What are the different motorhome classes?

Motorhomes come in many shapes and sizes these days, but before you shell out a considerable amount of cash it’s important to know if your intended purchase will truly suit your needs and aspirations.

So, before you take the plunge, here’s a quick rundown on all the motorhome categories and their tell-tale characteristics…

If you’re considering an A-class motorhome, you’re truly jumping in at the very top end of town. A-class motorhomes are the largest and most spacious and comfortable motorhomes you can buy – they look more like a coach in appearance, and they’re usually constructed on a purpose-built motorhome or truck chassis.

They’re also usually powered by a rear-mounted engine, although this isn’t always the case, and many boast one or two ‘slide-outs’, or expanding side compartments, to give you even more room inside once you’re set up at camp or the holiday park.

Almost all A-class motorhomes come with a flat floor design, and most features swiveling driver and front passenger seats that turn around to form part of the front lounge area.

These are the luxury liners of the motorhome world, with most offering a degree of flexibility in design layout. Although having said that, many adopt a front lounge, mid-kitchen, and rear bedroom format, with the bathroom usually right at the very back or at the front of the bedroom.

The minimum length of an A-class motorhome is typically 8m (26ft), and with high Tare weights and GVMs a truck licence is required to drive them.

While commonplace in North America and to a lesser extent in Europe, A-class motorhome manufacturers are thin on the ground indeed in Australia, meaning sourcing one here usually involves a complicated importation process and subsequent right-hand drive conversion.

Today, the bulk of B-class and C-class motorhomes are built on cab/chassis units such as the Fiat Ducato, IVECO Daily, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and Ford Transit, along with trucks from the likes of Isuzu, Fuso, and Hino.

What is the difference between B-class and C-class motorhomes? It’s relatively subtle. In simple terms, C-class motorhomes have a bed over the driver’s cab, in what is known as the ‘Luton peak’. B-class motorhomes, on the other hand, do not, and usually have a more streamlined appearance at the front as a result.

These motorhomes usually have a front or rear side entry, a side or rear kitchen, and a side or rear dinette, while some incorporate swiveling driver and front passenger seats to complement a front dinette.

While C-class motorhomes sometimes have a day/night lounge as well as a bed over the cab, B-class motorhomes usually have single or double beds in the rear.

Shower units can be at the rear or along the side.

Not to be confused with the larger B-class and C-class motorhomes, campervans are the most affordable motorhomes you can buy (apart from a ‘slide-on’ – more on that in a bit).

Campervans are typically based on vans; many have a high roof or a pop-top. At the cheaper end of the scale are the medium van conversions – think Toyota HiAce, Hyundai iLoad, Volkswagen Transporter, Renault Traffic, and Mercedes-Benz Vito – while for those with bigger bank balances who want a bit more space, there are large van options like the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, IVECO Daily, Renault Master, Fiat Ducato, and Ford Transit.

These large van conversions can blur the boundaries between campervans and motorhomes – many manufacturers would claim they fall into the latter. One popular rule of thumb goes along the lines of, if it doesn’t have a shower and toilet, it’s a campervan. If it does, it’s a motorhome.

Campervans are certainly the most manageable RV format to drive but suffer from limited internal space and storage, and most involve having to set up the bed each night. Still, manufacturers and conversion specialists have come up with numerous ingenious ways to maximise the space available, with fold-down beds, beds that are stowed in the ceiling, fold-down tables and chairs – the list goes on.

In any case, they’re certainly a cinch to maneuver around town or the holiday park compared to the larger beasts, as well as being easier to park and store.

Bus and coach conversions really form a category on their own, and they can serve as an economical option for those after a mid-size motorhome. The enduring Toyota Coaster and Fuso Rosa are both minibus formats ripe for conversion, and typically offer more space over larger campervans.

Some conversions are carried out on a DIY basis, while others are professional conversions carried out by industry specialists.

In a similar vein, large coaches are often converted to motorhomes too – we’ve seen some spectacular custom jobs over the years. With the seating removed the rebuild takes place from scratch, with long-distance coaches usually favoured for their smooth-riding airbag suspension.

Falling outside of both the campervan and motorhome categories, the slide-on, as its name suggests, is a living-quarters unit that slides onto the back of a ute or tray-top truck.

Slide-ons offer a degree of flexibility in that the unit can be lifted off should the truck or ute be required for other duties, and they’re great for off-road explorers who want a bit more comfort and convenience than a typical tent, swag, or camper trailer.

Previously slide-ons were a fairly niche corner of the RV scene, but the category has gained some momentum in recent years in line with the exploding popularity of 4x4s and off-road exploration.

These days there are a number of local manufacturers who specialise in slide-on units.

For more on slide-on campers click here.