Mrs. Cusser currently drives a 2005 Yukon XL Denali with 6.0 engine and all-wheel drive (AWD); a few times each month she tows a horse trailer and one horse (occasionally two). She loves the way this pulls and drives with the trailer and horse. Estimate total weight of horses and trailer would be 7000 pounds.

Issue: she's scared of the odometer reading of 230K miles, is terrified of something going wrong on the road while towing the horse. So she wants to get something newer. So initially we were thinking of a lower-mileage 2012-2016 Yukon Denali with 6.2 engine and AWD.

Question: who has hands-on experience with a Suburban or Yukon XL towing such 7000 pounds? I'm mostly interested in those who can detail whether they have 2 Wheel Drive and 4 Wheel Drive, to compare to our 2005's AWD, mainly in how the vehicle tows such trailer uphill on freeways at like 65-70 mph. She would not need AWD or 4WD for snow or mud (Arizona), just want feedback on those using these "other" transmissions for similar weight trailers.

Obviously, 2WD has benefit of less weight, less front drive maintenance, etc. if the towing power is the same. Thanks.

 

what does the owners manual say on awd towing capacity. I would bet it is lower than 2wd and part time 4wd configurations.

 

Our 2005 Yukon XL Denali only came with 6.0 engine and AWD, so its manual does not address any models with 2WD or 4WD.

 

it should list towing capacity ratings for all configurations. my 2006 2500hd did.

 

I was asking for hands-on towing experiences and opinions of owners who have towed similar trailers with 2WD or WD. Specifications can be misleading and skewed.

 

i would check your numbers cause some awd may be over at 7000lbs.Most awd pto are the weak point. As for a part time 4wd system compared to 2wd; i have driven both and have not seen a difference driving. 4wd; for the life of the system, you should be out of 4wd at highway speed.

 

Thanks for the input. It seems that the factors to look for would be the large engine and factory tow package. It would seem that AWD v. 2WD for street and highway driving under our Arizona conditions would not be relevant, except that AWD is more complicated, heavy, and more expensive.

So I think this opens up our searching to Suburbans and Yukon XLs.

 

Newer ones are part time 4wd not full time AWD. Definitely get the 6.2 for that weight. My 5.3 Tahoe pulls 4000 lbs. of pontoon no problem, I've had a Sable on a U haul drive on trailer behind my Tahoe and 5.3 pulled it OK but merging onto the highway I would have liked to have the 6.2 . Car on heavy duty U haul trailer had to be at least 6000 lbs. .
6.2 is gonna be more thirsty though unloaded.
As long as trailer brakes are up to snuff it shouldn't be a issue.