Today’s RV review is of the Grand Design Imagine XLS 23LDE. This is a model with a rear kitchen and a bathroom that splits the RV in half so your bedroom is separated from the main living area by two doors. And, of course, the bathroom.

In fact this is a great floor plan that I really like but it’s also a great example of why any RV shopper should look at lots of choices. Even within the same floor plan.

When I was selling RVs we had this same floor plan from a different manufacturer on the lot. I couldn’t get rid of that thing to save my life. It wasn’t that it was a bad floor plan, but it wasn’t a well executed floor iteration of this same floor plan.

That model felt crowded and dated at the same time. I did finally find someone who loved it, but I think Grand Design has done a much better job with their version of this in some ways. But, in others, they’ve done a lousy job.

Grand Design Imagine XLS 23LDE floor plan.png

Grand Design Imagine XLS 23LDE door-side storage

Grand Design

I really like the interior execution on Grand Design models. The cabinetry and overall feel are open, airy and stylish in an almost Ikea-like way. Rather than really being trendy, to me, they’re more understated and I think this styling will hold up well over time.

By that same token, unless you’re a huge fan of Grand Design and know what to look for, you may not be able to tell the difference between a 2023 and a 2020 model of these. That’s not a bad thing and does help resale value.

Another big advantage of Grand Design in general is the company’s reputation. They have honed a really solid reputation among buyers. There is no doubt that Grand Design may be on par with even Airstream for customer loyalty and perception. Yep, they’ve done that good a job.

I think part of the reason for this is that the company tends to be responsive to customer input and complaints. No RV is perfect and then we take a product that’s been hand built in a very fast-paced environment and rattle it down roads that could be interpreted as developing nation caliber in some places.

So having a company that makes you feel like they actually care really is a stand out. So many RV companies just ghost customer input which I don’t understand. Just answering inputs and responding to questions and challenges could be the difference between a stellar reputation and one that, well, most RV companies have.

Further, the warranty on Grand Design products is good as well with three years on the structure, five years on tires, axles and exterior graphics and 18 years on the roof covering. Nice.

Do know that just because the roof membrane has a long warranty doesn’t mean the sealant on the roof does - only Brinkley claims that their sealant is good for the life of the rig. Every other RV manufacturer recommends routine inspection and maintenance of all exterior seals.

What’s hot

There are a lot of design elements I really like about these trailers. Just starting outside, they use traditional aluminum folding steps rather than the solid steps. To me these just have more advantages and those that don’t like the feel of these can still install something like the Lippert Solid Stance step stabilizers.

There are also two entry doors, another plus. The one up front leads you to the master bedroom which I mentioned is separated from the rest of the trailer by the bathroom. That bedroom holds a true queen-sized bed.

On either side of the bed are cubbies with both household and USB outlets so you’re covered to charge or operating the things you want to…all those gadgets we’re not supposed to look at right before we go to bed. Well, and CPAP machines for those that use them.

Under the bed is the usual storage space but this is made better by a sliding tray inside that can serve as sort of a drawer. Plus there are two drawers on either side of the bed as well as hanging storage. This is a well executed bedroom.

It’s made more so by the lack of a windshield up front. I recently was talking with someone who asked why I disliked windshields in travel trailers. I don’t, in theory, but I wish they would put covers over them when there was one like they used to. Our 1970 Aristocrat had the windshield that was installed on it some 50+ years ago because it also incorporated a cover. Bam.

I know some people don’t like when the bathroom bisects an RV but I do and that translates into a good amount of space around the toilet.

In the main living area the kitchen extends across the entire width of the RV with the fridge there in the slide room immediately to the chef’s right side. There is also a lot of cabinetry here with plenty of storage.

That includes a bar-height set of drawers immediately to the right of the rear entry door that also has a shoe garage underneath it. Smart planning. There’s also a solid surface counter top there so you could put additional kitchen prep items here. I like it.

There are theater seats here that are a bit larger and feature heat and massage. Another plus are the USB charging outlets by the cup holders because, again, gadgets that we all have with us.

I’m not sold on the pole mount for the dining table but it does provide a solid mount and you don’t have to figure out how what to do with it if you’re using the dinette as a sleeping surface.

What’s not

As many things as I like on this RV and as thoughtfully as I feel Grand Design put it together, there are some things that really bug me about this.

The first of those is the bargain-basement leaf spring suspension. I know so many Grand Design owners who use their RVs a lot who have upgraded their suspensions. Inexpensive leaf springs are fine if you barely use your RV and lots of campers barely use their RVs, but I just am not a fan of suspensions that aren’t designed to be lubricated.

I am also a huge detractor of the small 16” oven that so many RV companies use. The larger 22” (vertical) oven is so very usable and functional. I wish that those 16” ovens would just permanently go away. They have severe hot spots and barely anything fits.

I’m also not much of a fan of Schwintek slide mechanisms in a slide room this large. The slide is rather big and incorporates the refrigerator. I would much rather see something like a through-the-floor slide or anything other than the Schwintek mechanism.

There are also two dump points for this rig. Granted, Grand Design actually put a blue light above each dump valve and that’s brilliant (darn right that pun’s intended!). But since the back valve is just for the kitchen gray tank I think it would be a no brainer to plumb this so you only have to make one sewer connection.

Boondocking and travel access

Surprisingly the only thing blocked by the slide room when it’s in is the lousy stove/oven and the microwave. Otherwise, this camper is fully accessible with the slide room in. I love that.

There’s not a lot of solar available with only a single 165 watt panel as the option here. Bummer, even the least expensive Keystone RV features at least 200 watts of solar. I’m kind of surprised.

Tony’s thoughts

There’s a lot to like about this trailer and I didn’t even mention things like the lack of floor furnace vents, the carpet less slide, the tankless water heater and a number of other great features.

Oh. Wait. Well now I did.

But the Schwintek slide in a slide room this large, the small oven, low-grade suspension all conspire to make me hesitant to fall in love with this trailer. So, we’re going to look at a few other competitors in the days ahead as I think these features are enough to dissuade me from being a big fan here.

The fact that Grand Design has done such a good job working with customers shows the opportunity within the RV industry to just listen to what’s being said out there. But there’s enough about this offering that I’m not sure it’s such a Grand Design after all.