Which Is Better Newmar vs Tiffin? (Ventana, Phaeton, Allegro)
Opening a can of worms. Whenever these comparisons crop up in a conversation, the person initiating the discussion is usually opening up a can of worms. Everyone has their own opinion on which RV brand or model is the best and they can present their views very emotionally.
One top best diesel pusher list had Newmar at number 1 and 5. In between those two models were three Tiffin RVs. What this means is that both companies make good RVs that their customers are happy with. They may almost be the same in quality but that remains to be seen.
To learn more about both these top RV brands, just continue to read our article. It has the information on both brands to help you make the best decision for your budget and RV lifestyle. The initial word is that both are very good and you won’t lose sleep choosing one over the other.
Newmar vs Tiffin
Who Owns Tiffin
Many RV brands like you to think that they are all independent companies fighting the big bad competitors in this industry. But if the truth were told, you would find out that the majority of all those competitors are owned by the same company or another parent company.
Tiffin used to be owned independently by the Tiffin family. The company was started in 1972 by the patriarch Bob Tiffin. For decades he and his family ran the business like they would want to be treated as RV owners.
All that changed in 2020 when Thor spent 300 million to acquire the Tiffin Brand. Yes, the company made promises that the Tiffin brand would still be managed by the Tiffin family but Thor’s reputation has raised some doubts about what will happen in the upcoming years.
There are people who are worried that the lack of quality control Thor and its smaller companies, like Jayco and Airstream, are known for will happen to Tiffin soon.
Who Owns Newmar
The story is similar to Tiffin's. Newmar was started in 19068 by 2 RV salesmen named Marvin. They spend the next 50 years developing the brand into a very top-quality and luxury brand name.
The owners have made some of their RVs worth $1,000,000, at least that is what they sold for. However, good things do not last it seems. In 2019, Winnebago bought Newmar for around $344,000,000 and has made it the luxury RV arm of their sprawling company.
Winnebago also kept one of the family members of the original owners as manager of the Newmar company. Your RV purchase may depend on whether you like Winnebago or Thor.
The same fears that some people have about Tiffin’s new ownership do not seem to be held by those people who like Newmar RVs. Winnebago may have a better reputation than Thor and there is hope that the Newmar tradition will continue under this new ownership.
Which is Better Newmar vs Tiffin?
This is hard to say as Newmar is known more for luxury Class A RVs than Tiffin is. Both come with a lot of praise sent in their directions so this makes it hard to determine which one is better.
It is said that Tiffin employs master craftsmen to handle the construction of their RV models. These craftsmen have been responsible for such features as -- Smart Slides system, multiplex wiring, and form-fitted roofs/
Plus, Tiffin has had the reputation of inviting current & prospective customers to talk with their technicians during the construction and pre-construction phase. They are also dedicated to top customer service.
On the other hand, Newmar is known to be a maker of RVs that have luxury, class, innovation, and longevity. Some of those innovations include a new steering system, wheelchair accessibility, and slide-outs.
The company also provides a 1-year unlimited miles warranty as well as a 5-year structural warranty. Both are valid for original owners only. Both companies have some very strong positive points.
According to the Pissed Customer review website, the negative side is rarely seen until you start having problems with your new RV. Newmar only got a 2.7 out of 5 rating while Tiffin managed only a 2.4 out of 5 rating.
We take those review websites with a grain of salt but they illustrate that neither company is going to be perfect. As to which one is better, it all depends on what you want in an RV.
Both companies make great RV models and one may not suit your lifestyle but the other one might.
A Quick Comparison Chart
Here are some general specs for both companies that may help you decide which RV maker is better than the other one.
| Size | Newmar | Tiffin |
| Overall length range | 27 to 44 ft | 33.17 to 45 ft |
| Overall width | 8.46 ft | 7.92 to 8.42 ft |
| Overall height range | 12.33 to 13.33 ft | 11.67 to 13.25 ft |
| Interior width | 7.95 ft | 6.5 to 6.92 ft |
| Interior height range | 6.67 to 7.13 ft | 7.58 to 8 ft |
| Gray water tank capacity | 60 to 80 gallons | 50 to 100 gallons |
| Black water tank capacity | 40 to 60 gallons | 33 to 55 gallons |
| Fresh water tank capacity | 75 to 105 gallons | 70 to 100 gallons |
| Starting price | Approx. $200,000 | Approx. $350,000 |
** information for this table comes from https://camperupgrade.com/newmar-vs-tiffin/
Newmar Dutch Star vs Tiffin Allegro Bus
The biggest aspect of the Newmar Dutch Star RV is that you can get this model with either a Freightliner chassis or a Spartan one. Both come with the Cummins diesel engine that puts out 450 HP and roughly 1250 lb-ft of torque.
The other difference in this model would be the length. This model has an overall length ranging between 37’ 11” to 43’ 9”. Everything else will be the same. The exterior width is 101 inches, the overall height reaches 13 feet and on it goes.
The Allegro Bus made by Tiffin reaches between 37.5 feet and 45 feet depending on the floor plan. This model does not have the same number of floor plans or a choice of chassis.
The overall height is 3 inches larger than the Newmar model and its tanks are smaller for the fresh water, larger for the gray water, and the same size for the black water when compared to the Newmar Dutch Star.
Newmar Ventana vs Tiffin Phaeton
Newmar seems to have outdone Tiffin in the floor plans as well as the chassis when comparing these two models. Not only does this Newmar model come with the Freightliner or Spartan choice but it has over twice as many floor plans.
The length of the Tiffin model ranges between 35 feet to 44 feet. The Newmar models will range between 34 feet 10 inches and 43 feet 10 inches. Tiffin maintains its superiority in overall height by up to 4 inches. But the Ventana is wider than the Phaeton by .5 inches.
The interior features and options will depend on the floor plan, as well as the length of the coach you want to buy. They are also up to your preferences. The holding tanks for the Newmar model are- gray 75, black 55, and water 105.
The holding tanks for the Tiffin model are- gray 100, black 55, and fresh 100. All figures are in gallons.
Newmar Mountain Aire vs Tiffin Allegro Bus
This model for Tiffin comes with just 4 floor plans. The longest is 45 feet and the shortest is 37 feet 5 inches. This does not stop the company from placing the same size holding tanks as the previous model inside this coach.
Tiffin does not offer a lot of variety when it comes t overall height, width, and length when it comes to making their RVs. They all seem to be one standard size no matter the length or model.
The basic specs for the Mountain Aire are also limited. The company only offers the Spartan chassis for this RV model and only 6 floor plans. The holding tanks are 5 gallons larger for the fresh, gray, and the black water tanks than the previous model.
The engine for the Tiffin Allegro Bus is the Cummins L9 which puts out 450 HP at 1250 torque. The engine for the Newmar Mountain Aire is the Cummins X which produces 500 HP at 1650 torque. The power sides with Newmar in this category.
Tiffin Allegro vs Newmar Baystar
Tiffin makes several Allegro models. In this instance, we will use the Allegro Breeze as a comparison to the Newmar Baystar. This model comes in only one length, 33 feet 2 inches, has only a 95 inch overall width and a height reaching 11 feet 8 inches.
Its holding tanks are a lot smaller than the other Allegro models in this comparison. They are- gray- 50, black- 33, and fresh water- 70 gallons. It is built on the PowerGlide® Rear Engine Diesel Chassis like the previous Tiffin models in this comparison.
The engine powering this coach is the Cummins B6/7, 340 HP at 700 lb-ft of torque. The Baystar comes with 11 floor plans that push the overall length between 30 feet 11 inches to 38 feet 11 inches.
It is built on the Ford F–Series Class A Motorhome Chassis and uses a Ford 7.3 engine to power this coach. Its HP is 350 at 468 lb-ft of torque. The holding tank size is- gray at 60, black at 40, and fresh water at 75 gallons.
Also, the Baystar model will be about 11 inches taller in overall height when compared to the Allegro Breeze. It is also 6.5 inches wider than the Allegro.
Newmar Ventana vs Tiffin Allegro Red
There are two Allegro models made by Tiffin. The 340 and the 360 but both have the same overall length rating. That rating will range between 35 feet 2 inches and 39 feet 2 inches.
The Allegro Red 340 comes with the Freightliner® XCS Straight Rail Rear Engine Diesel Chassis with RoadWatch and its holding tanks are gray 65, black 65, & fresh water 70 gallons.
Unfortunately, the 340 only comes with 2 floor plans. In contrast to the Ventana which has 11. Plus, you can choose between the Freightliner or Spartan chassis options.
The fresh and gray holding tanks are larger than the Tiffin 340, 105, and 75 respectively while the black water tank is 10 gallons smaller- 55 to 65. The Ventana will be both the same size and larger than the 340 with the latter only reaching 12 feet 10 inches in overall height.
What To Look For In an Motorhome
As you can see, both of these companies make top-of-the-line RV models. They are very close to each other in size as well as features, components, and innovation.
If you are having a hard time deciding between the two, here are some guidelines to help you make up your mind.
1. Overall quality- look at how the RV is put together. Some brands sacrifice quality to offer a lower price.
2. Affordability- is the price outside of your budget or not? These are very expensive RV brands and you need to be prepared to pay the price for any one of them
3. Innovative features- are they offering up-to-date amenities or not? These features can range from climate control to steering control and more.
4. Use- how often are you going to use the model you buy? Will it meet all your short and long-term needs? Does it have all the features and options you want?
5. Warranty- do you get the coverage and customer service you want?
Some Additional Words
Both of these brands come from solid backgrounds. They were once family-owned companies that cared about the RVs they produced. The question is will the new parent companies maintain that standard of quality or not?
We do not think either brand is superior to the other. They may just have individual features and components that the other does not offer. They are both expensive RV brands to work with.
