The Golf Cart Showdown

STREET-LEGAL CART SHOWDOWN · SLCS · TAMPA BAY, FLORIDA · How we make money — dealers pay for introductions; no brand pays for rank.

Backyard Escapism 4 Forward Facing Street Legal LSV vs. Tara Electric Vehicles Roadster 2+2

Side-by-side verified specs for two street-legal golf carts (LSVs): the Backyard Escapism 4 Forward Facing Street Legal LSV and the Tara Electric Vehicles Roadster 2+2. Every figure below carries a source and a verification date.

Head to head · Tampa Bay Edition

Backyard Escapism 4 Forward Facing Street Legal LSV vs. Tara Electric Vehicles Roadster 2+2

COMPARISON · BACKYARD-ESCAPISM-4-FORWARD-VS-TARA-ROADSTER-2-2
LAST VERIFIED 07/18/2026
Backyard Escapism4 Forward Facing Street Legal LSVTara Electric VehiclesRoadster 2+2
MSRP range$12,499$8,995 – $9,695
Top speed25 mph125 mph2
Range (low)40 mi140 mi3
Range (high)80 mi1
Battery typelithium1lithium3
Battery capacity160 Ah3
System voltage48 V148 V3
Seats4143
Length117.9 in3
Height80 in3
Motor power5 kW16.3 kW3
BrakesFour-wheel hydraulic disc, electromagnetic parking brake3
SuspensionFront double-wishbone independent; rear leaf spring3
Display size10.1 in19 in2
LSV certified (street-legal capable)No1Yes4
Charge time4 hr3
Ground clearance7.1 in3
Range, normalized◆ computed~61 mi

◆ Range, normalizedis our figure, not the maker's: each pack's energy at a standard 0.125kWh/mile, the same on every cart — an apples-to-apples check on the “up to” range claims above, which are usually measured at 19 mph on the largest optional pack.

1 SOURCE: backyardescapism.com · VERIFIED 07/14/20262 SOURCE: discoverygolfcars.com · VERIFIED 07/18/20263 SOURCE: taraelectricvehicles.com · VERIFIED 07/18/20264 SOURCE: vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov · VERIFIED 07/18/2026

◆ The verdict

Tara Electric Vehicles Roadster 2+2 takes it.

It holds the stronger overall balance of range, value, power, and warranty. It's also the only factory-certified LSV of the two — the 4 Forward Facing Street Legal LSV is street-legal only by dealer package or self-attestation.

Compared & SourcedVERIFIED 07/2026

Green ✓ marks the better verified figure where the two differ. Verdict scored on the verified specs above — factory-LSV status gates the win.

Frequently asked

Is the Backyard Escapism 4 Forward Facing Street Legal LSV or the Tara Electric Vehicles Roadster 2+2 better?
Tara Electric Vehicles Roadster 2+2 takes it. It holds the stronger overall balance of range, value, power, and warranty. It's also the only factory-certified LSV of the two — the 4 Forward Facing Street Legal LSV is street-legal only by dealer package or self-attestation.
Are both the 4 Forward Facing Street Legal LSV and the Roadster 2+2 street legal?
The Tara Electric Vehicles Roadster 2+2 is a factory-certified LSV (verified against the NHTSA registry). The Backyard Escapism 4 Forward Facing Street Legal LSV is not a factory LSV — it's street-legal only by dealer package or self-attestation, so confirm before you buy.