Life around St. Andrews Bay doesn't fit neatly into one vehicle category. You need to back a boat trailer down the ramp at Carl Gray Park on Saturday morning, fit three kids and a week's worth of gear for a Gulf road trip on Sunday, and haul lumber or gear for a job site on Monday. That isn't three vehicles. One SUV has to do all of it, and it has to be a used one that earns its keep every single week.
The right pick is a used three-row SUV with a verified tow rating over 5,000 pounds, enough cargo space to swallow a family's beach load, and a reliability track record that holds up in Bay County's salt-air, high-humidity environment. First, let's look at how these four stack up, then browse our current used SUV inventory to see what's on the lot right now.
The Ranking at a Glance
| Rank | Pick | Best For | Standout Spec |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kia Telluride (2020-2022) | Family + towing balance | 5,000 lb tow rating, 21 cu ft behind row 3 |
| 2 | Ford Explorer (2020-2021) | Maximum tow capacity | Up to 5,600 lb tow (3.0L), 7-passenger |
| 3 | Jeep Wrangler 4-Door (2019-2022) | Beach access + off-pavement | Low-range 4WD, 10.8 in ground clearance |
| 4 | Jeep Cherokee (2019-2021) | Commuter + weekend versatility | Available Selec-Terrain AWD, compact footprint |
Kia Telluride (2020-2022): The Sweet Spot for Bay County Family Life
The Telluride lands at the top of this list when one SUV has to haul a real boat and still seat eight people in comfort, though it does ask you to accept middling fuel economy as the price of all that capability. Kia's 3.8-liter V6 produces 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, and with the factory tow package it's rated at 5,000 pounds across every model year from 2020 onward. That handles a 20-foot bay boat or a pontoon up to about 18 feet, which covers the range that launches regularly from our lot.
Behind the third row you get 21 cubic feet of cargo space. Twenty-one cubic feet reads like a spec-sheet number until you're standing at the tailgate with a beach cooler, a pack-n-play, and two boogie boards, and it all fits. The Telluride's AWD trims include an available self-leveling rear suspension that helps maintain ride height under tongue-weight loads, useful on the moderate-grade ramp at Carl Gray Park.
The tradeoff is fuel economy, and we'll be straight about it. The EPA rates the 2020-2022 V6 AWD at around 20 combined mpg, and real-world numbers on the US-98 corridor with a trailer will be lower. If your daily drive is long and your boat stays home most weeks, that's worth knowing.
Ford Explorer (2020-2021): When Tow Capacity Is the Priority
The 2020-2021 Ford Explorer is the tow-capacity leader in this group, and that pulling power is the main reason to put it on your short list, though it carries a notable first-year recall story worth verifying before you buy a specific unit. Ford's 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder is rated at 5,300 pounds, but step up to the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 and the number climbs to 5,600 pounds with the Class III trailer tow package. A ceiling like that is realistic for a crossover SUV, and it opens the door to larger center-console boats the Telluride can't quite handle.
Seven-passenger seating is standard, and with all seats folded the Explorer opens up to 87.8 cubic feet of total cargo space. For a family using this as a work vehicle on weekdays too, that's a genuinely useful number. See available used Ford Explorer listings at Bay Cars.
One recall is worth a close look. The 2020 Explorer launched with a notable first-year recall campaign related to loose third-row mounting bolts, which Ford addressed through a dealer fix. If you're shopping a 2020, confirm the recall work was completed under NHTSA Campaign 20V043. The 2021 model had a significantly cleaner record. Our team always walks through NHTSA recall history on any Explorer that comes through the lot, and we'd do the same for you.
Set your fuel-economy expectations low. The EPA rates the 2020 Explorer 4WD at 20 city and 27 highway with the base engine. The 3.0-liter V6 in the ST trim drops to 18 combined. Call it a capable hauler that drinks its share.
- Confirmed tow ratings: 5,300 lb (2.3L), 5,600 lb (3.0L/ST)
- 7-passenger seating standard
- 87.8 cu ft maximum cargo (all seats down)
- Check NHTSA recall 20V043 on 2020 units (third-row seat mounting)
- EPA: 20 city / 27 highway (2020, 4WD, base engine)
Jeep Wrangler 4-Door (2019-2022): The Beach-Access Specialist
The Jeep Wrangler will put you places no other SUV on this list can reach, and that beach-access ability is exactly the reason you'd buy one, even as it surrenders real towing muscle and comfortable highway manners in the bargain. Towing stays modest here (the 2019-2022 4-door is rated at 3,500 pounds, enough for a smaller skiff or a jet ski, but not a big bay boat). What it does own is a proper low-range transfer case and 10.8 inches of ground clearance, the only setup like it in this group. That pays off on the soft-sand overflow lots at St. Andrews State Park or down an unimproved dirt road to a launch the paved ramps can't reach.
The Wrangler's 4WD system is a true body-on-frame design with a dedicated low-range gear, not a marketing badge on an all-wheel-drive crossover. For buyers who use their vehicle as much for fishing access and outdoor life as for school runs, that distinction is real. The removable top and doors are a genuine Gulf Coast perk; there's no better way to drive back from the beach in October than with the top off and salt air everywhere.
The tradeoff is significant, and we'll say it plainly. The Wrangler is the least comfortable highway cruiser of the four. Its on-road manners are firm, wind noise at highway speed is real, and the EPA rates the 2021 two-liter turbo at 22 city and 29 highway, which is better than the Explorer but still not impressive. If US-98 is your daily commute in any meaningful way, the Wrangler will wear on you. But if you need genuine off-pavement access and occasional light towing, it's the only one that actually delivers both.
Jeep Cherokee (2019-2021): The Compact Commuter with Weekend Credentials
The Jeep Cherokee is the right answer for the Bay County driver who commutes daily on US-98 or I-10, skips towing a large boat, and still wants capable AWD for the occasional muddy ramp or unpaved forest road, as long as you can live with the smallest cargo hold in this group. Being the smallest vehicle here is genuinely useful for Panama City parking and narrow residential streets in the St. Andrews neighborhood.
The Trailhawk trim adds an extra inch of ground clearance, skid plates, and a rock/sand terrain mode through the Selec-Terrain system. No, it isn't a Wrangler, but it's more than a standard crossover, and on the Gulf Coast that matters when you're threading through a sandy lot in August.
The Cherokee's clear weakness is its cargo space. Behind the rear seats it offers 25.8 cubic feet, which is noticeably smaller than either the Telluride or Explorer. For a couple or a small family without much gear, that's fine. For a family of five packing a full beach day, you'll feel the difference.
Making the Call: Which One Is Right for You?
The Telluride wins the broadest set of Bay County situations on this list, because it tows a real bay boat, carries a full seven people plus their gear, and posts a cleaner long-term reliability record than the Explorer's early-2020 launch period. If your household has multiple uses and one vehicle has to do them all, that's the starting point.
The Explorer earns its place if tow capacity is the deciding factor. Anything over 5,000 pounds goes to the Explorer, full stop.
The Wrangler is the pick if you're the buyer who fishes more than you commute and wants genuine beach-access capability. Light towing, maximum open-air fun, real 4WD. Just know what you're trading.
The Cherokee makes the most sense as a second vehicle or a daily driver for someone who wants occasional trail and sand capability without full Wrangler tradeoffs.
All four of these come through our lot in Panama City. We see the condition firsthand, pull NHTSA recall history, and check for the rust and salt corrosion that's a real factor on any used coastal vehicle. Come take a look.