The recent trend in the off-road RV market seems to be: More. More features, more living space, more technology, and, of course, more money. But some brands are starting to buck that trend — brands like Jayco Australia and its all-new Crosstrail toy hauler.
At first glance, the Crosstrail is altogether different from what most Americans expect of a toy hauler. The typical enclosed design is replaced with something almost skeletal, and that’s exactly what many overlanders are looking for these days. It’s a pared-down frame that’s purpose-built for hauling everything you need and nothing you don’t.
Because it is primarily a toy hauler, Jayco Australia maximized the load deck with enough room for a quad/ATV or up to three large motorcycles. These can be loaded via the integrated folding ramps, and the latter can also be secured via flush-mounted wheel holders built into the deck. Front-mount boxes add plenty of storage for larger camping and adventure gear, with ample tie-down points for things like recovery boards, propane bottles, RotopaX, and more.
But, like many of the best off-road-ready travel trailers on the market, the Crosstrail is infinitely customizable. If you’re looking for yours to do more than just haul your powersports toys from A to B, Jayco offers a handful of packages to outfit your rig. A hardshell, two-person rooftop tent, complete with a gas-strut-assisted lift, is one option. The available Power Pack adds a 100Ah lithium battery, a 200-watt solar panel, a touchscreen control center, 12V power ports, and front/rear work lights. An available slide-out kitchen features a two-burner Dometic cooktop and sink, plus a propane bottle and optional storage tub. Pair that with the Water Essentials Pack — including an 80-liter freshwater tank and a 12V water pump with accompanying taps and sensors — and you’re good to go off-grid for a week or more.
The 17-foot toy hauler is purpose-built for off-road exploration. It all rides on a hot-dipped galvanized chassis with corrosion-resistant, powder-coated aluminum bodywork. Jayco pairs that setup with nitrogen-filled 245/70R16 all-terrain tires and a proprietary JTech 2.0 independent coil suspension. The deck is also clad in heavy-duty tread plate for good measure. Bottom line: It’s designed to take a serious beating.
The base level Crosstrail stickers for a surprisingly reasonable AUS $22,963 (less than USD $15K at the time of this writing), while a fully loaded model is estimated to run closer to USD $23,000. The bad news, as you may have already guessed, is that it’s currently only for sale in Australia. Because Jayco and Jayco Australia are two separate and distinct entities, there are no plans to bring this one statewide. So, US buyers will need to find a way to ship it home and avoid all those pesky tariffs in the process.
