avoidcrowds wrote:
I will throw my 2-cents in here.
I have two Grand Cherokees, one a Hemi V8, the other a diesel. Both tow our trailer just fine. I prefer the diesel, but that's just me.
We have a TrailManor 2417. Had a Sport version, sold it, and have a Standard on order. The Sport and Standard both can come with two beds (king in back, double in front). The boys could sleet on the double, with their heads at opposite ends. The dinette can be left as a dinette. If the boys want to bring friends once in a while, the dinette will sleep kids.
If you get the Standard version, it is 6" wider, so the beds are a little longer, for growth of the boys.
Our 2417 Sport, fully-loaded for a week, weighed 3300#. It tows at 17', and opens to 24'. Hard-sided, so bears are not a problem. We use a weight-distributing hitch, so we ride level.
I think this setup would work fine for your family, as it works fine for us. Granted, we don't always have 4 people in the GC, but there is room in the trailer for bulky items.
Just take a look at the TrailManor, as it may be what you are looking for. Tows very easily, as it has much less wind resistance than a regular TT.
The trailmanor doesn't have the full amenities, standard ceiling height, or the internal width that a travel trailer does plus it's about 3X the cost.
With as light, as short, and as low as they are folded up, many midsize crossovers with little towing capacity, should be able to handle these pop ups with ease.
It's a good alternative to a travel trailer if you don't mind a pop up with less room and less amenities, for 3X the cost. With that you can save money on a lesser tow vehicle, and store your pop up in a large garage or backyard. I just don't like their toilet's self contained black water storage, with no dedicated black water tank. Very limited, I would rather have an electric thetford cassette toilet as I did in my Starcraft pop up so that I can take the cassette out and empty it in the local bathroom.
