What car for light towing and kids?

Neighbor is freshly divorced and looking to sell his Dakota quad cab for a better mileage vehicle.

Basic needs:

Seating for 4 and ample storage.

ability to tow a pop-up camper

decent mpg (mid 20's)

Can it be found under $6K and non-rusty?

I'm thinking Taurus wagon or Volvo...what am I missing?

Any of the small SUVs should meet the criteria. RAV4, CRV, Subaru outback or forester, Saturn VUE.

Maxima?

How big a popup? Some of those things are pretty big

Roadmaster wagon.

Subaru wagon?

Astro or Astro awd.
Less than 20 mpg but also less than $6k

Sonic wrote: How big a popup? Some of those things are pretty big

It's on the smaller side...maybe 10' folded up?

I'd be looking at a Forester. The internet says that the nice boxy ones have a towing capacity of 2000lbs. Should work.

TDI Jetta

Crown Vic!

You just exactly described how my friend Jon uses his Saab 9-5 Aero station wagon with a manual transmission.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/1995-buick-roadmaster-wagon-chicago/62815/page1/

Enyar wrote: TDI Jetta

What he said! Such a versatile vehicle. I love my TDI:

I'll just leave this here.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/1993-buick-park-ave-ultra-mason-oh-500/63760/page1/

Ford Escape

4runners get 23-24 and can tow 5,000 pounds.

Although Escape is probably the answer. Or a P71

Tom Suddard wrote: 4runners get 23-24 and can tow 5,000 pounds.

Hahahahahahaha

http://www.fuelly.com/car/toyota/4runner

You need a better definition of "light towing". To me light towing is <1500lbs and my answer would be Pontiac Vibe. If you think Light towing is 3000lbs-5000lbs options start to go away dramatically.

nocones wrote:

Tom Suddard wrote: 4runners get 23-24 and can tow 5,000 pounds.

Hahahahahahaha http://www.fuelly.com/car/toyota/4runner

7 vehicles averaging 23 mpg. I fully believe that a well-driven, stock 4runner can pull 23-24 mpg. Ask the guys on Expedition Portal.

nocones wrote: You need a better definition of "light towing". To me light towing is <1500lbs and my answer would be Pontiac Vibe. If you think Light towing is 3000lbs-5000lbs options start to go away dramatically.

Exactly. I don't know much about pop-ups, but I'm assuming by the time you have 10 feet of fiberglass, a pop-up mechanism, a steel frame, food/water/clothing/other camping crap, a stove, A/C, etc. you're at 1500-2000 pounds. That's a little much for a vibe if you're going on long trips IMHO.

U can nab a vue for 3k. The really arnt bad. Just avoid awd and the german 3.0 Hyundai has a good suv lineup. Boring, but good.

Seriously... Caprice/Roadmaster wagon. IT suits your needs perfectly.

+1 to the full-size body-on-frame sedans/wagons. Roadmaster/Caprice/Crown Vic will all do 20+ mpg easy on the highway while having plenty of room for four people and certainly enough towing capacity for a pop-up tent trailer. Parts are cheap, too.