I tow a few times a year with my 2005 X5 4.4, open aluminum trailer, full tire rack. I’m guessing I get 10 mpg towing. I am Safety Sally so I try to stay below 80% of rated capacity. The short rear axle to hitch length makes it tow as well as my old Tahoe. No wiggles. Manumatic shifting keeps the trans from searching all the time. For the 350 days each year that nothing is attached to the hitch, I love it.
The extended warranty (purchased at 45,000 miles, now at 91,000 miles) has paid for itself more than once over.
If you do care about your budget and don’t care what the neighbors think, the molester van is the way to go. If you have a small penis and/or large trailer, a diesel dually is the only way to go. If you aren’t towing monthly, a V8 SUV is nice to have. For almost everyone, a half ton pickup works just great.