Pathfinder with the V6 will tow 6000lbs.

E

One thing worth mentioning...

The maximum tow rating of a vehicle is NOT what you should be towing around all the time. If you're towing the max capacity of your vehicle, you're near capacity for engine power, transmission gearing, and braking capacity. The last one (braking capacity) is the most important as this will save your life when you have to stop suddenly. If you tow 3,000 lbs with a vehicle rated at 6,000 lbs, you have a nice margin and towing won't be a nail-biting, fright fest. If you tow at your max capacity, I guarantee you'll hate towing. During one trip to Florida with the rig I mentioned above, we took a highway off ramp at about 60mph. It was a downhill grade and the traffic at the bottom of the ramp suddenly stopped. We couldn't get the rig slowed and we blasted past everyone along the shoulder until we could finally get stopped. Everyone with me in the truck was terrified, and the nice trip to Florida became an 'oh ****, what if that happens again?' experience. For this reason, I also recommend electronic-activated trailer brakes. The pressure-brakes on some trailers are horrible, and you'll be able to comfortably tow more weight (or closer to max capacity) if you have a good trailer brake system.

Going to eat my words... fell in love with the tundra on a test drive recently and bought one last night. Paid about $35k for a 2012 4x2 Limited with tow package of course, and got $8.5k on trade for the f250. It has 11,000 lbs tow capacity and I will pull no more than 8,000, usually 7,000. Will use it as my DD most of the time, and hoping for ~20 mpg... 10-12 mpg when towing. Already starting with the mods. Rear sway and "RAS" system to improve towing stability when cornering and braking. And bolt-on power should give me +40 ft-lbs. I'll post pics on my Z journal later.

+1 for F250 Super Duty .... on the basis that all good things in motorsport go better with "lots" of everything (horsepower, brakes, etc).

In OZ, we get the Nissan Navara STX 550 ..... is a 4-door "ute" (short for utility - front seats like a car, but load area out back) SUV with 3500kg rated tow capacity, but not sure if they are available in USA. Is fitted with Renault-sourced V6 TT diesel that makes 180Kw and 550Nm of torque.

I personally tow with a Ford XR8 ute - Oz-designed "ute" (there is that word again) which has 5.4 litre Ford V8 from the F-series, but fitted with Cobra 32-valve heads (special manufacture for Oz), which I run on LPG (propane to you guys). It has a 140 litre propane tank in the tub out back and gives 650Km range on LPG and another 450 on regular fuel. On propane it makes 290Kw but more importantly, 525Nm of torque.

Trailer is an open-deck job weighing 650kg (we also carry 6 spares race wheels, two boxes of spares plus two tool boxes and 4 x 20-litre fuel cans, which weighs ~ 250kg all up) and the race car weighs 970kg. I tow this rig ~6-8000kms every year for the series I compete in, and have done so for the past 20 years - my tow vehicle's last around 5-6 years before the transmission gets tired (I also have an extra large transmision cooler fitted to reduce the AT fluid temps for this reason).

If you can afford a dedicated tow vehicle, get one ... IMHO they don't depreciate that much if you buy one which is ~3 years old, and the heavier carry/tow capacity - the better. Diesel makes for lots of torque which makes for an easy tow .... torque is your friend in a tow vehicle.

If you need double duty for family etc, then try something like the Nissan Navara 550 (if they are actually sold in the US).

Remember, in towing, torque rules ...

2009 chevy duramax!! Pulls 12k and will hold 65 or better on every grade with 35" tires!!