The world of RVs and motorhomes can get pretty confusing with people using both those names interchangeably. I’m hoping to clear up some of that confusion.
So, what is an RV? What is a motorhome? The term RV just means a recreational vehicle. It could be a trailer or motorhome. Motorhome means you can camp in it and it also has a vehicle as part of it. Some people say “RV” and they mean “Motorhome” but more generally it’s any camper. So, you could say that a motorhome is considered an RV.
Recreational vehicles are very popular. They are kind of like a glorified tent. A motorhome is one such RV that makes a really nice addition to your vehicle assets.
What is an RV or Recreational Vehicle?
The definition of an RV is in its abbreviation. It is a vehicle for recreational purposes, generally referring to a trailer, motorhome, toy hauler, or anything that is similar to those vehicles.
You might be familiar with these types of RVs- some of them are and can be motorhomes:
- Class A Motorhome
- Class B Motorhome
- Class C Motorhome
- Toy Hauler Motorhome/trailer
- Travel Trailer
- Teardrop Trailer
- Fifth Wheel Trailer
- Hybrid Trailer
There are many more, and all of them have several different floor plans, models, and yearly updates which make them all more desirable on the market, but they are all considered an RV.
What is a Motorhome RV?
A motorhome is a motor vehicle equipped like a trailer for living in, with kitchen facilities, beds, storage space, and the driving capabilities are attached to the home so that you do not have to tow it with a truck.
Class A Motorhome
What is a Class A Motorhome? This is a motorhome that is as fully equipped as you can get. They are generally very large and can be as big as 45 feet long. They are pretty popular because they have so much space.
They aren’t exactly gas friendly because they are so heavy and you don’t get a lot of miles per gallon. However, they can usually hold a lot of people and end up having all the necessities with a little bit extra.
They are most commonly identified by their box looking shape.
Class B Motorhome
The Class B motorhome is the smallest, usually only good for about one or two people. They are pretty cheap, get better gas mileage, and you can park just about anywhere because of how small they are.
However, if you are looking for a family vehicle and you are more than just two people, this is probably not the best choice. It’s true that it gets good gas mileage, but there aren’t a lot of amenities and there isn’t a lot of storage space in this one.
Class C Motorhome
This motorhome is a mix between a Class A and a Class B. It is medium size, with a good middle ground on amenities and ample storage space. They are often made lightweight so that you can get better gas mileage, and they can house quite a few people.
You can tell if a motorhome is a Class C if there is a bunk over the cab. The class C utilizes that space for a bunk unlike the other motorhome classes.
Toy Hauler Motorhome
A Toy hauler is a motorhome that has all the housing capabilities while also including a garage for “toys”- namely motorbikes, four wheelers, dirt bikes, etc. The garage can usually be turned into a sleeping area if you are not using it for your toys, or you can open up the back for a tailgate party or something like that.
A toy hauler comes in handy if your RV is strictly a vacation vehicle you use to go have fun. A lot of people who own RVs are full-timers that use it all the time and literally live in it. They probably use the Toy Hauler too, but it’s ideal for everyone who wants to use it for hauling those vacation toys.
Trailer RVs
While motorhomes are RVs, trailers are also RVs and can also be lived in like a motorhome, but trailers usually have to be towed by a truck or something with enough horsepower to get it moving.
Travel trailer
A travel trailer is usually a trailer that is meant to be towed by a pickup truck, SUV, or minivan. It has a living area, kitchen, bedroom, and shower. In some instances you can ride in these, but mostly you can’t ride in these while they are being towed.
As with all the other RVs, there are different floor plans and amenity options. You can have several
Teardrop Trailer
These trailers are very small and can be towed by a motorcycle. There is really only room for one person (maybe two if you don’t mind close quarters). I am not a huge fan of the teardrop trailer space wise.
I have a lot of children so that wouldn’t be great for us. However, if I wanted to take a personal vacation to get away for a few days, I might consider getting myself one. Otherwise, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who is planning on traveling in a large party of people.
This trailer can sometimes have an outside kitchen in the rear, however, it doesn’t always have one. They usually offer very few amenities and generally cost around $8,000 to $15,000.
Hybrid Trailer
A hybrid trailer will make you feel a bit more like you are camping because it has tent pop-outs. You will have to set those up and it will take some time, but it will give you that camping feel.
The downside is that you can hear outside noise really well. That means if people are camping near you, or you are close to traffic, you’ll hear everything.
You have several amenities: fridge, sink, microwave, etc., so that’s pretty nice. I particularly liked the storage in the below video in this hybrid travel trailer that I reviewed.
Fifth Wheel Trailer
A fifth wheel trailer is unique in that it is hitched to the inside of the bed of the truck instead of on your regular hitch and needs a special fifth wheel coupling to do the job.
Again, in this trailer, you’ll get much of your camping amenities so that you feel like you are home. You’ll have beds, sinks, showers, etc., it all depends on which one you choose.
Additional floor plans are also available in the fifth wheel. The video below is a review I did on an awesome Redwood 36RL fifth wheel that was just impressive! It really had a great residential feel to it. It was really spacey and I loved the design.
The storage inside was decent, but I was really impressed by the storage outside. There were walk-in closets in the bedroom and a lot of other amenities I was impressed with.
All of these motorhomes and trailers are considered RVs. If you have any other questions about Motorhomes and trailers check out the rest of the website for information and ideas for your RVs.
Remember, everyone is different and has different tastes. I may like an RV that you wouldn’t like. Know what you want and understand what you are getting before you purchase any RV so that you can get the best deal for you and your family.
Related Questions…
What weight capacity would my truck need to have to pull a travel trailer? A regular travel trailer weighs about 6700 lbs. You would need a truck that would be able to pull about 2000-3000 more than that.
How much does a Class A Motorhome cost? A Class A motorhome will cost around $50,000 to $100,000 depending on how new it is and what company is selling it, the amenities, special features, etc.
How much does it cost to rent an RV? To rent an RV would cost about $150 a day or $1050 per week. It depends on which one you are renting and how long you are going to rent, but this is the average cost.
