenagers, without a problem. Mom and dad take the front tent queen. 16 and 13 year old boys on rear tent full. 11 and 8 year old girls on dinette.
Total LOADED weight including bikes and firewood usually 3,100 pounds on axle and about 350 on ball.

dryheat1 wrote:
After an exhaustive search for something that sleeps potential 6 (sometimes), and yet has roomy living space, we've settled on the hybrid although unsure about sleeping under canvas. If you have any other negatives about hybrids, please elaborate. Our weight restriction of 3500-3800 is what keeps the field very narrow. Thank you for all your input.

If your 3500-3800lbs restriction is for a LOADED trailer, there is NO hybrid that can sleep 6 full size people in that GVWR range.

You would need either a 3 queen bed hybrid, like the Roo/Shamrock 183 or a two bunk end hybrid with a dinette AND a sofa.
None of these loaded, would fit im that weight range.

Suggest you read through the Hybrid forum here. Plenty of pro and con posts there.
personally, we have loved our hybrid for nearly 9 years.
but our tow vehicle has a 7200lbs towing capacity and we would only sleep 4 adults and 2 children max.

Your more limiting factor on the 4Runner will be the payload capacity. Look on the driver door jamb for the yellow tire loading sticker to get your payload capacity. Take that number and subtract the weight of passengers and cargo. Whatever amount is left over will the weight that your tongue weight and hitch assembly cannot exceed. Using that number will also give you the max travel trailer weight you can tow.

For example friend of mine has a 2015 4Runner Trail. His yellow sticker shows 825lbs. Minus him, wife, dog gear and he has about 400lbs left over for tongue weight.

We've been attempting to rent a hybrid, but no one in AZ does that, unfortunately as that would be a great test. The other 4 people are our kids and grandkids who are teenagers. So we could do fine with a unit that sleeps 4, still looking.

dryheat1 wrote:
After an exhaustive search for something that sleeps potential 6 (sometimes), and yet has roomy living space, we've settled on the hybrid although unsure about sleeping under canvas. If you have any other negatives about hybrids, please elaborate.

We're in the 3rd season of our second hybrid, the first we owned for 10 years. We love hybrids. We tented for many years and had pop-ups for 11 years after that.

If you are not used to tents and/or pop-up campers, I'd strongly advise against buying a hybrid unless you're able to rent one to test it out. I'd hate to see you buy one only to find out that you hate it and have to trade it in a year or two later and take a bath on it.

When you say you need to sometimes sleep 6, can you elaborate? Is this for kids? If so, have you thought about specing the trailer out for you and the wife, and putting the kids in a tent?

After an exhaustive search for something that sleeps potential 6 (sometimes), and yet has roomy living space, we've settled on the hybrid although unsure about sleeping under canvas. If you have any other negatives about hybrids, please elaborate. Our weight restriction of 3500-3800 is what keeps the field very narrow. Thank you for all your input.

Yes too bad Toyota has discontinued the V8 in the 4Runner. 7300# tow rating. Basically a Sequoia or Land Cruiser engine in a lighter vehicle.

bikendan wrote:

As a owner of a hybrid, for nearly 9 years, I can say that hybrids aren't for everyone.
Most owners are former popup owners and want more amenities but still love sleeping under canvas.

Many buy hybrids without taking the canvas ends into consideration.

If you're not in love with the idea of sleeping under canvas, DON'T buy a hybrid.

X2!

If I were you, I'd check out the fiberglass 'egg' type trailer, like Casita, Scamp and Escape. They are well built, lightweight and easy to tow.

dryheat1 wrote:
Brand newbie. Just purchased 2013 Toyota 4Runner with intention of towing TT. Tow limit is 5000# and know nothing about other weight limits. Suspecting we're very limited to a hybrid?

As a owner of a hybrid, for nearly 9 years, I can say that hybrids aren't for everyone.
Most owners are former popup owners and want more amenities but still love sleeping under canvas.

Many buy hybrids without taking the canvas ends into consideration.

If you're not in love with the idea of sleeping under canvas, DON'T buy a hybrid.