RV Buddies takes a close look at the new VIA from Winnebago

In so many industries, competitors buy each other's products and “reverse engineer” them to find out their best-kept secrets. The Winnebago Via is a coach that competitors should buy and take apart to learn what makes it so special. If anything is to be learned from the VIA, it is the wonderful blend of the past and the future in its design.

Back when 27' was considered big for an RV, layouts were efficient. The VIA recalls just that. From the hide-a-way loft bed that creates Class C convenience to the twins in the back, this coach makes incredible use of space.

As for the future, the F50 chassis delivers some of the best fuel economy ever seen in an RV. But that's only part of the picture when it comes to the chassis – more on that later.

As we set out to review the Via, the weather in Hershey, Pennsylvania was a wonderful mix of sun and cleansing showers. The air was clean and the sky shone bright. The green countryside was picturesque and painted a perfect backdrop for every RV lifestyle lover.

The exterior of the VIA 25T is distinctive at first glance. The coach is a svelte 7'6" wide. And at just 25'5" in length, navigating is about as easy as a large SUV. The aerodynamic automotive styled front and rear caps are clean in both line and design.

Beneath the VIAs attractive skin lie a number of features. Up front is a totally new entry door influenced by the airline industry. It features dual seals, dual latches and hidden hinges. It feels secure and tight like a fine automobile, and it truly delivers a quiet, wind noise-free ride.

The exterior is fitted with scratch-resistant dual-pane acrylic windows, which are lightweight and fit flush with the coach. Inside, the blinds rise from the window base. This allows privacy to be maintained without losing a fresh breeze.

The rear of the coach boasts a cavernous 87 cubic feet of storage space. This is as large, if not larger, than some Class A units of much greater length. It will fit lots of camping toys in there - from bikes to BBQ's.

One of the more impressive new features, standard on this coach, is an emergency LP shut-off switch. Hopefully this will set a trend for the entire industry. As an important note – all manufacturers are required to install a fire extinguisher. But more is always better. There’s no such thing as “too safe!”

The VIA also comes with full body paint standard. The finish of the paint is flawless. The colors blend smoothly with a mirror-like finish. With a little TLC, this coach will look great for years to come. The patterns and colors are also timeless. Finding a favorite could be tricky because they’re all terrific.

Side view cameras are standard, and Alcoa has finally created a beautiful stylized aluminum wheel for Sprinters. The alloy wheels provide many safety and performance benefits. They look really great and they make lost hubcaps are a thing of the past!

The driver's area is one of the nicest features of this coach. The dash is straight from the Sprinter – with the convenience of all the familiar ergonomics of a car, plus the added features of an RV. A new feature on this model is the Jensen 6.5" LCD display that doubles as a radio/CD player and acts as the monitor for the rearview and side cameras – slick!

The dash also has an available appliqué. Unlike some, this one is really nice – not too flashy – just a nice accent that fits this beautiful dash.

Our favorite driver’s area feature is the seat swivel swings completely around to integrate it into the living area. This kind of flex-space design makes a lot of sense and is becoming a trend in more efficiently designed coaches.

The VIA is sort of “Class A meets Class C” with the loft bed over the driver’s area that hides away until you need it. Just unlatch two hooks and it lowers slowly and safely. It's designed nicely into the headliner of the "cab" area. It’s barely notice until dropped into place. This is a perfect place for a few kids to play fort. And it has a perfect view of the TV as well.

The living area has some great features. The sofa in the 25T is in a slide-out. It has storage overhead. A pedestal table can be installed either in front of the sofa or the two cab seats. This makes lounging with your feet up while watching TV, or settling in for a game of canasta. Nice.

One smart piece of design work is how the TV is set into the aft wall. With so many coaches you can't watch TV unless the slide-out is open. On the VIA, the curved edge by the TV hinges out and the TV slides into the coach area so you can watch if you're dry-camping somewhere you don't want to open the slide. It's this kind of practical design that is evident throughout the coach.

Just opposite the living room is the galley space. An Apollo convection/microwave is in the overhead. Both the sink and 2 burner gas range are under glass covers which increase usable counter space. And the single door refrigerator has an usual feature. The freezer compartment can be removed as needed for extra space for cold beverages. Whoever thought of that idea knows how to throw a good tailgate party!

Amidships on the driver's side is a full dry bath. The compact space has a full shower, ample toilet area and vanity with mirror. Its size defies the fact that it's in a coach barely over 25'. Winnebago has also been using the SHUB shower door, a retractable screen that wipes itself clean each time it is opened or closed. Besides the maintenance benefit, when opened the shower adds to the spacious feel of what might otherwise feel like a small compartment. Also, unlike a shower curtain water on the floor can be all but eliminated.

The rear of the coach features two opposing single beds. Between them, a floating cabinet is mounted to the wall. The area has the feel of an upscale loft. You would never guess looking at the space that a huge storage area is underneath.

Each bed is comfortable in its own right, but optionally, can be ordered with the flex-bed kit and the twins can be joined together to make a 59" x 87" sleeping surface. That's enough room for a basketball player, the kids after a scary campfire story, or your favorite furry friend at the foot of your bed!

The VIA is also available in a 25R floorplan which has a larger slide and permanent 60" x 80" queen size bed and aft bath arrangement.

After filming the coach inside and out, we went for a spin. The VIA is built on the all-new F50 Sprinter chassis. The first thing we noticed is how easily the coach accelerates. It's fast off the line. In fact, it's faster than some cars. And we didn’t even notice the transmission. It's smooth and seamless.

If this is beginning to sound like a car review – it very well could be. Steering was predictable. There was no wander. Granted it did not have the precision of a German car on the autobahn, but who wants a twitchy response in a large vehicle like an RV. The four-wheel disc brakes with ABS all around brought this coach to impressive stops.

Keep in mind our test drive was in the rain, and there were many sweeping curves as we circled the Hershey center trying to get back in – each lap getting speedier than the last. In spite of the increased velocity, the coach felt solid and sure on the road. There was no sense of being top-heavy at all. RV Buddies looks forward to putting a few hundred miles on this coach as this short tease was nothing but pure pleasure.

The VIA is a great coach. It's a great size for dry-camping or pulling into a luxury resort. Have snacks ready as everyone is going to want a tour. Add to that, great diesel mileage and good handling, and you will be spending more time on the road – which is what RVing is all about.