New car

so i live in Grand Rapids MI and we are going to the auto show and i am some what looking for a new wheels( new car ) i drive a jeep and i work on a farm and would need the 4 wheel drive. so what would be something to look at? i have a trailer hitch on the jeep and would like something with a hitch and maybe save on gas too.

If you live on a farm and need to pull a trailer, a Jeep is very suitable. You could also buy a pickup truck with the smallest engine available.

For you needs, stay away from cars or car-derived SUVs, and search out rugged rear drive vehicles. A Toyota 4Runner with a crew cab is a very tough vehicle.

However, great gas mileage is something you will not likely get.

Do you want an SUV or pickup? How much are you willing to spend? New or used (new to you)? If new, the only Jeep to consider is the Grand Cherokee. It starts at around $30,000, and is competitive with all rivals. The 4Runner mentioned above is also a good choice. If you want a pickup, the crew cab Ford F150 , Chevy Siverado 1500, or a Dodge Ram; all with a V8 for towing.

Enjoy the show, lots of 4WD SUV’s and pickups and most have hitches installed at the factory. Look around, see what you like, and see what you can afford.

well i did see last year there was a jeep with a V 4 but not sure but thinking used would be the best so just going to see the ones there and go on. price has not been set but starting to save up.

A 4-cylinder is too small for towing. I would avoid the Liberty, Patriot, and Compass if you want to tow.

“well i did see last year there was a jeep with a V 4”

Are you sure that you saw a Jeep with a V-4 engine?
To the best of my knowledge, the only V-4 that ever appeared in a Jeep-type vehicle was in a small military-only vehicle produced by AMC over 20 years ago.

More than likely, the 4-cylinder engine that you saw was an I-4, or as some people might say, a “straight 4”.

If you want to save on gas, you could forgo the 4WD and get a limited slip differential instead. That is all most people actually need. Otherwise look at the offerings by Subaru.

Having a hitch and using it are two different things. A compact 4cyl Tacoma or a 6 cyl 4runner are what I would recomend. The 4runnerr if you want to travel great distances easily. Toyota 2.7 4 cylinders are very robust and I used them for occasional towing of 3500 loads. Not to worry. They do it easily in their trucks.
Now, it the weights are under 2 k and you want economy with awd, nothing beats a compact Rav, CRV type suv.
Now, if you want to duplicate the jeep in all ways but do it in more comfort…the Toyota FJ and the Nissan XTerra would definitly work. Personally though, nothing beats a Tacoma 4.o v6 which is quite efficient, can be had in several cab configurations and has that great Asian car reliability myth. The myth is that it’s Asian. it’s made in Kentucky…?..

I like the suggestion of the Tacoma, and I would base your engine choice on how heavy of a load you need to tow. If you really want to save on gas, get the 4cyl, but my guess is the v6 would still be better than your Jeep.

well right now i am not pulling any thing just have a rack for the back thats all.

@puffer:

Confused as to why you want a brand new vehicle as a “farm truck.” Why buy a 30+k vehicle and get it all scratched and mudded up?

Your money, but I’d just buy a new vehicle that you enjoy driving around, plus a beater for “working the back forty.”

@keith makes a good point. Most 2wd pick ups come with traction control on the rear wheels that can be switched to a mode that allows them to function like limited slip rear differentials. They have much more traction then regular rwd and without the added maintenance of mechanical limited slips which often loose their effectiveness with age.

@meanjoe75fan i work on a farm i just feed the calf ( the young ones) but the road i take out there are durt roads.