When it comes to RVs and travel trailers, there is no name more recognizable and beloved than Airstream. While many of us dream of adding a brand new double-axle Airstream to our vehicle and hitting the road, not everyone has the six-figure budget to buy one or a full-size truck to actually pull it. That’s why Airstream is introducing a new 17-foot version of its World Traveler single-axle travel trailer, the 17RB, which it announced Thursday.
The World Traveler model sits between Airstream’s Bambi and Caravel models and offers a classic Airstream experience in a more accessible, easier-to-tow and easier-to-store way. The 17RB joins the 22-foot World Traveler 22RB in the lineup and is specifically designed with lightweight in mind, so it can be towed by crossover SUVs and midsize pickup trucks – that is, the vehicles most Americans already have in their driveways.
The exterior of the World Traveler 17RB is still the polished aluminum Twinkie we all know and love, while the interior is very modern, minimalist and inspired by Scandinavian design. The layout looks good, but it lacks the wraparound front window as seen on the Bambi, whose price starts at $68,900.
The 22-foot World Traveler doesn’t get much more expensive than this, with prices starting at $69,400. We don’t have a starting price for the 17RB yet, but we expect it to be the Airstream’s most affordable model when it hits the US market later this year.
Standard features on the 17RB are a 12V fridge/freezer, a propane-powered stove, a 24-inch TV, air conditioning, and a water heater. It’s not a long list, but it is a base-model trailer, and at the end of the day, we suspect it will be very well built and a nice place to spend time. After all, it’s still an Airstream.
Of course, buyers can add options. For example, a 200W solar setup is available, as well as a lithium-iron-phosphate house battery for long periods of time without shore power. Microwaves and backup cameras can be opted for, as well as soft furnishings like bedding kits.
So ultimately, who is this trailer for? We’d say it’s targeted at first-time trailer buyers who want an Airstream to the exclusion of all else. They also want something they can tow with a basic midsize SUV or truck, so they don’t have to buy a brand new vehicle to tow the trailer.
With a starting price likely in the low to mid-$60,000 range, we wouldn’t say the World Traveler 17RB is necessarily a great value. But that’s not why people go out and pay such a huge premium for an Airstream. They are shopping in a dream or nostalgia. They’re buying a culture and aesthetic that’s good, but good is rarely cheap.
