2012 Tiffin Allegro Breeze Review

Tiffin Motorhomes is looking to capitalize on a new breed of Class A buyers with its Allegro Breeze, officially the smallest Class A motorhome you can get with a diesel engine. This compact size is great for new RVers wanting to start off with luxury appointments and an easy-to-drive unit or the aging RVer who is simply looking for something more manageable.

Two floor plans are available for Allegro Breeze, a 29-foot option or a 33-foot variation. Considering most Class A motorhomes start at around 35 feet, this is considerably smaller than many of the other offerings in the same range.

Set up like a classic diesel pusher, the Allegro Breeze features a front-bus style door and rear-mounted engine. Exterior styling is fairly standard, with a typical RV graphics package wrapping the outside of the unit. Due to its short wheelbase, the Allegro Breeze has quite a bit of overhang behind the rear axle and feels even shorter than it already is.

Step inside the Allegro Breeze and interior layout feels quite unique for the segment, giving more of its useable space up for comfortable seating and sleeping rather than kitchen amenities. A U-shaped dinette is very spacious and can comfortably sit a full family of four, while the opposing wall sports a sofa. Both the dinette and sofa can be converted into beds.

Two televisions can be outfitted in the front living area, one in the classic spot, up high between the driver and passenger seats, and the other a mid-mounted television on the kitchen wall opposing the front TV. The kitchen is a tad small, but still comes fully outfitted with solid surface countertops, solid wood refrigerator door panels, double bowl stainless steel sink, 2-burner cooktop with folding glass cover and a convection microwave with its own exterior vent.

We were impressed by the washroom in the Allegro Breeze, which sports a full-size stand-alone shower stall on one side of the unit and the rest of the bathroom necessities on the other side. These include a full medicine cabinet, satin nickel vanity faucet, solid surface countertop, fiberglass one-piece shower and skylight with exhaust fan.

Also well designed is the bedroom, with a perpendicular-mounted bed and side closets on either side for him and her. Those who opt for the longer wheelbase model will find an additional closet on the front driver’s sidewall in the bedroom for added storage space. The bedroom is outfitted with a queen size memory foam mattress, wall-to-wall carpet and optional vinyl tile flooring if you want to match the front bedroom with the living room.

Weighing in with a GVWR of either 22,000 lbs. or 23,500 lbs. depending on the floor plan chosen, the Allegro Breeze features a 30-gallon black water tank, 70-gallon fresh water tank and 50-gallon grey-water tank. As well, the unit can hold 20 gallons of propane for running the fridge and cooking appliances when you are out camping off the power grid.

Powering the Allegro Breeze is a Navistar Maxxforce 7diesel engine that makes 215 hp and puts out a whopping 560 lb. ft. of torque. The Maxxforce runs with dual sequential turbochargers and is made with a compressed graphite iron engine block to add durability. This engine is very easy to maintain for the RVer who doesn’t also want to be a mechanic by not needing DEF fluid like most other diesels of this size. In 2010 the Maxxforce 7 was rated number one in customer satisfaction by J.D. Power and Associates.

Some other added goodies which stand on the Allegro Breeze are side-view cameras which are activated by the turn signals, full air-ride suspension, exterior rinse shower head, entry door awning, power slide-out awnings, heated power mirrors and a tinted one-piece windshield.

Tiffin offers the Allegro Breeze for the customer who does not want the hassle of maneuvering a full-size Class A but also won’t give up anything in the luxury department. Styling tips the scale towards the luxury buyer, pricing in at a reasonable starting price of $153,300 for the short wheelbase and $164,920 for the longer model.

If you are in the market for a well-appointed and easy-to-handle diesel pusher and don’t mind sacrificing some square footage, the Allegro Breeze by Tiffin is certainly worth a closer look.

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