What can our Kia Sorento tow?

dadmomh wrote:
I always feel so bad when folks want to enjoy camping and the great outdoors, but have a tow vehicle that's just not enough. And then the bad news just rolls right in. Darn! OP, remember that towing is not the only part of the equation, stopping is a big part, safety is the top priority. One of the members of Hybrid Explorer/PUX has a saying "because I CAN tow my 23SS with my garden tractor, doesn't mean I SHOULD". More truth than fiction. And then auto and RV magazines aren't helpful when they show a great looking trailer/tow vehicle combination when, in reality, the tow vehicle is sadly marginal....wish they wouldn't do that. Just one of the problems you'll run into with your Kia, if you chose to really push your limits, is that before you know it you'll be replacing the transmission and who knows what else that is going to run into $$$$. Better to put that money into the new tow vehicle when the time comes or into the new trailer that fits your needs.

If now is not the right time to replace your Kia, a suggestion would be to look for a gently used pop-up for the time being. It'll at least get you out the doors and enjoying camping. No, it's not your first choice, but if you know it's only a temporary move, it might be tolerable for you. Fall is a dandy time to get some really great deals and a small pop-up can be had for a good price. If it's been cared for and you continue to maintain it, you'll get most or maybe all of your money back in short order. There always seems to be a market for a nice entry-size pop up. Hope you can work something out.

This is all such useful information. In the short time since I posted my original question, we've come to the realization that there's a truck in our future. We've been looking at small trailers and have come to realize that 17', instead of being our max, is probably our minimum length, with the max at around 21'. So now I'm looking at all of your posts to see what you're towing with, and I'm seeing a lot of F150s. We are older, so what we buy now will be our last rig; we won't be trading up. So I'm starting to read up on trucks and thinking about selling the Kia. I really appreciate all the help everyone has given - reading is fine but experience is much more valuable.