Top RVs of 2019: ‘RVX’ Reveals Show Winners

This week in Salt Lake City, RVX is a new trade show highlighting the best of the RV industry. We went to Utah to see it all live, including the award-winning models below. The industry gathered Tuesday to award nine brands for innovation in the growing RV space.

New for 2019, the RV Experience (RVX) show brings hundreds of RV and outdoor brands together at the Salt Palace convention center in Salt Lake City.

A kickoff event called The Reveal broke RVs into nine categories — Outdoor Adventure, Family Friendly, Van Life, City Escape, Destination Camping, Sustainability, On the Horizon, Luxury Living, and Team Tailgate — and then highlighted one RV in each as a winner.

Outdoor Adventure

Category spotlight: SylvanSport VAST

SylvanSport has a trailer-camper to launch more than a decade after it unveiled its first unit, the popular GO. The 2019 model, the VAST, was made for adventure travelers and campers. Where it stands out is gear hauling, with the ability to carry toys like bikes as well as a side-mounted rack for kayaks and other large gear.

SylvanSport VAST

Its indoor/outdoor kitchen is an innovative design, and the trailer has two “true” queen-size beds, a bathroom, table, storage, lighting, and much more. GearJunkie will cover the SylvanSport VAST soon in a full article and review.

Judge’s choices: Airstream BasecampForest River No BoundariesTaxa TigermothTaxa CricketLance 855 Rule Maker

Family Friendly

Jayco Eagle HT 264 BHOK

Category spotlight: Jayco Eagle HT 264 BHOK

Sleep six people comfortably in the Jayco Eagle HT 264 BHOK. The trailer uses convertible furniture and pass-through exterior storage to enhance interior space. You can even add a fireplace and residential-style woodwork, fabrics, lighting, and fixtures.

Jayco Eagle HT 264 BHOK floorplan

This model also offers an outside kitchen, hybrid grill, and rear cargo door with flip-up bunk for bike or kayak storage.

Judge’s choices: Forest River Vengeance 385 FK Touring EditionForest River Sabre Fifth WheelForest River R-podWinnebago OutlookCoachmen Catalina 39 RLTS

Van Life

ModVans CV1 Camper Van

Category spotlight: ModVans CV1 Camper Van

ModVans starts with a Ford Transit to build out its dream vehicle with the CV1 Camper Van. Positioned to be an everyday minivan for those who want to use just one vehicle, the CV1 Camper Van has removable, modular components.

ModVans CV1 Camper Van interior

ModVans built it with a pop-up design to make it easier for everyday driving than a high-roof van. But the pop-up also gives owners lots of useable space on the inside.

Judge’s choices: Winnebago RevelWinnebago Travato Pure 3Leisure Vans 2019 Wonder Rear Twin BedCoachmen Galleria 24 A

City Escape

Leisure Travel 2020 Unity Rear Lounge

Category spotlight: Leisure Travel’s 2020 Unity Rear Lounge

Leisure Travel puts the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 through a major overhaul with its new Unity line. The Unity Rear Lounge is its spear-tip model, representing a decade of development. Unity has a spacious “rear lounge” with residential-like sectional sofa. It is the first RV to use the new Dometic IoT Smart RV system.

Leisure Travel 2020 Unity Rear Lounge interior

Judge’s choices: Airstream Interstate NineteenForest River Flagstaff Hard Side SE Camping TrailerVenture Sonic, Winnebago Boldt

Destination Camping

Forest River Riverstone Luxury 39 RBFL

Category spotlight: Forest River Riverstone Luxury 39 RBFL

Getting into land-yacht stylings, Forest River showed the Riverstone Luxury 39 RBFL. Geared toward luxury customers or those who use their RVs for extended living, it has everything from garages to 1½-bath concepts. A redesigned front cap has a large windshield, tri-sofa front living, and rear bathroom with dual vanity sink. Add a half bath off the kitchen with a washer dryer and room for a king-size bed for all the comforts of a home on wheels.

Forest River Riverstone Luxury 39 RBFL interior

Judge’s choices: KZ-RV DurangoWinnebago Horizon, Forest River Cedar Creek CottageForest River Wildwood Grand Lodge 42DL

Sustainability

Winnebago All-Electric/Zero-Emission

Category spotlight: Winnebago All-Electric/Zero-Emission

RVs are going electric! Winnebago’s All-Electric/Zero-Emission is an innovation that might give Elon Musk pause. Based on a 33-foot or 38-foot length, the Class A RV uses Motiv Power Systems’ Ford F53-based EPIC all-electric chassis. While this one is not yet designed for general consumer use, it’s a nod toward a not-too-distant, all-electric future.

Winnebago All-Electric/Zero-Emission RV interior
Winnebago All-Electric/Zero-Emission RV set up as a mobile medical station

It’s best suited for short-range commercial applications like mobile bloodmobiles, clinics, classrooms, and outreach vehicles. It houses six or eight batteries for an expected range of 85 to 125 miles.

Judge’s choices: Taxa 2019 MantisForest River Rockwood Geo Pro, Eclipse Attitude F35GSGForest River Work and Play

On the Horizon

Airstream Classic Smart RV

Category spotlight: Airstream Classic Smart RV

Airstream brings the smart home concept into the RV world with the Airstream Classic Smart RV. Smart Control Technology lets owners control and monitor the RV’s most important features and amenities from anywhere — and stay connected to the comforts of home. Connected features include things like lights, temperature, awnings, water tanks, batteries, and much more. This model also has 4G LTE connectivity, creating a blazing fast hotspot in many locations.

Judge’s choices: Keystone Fuzion 427 FW with Onboarding Weighting systemKeystone Raptor 356 with pneumatic suspensionWinnebago All-Electric/Zero-EmissionWinnebago Micro Minnie Fifth Wheel 2405 RG

Luxury Living

Newmar 2020 Super Star

Category spotlight: Newmar 2020 Super Star 

The 2020 Super Star debuted at the RVX event and made quite a splash. This product is a luxury Super C-class product with several innovations not offered in the market today. Details are still thin on this land yacht that won’t hit the market until next year.

Judge’s choices: Venture RV Stratus SR261 VRKEntegra Coach CornerstoneCrossroads Redwood RVForest River Cardinal

Team Tailgate

Heartland Cyclone Ultimate Tailgate RV

Category spotlight: Heartland Cyclone Ultimate Tailgate RV

Tailgaters rejoice! The Heartland Cyclone Ultimate Tailgate RV has the “first ever side patio” that sets up with the touch of a button. But of course, there’s also an outside bar, built-in kegerator, and multiple TVs.

The interior hosts multiple 55-inch TVs and a sound system with eight subwoofers and 18 amplified speakers. The “garage” holds a portable hot tub that can be moved outdoors. Outside, the full-body paint job is complemented by the underbody lighting system.

Judge’s choices: Coachmen Sportscoach 366BHVenture RV SportTrek TouringKZ-RV Venom V-SeriesLance 1975 Ultra Light Travel Trailer