Last week’s Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) show in Louisville brought together the newest and flashiest vehicles that the RV industry has to offer. One thing that became obvious at the show was that the Mercedes Sprinter has all but taken over the Class B “compact” RV market. These smaller motorhomes, traditionally built in Chevy and Ford vans, offer full camping and travel accommodations in a package that’s much easier to drive and offers better fuel economy than a large motorcoach. With its larger footprint and efficient diesel engine, the Sprinter has become the darling of the Class B market and rendered the Ford E-Series and Chevrolet Express-based campers almost extinct. That may change over the next few years, as the new Ford Transit and Ram ProMaster gain traction, but for now the Sprinter rules the market and here are five of the best.
Roadtrek RS E-trek: Roadtrek was one of the first to produce a Sprinter-based Class B, and is one of the leaders in the class as a result. The RS E-trek builds on that and adds a big dose of “green” travel, with a built-in solar panel that charges the house batteries, appliances that have been designed to run off of the batteries and an expanded quick-charging battery bank. The propane tanks have been eliminated entirely. There’s a king-size bed in the back, too.
Winnebago Era: The Winnebago Era is arguably the slickest-looking of the Sprinter RVs, thanks to monochromatic exterior treatments and a choice of three interior environments. Upscale Corian countertops, a backup monitor and power-saving LED interior lighting are also bonuses.
Pleasure-Way Plateau FL: The Plateau FL has a large kitchen with real maple cabinets. The floorplan cleverly enables the front seats to rotate and become a small dining nook. The spare tire is mounted outside, continental-style, for additional interior room. Corian countertops and a memory foam sofa add premium touches.
Airstream Interstate: Airstream is known for its elegant aluminum travel trailers, but it’s branched out into Class B as well. The Interstate features Airstream’s Art Deco-influenced, ultra-modern interior styling and offers one of the widest ranges of interior upholstery themes available. Airstream also keeps things light, so the Interstate has a slight edge on towing capacity (6400 pounds versus 5000) compared to the others.
Great West Legend EX: Great West’s Legend EX is available with handsome cherry or light maple cabinetry and a corner bath with a bit more space than the others. Screen doors provide airflow with the large sliding side door open, and a king-size bed is available. It’s also the only Class B to offer a built-in K-Cup coffee maker.
