Road HAULER
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Legacy
Hypo-line - Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection
Size/class - Voyager
New/remould/redeco - Repaint/retool of Earthrise Grapple
Wave - 2.5
Released here - August 2022
Approximate Retail Price - $49
Approximate Size - 16cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - can connect with Micromaster bases via A.I.R. Lock system
Main Features/Gimmicks - Fists can fold away and be replaced with nozzle
Main Colours - bright green with black accents
Main Accessories - rifle, claw, nozzle

NOTE: This toy is a repaint and retool of Earthrise Grapple. Refer to the ER Grapple review thread for comments about the original toy; this thread will focus on changes made.















The most immediately noticeable mould change is Hauler's new head, sculpted with a permanent look of dull surprise(1). Thanks, I hate it. TL Hauler is also predominantly bright green, which is different from the original toy's Constructicon-like pale green. It doesn't complement the colours of the Combiner Wars Constructicons either, as they use a more G1-accurate pale shade of green. Sporting Constructicon-green was a deliberate choice on the e-Hobby toy given Hauler's origins as one of the original Constructicons; back when they were all good guys before being reprogrammed by Megatron's Robo Smasher (but Hauler managed to evade being captured and brainwashed, later joining the Autobots). So yeah... the decision to make Hauler this bright G2-ish green is an odd choice. But it doesn't bother me... that poo-eating grin on the other hand does bug me something chronic. Hauler uses the same connecting pegs as Kingdom Inferno, which were notoriously too thick on ER Grapple.

Overall: the silly shouty face is annoying, but I'm happy to just have a CHUG Hauler toy. Is it worth buying? Honestly, only if you want a CHUG Hauler toy. ER Grapple has a much better looking face and G1-accurate colour scheme. I'm surprised that this lesser known character who only ever appeared for a few seconds in the G1 cartoon wasn't the shortpacked one.

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(1) Dull surprise: https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Dull_surprise