Ask Honest John

Honest John Ask Honest John » Need a 4x4 for towing a horsebox
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Need a 4x4 for towing a horsebox

We are looking to buy a second car, solely for towing a horsebox. We will only be using it once every two weeks or so for distances of between 10 to 100 miles at a time. We have £5000 to spend and the vehicle must have a braked towing weight of around 3.5 tonne.

We were set on the Jeep Cherokee (2002 - 2007) 2.8 sport but I have just read the large number of bad things to look out for. Would there be anything else you can recommend in our budget range?

Asked on 4 February 2014 by PaulC2014

Answered by Honest John
Few automatics can tow this weight. But 3500kg requires a big 4x4, like the Mitsubishi Shogun, Pajero. Trooper. Land Rover Discovery. Toyota Land Cruiser. No Hyundais or KIAs can safely tow 3500kg.
Similar questions
I am looking to buy an economical 4x4 that needs to be able to tow 2000kg, but also double up as my commuting vehicle - I do around 50 miles a day for work. I have around £10,000-£12,000 to spend. What...
I am looking to buy a second hand car on a budget of up to about £5000 with the primary purpose of pulling a horse trailer. Looking for something that can take 2000+kg but can also be used on a day-to-day...
I have £12,000 to spend on a used 4x4 for towing a 1.5 tonne boat. I have short listed the Honda CR-V and Land Rover Freelander 2. What would be your recommendation be?
Related models
Better than the previous Cherokee model. Cute old-school looks.
Immensely competent in all environments from serious off roading and towing to motorways and country lanes. Handsome looks. Roomy, classy full seven-seater
A rugged hard-worker that can tow heavy loads without breaking sweat and conquer terrain that would faze nearly all of its rivals, spacious cabin and seven seats, reasonably affordable and most version well equipped.