Sales of recreational vehicles have shot up during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Many people have taken to road tripping, car camping, overlanding, and off-roading as their get-away escapes from the various regional lockdown situations. So, attention to the RV segment is understandable. To try and scratch the itch of getting outdoors, Leisure Travel Vans has taken the pandemic opportunity to launch the Wonder Real Lounge. 

The RV gets you outdoors

Getting outdoors certainly has its attraction. It is an opportunity to see something different than the same four walls people have seen day in and day out as they have worked from home. A motor home offers the chance to see scenic mountainscapes, visit historic landmarks, and still be able to sleep without having to worry about the cleanliness of hotels, or the lack thereof. 

The Wonder Real Lounge RV

The 2021 Wonder Real Lounge (RL) makes it possible to escape and be able to control how sanitary one’s living space is. The small motor home has two separate living areas and a six-foot, five-inch interior roof height. This lends to the open-air feeling even when indoors. 

There are also other things that you would expect to find in most modern RVs. A rain sensing ventilation fan that automatically shuts down when precipitation is sensed outside, window shades, barn-style opening windows, a bathroom, a kitchen with Corian countertops, a two-burner stove, soft-close drawers, a hot water heater, wi-fi booster, satellite tv connectivity, and plenty of storage areas are all included. So, the Wonder Rear Lounge does measure up to what is already out there for sale from other manufacturers.

Extra touches

There are, however, some nice touches in the Wonder that are not found in many other motor-homes of comparable size. For example, multiple skylights, solar panels, a heat pump, a hidden Murphy bed for two people, and the ability to run the motor-home through a downloadable phone app are all niceties.

The Wonder RL is built upon a new 2021 Ford Transit van. It has Ford’s twin-turbo, V6 Ecoboost motor that puts out 310 horsepower and 400 ft-lb of torque. The Transit also provides the RV with a suite of driver aids such as back up camera, voice-activated navigation, lane-keeping assist, pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, driver alert assist in case the driver is tired, post-crash alert system, tire pressure monitoring, and side-wind stabilization. The RV can tow as much as 4,000 pounds depending on configuration and runs a 10-speed transmission. An all-wheel drive option is also available.

Outside the RV

The exterior of the Wonder RL has an awning available with built-in LED lighting and an external shower for those times you need to rinse off before going inside. The RV is available in seven different color combinations and also has an optional generator mounted in the exterior storage space to provide longer run times on appliances. 

Overall, the 2021 Wonder RL is a well-rounded package offering a roomy interior, expansive windows to allow the light in, a multi-use convertible interior space, and great safety systems for the driver. But, at a starting price of $130,000, the RL is also pricey. Staying in a hotel and buying a lot of cleaning supplies would be cheaper. Still, an RV can actually get you outdoors to remote locations, while a hotel limits locations. So, it really is a matter of how much a person is willing to spend. At this price point, a small family would need to take advantage of the Wonder Rear Lounge RV beyond a few weeks of lockdown to make it worth it. So, if the purchaser is considering an RV for long term use, it may make sense.