How to tell the difference between the various motorhome types.  Anyone who has looked into buying an RV has noticed that like any industry the RV industry comes with a certain amount of buzz words or slang that can be hard for new folks to understand.  Motorhome types lead that list of impenetrable jargon.  First you have the trailer versus motorhome split and each has a number of categories that can be confusing.  Today I am going to talk about the various motorhome types in general use.  In a future post I will take a look at the various trailer styles.

Motorhome Types:

• Class A = big, usually on a bus or large truck chassis
• Class B = really small, built inside a regular van with no modifications to the exterior
• Class C = middle size usually on a light truck chassis with that big overhang in the front
• Class B+ = sort of a class C without the overhang;  or a class B on steroids
• Class C+ = a class C body on a heavy truck chassis; sort of a class C on steroids

Class A motorhomes

Class A motorhomes are usually considered high end but in recent years manufacturers have come out with some surprisingly small and inexpensive models.  The key to knowing that what you are looking for is a Class A, is the cab.  If the front window is sitting right at the front just like a bus then it is a Class A.

Ranging from small 32 foot gas powered models up to gigantic 45 foot diesel pushers the Class A motorhome spans a wide range of price points as well as features.  Smaller budget oriented ones might be equipped no better than the equivalent Class C but on the high end they can resemble a mansion on wheels with heated marble floors and appointments worthy of the finest home or even a luxury yacht.

Gas powered coaches will most often be a Ford cut away chassis called an F-53.  Other chassis are used as well but the Ford is the most common.  Diesel pushers, which means a diesel powered coach that has the engine in the rear, come on a chassis provided by either the coach builder itself or by a company like Freightliner, Spartan or Prevost.  These will be powered by large diesel engines made by Cummins or Caterpillar.

Class B motorhomes

A Class B motorhome is defined by being built on a van chassis and being built entirely inside the van.  Easy to tell, because if the original van body doors are still intact then it is a Class B.  These are made by a number of companies large and small including Roadtrek and Airstream as well as others.  Many manufacturers of larger motorhomes are also now moving into this popular category so the number of models to look at has increased quickly in the last few years.

While some people state they travel extensively in theirs or even full time in one, the reality is these units are very small.  They are mostly going to have a wet bath where the toilet is actually inside the shower and will have limited external storage if any.  Great for weekend trips or for couples who travel more than stop they might quickly seem cramped to anyone who wants to spend a lot of time in one.  Still they are one of the fastest growing categories of motorhome, especially those built on the Mercedes Sprinter van chassis.

Originally built inside Ford or Chevrolet vans and called “van conversions” the most popular ones are now being built on the Mercedes Sprinter Chassis.  This small, diesel van provides a nimble unit that gets excellent fuel mileage and can be maneuvered anywhere you can drive a delivery van.

Class C motorhomes

A class C motorhome is noted by the distinctive cab overhang that holds in most cases a very low roofed sleeping area.  This area is where the kids end up, for good reason.  Most adults are going to have trouble climbing up to the ‘loft’ and keeping from hitting their heads on the ceiling.  Although manufacturers make models with many different life styles in mind the classic Class C is designed for families traveling together with children.  Because of that they maximize the number of sleeping spots they can advertise by utilizing the couch, the dinette and the cab over loft as well as an actual bedroom.  Finding a class C that brags about sleeping 8 or 10 people is not uncommon, but some of those had better be small sized in order to fit.

Although there are always exceptions, Class C motorhomes are usually built with a budget in mind and fixtures, appliances and workmanship will reflect that.  They will be functional but not luxurious.  Mostly built on Ford E-350 or E-450 van chassis they will be solid and reliable for many years.  If you are interested in renting a motorhome a class C is almost certainly what you will be offered.

Class B+ motorhomes

B+ motorhomes are built on a van chassis like a Class C but they lack the distinctive cab over hang.   They will be built on either Ford E-350 or E-450 chassis or on the Mercedes Sprinter cutaway chassis.  Cutaway means the frame work is there but the actual van body is not so a Class B+ will have a purpose built body that is wider than the original van body and will not have the van doors like a Class B.

The typical Class B+ will be appointed at a higher level than a similar Class C.  The target customer are couples, either retired or not that are traveling alone without children.  That said there is no reason you cannot travel in a Class B+ with children but in general the number of sleeping spots will be far less than in a Class C and the interior space is also reduced.  Perfect for a couple to travel in style but perhaps a challenge for a family of four.

Price points are typically higher for a Class B+ than a similarly sized Class C even though there is actually less space inside.  The justification is higher end cabinetry and appointments as well as tighter bodies with fewer seams.  Some are even built with a single piece fiberglass body with no seams except around windows and roof vents.

Class C+ motorhomes

Also called “Super C motorhomes” these are fairly new on the market and fill a niche between the classic ‘C’ and a larger Class A.  Usually built on a Ford F550 truck chassis with a diesel engine they have the advantage of a far greater carrying capacity than the van chassis used for the typical Class C.

The van chassis used on a typical Class C has a GVWR of about 14,500 pounds.  Which means that total weight of the truck, passengers, fuel, RV body, water, food and those lawn chairs in the back cannot exceed 14,500 pounds.  But motorhome manufacturers are bumping up on the weight limit when trying to fit everything desired into a modern motorhome.  The “Super C” or “C+” unit moves up to a chassis with a GVWR of 20,000 pounds or more.  This allows manufacturers to build a motorhome with more features without moving up to the more expensive Class A chassis.

These units are almost all high end and expensive but well appointed and constructed to a very high standard.  If you are looking for a high end motorhome but do not want the Class A look then perhaps one of the newer C+ models might suit you.

 

I hope this explanation of motorhome types was helpful!