Plateau XLTS | Class C Motorhome

Compact Class C MotorHome Reviews – PleasureWay Plateau XLTS

2021 Update. While PleasureWay no longer makes the XLTS or any Class C motorhomes, this review will be handy for those shopping for used or nearly new compact motorhome. The XLTS is worth considering. 2023 Update – surprise! Pleasure Way, after a 4 year absence is again making the XLTS.

In my previous reviews of American or Canadian Compact Class C Motorhomes, I didn’t include a new entry for 2018 from Pleasure Way Industries from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The main drawback hampering its inclusion was price. An MSRP base price of $145,470.00! Our threshold was $100,000. While you could expect to find a dealer who could knock several thousand dollars off that $145K price, I would be surprised if a buyer could ever get below $110,000.

But for the benefit of those who might not be scared off by the sticker price, I’ll review some of the strengths. While Pleasure-Way has been known for producing high quality Class B motorhomes, the Plateau XLTS is a wide-body Class C. That extra width is important as even the high end Class Bs we’ve looked at always seem claustrophobic. While using the Mercedes chassis that has become popular, they managed to keep the length down to 22′ 9″ whereas many competitors using the Mercedes platform are pushing 25 feet.

Our benchmark features for a compact Class C Motorhome are those we have found in our Winnebago Rialta. Those are:

  • Low profile, aerodynamic and attractive body style
  • Short length (21 feet) enables parking in a conventional automobile parking space
  • Driving and manevering it is as easy as a pickup truck
  • Doubles as a deluxe passenger van with seating for 4 adults and 3 kids
  • Large coach windows, with natural light lending an open feeling to the interior
  • Large rear-facing picture window with view from the driver’s seat
  • Good gas mileage: 17 – 19 highway
  • Has the same coach accessories/conveniences of much bigger units.

Two features of the Rialta we don’t have that we might trade-off against having some of the above are: 1) Not having to tear down the bed each day to put up the dinette and 2) Having better service available than we now have due to the no-longer-available-in-US VW eurovan engine and chassis.

How does the XLTS stack up?

  • Somewhat aerodynamic and attractive body style but rather tall at 10′ 9″
  • Shorter than many competitors at 22’9″
  • Driving – we would need to do a test drive, but with decent aerodynamics and shorter length expect it better than most
  • Doubling a passenger van – does well here, can tote at least 5 adults.
  • Rear lounge area has three fairly spacious windows, good natural lighting
  • Has medium-sized rear window with view from the driver’s seat.
  • Mileage claim: 14 to 16 mpg (diesel fuel not gas)
  • Coach accessories/conveniences are top notch, A+

The coach fit and construction materials of the Pleasure-Way XLTS are grade A. Tubular steel frame, a molded fiberglass skin with very few seams, everything bonded together without fasteners. High quality, durable clear coat finish. Inside the cabinetry is quality construction, real maple wood with mortise and tenon joints. Deluxe appointments like corian countertops, spacious dry bathroom, dimmable LED lights, 6 cubic foot 3 way refrigerator, lithium batteries, a 2000 watt sine wave inverter, and many more very deluxe accessories. The monitoring panels for electrical and plumbing utilities are extremely high tech – touch pad features, providing state-of-the-art metrics and controls. So you get lots of creature comforts and quality materials to help justify spending up to $50,000 more than units that may bear some physical resemblance to the XLTS. To be fair, part of that premium price is due to the Mercedes chassis. In our reviews of Class C options, it seemed just changing out the chassis from Mercedes to either Dodge or Ford saved from $10,000 to $20,000.

Plateau XLTS floor plan
I like the floor plan. Two lounge areas. Good use of space and option to keep the bed made up.
Plateau XLTS
The two handy workstation tables.
Plateau XLTS
Sofa bed converted into Queen Bed

A few special features of note. Behind the driver and passenger seats are two work station tables that when the seats are swiveled around work nicely for a laptop computer or an individual dining table. In the rear lounge area is a power sofa that converts into a bed. In the sofa configuration, there is also a dining table (that stores when the bed is made up). But due to the two workstation tables up front, one could elect to leave the rear bed made up. Another nice feature of the power sofa bed is that it can convert either to a full-size queen bed or two twin beds. Given its larger bathroom and relatively short length, there is a decent amount of interior storage space in closets, cabinets, pull-out drawers, etc.

Pleasure-Way doesn’t quote the amount of exterior storage. It looks to be at least halfway decent. Not sure we could store two golf bags, which is one of our personal criteria for a Compact Class C motorhome. We’ll amend this report once we are able to visit a dealership or find this model at an RV Show to see it in the flesh. So stay tuned for more reports.

PS. Also on our 2018 review docket is an in person review of the new North American Hymer Aktiv 2.0.

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