What Is a Toy Hauler?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

RVs come in various shapes and sizes. There are unique advantages and disadvantages to purchasing a motorhome, travel trailer, camper van, fifth wheel, or toy hauler. Knowing which type fits your lifestyle is the first step in successful ownership.

If you’re looking for plenty of space, a toy hauler motorhome is the best way to go. The built-in garage provides room for an ATV, motorcycle, or golf cart. Some of the newest toy haulers come with upgraded residential features that bring new meaning to the term “glamping.” 

But with so many options, it’s crucial to pinpoint what you want before heading to the sales lot. 

What exactly is a toy hauler?

RELATED:  Camper vs. RV: What Is the Difference Between Camper Classes?

The primary purpose of a toy hauler is to carry big toys such as ATVs and other cargo. We’re not talking about Legos and Barbie dolls here. Recognizing the need to haul ATVs, motorcycles, motocross bikes, and the like, the RV industry developed toy haulers to meet the growing demand from outdoor enthusiasts.

RV Share defines a toy hauler as “any camper or RV that has a large ‘garage’ area in the back.” 

Toy haulers have a higher-than-average load limit to accommodate the extra weight of motorized vehicles. A convenient built-in ramp makes loading a breeze. Tie-down bars and straps in the floor and the garage’s sidewalls keep everything secure in transit. 

Types of toy haulers

RELATED: 3 Best Lightweight Toy Hauler Travel Trailers

Most toy haulers are travel trailers that require a tow vehicle, but you can also find a few toy hauler motorhomes on the market. The towable units are available in fifth-wheel, gooseneck, or ball-mount hitch configurations.

The smallest toy hauler is a travel trailer. The garage and living area typically share the same space, with no distinct division between the two. This style is ideal for four-wheel enthusiasts who will unload their big toys as soon as they reach their destination, opening up the living quarters. These units are traditionally less expensive than larger fifth-wheel trailers.

A motorhome toy hauler is rare in the industry, mainly because of the high price. Some units can exceed $200,000 because you’re paying not only for the added space but also the engine. These models are ideal for sporting enthusiasts who frequently drive to competitions and regularly bring their toys.

A fifth-wheel toy hauler can measure more than 40 feet long, with a garage ranging between 10 and 14 feet. A door separates the cargo area from the rest of the living space. The price fluctuates based on the number of residential features and luxury upgrades included. High-end units typically come with a full-size refrigerator, a fireplace, a washer and dryer, kitchen facilities, a second bathroom, and an onboard generator. 

Garage size matters

RELATED: Before Buying an RV You Need to Know 3 Things

Obviously, the larger the garage, the more space it will provide. Though a luxurious fifth-wheel toy hauler might be appealing, without the right truck to haul it, you could end up spending more in the long run. 

Today, adventurers use their toy hauler garages for more than toys. Families, especially those who RV full-time, take advantage of the added space. They convert the garage into extra sleeping quarters or make more storage space.

Some people choose to create a work area to meet the needs of a mobile working lifestyle. Using the ramp as a deck and adding a room extension, like this one on Amazon, can create a bug-free outdoor zone perfect for enjoying any location.

The best toy haulers of 2021

RELATED: RV Awards Season: 2021 Luxury Travel Trailer of the Year

RV News recently designated the top toy haulers of the year. The winners in the travel trailer category include the 2021 Cruiser RV Stryker 3313, Forest River XLR Hyperlite 2513, and Grand Design Momentum G 30G.

The best fifth-wheel toy haulers include the 2021 Alliance RV Valor 36V11 and Forest River Rogue Armored 351 G2.

The 2021 Newmar Canyon Star 3927, which carries a whopping price tag of $233,870, won for the best Class A diesel toy hauler.

The post What Is a Toy Hauler? appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline Just Killed the 2021 Ford F-150 On Consumer Reports

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline is finally starting to get some well-deserved respect. It isn’t the most tough-guy pickup truck on Earth, but consumers are starting to realize the value in a more friendly, comfortable, and understated pickup truck. Although the Ridgeline is great, it is still struggling to compete with the 2021 Ford F-150 even though it killed the Ford on Consumer Reports. 

2021 Honda Ridgeline with HPD accessories | Honda

How good is the 2021 Honda Ridgeline? 

Consumer Reports gave the 2021 Honda Ridgeline an overall score of 80/100, making it the highest-rated pickup truck of the year. A score of 80/100 may not seem all that great, but when you compare the 2021 Honda Ridgeline to the rest of the trucks CR reviewed this year, the next closest competitor is the Toyota Tundra with a score of 65/100.

In fact, when you compare the 2021 Honda Ridgeline’s score to the 2021 Ford F-150’s score of 55/100, you can clearly see which one CR prefers. The Honda Ridgeline is a truck that isn’t particularly outstanding in any one category, but it does everything that an average person needs from a truck. 

A silver 2021 Honda Ridgeline parked on a grassy hill
2021 Honda Ridgeline | Honda

RELATED: Pickup Trucks are Cool – These Trucks Are Not

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline sports a peppy 3.5-liter V6 making 280 hp. It comes with a solid AWD system, a comfy ride, decent gas mileage, and a rock-solid reliability rating.

Although it can only tow 5,000 lbs, that is plenty for most people’s average needs. The point of Honda Ridgeline is to be a friendly, approachable truck that will offer what most people should need, offering little in the way of excess. 

But people love their F-150s

The 2021 Ford F-150 is a tough competitor. It seems like no matter how good, or bad the F-150 is, people will never stop buying them. The 2021 model has some incredible features, particularly when you step up to the hybrid PowerBoost model. It can have a built-in power generator, tons of hybrid horsepower, and starting in June, a scale that weighs the bed loads. 

However, the 2021 Ford F-150 did not impress Consumer Reports all that much. The reliability rating is the killer here. 

New technologies will now be available for the 2021 Ford F-150 including class-exclusive Onboard Scales and Smart Hitch as well as continuously controlled damping, each engineered to help customers who tow and haul load their trucks up for the work they’re designed to do while also adding on-road confidence.
2021 Ford F-150 | Ford

RELATED: The 2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost Can Boogie

The Ford F-150 has a long history to draw from for reliability information. Unfortunately, based on the Consumer Reports review, the 2021 F-150 has a low predicted reliability rating.

CR determines this rating based on owner reports from previous models. The F-150 struggled with transmission issues along with body hardware and power equipment problems. 

Even more alarming is the fact that after a few months of ownership, some 2021 Ford F-150 owners found the underside of their pickup trucks rusted. 

It is things like this rust debacle that lead to low-reliability ratings. Even with these reliability issues, F-150 owners still love them. CR polled 2021 F-150 owners on owner satisfaction, and the F-150 scored an impressive four out of five.  

Consumer Reports really only cares about a few things 

At the end of the day, when Consumer Reports rates vehicles, they look at every detail of the unit. Still, the final score tends to come down to owner satisfaction, reliability, practicality, and comfort. 

A 2021 Ford F-150 driving down a field lined road
2021 Ford F-150 | Ford

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline hits all of those metrics dead between the eyes. It is fuel-efficient, comfortable, practical, and reliable. Granted, it isn’t a very hard-working and brawny pickup, but that isn’t what most truck drivers actually need. 

The 2021 Ford F-150, on the other hand, is strong and brawny. It comes with a million different power options and configurations. Still, according to Consumer Reports, it isn’t very comfortable, it doesn’t handle very well, and is likely to have a myriad of problems. It is for this reason that CR gave it such a low score.

The post The 2021 Honda Ridgeline Just Killed the 2021 Ford F-150 On Consumer Reports appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by

The 2021 Mazda CX-30 Is Perfect for First-Time Drivers

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Parents understandably feel anxious about letting their teenagers drive on their own, as teens lack experience in navigating busy roads and highways, and they sometimes drive while distracted, despite numerous warnings to pay attention to the road. As a result, many parents wonder which vehicle would help prevent accidents and keep their kids safe if a crash does happen. There are several great options, but the 2021 Mazda CX-30 offers an incredible bang for one’s buck in terms of safety features, crash test ratings, and overall quality and reliability. 

An impressive array of standard safety features in the 2021 Mazda CX-30

Although it’s helpful to have vehicles that can keep passengers safe during the event of a crash, it’s also important to have safety features that can help prevent them from occurring in the first place. Fortunately, the 2021 Mazda CX-30 has several standard safety features and plenty of advanced safety features that one can opt to add. 

The 2021 CX-30 has forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, driver attention monitoring, review camera, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and more. The optional advanced safety features include blind-spot monitoring, head-up display, adaptive headlights, adaptive headlights, and more. 

Features like pedestrian detection can be especially helpful for teen drivers who may forget to double-check for pedestrians as they look for incoming traffic, and automatic emergency braking can help prevent the common bumper-to-bumper crashes that many teens experience in their first few years of driving. 

Notable crash test results from NHTSA and IIHS

The Mazda CX-30 | Raymond Boyd/Getty Images

RELATED: The 2021 Mazda CX-30 Just Beat Out Its Older Sibling for an Impressive Award

It’s clear that the 2021 Mazda CX-30 comes decked out with crash-prevention features, but what if your teen still gets into an accident? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2021 Mazda CX-30 an overall safety rating of five out of five stars. It also received five out of five stars in every crash test rating possible, aside from a four out of five for rollover. 

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also conducted several crash tests, and the 2021 Mazda CX-30 held up to their scrutiny incredibly well, ultimately earning a 2021 Top Safety Pick+ from the agency. The 2021 Mazda CX-30 received a rating of “good” on nearly every possible category, aside from the headlights, which they say can produce excessive glare. 

Even still, it’s hard to find a vehicle with better safety ratings from these two top agencies.

The 2021 Mazda CX-30 is a great choice for teenagers

Although many teenagers might want a Ford Mustang or Chevy Corvette as their first car, parents can rest a little easier by sending their first-time car owners out on the road in a 2021 Mazda CX-30. The Mazda CX-30 is absolutely loaded with impressive safety features and its great crash test results help parents know that their teenagers are in a safe and reliable vehicle wherever they go.

Teenagers will be happy with the high-quality interior, amazing handling, and fun infotainment features. The 2021 Mazda CX-30 comes standard with an 8.8-inch infotainment screen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, HD Radio, an eight-speaker stereo, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and more. Some dislike the infotainment center controls, but most teens will get the hang of it in no time and enjoy all the music streaming and radio options. 

The Mazda CX-30 gives all of these safety and tech features for a perfectly reasonable starting price of $23,635 according to MotorTrend. Parents and teenagers may not agree on much, but most families can agree that the 2021 Mazda CX-30 is a fantastic choice for teen drivers. 

The post The 2021 Mazda CX-30 Is Perfect for First-Time Drivers appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by

710-HP 2021 Dodge Durango Hellcat Gets Wrecked After 479 Miles

by Gabrielle DeSantis

If you’ve been wanting a Dodge Durango Hellcat but couldn’t get one before they sold out, a new and unusual opportunity might’ve just popped up. That’s because one of these brand-new Hellcat SUVs just showed up at a Copart lot after getting wrecked. To make matters worse, this 710-hp family hauler covered just 479 miles before it met its maker.

According to Copart via Mopar Insiders, this SUV will likely live on after some serious repairs. In fact, the current bid for it sits at $56,000 despite a salvage title certification. With just a one-year production run, this might be your only way into the model.

How much does a Dodge Durango Hellcat cost?

Dodge Durango Hellcat | Copart

When the Dodge Durango Hellcat first went on sale, the plan was to build just 2,000 units thanks to a one-year production run. However, these SUVs sold out so fast that Dodge decided to extend the production run to accommodate customers that got left out.

The base price for this Hellcat SUV is $80,995. Load it up with options, however, and you’ll end up paying closer to $100,000. Despite this high purchase price, this hasn’t stopped dealerships from asking ridiculous sums for this limited model. In fact, the most expensive example listed on Autotrader costs $128,400.

Back to the auction, while a current bid of $56,000 seems a bit crazy for a wrecked Dodge Durango Hellcat, it may be the cheapest way into this SUV. Thankfully, since plenty of Durangos out there, getting most of the structural components needed to fix this SUV up won’t be too expensive. For now, only time will tell how close it’ll sell to its original MSRP.

This one crashed with just 479 miles on the clock

An image of a crashed Dodge Durango Hellcat at a Copart lot.
Dodge Durango Hellcat | Copart

RELATED: Stolen 2021 Dodge Charger Hellcat Hits 175 MPH Running From Police

Since there are no official reports surrounding this Dodge Durango Hellcat crash, we’ll have to put on our detective hats and assume what might’ve happened here. For starters, we’ve got severe damage to the front driver’s side. So much so that the front wheel and suspension have been completely ripped off.

From there, the damage continues across the front fenders and two doors. Everything ends with the rear quarter panel and wheel. Additionally, the entire rear suspension appears to be collapsed as well. As a result, we can assume that the Durango driver likely stuck a car from behind despite attempting to avoiding it.

How fast is the Dodge Durango Hellcat?

An image of a crashed Dodge Durango Hellcat at a Copart lot.
Dodge Durango Hellcat | Copart

It wouldn’t be at all surprising if an investigation determined that speed played a major factor in this crash. That’s because the Dodge Durango Hellcat houses a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 under its hood. In total, it produces 710-hp. All of that power goes to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The result? a family hauler that can reach 60 mph in around 3.5 seconds and continue to a top speed of 180 mph. What makes these stats most impressive is that this SUV tips the scales at over 5,700 lb.

The post 710-HP 2021 Dodge Durango Hellcat Gets Wrecked After 479 Miles appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by