As others have pointed out, wait for the summer. Things are going nuts in North Africa/Southwest Asia right now and gasoline prices are already high for this time of year, $4.50 gas is very possible around June/July.
As for vehicles, I can't offer you any insight because I don't drive a pickup or ever tow. I have a 4x4 Nissan Xterra, it's served me well, gets me in and out of little backcountry fishing places and down snowy dirt roads.
