In the past, plenty of Tiffin Motorhome customers had expressed interest in a smaller Class-A motorhome that still retained the amenities of the larger units. It had to remain a diesel-pusher with air brakes and air ride suspension, yet be maneuverable and more economical to operate. With rising fuel costs, fuel efficiency was also a primary concern.
The Allegro Breeze is Bob Tiffin’s response to these requests. Rather than just shrink a larger unit, he designed a custom Powerglide chassis that was designed strictly for the Allegro Breeze and was closely integrated with the coach body at an attractive price for a diesel-pusher. The initial offering was a 28-foot floor plan, with a 32-foot floor plan soon to follow.
Navistar Maxxforce Powertrain
The chosen engine was a 215hp Navistar Maxxforce 7, which is a shorter, more compact V-8 when compared to the typical long inline six. This allowed Tiffin to reduce the rear overhang, lower the driveline to reduce the driveshaft angle, and still provide adequate power. Navistar engines utilize advanced EGR technology to meet EPA’s 2010 emissions standards, so no DEF (urea) tanks are required. This helps to keep costs down and offers additional benefits in lower net weight and increased storage space.
There is quite a backlog of orders for the popular Allegro Breeze. Thanks to Kings Campers in Wausau, Wisconsin, we wrangled a unit to road test. (Kings Campers has received a 50 Top Dealer award by RV Business magazine for three consecutive years for outstanding custom service.)
Construction and Specs
The Allegro Breeze features sturdy construction, excellent insulation, and a host of features. Its one-piece fiberglass roof mates with fiberglass sidewalls that feature full body paint. Its raised rail rear engine diesel chassis offers 77 cubic-feet of pass-through basement storage. Cargo carrying capacity was a generous 3,027 pounds on our test coach. At 11 feet 2 inches, the Breeze is shorter than most Class-A coaches. Yet, the interior height is 78 inches—plenty of headroom.
The Breeze is lighter than your typical diesel-pusher and has a GVWR of 22,000 pounds. Fuel economy is said to be 13 to 15 miles per gallon, which should allow a maximum cruising range of 800 to 900 miles between refills of its 65-gallon fuel tank, although we did not have adequate time to verify that data.
Amenities
Aluminum wheels are standard as are powered patio and entry-door awnings. A paint film covers the front of the coach to help protect it from stone chips. An optional 15,000-BTU rooftop AC with heat pump provides cool or warm air to the interior via ducted ceiling registers. The electrical service is fed by a 50-amp power cord, as well as a 6 KW Onan diesel-powered generator. Chrome mirror heads are heated and feature power adjustment controls that are in comfortable reach of the driver. Our test coach featured the Gold Coral full body paint color scheme with the Summer interior décor package with Alder cabinets.