Top 7 Best Class C RVs Under 25 Feet
Are you on the hunt for the best Class C RVs under 25 feet? We’ve rounded up seven to help you narrow down your search.
Class C RVs are the most common rental RV for good reason- they’re easy to drive even with no experience RVing. Therefore, class Cs make great RVs for beginner RVers.
Class Cs are also popular family RVs due to the extra over-cab sleeping area that allows you three separate sleeping areas in a relatively small RV.
If you’re looking for something with some of the nimbleness of a class B campervan, but with some of the comforts of a class A motorhome, you may find that the class C RV offers the best of both worlds.
They’re generally still small enough that you don’t need a tow vehicle, which reduces your overall length and startup costs.
Class C RVs generally come in lengths from 22 feet to 40 feet. The bigger Cs are commonly called “Super Cs” and the smaller hybrids are called a “B+”.
Today, we’re looking at standard class C RVs ranging from 22 to 25 feet, which are technically the “compact” class of Cs.
Is a Class C RV Right for You?
A class C RV might be the best option for you if you’re looking for an RV that’s easy to drive, fuel-efficient, and a good value for the money.
Compact Class C rigs in particular are the easiest motorhome to drive, other than a small campervan. Average fuel economy is about 14-18 mpg (diesel versions could be slightly higher), which is a great benefit as fuel costs continue to rise.
In addition, Class Cs are known to offer the biggest bang for your buck. They are equipped with many nice amenities such as on-demand hot water, smart storage, larger tanks, and a dry bathroom. And you get all these creature comforts at a smaller price tag compared to other motorized RVs.
To be clear, you would pay more for a Class C than for most campervans, but given the larger living area and extra amenities, the higher price is justified.
Let’s review our top picks for the best Class C RVs under 25 feet to help you get a sense of whether or not a class C RV will work for your camping adventures.
Winnebago Minnie Winnie 22M or 22R
Winnebago currently offers six different floor plans under the Minnie Winnie model. Today we will take a look at the 22M and 22R, both of which come in under 25 feet.
Here are the general specs for the Minnie Winnie 22C and 22E. The standard features are fairly comparable across both models. However, the 22R does not have any slide-outs. Also, it has smaller black and grey tanks (that’s best for those who will visit RV parks with full hook-ups).
Minnie Winnie 22M Specs
- Price: $126,000
- Length: 24’ 5″
- Fuel: Gasoline
- Sleeps: 5
- Fresh Water Tank: 40 gallons
- Black Water Tank: 40 gallons
- Grey Water Tank: 45 gallons
- Slide outs: 1 bedroom slide
- Chassis: Ford E350 350-hp 7.3L V8
- Towing Capacity: 7,500 lbs
- Basic Warranty: 12 months, 15,000 miles
Minnie Winnie 22R Specs
- Price: $120,000
- 22R Length: 23’ 10”
- Fuel: Gasoline
- Sleeps: 5 (both)
- Fresh Water Tank: 40 gallons
- Black Water Tank: 21 gallons
- Grey Water Tank: 24 gallons
- Slide outs: no slides
- Chassis: Ford E350 350-hp 7.3L V8
- Towing Capacity: 7,500 lbs (both)
- Warranty: Basic: 12 months, 15,000 miles (both)
Personally, I find the large tanks sizes on the 22M pretty attractive. For a couple out on the road, those thanks will hold more than enough to be off-grid for several days at a time.
This just opens up more opportunities to explore with more freedom and fewer worries, and I’m always a fan of that.
Winnebago Outlook 22C and 22E
In a slightly more affordable Winnebago model, the Outlook offers two floorplans under 25 feet- the 22C and 22E.
The Outlook 22C model has one bedroom slide, similar to the Minnie Winnie 22M, and the Outlook 22E model has no slides, similar to the Minnie Winnie 22R.
Here are the general specs for the Minnie Winnie 22C and 22E. Except for the slide outs, the standard features are the same.
Winnebago Minnie Winnie 22C Specs
- Price: starting at $92,000
- Length: 24’ 8”
- Fuel: Gasoline
- Sleeps: 5
- Fresh Water Tank: 37 gallons
- Black Water Tank: 41 gallons
- Grey Water Tank: 41 gallons
- Slide out: 1 bedroom slide
- Chassis: Ford E350 350-hp 7.3L V8
- Towing Capacity: 7,500 lbs
- Basic Warranty: 12 months, 15,000 miles
Winnebago Minnie Winnie 22E Specs
- Price: starting at $92,000
- Length: 24’ 8”
- Fuel: Gasoline
- Sleeps: 5
- Fresh Water Tank: 37 gallons
- Black Water Tank: 41 gallons
- Grey Water Tank: 41 gallons
- Slide out: no slides
- Chassis: Ford E350 350-hp 7.3L V8
- Towing Capacity: 7,500 lbs
- Basic Warranty: 12 months, 15,000 miles
Once again, tank sizes do not disappoint. Fresh and grey are only slightly smaller than our first Winnebago option, but nothing to sneeze at.
This will still certainly allow for as much adventure as you can manage.
Gulf Stream BT Cruiser 5245
With a full side slide-out, this “compact” class C RV doesn’t feel small. The large slide-out creates visual space as well as floor space for moving about this RV comfortably.
Gulf Stream is the manufacturer of our 2004 motorhome and even today they’re still known for the tradition of hand-crafting their own cabinets and RV walls in-house.
We appreciate this level of craftsmanship in our RV, and we’re sure you would in this Cruiser model, too.
Gulf Stream BT Cruiser Specs
- Price: starting at $107,000
- Length: 24’ 10”
- Fuel: Gasoline
- Sleeps: 5
- Tanks: Fresh water: 37 gallons Black Tank: 38 gallons Grey Tank: 38 gallons
- Slides: Full driver’s side slide (bedroom, closet, and dinette)
- Chassis: Ford E-350, 6.8L V-10 Engine
- Towing Capacity: 7,500 lbs
While the tanks sizes here are a bit smaller than our first two choices, they are not restrictive at all in terms of off-grid opportunities.
For a couple on the go, it’s still more than enough to manage average water usage.
For a family, it could become an issue after a few days depending on steps taken to minimize water consumption. (Who needs showers, right?)
Gulf Stream Conquest 6237
The Conquest comes in a dozen floor plan options, but for the sake of comparison, we’ll look at the base model (6237), which is a bit more budget-friendly and makes a good family RV.
The Gulf Stream website calls the Conquest “affordable family fun” and “a good choice if you want to turn family vacations into travel adventures.”
Gulf Stream Conquest 6237 Specs
- Price: starting at $80,000
- Length: 24’
- Fuel: Gasoline
- Sleeps: 5
- Tanks: Fresh water: 37 gallons Black Tank: 31 gallons Grey Tank: 31 gallons
- Slides: No slides
- Chassis: Ford E350, 7.3L Premium V-8 Gas Engine
- Towing Capacity: 7,500 lbs
Does a smaller price tag equal smaller tanks? Well, in this case, yes. Losing about 10 gallons of tank capacity is no laughing matter, so I can’t say I’m impressed with these numbers.
However, for the average person who spends far more nights at RV parks than boondocking, it will likely be a non-issue.
Thor Motor Coach Four Winds 22B
This Thor Motor Coach offers the highest towing capacity of all the small class Cs on this list.
It also offers the widest dinette, a 76-inch “dream dinette,” where adult humans could actually sleep.
But the strange thing is, this RV only has 4 seatbelts and therefore is only rated to sleep 4 (even though it has a queen bed in the back, and an over-cab sleeping area, too).
Thor Motor Coach Four Winds Specs
- Price: starting at $118,650
- Length: 24’ 1”
- Fuel: Gasoline
- Sleeps: 4
- Tanks: Fresh water: 40 gallons Black Tank: 29 gallons Grey Tank: 25 gallons
- Slides: One bedroom slide-out
- Chassis: Ford (7.3L V8) or Chevrolet chassis (6.0 L V8)
- Towing Capacity: 8,000 lbs
In addition to this strange disconnect between bed capacity and seat belts, the unexpectedly small tanks coupled with the higher price tag are a bit of a turn-off.
A grey tank capacity of 25 gallons doesn’t strike us as adequate for many types of outings. I hope they upgrade those tanks on newer models.
Forest River Forester 2401B MBS
This model is technically five inches over the limit defined here, but we’ve included the Forester because it drives very much like a compact Class C and it’s a great RV.
It’s also the only “Certified Green” RV on this list, and we wanted to include an eco-conscious option.
This RV is small enough that you don’t really need to tow a separate vehicle. But, if you are certain you’ll want to tow, be aware of the limited 4,200 lbs towing capacity on this RV.
Forest River Forester 2401B MBS Specs
- Price: starting at $113,000
- Length: 25’ 5”
- Fuel: Diesel
- Sleeps: 4
- Fresh Water Tank: 35 gallons
- Black Water Tank: 32 gallons
- Grey Water Tank: 32 gallons
- Slides: Full driver’s side slide-out (bed, storage, and dinette)
- Chassis: Mercedes Benz Sprinter
- Towing Capacity: 4,200 lbs
- Warranty: Basic: 12 months, 12,000 miles
While I think this is probably the most attractive-looking Class C of the bunch, the tank capacities coupled with the higher price tag give me pause.
Having said that, we have to keep in mind that this is a diesel engine on a Mercedes Benz Sprinter chassis, so the higher price tag should be expected.
The overall longevity of the diesel engine should more than justify the cost.
NeXus RV Triumph 24T
Measuring exactly 25 feet, this NeXus RV model feels spacious due to the full-side slide-out.
Plus, it’s built in the RV capital of the US, Elkhart IN, with an “all steel- composite” construction. NeXus states their construction is “up to 72% stronger for safer rides while using steel in the superstructure, minimizing potential water damage while maximizing thermal and sound insulation.”
Nexus RV Triumph 24T Specs
- Price: starting at $120,000
- Length: 25’
- Fuel: Gasoline
- Sleeps: 5
- Fresh Water Tank: 40 gallons
- Black Water Tank: 28 gallons
- Grey Water Tank: 28 gallons
- Slides: Full driver’s side slide-out (bed, storage, and dinette)
- Chassis: Ford 7.3L V8
- Towing Capacity: 7,500 lbs
While I do like the steel construction feature and the full driver’s slide-out for maximum space, I feel they could have done much better on the black and grey tank capacity to match up with competitors and give buyers more options in their camping style.
But all things considered, this is a solid option with a strong V8 engine. You will probably want to take a closer look at this Nexus.
Wrapping Up With a Quick Summary
Let’s do a quick recap and comparison of the compact class C RVs mentioned here.
All of these excellent options for a class C RV sleep either four or five people, fairly comparable across the board.
And it seems the seatbelts are really more the limiting factor than available spaces to catch some shut-eye.
They also all have approximately the same size freshwater carrying capacity, ranging from 35 to 40 gallons. But the black and grey tank space ranges from 25 to 45 gallons.
An extra 20 gallons of grey tank space might make a big difference in your ability to stay off-grid as long as you want.
So if the off-grid style of camping known as boondocking is something you’d like to do with your small class C RV, consider these tank space differences.
If towing capacity is important to you, you’ll want to choose wisely as it ranges from 4,200 to 8,000 lbs just with the seven RVs on this list.
And there are both diesel and gasoline fuel options with class C RVs, so if that’s important to you, it may impact the RV manufacturer and models you have to choose from.
Which Class C RV Would You Choose?
We’ve heard RVers say that a Class C offers the most living space within the shortest length of any type of RV. The RVs on this list are certainly a good example of that, packing in quite a few amenities in 25 feet or less.
Do you own any of these RV models? If you would would you like to own an RV under 25 feet, did any of the models we listed stand out to you? Please provide your comments below if you would like to send in your opinion, feedback or recommendations.
If we had to choose, it would be the Forest River Forester. We love the diesel engine, especially when you compare the price against these other class Cs and realize it really won’t cost you any extra for it.
We also love the certified green build (it’s okay, you can call us hippies). And on an RV this size we wouldn’t be worried about the towing capacity.
We hope this post helps you weigh the pros and cons of compact class C RVs and helps you find the one that’s right for you!
Here are a few more RVs you might want to take a look at:
Kristen Bates lives & works from her RV, primarily boondocking off-grid. She owns and operates a women-led travel company, Legit Trips. Kristen loves to explore new places and inspire others to do the same. If she’s not typing away on her laptop, she’s off on an adventure- hiking, biking, or SUP boarding. You can follow her RV adventures @PerpetualMoves and learn more about her travel company at LegitTrips.com.
My favorite 25-footer so far is the Unity Murphy Bed, but it’ll cost an arm and a leg:
https://leisurevans.com/unity
Yup, it’s true. This has never been a cheap lifestyle to enter…and that is much more true these days. Maybe we will see prices start to moderate a bit soon.
But I do like that Unity!
Diesels are worse for the environment though and will cost arm and a leg to maintain instead of a GM or Ford gas engine. Most RVs I see used don’t have many miles on them, so years sitting around, perhaps even more than miles, will age them.