I am new to boating and will be towing my boat home this fall for winter storage.  The boat and trailer combo weights approximately 4500 lbs.  Do I need a truck to tow this weight or will an SUV do the work?  Should the vehicle have a six or eight cylinder engine?  Is 4WD a must?  Any insight is appreciated.

Dave  

The most important thing to check is the towing capability of your truck or SUV. 4WD is useful, especially if you're going to be near water (never know when it might be extra muddy).