Grand Design Momentum 25G toy hauler review—a mostly grand design

Today’s review is of the Grand Design Momentum 25G toy hauler. I’m not sure who would be better suited to this RV—someone who is looking to haul some toys of some sort or someone who loves boondocking and just wants a solid travel trailer. Then there’s someone who loves crafting and needs some space… and this could also be a good rolling office. 

Whatever the case, this is a fairly large trailer but with some outstanding features and a layout that could serve you very well. But the most important thing is a feature exclusive to Grand Design. For now. 

Safety first

Grand Design is the first RV company to debut a new anti-lock braking system from Lippert. While this will be available elsewhere in time, it’s available here right now. 

Anti-lock braking has been mandated in passenger vehicles in the U.S. since 2012, yet it’s only now finding its way into trailers. What this technology does is help maintain control of the vehicle in high-pressure braking situations. 

Such as when someone stops in front of you on a slippery road and you have to both swerve and try to stop. In other words, when you’re white-knuckling your steering wheel, this system can help maintain control. 

And, like Jayco’s JaySMART™ lighting, I think it should be mandated on all towable RVs. Period. 

Another feature here is a tire pressure monitoring system and Goodyear Endurance tires. Again, two things I think should be standard in all towable RVs. 

It’s all about space

Other than those safety features, the reason to love this Grand Design Momentum floor plan is all about the space inside. This is a very tall travel trailer but also a very wide one at about five inches more width than many travel trailers. As a bonus, you get two slide rooms here—a kitchen slide and a bedroom slide. 

To add to the open feel there are very large windows on the camp side which, for whatever reason, are becoming less common. 

The exterior height translates into interior height. While this was intended to enable you to bring taller toys, it also translates into huge headroom, including in the bathroom. I used to sell toy haulers to taller buyers for this reason alone. But wait—as they say in late-night TV ads, there’s more!

Make your space your way

Since this is a toy hauler, the interior is maximized to allow you to load toys. But that doesn’t mean you have to do so. There is a power lift bed at the back and then opposing couches. 

The couches are the primary seating and face one another. There’s a portable table that can be raised to different heights including height appropriate to make those two couches into dining space. 

But step aside and marvel at this—that table can also be raised to counter height. I knew it. I knew it! I’ve been looking for some smart RV builder to do this and it has finally been done!

I have a portable plastic table that I can raise to counter height and I wondered why no RV builder who has portable tables made one that did this. Until now. 

And you know how I’m all annoying with complaining about those tiny ovens and worthless vent fans? Well, this proves my theory that this can be done. So now I can be annoying about yet another thing. 

Oh, and this rig has a tiny oven and worthless vent fans. That’s not such a grand design, is it? 

In addition to the couches, there are also two free-roaming recliners. These can be placed wherever you want them, including on the outside patio deck. 

Deck the halls

The large ramp that you would use to load your toys into this rig can double as a large patio deck. I’ve seen someone with a smaller Grand Design toy hauler buy theirs because of the deck. 

You can opt for things like a patio fence around the deck, which makes it even more useful. Further, there is an optional glass door so you don’t have to put up the deck at night to seal out the outside world. You have this large patio door to do that for you. 

Hey, bring those two nifty portable recliners out here, and let’s fire up the Jimmy Buffett tunes and blend some margaritas. (RIP, Jimmy. We’ll be thinking of you.)

Grand Design 25G - 2023

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More options for the Grand Design Momentum 25G

There are a few options on this that you might not otherwise find on a towable RV. For example, you can get a gasoline-powered generator as an option. And a power awning over the back deck. 

There’s also up to 660 watts of solar available. That, the optional generator, and 96 gallons of fresh water storage and you’ve got a boondocking machine here. 

Some thoughts

As much as this RV has some very powerful strengths that make it very worth considering, there are a few things I don’t like. 

The bedroom features a rather deep slide, and while you do get a proper queen-sized bed, it’s a bendy bed. Wah, wah, the trombones are playing. 

Further, who at Grand Design thought it was a good idea to put the fuses and converter box where they are mostly blocked by the bedroom slide? And it’s a Schwintek mechanism. Blah, this is a plank-walking move if we were aboard a pirate ship. 

And that big, heavy, kitchen slide with all those cabinets and drawers and the stove and the 12-volt refrigerator is also a Schwintek slide mechanism. I have no issues with Schwintek slide mechanisms as long as they’re used properly. But I am not a fan of them in heavier slides, and that’s got to be a heavy slide. 

The bedroom is an interesting layout with lots of drawers along the front, with the bed itself being in that deep slide box. But there are no lights in the slide, so no night lights. Bummer, dude. 

Lastly, if you want to use the couches as a big bed, which is quite possible, know that the lumps that are headrests by day are very likely going to be backaches at night. 

Some big misses

So there are some great features when you look at this at first, but some things that I consider big misses when you scratch deeper. I would really like this rig were it not for those items which makes me think that Grand Design is sort of more of an oxymoron rather than an accurate description. 

But to me, that’s not something unusual for the brand. They seem to get the big things right and then skip the little things that will make a difference over time in actual use. That’s a shame because this could be a great option even if you never haul toys. Imagine if you are a crafter or just like that awesome patio. 

You could use this as an incredible mobile office and, with the outdoor patio, this would be ideal if you travel with pets. Or kids. 

Oh, and there’s a really nifty outdoor storage bay that’s thin and tall. I could put my new six-sided tent in there, but you could also put a plank. You know, if you were going to do any pirate-y things. Like have a bit of a chat with some of the grand designers about a few of the misses on this otherwise excellent floor plan. 

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These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. They are based on information from a single unit and may not reflect your actual experience. Shop your RV and dealership carefully before making a buying decision. We receive no money or other financial benefits from these reviews. They are intended only as a brief overview of the vehicle, not a comprehensive critique, which would require a thorough inspection and/or test drive.

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