This article is about the best Class B motorhomes. And the brands to consider buying now.
Of course, some people call Class B RVs “camper vans”. And if that’s how you refer to them, that’s just fine.
But in this article I’ll be calling them by their category name. And that is a the Class B RV.
Table of Contents
- What Is A Class B RV?
- Pro #1 For The Best Class B Motorhomes
- Pro #2 Is A Big One!
- Pro #3 – What About Towing Another Vehicle?
- Pro #4 For The Best Class B Motorhomes
- Pro #5 For Class B RVs
- Con #1 About Class B RVs
- Con #2 For Even The Best Class B Motorhomes
- Con #3 About Class B RVs
- Con #4 Is Important To Boondockers
- Con #5 That You Have To Consider
- A Word About The Best Class B Motorhomes
- Brand #1 On My Best Class B Motorhomes List
- Brand #2 That You Should Consider Too
- Brand #3 That Is The Most Affordable
- Are There Other Class B Motorhome Brands That I Can Recommend?
- Conclusion
What Is A Class B RV?
So what are Class B RVs, or camper vans anyway? They are an RV that’s built on a passenger van shell and chassis.
So the RV builder buys the shell and chassis from the manufacturer first. And then they make an RV out of it.
I can also say that they’re very popular these days, and they’re growing in popularity all the time.
And Class B RVs tend to be a very good fit for single RVers and for couples as well.
So first of all, let’s talk a little bit about the pros and the cons of Class B RVs. To help you decide if it will work for you or not.
And then we will go ahead and get into the brands in that RV category that I can recommend.
Pro #1 For The Best Class B Motorhomes
So the number one pro for Class B RVs is that they’re very easy to drive.
In fact, if you can drive a passenger car, then most likely you can drive a Class B RV. It’s really just that simple!
And that can’t really be said of many larger RVs in other RV categories.
Also, they’re very nimble in traffic and on the highway. So a lot of people love that because it makes for a very pleasant driving experience.
Pro #2 Is A Big One!
OK, next up is that they offer generally better fuel mileage than most other RV types too.
And this is because of their size being much smaller than most other RV types. Who doesn’t like that?
In fact, when we are talking about the larger motorhomes fuel mileage can be very low.
Class C RVs often average only 10 – 12 MPG on the highway. And Class A RVs may only get around 7 – 8 MPG instead.
So having a small and fuel efficient RV is a big plus for many RV buyers.
Pro #3 – What About Towing Another Vehicle?
Now the next pro on this list is that there’s no need for a second vehicle for around town driving.
At least, not unless you just want to bring one along with you for some reason.
Now when you have a Class C or a Class A motorhome, that’s not the case.
Because in that case, you probably need to bring another vehicle for around town driving.
Simply because they’re not easy to drive around town and fit in a lot of places. Like parking spaces wherever you may go.
But with a Class B RV, it can become your RV and your around town vehicle at the same time. And that’s a huge benefit for many RVers!
Pro #4 For The Best Class B Motorhomes
OK, next up on the pro list is the fact that the chassis and RV shell are generally easier to maintain and to repair than other motorhomes.
Once again, the chassis and shell comes from a passenger vehicle manufacturer. Usually either Mercedes, Ford or RAM.
So you can often use their service facilities to maintain and repair these RVs as needed.
Also, the shell is more of a one-piece unit than other motorhomes like Class C and Class A RVs.
Those RVs have laminated walls on each side of the RV. Then the builder puts the front cap and the rear end cap up, attaching them to the walls.
And then all of the walls and the end caps are attached to the roof of the RV.
That building process means that you have big joints or seams wherever these wall connections are made.
But that seam is not there in a class B RV. It’s more like a car in that respect because there are no seams that must be maintained.
And a lot of RVers like the fact that there is less outside maintenance that has to be done on Class B RVs!
Pro #5 For Class B RVs
Next up on the pro list is that the small Class B RV can fit in almost any campsite.
So if there is a campsite out there in an RV park or in a campground, chances are that you’re going to be able to fit into it.
And that includes even the national park campsites. That’s a huge advantage for a lot of people!
Con #1 About Class B RVs
But now, let’s talk about the cons of the Class B RV. And the number one con is the very tight living space inside the RV.
Yes, these RVs are small! And that means that you don’t have a lot of room to move around inside them.
Also, there’s no slide rooms in class B RVs either. And slide rooms are a way that many RV builders expand the living area.
In addition to that, headroom can be a little bit of an issue for taller RVers as well.
So before choosing a Class B RV I think it’s a good idea to try one out first. Maybe rent one for a couple of camping trips.
That will help you know whether the smaller living space will be a problem for you or not.
Con #2 For Even The Best Class B Motorhomes
OK, next up on the list of cons is there’s very little storage space in Class B RVs too.
That’s because the builder puts everything that they can into this very small space. And something has to be sacrificed when they do that.
So one of those sacrifices is in the area of storage space. Now of course, there’s ways around that. But it is a challenge to consider.
Con #3 About Class B RVs
Next on the cons list is is the toilet and the shower. In fact, many people are shocked to find they are often combined together.
Once again, the RV builder is trying to get as much as they can in a relatively small space.
So they often combine the shower and toilet together. It’s what’s called a “wet bath” in the industry. And a lot of people don’t like that!
So you have to determine where you stand on that issue. Is it a deal breaker for you, or not?
Con #4 Is Important To Boondockers
Next up is that there’s also usually smaller holding tanks in Class B RVs.
Here again, it’s the space issue that makes a problem. But this time it’s not in the area of living space.
Instead, it’s in the fluid capacities for the RV’s holding tanks. It’s just not as much as you will see in larger motorhomes.
And this can be an issue especially for RV boondockers. Because it cuts down on the time they can stay out there while being off the grid.
The more tank capacity they have, the longer the time they can last without going somewhere to dump their tanks and re-supply with water.
Alright, now it’s time for the final con on my list for Class B RVs to consider in this article.
Con #5 That You Have To Consider
And that is, they’re more expensive per square foot than almost any other RV type out there.
Of course, that can be surprising when you start shopping for Class B RVs.
Because it won’t take long to find out how much they actually cost for their size.
And for many, it just doesn’t seem right that a smaller RV like that should cost so much.
But it’s mainly a result of the added cost to make everything fit in such a small space. And the added technology that is often built into these RVs.
Well, those are both the pros and the cons of Class B RVs. So what if the cons don’t bother you a whole lot?
Well then, the class B RV may be a great choice for you and your RVing needs!
A Word About The Best Class B Motorhomes
But what brands are known for making good quality class B RVs?
Well first of all. I made a guidebook that actually covers all the Class B brands that I personally recommend for your consideration.
And it includes the best brands to be found in all the various price ranges too. So there is something in the guidebook for everyone!
And in my opinion, these are the brands where your search for a new Class B RV should begin.
But this article is going to cover three of those brands that’s found in my guidebook.
And I am choosing one brand from the high-end price range first. Then one from both the mid-range and entry level price ranges too.
That way, there should be something on this list that will be helpful for almost everyone.
Brand #1 On My Best Class B Motorhomes List
So let’s start with number one on the list. And that is an iconic RV manufacturer – Airstream.
Now when I say Airstream, everybody of course thinks of their travel trailers. Because they have such an iconic look and shape.
And they’ve been building them for 85 years or so now. So the image of an Airstream travel trailer is just part of the culture at this point.
But now Airstream also builds RVs in the Class B category too. And just like their travel trailers, they are in the higher cost range of Class B RVs.
Now as far as their offerings are concerned, they have seven different models for you to choose from. So there’s a lot of variety there.
For instance, there’s models for campground camping and for off-road camping too.
Also, they give you the choice of the Mercedes Sprinter or RAM ProMaster chassis to choose from. And that’s helpful for many people.
Brand #2 That You Should Consider Too
Next up on our brand list is Winnabago. Once again, what an iconic manufacturer! In fact, they’ve been building RVs since 1966.
And even though they have built some travel trailers, they are known for making motorhome RVs.
You could say that’s where they made their bread and butter over the years.
So what about the offerings that they’re going to give you? Well once again, there’s seven different models to choose from.
And you can find Class B’s for campground camping and off-road models too. So there’s something in the lineup for most RV buyers to love.
And once again, they’re going to let you choose between the Mercedes Sprinter and the RAM ProMaster chassis too.
Brand #3 That Is The Most Affordable
Now finally, the last brand that we’re going to talk about here is the Entegra Class B.
Of course, Entegra doesn’t have quite the pedigree that Airstream and Winnebago does.
In other words, they don’t go way back in history in the RV industry. They’re a newer company owned by Jayco.
But they have a lot to offer. In fact, in my opinion, they tend to give you more bang for the buck that you spend on motorhomes.
So if you’re on a budget then Entegra could be a very good choice for you.
As far as their model lineup is concerned, they give you four models to choose from.
So their lineup is not quite as varied as the other two manufacturers on the list in this article.
But once again, they make Class B RVs that can be used for any type of camping you choose. Either for campgrounds or off-roading.
But they give you a little more choice in the chassis department though.
They offer the Mercedes Sprinter, the RAM ProMaster just like the others mentioned here.
But they also give you a choice of the Ford Transit chassis as well. And a lot of people like to have the choice between all three.
Are There Other Class B Motorhome Brands That I Can Recommend?
Well, those are the three brands that I wanted to cover here in this article.
And I feel that any of these brands would be a good place to start when you’re looking for a class B RV.
But are there other brands that I can recommend besides these three?
Absolutely! And if you want to see all the brands that I recommend for your consideration, here’s what you should do.
Just download my “best brands” Class B guidebook that I mentioned earlier in this article.
And when you do, it will help you choose from all of the best Class B motorhomes brands in that category.
But here’s another benefit of getting my guidebook. You’ll also get my personal assistance in your search for an RV, if you would like to have it.
Yes, I’ll do everything I can to help answer any question you have about Class B RVs.
Because I want to be sure that you get an RV that you will be happy with for many years to come.
Conclusion
So now my final point here today is this. Always remember that you need to use an RV inspector before buying any new or used RV!
That way you can get all the information about the issues that need attention on that RV.
And then you can get those issues fixed before you take delivery and take that RV home.
Now if you’ll do that, you’ll have a much better buying experience than many other RV buyers.
And I hope that what I’ve shared with you today, will be beneficial in your search for a Class B RV.
And I hope that in the end, you will find the perfect Class B RV for your needs.
Have safe and happy RV travels!