Popular camper van manufacturers like Thor, Jayco, and Winnebago utilize several chassis in their RV construction. Because these motorhome chassis are the foundation for these popular RVs, it’s important to understand their major differences to know which is right for you. Today, we’ll compare four of the most widely used camper van chassis to help you select the best Class B RV for your camping needs.
Ford Transit AWD Van Chassis
Camper vans built on the Ford Transit chassis are among the most popular options for campers seeking a nimble van that can handle diverse terrain and adverse weather conditions. Intelligent all-wheel drive is one of the top available systems for the Ford Transit cargo van and Passenger Van XL.
While an RV’s living amenities will vary by manufacturer, these standard features make RVs built on the Ford Transit van chassis appealing.
- 3.5L V6 Engine with Port-Fuel/Direct Injection (PFDi) system (optional 3.5L EcoBoost® V6 Engine)
- AdvanceTrac® With Roll Stability Control™
- Pre-Collision Assist With Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
- Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
- Safety Canopy® System with Side-Curtain Airbags
- Tilting and Telescoping Steering Wheel
Popular AWD 350HD Vans on Ford Transit Chassis
- Coachmen Beyond
- Entegra Coach Expanse
- Jayco Solstice
- Thor Palladium / Talavera
Ford Transit Cutaway Chassis
Many popular small Class C RVs and Class B Plus motorhomes are built on the Ford Transit cutaway chassis. It allows RV manufacturers the freedom to design their ideal motorhome without being limited to the traditional cargo or passenger van body size. The Transit cutaway chassis offers many of the same features as Ford’s cargo and passenger vans, including those listed above. Additional noteworthy features of these Ford Transit chassis include:
- SOS Post-Crash Alert System™
- SecuriLock® Passive Anti-Theft System (PATS) with Engine Immobilizer
- Power Equipment Group (Power Locks and Windows) with Remote Keyless-Entry
- Automatic Rain-Sensing Windshield Wipers
Popular RVs on 350HD AWD Ford Transit Cutaway Chassis
- Thor Eddie Bauer Transit / Freedom Elite Transit
- Forest River Forester TS / Sunseeker TS
- Thor Compass / Gemini
- Winnebago Ekko Transit
- Jayco Granite Ridge
- Coachmen Cross Trail EV (select floor plans)
- Entegra Coach Condor 22T
RAM ProMaster Van Chassis
Most of the popular RAM ProMaster camper vans are built on the high-roof ProMaster 3500 Window Van chassis. The most compact camper vans in this segment are built on either the ProMaster 1500 Window van or Cargo van chassis. The 3500 Ram vans will offer a 159” wheelbase, while the 1500 vans boast a shorter 136” wheelbase. However, these two common RV van chassis share some common features:
- 3.6L V6 VVT Engine with a 9-speed Automatic Transmission
- Uconnect® 5 Nav with 10.1-Inch Touch Screen Display
- Blind-Spot and Cross-Path Detection with Pedestrian / Cyclist Emergency Braking
- ParkSense® Front and Rear Park-Assist System with ParkView® Rear Back-Up Camera
- Digital Rearview Mirror with Rear Window Defroster
Popular RAM ProMaster Chassis Motorhomes
ProMaster 3500 Window Van
- Thor Eddie Bauer 20EB / Dazzle / Twist / Sequence / Tellaro
- Winnebago Solis / Solis NPF / Roam / Travato
- Jayco Swift
- Entegra Coach Ethos
- Coachmen Nova / Pixel
- Airstream Rangeline
ProMaster 1500 Window/Cargo Van
RAM ProMaster Cutaway Chassis
Watch for Forest River to unveil several new Class B+ camper vans built on the RAM ProMaster cutaway chassis in 2025. RAM’s cutaway chassis boasts the same engine and transmission you’ll find in their ready-to-build camper vans, but their additional build and navigation features include:
- Forward Collision Warning Plus Mitigation
- Crosswind Assist Electronic Stability Control
- Predictive Brake Assist with a 4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
- Front strut suspension and rear leaf suspension
Popular RAM ProMaster Cutaway Chassis Motorhomes
- Forest River Forester PM / Sunseeker PM
Mercedes Benz Sprinter Chassis
One of the biggest differences between a Mercedes camper van and those made by Ford or Ram is the diesel engine in the Mercedes vs gas engines in the Ford and Ram vans. Diesel fuel may or may not be more expensive, depending on where you travel, and while it’s worth exploring the gas vs diesel RV debate before you make your final selection, let’s focus on some of the standard features you’ll get with any Mercedes Sprinter van.
- Active Brake Assist (with optional Blind Spot Assist and 360° Camera)
- 4-cylinder Diesel Engine with 9G-Tronic Automatic Transmission
- 20,000-mile Service Interval
- Maximum Traction AWD (on select models)
- Optional Drive Assist Features (Distance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Attention Assist, Traffic Sign Assist)
The final upfit varies by manufacturer, so compare several of these top Mercedes Sprinter RVs to find your ideal camper.
Popular Mercedes Sprinter Van Chassis Motorhomes
Sprinter 3500 Van
- Airstream Interstate 19 & 19SE
- Winnebago Adventure Wagon 44M
Sprinter 3500 Extended Van
- Airstream Interstate 24GT
- Coachmen Galleria
- Winnebago Adventure Wagon 70SE (optional AWD chassis)
AWD Sprinter 2500 Van
- Thor Eddie Bauer 19EB
- Jayco Terrain
- Thor Tranquility / Sanctuary (select models)
- Entegra Coach Launch
- Winnebago Revel / Revel Sport
- Airstream Interstate 19X
AWD Sprinter 3500 Extended AWD Van
- Thor Tranquility / Sanctuary (select models)
- Airstream Interstate 24X & 24GL
Mercedes Sprinter Cutaway Chassis
Some of the most luxurious Class B Plus RVs and small Mercedes Benz Class C RV campers are constructed on the Sprinter cutaway chassis or Sprinter chassis cab, giving RV owners the safety features they trust from Mercedes while offering RV manufacturers the freedom to build the ideal living and sleeping quarters for you. This chassis provides the same safety features as the cargo and passenger vans above while giving manufacturers two wheelbase options (144” and 170”) and multiple chassis lengths for each wheelbase. The added length allows manufacturers to build some of the best camper vans with slide-outs.
Check out our favorite small motorhomes built on the Sprinter cutaway chassis.
Popular Sprinter Cutaway Chassis RVs
Sprinter Cutaway 4500 Chassis
Sprinter Cutaway 3500 Chassis
- Winnebago View / Navion (optional 3500 AWD Chassis)
- Jayco Melbourne / Melbourne Prestige
- Forest River Sunseeker MBS / Forester MBS (select floor plans)
- Winnebago Vita / Porto
- Coachmen Prism
- Entegra Coach Qwest / Qwest SE
- Forest River Solera
AWD Sprinter Cutaway 3500 Chassis
- Winnebago Ekko Sprinter
- Entegra Coach Condor 23S
Once you’ve narrowed your list, it’s time to book a tour of these popular camper vans in person. Use the link below to find a Camping World near you, and contact them to schedule your RV tour today!
Which motorhome chassis would you choose for your next camper van? Let us know in the comments below!
