Our New Aire 3341 at a campground

Overview

We wanted to love this motorhome. We downsized to Newmar’s rear engine diesel 33 foot 2019 New Aire in order to fit into a larger number of campgrounds, including more national and state park campgrounds. We were also excited that the coach was 12’4″ in height to fit under poorly trimmed branches better than our 13’4″ Essex. We were going back to part time RV’ing and did not need the amount of space offered by a 45′ coach. The New Aire 33′ model is based on the Freightliner XC-S chassis, which has independent front suspension, a Cummins ISB engine, air suspension and a single mode exhaust brakes. This New Aire boasts 360 hp/800 torque. Newmar adds their proprietary Comfort Drive™, which does indeed reduce fatigue when driving, especially in cross winds.

We chose to order our New Aire with a Glacier exterior

Things we like

• Custom Ordering meant we got to select the finishes and options. We loved the exterior colors. We like the interior finishes including furniture color. We wish the floor tile had a less shiny surface.

The interior of a New Aire 3341 (but with a different interior finish than we ordered)

• Other options we selected included: Winegard Direct TV, Girard Awnings, Floor Heat
• Special ordered several shelves to be built in the rear area where a washer/dryer could’ve been installed
• We selected the 4 slide out model # 3341 which gives more options for staying in tight campsites with a lot of trees

New Aire 3341 floor plan

• We love how usable the space is when the slides are closed. On travel days it is easy to make a meal at a rest area
• New Aire comes with an Oasis hydronic heating system, which provides on-demand hot water via a diesel burner for both domestic water use and heat
• Our coach is an all electric unit (which simply means there is no propane), which I highly recommend. An induction cooktop replaces the traditional propane version (cast iron and stainless steel cookware work with induction, glass, aluminum and copper do not). In addition, it comes with a residential fridge. Luckily you also get 8 batteries and a 3,000 watt inverter to run everything
• Another feature we love are the heated floors, but in both New Aires we’ve owned, the smaller insulative r-value meant that the coach was not able to hold heated or A/C cooled temperatures as well as our Dutch Star or Essex
• The 33′ floorplan includes a center coach bath
• We ordered the booth dinette, which we prefer
• We ordered pull out drawers in storage compartments. We did not get any power drawers as they take up more height in storage bays
• At 12’4″ in height, the New Aire fits better in campsites where branches aren’t trimmed well enough for a 13’4″ coach (like our Essex

Things we don’t like

• The single stage exhaust brake is lackluster and does little to slow the coach
• Not enough power in the ISB for the 30,000 lb motorhome towing a Jeep
• Due to the shorter height, which is good for getting into campgrounds and not hitting tree branches, New Aire at 12’4″ tall has about half of the insulation rating (R value) of the 13’+ height Newmar coaches. The shorter height is achieved through less insulation in the roof which translates to the air conditioning running most of the time when it is hot. It is also noisier inside than our prior taller Newmars when the air conditioner runs due to the decreased ceiling insulation. The rear (bedroom) never cooled off below 90 degrees on hot driving days when running the A/C’s via generator. Airflow to the back was lackluster, which was also the experience of other New Aire owners we’ve met. We questioned the flow at factory pick-up and were told it was within specification. When parked with the slides open, a fan helped cool off the back by moving air from the front of the coach, but also added more noise
• 75 gallon water tank vs 105 gallons on our Essex
• 75 gallon fuel tank meant more frequent fuel stops despite better fuel economy
• Queen sized bed, we would prefer a king sized bed
• The Whirlpool microwave/convection oven does not heat as quickly as the unit in our Essex (a GE Profile Advantium) and never seemed to get to temperatures over 400 degrees