Rich, IMHO, 4x4 SUVs or pickup trucks are good boat towing vehicles. A truck would probably be cheaper than an SUV, but the SUV has the advantage of secure, enclosed storage. For seven years I've been towing my M15 up here in the Sierras with a 1988 Isuzu Trooper 4x4 with a 2.6 liter 4-cylinder engine and 5-speed manual transmission. Before that, I towed an 18-foot midget ocean racer with it. After 140,000k miles, the engine still has almost like new compression and has never needed any major mechanical repairs. It is a great -- and inexpensive -- combination. (One word of caution: avoid the Chevy V-6 powered Trooper. It was a sorry combination.) On the flats, I tow in 5th gear without any difficulty. 4-wheel disk brakes handle the whoa factor very well. Gearing down on steep grades helps save the brakes and increases security and safety. The clutch is still going strong. Trooper storage is cavernous. Another plus: the cooling system is oversized and I can run the A/C while pulling steep grades without overheating. Steep, slick launch ramps present no problems. I have launched my 14-foot aluminum fishing boat from steep rocky rampless lake shores. In 4WD/Low range, no launch ramp would daunt the Trooper. My neighbor's new 4x4 Ford 250 got stuck in snow and mud and I pulled him out going uphill. A few years ago we bought a new Trooper for my wife, but we didn't like it. We traded the new Trooper for an AWD Subaru -- but kept my old Trooper. Isuzu (and most other manufacturers) decided to sacrifice the "utility" and emphasize the glitzy "sport" in sport utility vehicles. If you are hesitant to haul garbage cans to the dump, or load the back with smelly fish, outboards and gas cans, or get the rear wheels axle deep in water, it ain't utility. A towing rig is a hard working rig. Form follows function. Nuff sed. Joe Kidd M15 #207 "Poco A Poco"