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268- 44 Crawford Cres., Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0 Publications Mail Agreement #43638025 Vol. 54 No. 1 www.rvlifemag.com $14.95 OUTFITTING A TOW VEHICLE MOTORHOMES • FIFTH WHEELS TRAVEL TRAILERS • PARK MODELS TRUCK CAMPERS • TOY HAULER RVS FOLD-DOWN CAMPERS CANADA’S #1 RV MAGAZINE - YOUR KEY TO RV ADVENTURES!CANADA’S #1 RV MAGAZINE - YOUR KEY TO RV ADVENTURES! SPECIAL EDITION: CHOOSING THE RV OF YOUR DREAMS HITCH HINTS • CAMPING ACCESSORIES • RV PRODUCTS • AND MUCH MORE! Plus 53-2cover-mockup.indd 153-2cover-mockup.indd 12025-02-25 11:13 AM2025-02-25 11:13 AMrvcare.ca Shop over 1,000 high-quality RV parts and accessories from Canada’s most trusted RV dealer network, with over 90+ dealers coast to coast. Buy Canadian & SAVE ON PREMIUM RV PARTS! More Rewards. More Savings. More Adventures! Join our Extra-Mile Program and GET EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS, PERKS, AND REWARDS WHEN SHOPPING with RV Care’s 90+ dealers across Canada. More Rewards. Join our Extra-Mile Program and DISCOUNTS, PERKS, AND REWARDS WHEN SHOPPING with RV Care’s 90+ dealers across Canada. BUY LOCALLY OR ONLINE 24/7 AT COMPETITIVE PRICES. SHOP NOW TM CANADA’S LARGEST RV DEALER NETWORK CANADA’S LARGEST RV DEALER NETWORK TM CANADA’S LARGEST RV DEALER NETWORK3 DEPARTMENTS 6 HITCH HINTS by Andy Thomson A Day at the GM McLaughlin Advanced Technology Track. 10 RV TECH by Norm Rosen Outfitting a Heavy-Duty Tow Vehicle – the RAM 3500. 16 GRILL MASTERS Maddie and Kiki share their recipe for Spiced Pecan Crusted Tender Beef Roast! 18 CAMPING WITH THE COLES Ben and Cheryl take us along on a visit to Watkins Glen State Park. 23 ON THE ROAD How We Check Out the Road Test Vehicles. 62 HOT NEW PRODUCTS FOR THE SUMMER OF 2025! A selection of accessories to enhance your RV experience. 64 SHOW STOPPERS – RV ACCESSORIES What’s New and Exciting in the RV Parts Department… Contents 18 VOLUME 54 NUMBER 1 | RV LIFESTYLE RV Lifestyle Magazine archives are open for your viewing pleasure – check them out at www.rvlifemag.com Click on MAGAZINES, and use the password RVLFREE2017. Watch our road test videos at our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube. com/rvlifestylemagazine ON THE COVER The RV Class of 2025 includes vehicles to suit every family’s needs and budget! 268- 44 Crawford Cres., Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0 Publications Mail Agreement #43638025 Vol. 54 No. 1 www.rvlifemag.com $14.95OUTFITTING A TOW VEHICLE MOTORHOMES • FIFTH WHEELS TRAVEL TRAILERS • PARK MODELS TRUCK CAMPERS • TOY HAULER RVS FOLD-DOWN CAMPERS CANADA’S #1 RV MAGAZINE - YOUR KEY TO RV ADVENTURES!CANADA’S #1 RV MAGAZINE - YOUR KEY TO RV ADVENTURES! SPECIAL EDITION: CHOOSING THE RV OF YOUR DREAMS HITCH HINTS • CAMPING ACCESSORIES • RV PRODUCTS • AND MUCH MORE! Plus 53-2cover-mockup.indd 153-2cover-mockup.indd 12025-02-25 11:13 AM2025-02-25 11:13 AM SUBSCRIBERS: e-mail editor@rvlifemag.com for FREE access to the latest digital edition! CHOOSING THE RV OF YOUR DREAMS 26 NEW RVS FOR ’25! 27 CLASS A MOTORHOMES 30 CLASS B MOTORHOMES 36 CLASS C MOTORHOMES 40 FIFTH WHEEL TRAILERS 44 TRAVEL TRAILERS 52 FOLD-DOWN CAMPING TRAILERS 54 TOY HAULERS 58 TRUCK CAMPERS 61 PARK MODEL TRAILERS The 2025 RV Lifestyle Magazine RV Buyer’s Guide issue includes a selection of recreational vehicles currently available in Canada. Please consult your local RV dealer to confirm availability and pricing on a full range of the 2025 models. For more information, please visit our website at www.rvlifemag.com RV54-1 CONTENTS.indd 3RV54-1 CONTENTS.indd 32025-03-05 8:55 AM2025-03-05 8:55 AM4 RV LIFESTYLE | VOLUME 54 NUMBER 1 Welcome to RV Lifestyle Magazine and our 54th annual RV Buyers Guide. This issue has been designed to provide Canadian families with all of the basic information necessary to select and enjoy the recreational vehicle of their dreams. If you have just started to explore the RV vacation alternative, you will certainly be in good company - more than 25% of Canadian families actively pursue the RV lifestyle, choosing to spend their leisure hours enjoying Canada’s magnificent natural environment. There are many advantages to RV ownership, including cost efficient family travel, access to our extensive parks and natural wilderness areas, and viable alternatives to the expense of cottage ownership. Our RV Lifestyle Magazine staff have prepared a series of articles to guide you through the RV and tow vehicle selection process, and I am sure you will find their insights to be of great value. Canada’s RV dealers are also ready to help you along every step in the RV selection process - please don’t be shy - ask your local RV professional for advice, and you will not only find the answers to all of your questions, you will find a trusted friend. RV Lifestyle Magazine is dedicated to providing information to enhance your enjoyment of RV ownership. Over the years, our staff have traversed the North American RV roads to adventure many times, and their experience will undoubtedly help you as you embark on your own adventures. RV Lifestyle Magazine is published 6 times per year, including four “regular issues” which cover the latest in RV design and technology, RV touring tips, and preferred RV destinations. Each year, we produce two special issues - an annual RV Buyers Guide, and an annual Canadian Campground Directory. If you would like to receive each issue of RV Lifestyle Magazine in the comfort of your own home, please check out our special subscription offer on page 67. While we have included a great deal of valuable information in this RV Buyers Guide issue, there are obviously many more items of interest available to Canadian RV enthusiasts. To assist in your quest for information, every issue is published as a digital edition with hot links to all of the participating advertisers, and all of the editorial content. Our online magazine at www.rvlifemag.com expands the coverage of RV topics, with an archive of the more interesting articles from recent issues, and a comprehensive listing of hot links to RV websites throughout North America. At RV lifestyle magazine, our goal is to provide the information you need to enjoy the RV experience in an entertaining and informative manner. To fulfill this goal, we encourage readers to contact us with comments and suggestions. Send your comments to editor@rvlifemag.com We enjoy hearing from our readers, and we value your opinions. YOUR RV ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE! PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE William E. Taylor, Publisher TMTM TM TM VOLUME 54 NUMBER 1 Publisher: WILLIAM E. TAYLOR bill@rvlifemag.com Group Publisher: MELANIE TAYLOR-WALLIS melanie@rvlifemag.com Editorial Director: NORM ROSEN nrosen@rvlifemag.com Technical Editors: GARTH CANE gcane@taylorpublishinggroup.com Art/Production Manager: GISELLE BANSAL Design: TAMARA TAYLOR Contributing Writers: PHYLLIS HINZ JAMES STONESS ANDY THOMSON BEN & CHERYL COLES Advertising Sales: info@rvlifemag.com 1-800-354-9145 EXECUTIVE OFFICES: TORONTO: 268 - 44 Crawford Crescent, Campbellville, Ontario L0P 1B0 Tel: 905-844-8218 Fax: 905-844-5032 MONTREAL: Tel: 514-856-0788 Fax: 514-856-0790 VANCOUVER: Bob and Carole Taylor, 1745 Rufus Drive North Vancouver, BC V7J 3L8 ADMINISTRATION: President/CEO: WILLIAM E. TAYLOR Group Publisher: MELANIE TAYLOR-WALLIS VP/Special Projects: NORM ROSEN Advertising Sales: TODD TAYLOR Accounting: NANCY MUELLER Camping Canada’s RV Lifestyle Magazine is published seven times a year by Camping Canada Magazine Ltd. Reproduction of any material appearing in this magazine in any form is forbidden without prior consent of the publisher. Subscription rates: Canada 1 year (6 issues) $35+tax: 2 years (12 issues) $50+tax. U.S. subscrip- tions:1 year (6 issues) $50 US. Single copies are $9.95 for regular issues, and $14.95 for the annual RV Buyer’s Guide and the annual Campground Directory issues. Subscription inquiries 1-800-354-9145 Advertising rates available on request. Editorial contributions must be accompanied by return postage and will be handled with reasonable care. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of safety of artwork, photographs, or manuscripts. Camping Canada Magazine reserves the right to refuse any and all advertising and disclaims all respon- sibilities for claims or statements of facts made by its advertisers or independent columnists. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #43638025 Undeliverables to: 268 - 44 Crawford Crescent, Campbellville, Ontario L0P 1B0 MONTREAL, QUEBEC © 2025 CAMPING CANADA MAGAZINE PRINTED IN CANADA @ RVLifestyleMagazine @rvlifestylemagazine www.rvlifestylemagazine.com FOLLOW RV LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE: RV54-1 CONTENTS.indd 4RV54-1 CONTENTS.indd 42025-02-25 6:00 PM2025-02-25 6:00 PMEXPLORE THE 2025 MODELS Pleasure-Way Industries has been crafting high-quality Class B motorhomes since 1986. As a family-owned and operated business, we’ve always prioritized building strong relationships with our owners, dealers, and employees. Every Pleasure-Way motorhome is proudly manufactured in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Our commitment to excellence and craftsmanship has been unwavering for 39 years. pleasureway.indd 1pleasureway.indd 12025-02-26 11:13 AM2025-02-26 11:13 AMRV LIFESTYLE | VOLUME 54 NUMBER 1 www.rvlifemag.com 6 Andy Thomson and I recently had the privilege of joining a select group of Canadian journalists for the first ever media event at the General Motors Canadian Technical Centre McLaughlin Advanced Technology Track in Oshawa, Ontario. The event was billed as a GM Trailering Boot Camp – where the journalists had the opportunity to test drive the latest GM pickups – including the Silverado 1500 and 2500 models built in Canada. The CTC McLaughlin Advanced Technology Track is a 55-acre facility constructed in 2021 as part of the Canadian Technical Centre – GM’s software development, testing, and environmental division, encompassing Evaluation Centres in Markham and Oshawa, Ontario, and test tracks in Oshawa and Kapuskasing. The CTC drives the development of GM’s infotainment and autonomous driving apps, with state-of-the-art labs, test tracks, simulation, and AI/Machine Learning. The McLaughlin Advanced Technology Track facilities include a 2 KM oval with Smart Driver camera system and 5G connectivity, an EV charging hub with 12 chargers, and a weather station for real time wind and rain data. Our schedule for this visit encompassed three hands-on experiential activities. We started out with a fifth wheel trailer towing adventure in a Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD High Country Midnight Edition, hosted by Chenyi Zheng, Software Developer, CTC Track, who gave us a tutorial on the trailering technologies, starting with the in-vehicle trailering app, as well as the transparent trailer camera features and the “red carpet” blind spot camera system. James Hodge, Brand Manager, Chevrolet, rode with us to provide additional information on the truck. Our next experience was a voyage of discovery, hosted by Ralph Schlottke, Senior Product Manager, Trailering/HD/ Fleet, who briefed us on the various camera views and Super Cruise technology. We followed a route along the streets of Oshaa and Highway 401 – HITCH HINTS BY ANDY THOMSON A DAY AT THE GM MCLAUGHLIN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY TRACK GM TRAILERING BOOT CAMP A visit to the GM Canada McLaughlin Test Track for the Chevrolet Trailering Boot Camp A special reports by Norm Rosen and Andy Thomson Hitch Hints 53-2.indd 6Hitch Hints 53-2.indd 62025-02-25 12:14 PM2025-02-25 12:14 PMChance to WINChance to WIN RV Payments for RV Payments for 12 Months up to12 Months up to $5000 with Purchase$5000 with Purchase of RV at the Show!of RV at the Show! 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Full Page RV Life 2025 - SIZED.indd 1Full Page RV Life 2025 - SIZED.indd 12025-02-26 1:44 PM2025-02-26 1:44 PMRV LIFESTYLE | VOLUME 54 NUMBER 1 www.rvlifemag.com 8 HITCH HINTS BY ANDY THOMSON Canada’s busiest road, to experience the functionality of these technologies in a real-world environment. The third hands-on adventure was a demonstration of the trailer back-up guidance system, running through an obstacle course and backing into a designated spot. For this segment, our host was Doug Kenzie, National Marketing Manager – Chevrolet Trucks, who described the technology as Andy drove the Chevrolet Silverado Light Duty ZR2 Bison – a premium off-road truck, with 8 different cameras that provide 14 views. Utkarsh Saini, Software Developer, Viewing & Insights for Vehicle and Transfer, filled us in on the cameras and related operations before Andy slipped behind the wheel to check out the new trailering technology, as I shot video from outside the truck. Watch the video of these three adventures here: https://youtu.be/jFo_ E2MOdkw A SILVERADO EV EXPERIENCE… We concluded our day at the track with a glimpse of the future, as Scott Meldrum, Product Manager, introduced us to the Chevrolet Silverado EV – with what GM bills as the best range of any EV truck on today’s market – 632 km for the 3WT model, 724 km for the 4WT model and 708 km for the RST model. The Silverado EV has “best in class” tow rating of up to 12,500 lbs, and is available with a Multi-Flex Midgate and Tailgate, Super Cruise with Trailering Technology, and 17.7” infotainment system. Watch the video for a full technical description of this spectacular truck: https://youtu.be/ H9nYsMIAP0E Many thanks to Michelle Burnham, Kaitlin Keefer, Holly Brennan, the GM media communications team and the engineers and product managers who made this an exceptionally interesting experience. The GM team gave us a full briefing on the Silverado trailering technology.Chevrolet “invisible trailer” camera technology. Chevrolet Silverado EV. Scott Meldrum briefed Andy Thomson on the many features of the Silverado EV Hitch Hints 53-2.indd 8Hitch Hints 53-2.indd 82025-02-25 12:15 PM2025-02-25 12:15 PMYour RV, your coverage Visit aviva.ca/rvlife or talk to your broker to learn more. Class A | Class B | Class C | Travel trailer | Tent trailer | Horse/Stock | Truck camper Toy hauler | Fifth wheel | Park model | Permanently parked trailer Insurance products are subject to terms, conditions, restrictions and exclusions, which are outlined in our final policy wording. Please speak with your Aviva insurance broker to learn more. Insurance products are underwritten by Elite Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Aviva Canada Inc. Product availability varies by province. Aviva and the Aviva logo are trademarks used under license by the licensor. CS-22-9812 11/22 © AvivaNext >