There’s no way around it - buying an RV is a massive investment. If you’re reading this, you likely already know that. Sadly, (and unlike the rest of the automotive category) there’s no ‘Consumer Reports’ specifically for RVs. That means that getting the best bang for your buck is a lot harder and involves a lot more research.
The goal of this post is to take some of the guesswork out of your RV shopping experience by providing a couple of the most-trusted brands in 2024. This list is by no means comprehensive - but it should provide a high-level overview that can be used to guide/focus your research. Additionally, while we’re talking about these brands, it should be noted that not every individual model (or unit) is created equal. Always make sure to tour/test drive the specific unit you’re looking to purchase before actually buying.
One other bit of housekeeping before we dive into the bulk of this post: Most RV manufacturers were hit hard by the COVID parts shortage that affected a lot of the tech and automotive industries. As a result, a good chunk of the 2020-2022 (and some 2023) models across the board have been known to utilize sub-optimal components and, consequently, require far more repairs. This affects high-end and low-end RVs alike, so exercise some level of caution if looking at a unit manufactured during this timeframe.
Methodology
We’ve tried to be as objective as we can in this article. Again, there is no centralized consumer reporting for RVs, so we have to rely on a roundabout standard to determine quality. For best quality, we’re using a general consensus among a few RV Certified Technicians & Inspectors that we trust. These people work on and inspect a lot of motorhomes, so they understand some of the lesser-known details that can make-or-break quality.
We’re also only looking at Class A and Class C motorhomes here, since those are the two Classes that would be used to flat tow.
Highest Rated Coaches
We’ll start with our Class C-exclusive brand, which is Coach House RV. While not as large or high-production as some of the more well-known brands, Coach House is recognized for building a quality product. Most of their lineup is built for a Ford chassis, with a couple models utilizing Mercedes instead. American-made and luxurious, it’s hard to go wrong here. The only downsides are that you can only buy directly from the factory and the price point (most models hover in the $200K range).
Let’s shift over to the Class A side of things with our next brand: Newmar. In the minds of many RVers, this brand is what they think of when they think of quality. They have many models, appealing to just about every kind of RVing lifestyle, and have been in business for over half a century. As far as pricing goes, you’ll be looking at anywhere from around $300K up to well over $1 million. That’s a pretty wide range, but it all comes down to the specific model you choose.
Our third brand dabbles in both the Class C and Class A markets, but provides a good, balanced product - even if it’s not quite as highly rated as our first two options. That brand is Jayco.
Jayco is one of the leading RV manufacturers in the country, and high volume is not always a good sign when it comes to quality. However, they’ve been able to evade most of the pitfalls that other big-time manufacturers have suffered, specializing in mid-priced units ($100K-$200K) that offer a consistent build quality. A couple of their standout models are the Greyhawk and Redhawk.
Conclusion
Buying an RV is a highly-personal experience. There are a lot of amenities and features that matter to one RVer that may not matter at all to another. As such, it’s so critical to operate as a smart consumer - especially considering the cost of purchasing a motorhome. Use this post as a guide, but always, always, always do your own research. You may fall in love with a coach that's not on this list at all and dislike all of our top-rated brands - or vice versa.
Either way, if you have any questions along the way, we want to help. Reach out to our customer service team anytime. And, as always, happy RVing!
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