Only 1 Full-Size Pickup Truck Earned a ‘Best Buy’ Badge From Consumer Guide

by Gabrielle DeSantis

When truck buyers take to researching pickups for prospective purchases, there are a plethora of sources to choose from. Each critic has their own opinion, and the awards vary from one reviewer to the next. Only one full-size pickup truck earned a ‘Best Buy’ badge from Consumer Guide, and it’s the 2021 Ram 1500.

RAM 1500 on display | Raymond Boyd/Getty Images

Pickup trucks are one of the most popular vehicle segments. As such, there’s a lot of information to weed through out there. Consumer Guide is one source that has some pretty good info––not to be confused with Consumer Reports (another widely used source for consumer products).

One more award for the 2021 Ram 1500

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By impressing organizations like MotorTrend and Car and Driver, the 2021 Ram 1500 is just one of those trucks. It’s won a list of awards and accolades. The 2021 Ram 1500 pickup truck is even an IIHS Top Safety Pick.

So it’s really no surprise that Consumer Guide gave the ‘Best Buy’ badge to this year’s Ram 1500 pickup truck. Overall, this is one of the best trucks around. It offers premium quality in upper trim levels in addition to a quiet and comfortable cabin experience.

A Consumer Guide ‘Best Buy’

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“[The 2021 Ram 1500] offers an unbeatable ride/handling combination along with a high level of refinement, classy interiors, and some unique features. Furthermore, the V6 engine is no slouch, and has very respectable EPA fuel-economy ratings too.”

Consumer Guide

In the ‘Best Buy’ review, Consumer Guide comments on the impressive ride and handling. Plus, it’s noted that this truck is ultra-refined in its higher trim levels. A fully-loaded 2021 Ram 1500 raises the bar for other trucks in the segment.

Consumer Guide also points out that the 2021 Ram 1500 pickup truck offers spacious and lockable cargo bins. These are located in the sidewalls of the pickup bed. The Ram 1500 tailgate also has a unique function that allows it to open either in the familiar style or like a Dutch door with a 60/40 vertical separation.

Like other full-size pickup trucks such as the Ford F-150 or the Chevrolet Silverado, the 2021 Ram 1500 comes in a variety of bed and cab configurations. And, if you don’t need a luxury pickup truck, there are lower more “work truck” type trim levels. There’s pretty much a Ram truck for every truck buyer.

The Ram 1500 TRX

The rear 3/4 view of a blue 2021 Ram 1500 TRX on a desert mountain plain
2021 Ram 1500 TRX rear 3/4 | Ram

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Also, new 2021, is the Ram 1500 TRX. The Ram 1500 TRX is an amped-up performance truck aimed directly at the dune-hopping Ford F-150 Raptor. In fact, the Ram TRX earned the coveted MotorTrend Truck of the Year award this year.

This jaw-dropping muscle truck is power by a supercharged 702 hp 6.2-liter V8 Hemi. It’s an absolute beast that’s only improved the high status of the 2021 Ram 1500. However, the Ram 1500 TRX starts at a whopping $70,425, according to the Ram Trucks website.

In fact, the only major downside that Consumer Guide brings attention to for the 2021 Ram 1500 pickup truck is that the pricing gets steep in high trims. The Ram 1500 TRX is a perfect example of this. But then again, hey––that’s really just par for the course for an upper trim full-size pickup truck these days.

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Robotic Lawn Mowers Will Mow Your Lawn So You Don’t Have To

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Not everyone enjoys mowing the lawn. The good news is that for those who don’t, there are other options. And those other options? They don’t necessarily include hiring potentially expensive landscapers. In fact, choose a robotic lawn mower, and you can count on it to mow your lawn, so you don’t have to.

How do robotic lawn mowers actually work?

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Robotic lawn mowers? You might be asking yourself. As futuristic as they may sound, robotic lawn mowers are actually a real thing. They’ve been around for quite some time too. But if you haven’t heard of them? Let’s talk about how robotic lawn mowers actually work.

According to PC Mag, robotic lawn mowers work just like a Roomba. You know, the robotic vacuum cleaner. That’s putting it very simply, however. In fact, as PC Mag explains, “All mowers use a battery-operated motor with cutting blades, an AC-powered base station, perimeter wire, and sensors that prevent them from wandering off your property or into the street.”

As for programming a robotic lawn mower? This type of lawn mower can be programmed using a control panel in the unit. Many robotic lawn mowers also pair with smartphone apps so you can control your robotic mower from your phone. 

How long can a robotic lawn mower last?

Robotic Lawn Mower | ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images

As we’ve established, all robotic lawn mowers are battery-powered. But how long can you expect a robotic lawn mower’s rechargeable battery pack to last? According to PC Mag, batteries on entry-level models, or those most often used for small yards, can last up to 30 minutes. Opt for a high-end mower, and it could last for up to four hours. 

The good news is that recharging a robotic lawn mower isn’t all that difficult. “The robot charges, and then goes out and mows, and then it comes back and charges again, and then goes out and mows again,” Newman Aguiar of Mowbot of the Triangle explained in an interview with LawnStarter. “It is an autonomous machine that manages itself and decides when to mow, how frequently it needs to mow, whether the grass actually needs to be cut.”

The best robotic lawn mowers to put on your list

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As for the best robotic lawn mowers? As it turns out, there are quite a few worth your consideration. Take, for example, the Worx WR140. According to Digital Trends, the Worx WR140 is the best robotic lawn mower to buy. It costs roughly $1,000 and can be managed using a helpful smartphone app. It also features a “cut to edge” design that helps the blades mow as close to the lawn’s edges as it can.

The Worx WR140 isn’t the only robotic lawn mower worth checking out. Digital Trends also tapped the Husqvarna Automower 450X as one of the best robotic lawn mowers to buy. This lawn mower is pricey and will run you about $3,150. However, it can mow over an acre of land.

Is it time you bought a robotic lawn mower?

It all depends. There’s really no denying that robotic lawn mowers have a certain cool factor to them that other lawn mowers don’t. But, they’re also expensive. When it comes to buying a robotic lawn mower for yourself, we recommend weighing your options first.

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The 2021 Lotus Evija Is More Powerful Than Any EV Needs to Be

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Try as Tesla might, EVs still don’t have a great reputation when it comes to high-performance cars. That’s where Lotus is stepping in, and its much-anticipated all-electric hypercar, the Lotus Evija, isn’t that far away. Here’s a look at how the 2021 Lotus Evija is simply pushing all boundaries as far as EVs and power go. 

Breaking into the hypercar world

While Tesla is currently building somewhat affordable EVs, a decade ago, the only Tesla that was on the market was the Tesla Roadster. The Roadster was a sports car, and while it had a six-figure price tag, its primary mission was to impress people.

At the time, EVs were a relatively new idea, and EVs were, at best, more closely associated with hybrids. Hybrids didn’t have that sporty of a reputation either as the Toyota Prius was seen as a slow but practical car.

For some folks, the Roadster changed that stereotype about EVs. For others, it didn’t work out. Since then, Tesla has largely moved on, and Tesla is now focusing on building EVs that most people can afford. However, potentially in an effort to change that stereotype, Lotus is doing the exact opposite. 

Instead of creating a six-figure sports car that rich people can afford, Lotus is creating the Evija, a hypercar that will cost millions that only the richest can afford. In any case, given its specs, it may end up changing those stereotypes about EVs permanently.

The ridiculous specs of the 2021 Lotus Evija

The Lotus Evija | John Keeble/Getty Images

As MotorTrend wrote, the Evija is breaking into the hypercar market with its four powerful electric motors. Combined, they produce 1,971 hp and 1,254 lb-ft of torque. Due to its carbon fiber body, the Evija weighs less than 3,700 pounds.

As a result of those specs, it can go from 0 to 60 MPH in less than 3 seconds, and it can go from 0 to 186 MPH in 8.6 seconds. MotorTrend said that the Bugatti Chiron, for comparison, needs 13.6 seconds to hit that speed.

As far as top speed goes, MotorTrend also said that the Evija will top out at over 200 MPH. These impressive specs are powered by a massive 2,000-kW battery. While that’s a big battery, the Evija’s charge speed will be as quick as the car itself. When using a 350-kW charging station, the Evija can charge in just 18 minutes, according to MotorTrend.

However, the Evija’s big battery and its powerful performance figures won’t hurt its range that much either. MotorTrend wrote that under Europe’s WLTP testing standard, the Evija should get about 210 miles on a full charge. However, due to the fact that the WLTP test is different from the EPA’s test, the Evija should get a lower range if the EPA tests it. MotorTrend said that ultimately, the EPA’s estimates may be about 30 percent lower.

A rare and expensive all-electric hypercar

Those performance numbers will be more than enough to surprise any hypercar fans, but at the same time, since the Lotus Evija will be a hypercar, it will also have to be exclusive and expensive. MotorTrend said that only 130 units of the Evija will be produced, and they will also cost at least $2.1 million apiece. The Evija was supposed to start production and deliveries in 2020, but that was pushed to 2021. 

That being said, the Evija’s powerful performance numbers aside, MotorTrend said that, at the end of the day, it’s actually a pretty minimalist car. Although it’s an EV and it uses a lot of high-tech technologies, it’s still, like MotorTrend wrote, “a real driver’s car and a real Lotus.” 

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Rolls-Royce Is Bringing Back Coachbuilding, Sort Of

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Rolls-Royce is one of the top players in the luxury car game. Cars are built for the wealthiest of the wealthy, the most exclusive of the most exclusive. Now, there’s another new and opulent offering from the British luxury marque, dubbed the Boat Tail. Rolls-Royce calls the Boat Tail an “utterly unique” coachbuilt vehicle. Coachbuilding is a lost art, and Rolls were once purveyors of this art in the early 1900s. But what exactly does that term mean?

What is coachbuilding?

The 2021 Boat Tail | Rolls-Royce

Like many car-related things, coachbuilding has its roots in horses. Way back when people still used horses for mass transit, the coaches for horse-drawn carriages were built bespoke for the wealthy, hence the term “coachbuilt”. When the world shifted to the use of those new-fangled automobiles, the coachbuilders adapted. Discerning and wealthy clientele would bring a coachbuilder a chassis complete with engine and drivetrain, then the coachbuilder would construct a custom body around it.

Funnily enough, Rolls-Royce has its roots in the practice. The British coachbuilder-turned-automaker became one of the more popular choices for this practice, along with other famous names like Alfa Romeo, Bentley, and Ferrari. As production techniques advanced, coachbuilt cars became a thing of the past. Now, Rolls has brought back the term with a twist. The British brand will now build a select few clients a totally bespoke, or in their words coachbuilt car. Of course, this isn’t coachbuilding in the strictest sense as the car is all Rolls, but the brand has been around long enough to play with the word as much as it wants.

Would sir like a glass of Champagne?

Boat Tail branded silverware in the back compartment of the new Rolls, including champagne.
Silverware in the Boat Tail | Rolls-Royce

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Enter: the Boat Tail. Coming in at a massive 19 feet in length, the Boat Tail is loosely based on the same platform as the Phantom. While Rolls-Royce is quiet on the motor, it’s safe to assume the Boat Tail is powered by the same V12 as the Phantom. However, that is where the similarities end. The new car’s body took eight whole months to fit to the underpinning chassis, and according to Rolls, the rest of the car uses 1,813 new parts.

Construction of the Boat Tail is totally unique. The body and its features were created for one customer, not unlike what Aston Martin did with the Victor. Per Rolls Royce, the customer also owns the Boat Tail’s 1932 counterpart, which was restored in anticipation of the new car’s arrival. It was surely an absurd sum to have Rolls go to all this trouble, but only the best will suffice for the wealthiest of their patrons.

The new Rolls-Royce Boat Tail is a masterclass in luxury

A blue Boat Tail photographed at sunset with the roof down
The 2021 Rolls-Royce Boat Tail | Rolls-Royce

In addition to all this coachbuilding work, Rolls also put some new luxury touches on the Boat Tail. The rear of the Boat Tail is designed with a hosting suite that opens up butterfly-style to reveal a number of amenities. These amenities include a silverware and drinks set, complete with champagne, and some chairs, and a table. Opulent to say the least; and why you would need this instead of a trunk means I’m too poor to get it.

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