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Matt Barnes

Contributor Matt Barnes is a mechanical engineer and former product engineer for Progress Mfg. Inc. in Utah, makers of the Equal-i-zer hitch and Fastway Flash ball mounts.

gmc sierra 1500 denali ultimate 2026 01 exterior front angle towing scaled jpg
The GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate’s powertrain — a 6.2-liter V-8 engine and 10-speed automatic transmission — is great for towing and pulled our nearly 5,000-pound trailer easily.
toyota tundra trd rally 2025 01 exterior towing profile scaled jpg
We test the 2025 Toyota Tundra TRD Rally’s off-road prowess, towing capabilities and real-world payload, as well as determine whether its cosmetic upgrades justify the cost.
lexus lx 700h overtrail 2025 01 exterior towing front angle jpg
We hooked up a 5,000-pound camper trailer to the LX 700h’s off-road-capable Overtrail trim to find out if the hybrid system has the potential to improve the towing experience.
nissan armada pro 4x 2025 01 exterior towing front angle jpg
To test the redesigned 2025 Nissan Armada’s towing performance, we hooked it up to a camper trailer and towed over large elevation changes to see how well it performed.
lexus gx 550 overtrail 2024 01 exterior towing front angle jpg
While the Lexus GX 550 and Toyota Land Cruiser share their underlying structure, there are significant differences that affect their towing capabilities.
toyota land cruiser 2024 01 exterior towing front angle jpg
The Land Cruiser offers a decent towing capacity of 6,000 pounds. But a number is only a number, so how well does it actually tow?
honda ridgeline trailsport 2024 02 exterior offroad front scaled jpg
We drove the Ridgeline TrailSport through various types of off-road obstacles to see how well it performed, including high-speed dirt road, an articulation test and steep hill climb.
toyota tacoma limited 2024 05 exterior towing front angle scaled jpg
The 2024 Toyota Tacoma’s overall towing feel and confidence is now on par with the best in the class.