Howdy folks. I know; long time, no post. But haven't had much to report lately since my day job has me doing circles around the planet. But I ran across something online that I just had to share with you.
A little background here. Winnebago has been in the Class B arena for a long time. I remember the original Warrior from way back. Then they shook up the industry with the LeSharo. The front wheel drive chassis allowed them to lower the entry height and, as I've mentioned before, they had one of the best floor plans. The underpowered LeSharo was then replaced by the VW powered Rialta. Very expensive, like most Class B's, but very popular. Suddenly the Rialta disappeared. The Itasca Navion IQ may be the spiritual successor of the Rialta, but there was still a gap in the product line for a small Class B.
Then came along the new ERA based on the 170" wheelbase Sprinter chassis. A very fine entry, but still a little long and the price point isn't that far away from the IQ. The benefit of the ERA is the utility afforded by the rear doors and the narrow profile allowing it to more easily fit in the driveway. The maneuverability, however, is similar to the IQ. Being lighter than the Itasca does give the ERA more punch and increases the fun to drive factor.
For my tastes, though, the 170" chassis is too long. The extra counter space and the extra captains chairs are luxuries I don't need. Plus, I would prefer something that could fit in a standard parking spot. The options on the market were the Roadtrek SS Agile, the Pleasure Way Ascent, and a custom Sportsmobile. They use the 144" Sprinter as a base and the only thing they lose is fat. Problem is they don't lose price, either. You might save $10k getting a 144" instead of a 170". When these rigs go for a hair under six figures that's not a whole lot; though it's not nothing, either.
I do have some issues with the layouts of these other units, though, except the Sportsmobile which is only limited by your imagination and your budget. Then along comes the new Winnebago ERA 144U. While I haven't found this model on their website, yet, I did find it in the wild at General RV. What Winnebago has done is take the typical floor plan of a short Sprinter, blended the best bits from the Rialta, and added a new wrinkle.
As is typical, Winnebago puts the toilet behind the driver so the big box doesn't obstruct the right rear view. This is much better than in their 170, in my opinion. They then put the small kitchen on the sliding door allowing for some serious ventilation when cooking. On the port side, and just behind the bathroom, is refrigerator with microwave above. Again, this is where the 144U is superior to the 170XL. Instead of having to bend over to access the fridge or the microwave you are allowed to stand. This is much easier to use.
And, the piéce de resistance, Winnebago eschews the dreaded rear folding couch arrangement that is standard on every other Sprinter based Class B, including the 170XL. Instead the geniuses that designed the 144U put in a U shaped settee that is beyond brilliant. It allows for true dinette style dining so you can face your travel companion instead of fighting for elbow room sitting side-by-side on a couch or trying to fit a three course meal on the small table between captains chairs in the front of the coach. But the brilliance doesn't end there. Now two people can put their feet up and read, watch a movie on the flat screen TV, or take a quick nap without having to make the bed. It is the most flexible arrangement out there. But wait, there's more! Instead of having a phantom cushion that is only needed to make the bed, you know, the one that fills the gap between the equally useless ottomans when the couch is laid flat, you just fold out the dinette seats. Easy as pie and no wasted cushion taking up valuable space.
Seriously, the team that worked on the 144U got it right where so many others merely accepted a mediocre solution. They should expect to be copied. Hopefully it's copied in the 170 adding a 170U to the ERA lineup.
There are, as always, a couple things I'd change. First, the coat closet over the settee I'd either remove or make half as long. It really eats into the lounge space. At most we'll have two raincoats, one dress blazer for me, and one dressy dress for her in the closet. We just don't need that much hanging space, but we may not be the typical couple. I also would prefer a cleaner line for the overhead storage. The change in depth of the o.h. cabinets disrupts the otherwise clean lines of the modern American (as opposed to European) interior.
One last thing that is more a suggestion than a niggle which harkens back to my D-21 days. It would be nice to have some storage over the cab that could also serve as a small bunk. While I know Class B's are now mainly for cruising couples downsizing from a Class A, and that young guns like me intend to tow an Airstream Basecamp behind our Class B to store the toys and serve as a guest house, having the bunk option allows for that small family to make the decision to get the ERA over the X5, the minivan, or other vehicle that doesn't provide the flexibility of the Winnebago. Does the X5 offer a 2nd home mortgage deduction? I didn't think so.
Other than those few quibbles, the 144U is not only the best short Sprinter Class B on the market, it's the best Class B on the market of any size, chassis, or configuration. Hopefully the market will agree with me.
