Sorry to see you have to sell, but it can of course do more than tow a single jet ski. In the end, if you have to tow more than say 4k - 4.5k lbs regularly, you'll probably want a vehicle suited to that task, it was really never the SC...

Jack

 

I tow an 18' Alumacraft with 90hp outboard with zero issues. Average 14 mpg while towing it.

 

I tow Mavericks fer free.

 

hasta la nunca

 

Understand that your needs have changed, so you bought a vehicle that fits those needs.

I disagree with your statement of "Thats the ultimate problem with the Santa Cruz". Most of us Cruz owners do not need a full size truck. I sold my 2020 F150 for the Cruz and am happy with my decision. I also sold my Maverick and kept the Cruz. Good luck on your new ride.

 

I tow a bump trailer with mine rated to carry 4400 pounds.
I've had 3000 pounds on it and never had a problem doesn't even feel like it's back there.

 

I've got boat weight at 3700 and trailer at 1100... and if it's gassed up that's another 200-400 lbs. I wondered if I spent a little more at purchase, and got the Premium or Limited (with the turbo and AWD), maybe I'd be able to make it happen???
Also, the trailer is a 7 pin, so...

I'm sure Ill miss the Santa Cruz at the pump tho!

 

I've got boat weight at 3700 and trailer at 1100... and if it's gassed up that's another 200-400 lbs. I wondered if I spent a little more at purchase, and got the Premium or Limited (with the turbo and AWD), maybe I'd be able to make it happen???

That would pretty much max out a Limited so I wouldn't do it. You are better off with bigger truck.

I tow 2,500lbs with a Limited and it does the job perfectly getting 17 MPG vs my V8 Dakota that 11 pulling the same load.

 

Only 4 posts into a thread that has nothing to do with a Maverick for it to be mentioned.

Yall are slipping.

If ours got 26 mpg anywhere but an interstate with a tailwind, I'd be far more impressed with it

 

I love the smaller size, style and manuverability of my non-turbo SEL AWD, but would absolutely love to have a non-turbo V6 in this same small package; with AWD and the slushbox automatic. So far the 4-banger is doing what I need though.

Nothing wrong with going bigger and beefier to meet your needs. I hear good things about the Dodge Ram's. Good luck with it.

 

Credit where credit is due on the GM 3.6L they have in, well, everything. The Colorados I see around Nashville are dragging literally everything behind them just like their big brothers. It's impressive. I think they still make more power than the 2.5T we're using. Maybe the numbers are switched, but still.

 

If my SC was not enough I sure would not be looking at North American.
Especially not Ram. Don't want to leave those idling for too long. Make sure you get the extended warranty with the Ram.
Even though it's now a V6, I would go Tundra for sure. Just my 2 cents.

 

If my SC was not enough I sure would not be looking at North American.
Especially not Ram. Don't want to leave those idling for too long. Make sure you get the extended warranty with the Ram.
Even though it's now a V6, I would go Tundra for sure. Just my 2 cents.

Going by registration data mileage there are more Ford and GM trucks over 200k than Toyota tundra.

Toyota has 7 or so models on the list every single year but the Tundra has never been one. I've worked on a LOT of Tundra. Never heard anyone get over 15-17 mpg average and I've replaced several transmission (they're actually getting hard to source good used ones now) and some engine. I don't put the Tundra in the same reliability class as nearly every other Toyota at all. Even before the turbo v6 which i haven't had any experience with

Buying a car or suv id recommend Toyota over anything for reliability. For a real truck id go with GM or Ford. I DESPISE Ram/benz/peugot/fiat/dodge but id recommend a NEW Ram over a Tundra to anyone asking at my shop.

 

But I traded in my jetski for a boat, and now I need a real truck. That's the ultimate problem with the Santa Cruz; you can only do so much in a small, light weight, 4c vehicle.

This isn't a Santa Cruz problem; this is a problem of your needs changing.

This will never be a problem for me because I don't tow anything besides the occasional small trailer with a lawn mower on it.

If by the off chance I do need to tow something larger one day, I have a Chevy Express van with a nearly 10,000 lb towing capacity.

 

Thinking the SC is a niche kinda truck. Where that niche is not exactly the serious towing crowd.

I find getting 3900 lb. of rolling mass to move, the lil' four-banger does quite well without a turbo. I've stuffed it on freeway onramps, and it was a Goldilocks moment, not too fast, but not too slow. All's good for the design intent. But tugging a horse trailer around with the N/A flavor is likely a tad doggy. That's fine, it's a specialty thing not a stump puller. Those who need to tug around horses don't buy toy trucks because they clearly know towing demands.

Below is a YouTube video with a shootout test pulling a trailer climbing and descending Ike Mountain in Colorado. They test a Maverick, a turbo SC, and a Ridgeline. The bell-ringing moment for me was the discussion about trailer mass overcoming the vehicle mass. Stopping a heavy load quickly can be a trick in a light truck. Big trucks pull big trailers. Nuff said.

 

Where that niche is not exactly the serious towing crowd.

Correct. It doesn't come with any extra cooling or a real tow package. It's a unibody CUV with a bed and thus can only tow smallish loads.

However in relative terms a 4,000lb SC towing 5,000lbs is reasonable. Compare that against an F150 which can be equipped to tow over 14,000lbs but it only weighs 5,000lbs. Suddenly that is a small truck towing a HUGE load.

 

Gravity is not just a good idea; its the law!

 

I wanna sell my truck just so I can write a departure memoir on the forum here.

 

 

Nagrom, just go ahead and write a “thinking about writing a departure memoir”. 😂