Winnebago Ekko 22A

The Ekko 22A is arguably the most-talked-about adventure rig in North America, and for good reason: it took the off-grid formula the Revel pioneered and put it on a Ford Transit AWD gas chassis that owners actually trust. The headline is the powertrain - cheap, universally serviceable gas with no DEF or Mercedes-dealer drama - paired with a genuinely strong off-grid system: a 320Ah lithium battery, 455 watts of solar, and a 50-gallon heated freshwater tank that solves the water problem the Revel is criticized for. The vibe is do-it-all adventure: bikes in the garage, a family of four aboard, and days of boondocking capability.

In practice the Ekko drives confidently, climbs grades well, and at under 23 feet parks almost anywhere while delivering a real bathroom with a stand-up shower. The honest caveats are well-documented across iRV2, winnieowners.com, and Reddit: early builds had recalls and a parade of small defects - cracked windows, trim, latches, appliance failures - and while Winnebago has cleaned much of that up, the small-stuff punch list lingers. The nastiest surprise for some owners is service: Ford dealers in several Southwestern states have refused warranty work on the under-24-foot Transit chassis, leaving owners stranded despite Ford's promises.

The Ekko is for the active couple or small family who wants Revel-style off-grid capability without the Mercedes ownership tax. At roughly $182k it undercuts the Revel while sleeping four instead of two and running on cheap gas - the comparison owners make constantly. The tradeoff is straightforward: the Ekko gives up the Revel's true low-range 4x4 and diesel range for AWD, gas simplicity, more water, and more sleeping capacity. For the vast majority of buyers who do gravel roads and trailheads rather than serious overlanding, that trade is exactly why the Ekko has become a phenomenon.