Luxury Touring in the Triple E Regency
Road test and photos by Norm Rosen
All new for 2011, from one of Canada’s most respected motorhome manufacturers, is the Triple E Regency – a new approach to 21st century travel, built on the Ford 14,500 GVWR, E-450 chassis, powered by the popular 6.8L EFI V-10 Triton gasoline engine, producing 305 h.p. and 420 ft. lbs torque.
The compact galley features contoured countertop and a full array of appliances. Flip up the counter extension for gourmet cuisine on the road.
Slide behind the wheel, and you are right at home – our test vehicle featured power adjustable Ultraleather driver and passenger captain’s chairs, tilt steering wheel, remote control heated mirrors, power windows and door locks. All of your controls are, of course, at your fingertips, including an In-dash AM/FM/CD/DVD/NAV/Bluetooth and rear view camera monitor. The vehicle is pre-wired for satellite radio, but the service has to be arranged through your local provider.
On the road, the Regency is a smooth and stable ride, with all of the features you could ask for a pleasant driving experience. The automatic 5 speed transmission with overdrive and “Tow Haul Mode” is ideally suited for a vehicle of this size, and the Triple E engineers have included a rear hitch receiver with a 500 lb hitch weight capacity and 5000 Lb tow rating – ideal for towing a boat, utility trailer, or SUV. Rear airbag assist suspension lets you adjust the ride to adapt to your requirements.
Construction
With facing slide-out sections, the Regency GT29T offers a very spacious front living room and entertainment area.Triple E has an excellent reputation for quality, and the Regency is certainly built to withstand the Canadian climate. Vacuum bonded aluminum framed sidewalls are insulated and finished with thermal break gel coat fiberglass. The roof is a domed vacuum bonded aluminum frame construction, insulated, with Kemlite FRP Flexroof exterior. The floor of the RV section of the vehicle is steel framed with a vacuum bonded insulated construction. The automotive chassis is undercoated for durability. Windows are frameless thermal tinted “awning” style, and baggage doors are flush radius style. Fibreglass running boards and flares are strong and stylish, and there is a lighted assist handle at the entry door that really helps, especially when you have older guests on board. The Regency exterior is finished with full body paint and clear coat. All in all, top quality components and materials are utilized throughout the vehicle. An A&E 9000 patio awning with aluminum Weather Shield is standard on this vehicle. We recommend the optional slide topper awnings to keep rain and leaves off the slide-out sections – this helps keep the seals clean and adds to the appearance and longevity of the vehicle.
Floor Plan
Interior Opulence
The Regency is a very interesting combination of luxury and affordability – step into the motorhome and you are immediately impressed with the selection of comfort and décor components. The unique floorplan provides a front lounge with slide-outs on both sides of the vehicle – on the driver’s side, an “Easy Bed” sofa nestles into the slide-out, inviting visitors to relax in the 5-inch thick cushions finished with Fauxleather upholstery; on the passenger side, a booth style dinette with round pedestal table seats four – the drop-leaf table offers space for additional guests, with enough room to comfortably place occasional chairs in the center aisle. The Faux-leather dinette is both comfortable and spacious. Large windows surrounding the front lounge area make this a very attractive place to enjoy your evening – the entertainment center built into the cabover section includes a 26” LED TV, for your listening pleasure, the Regency is equipped with a full stereo system, including AM/FM/DVD/CD/Tuner and Home Theater sound.
In the evening, the sofa and dinette transform into very comfortable sleeping accommodations, with enough space in the center aisle to comfortably walk past the beds. Privacy drape surrounds the cab to block the light.
In The Galley
We were particularly impressed with the fit and finish of the cabinetry and galley components – the rich cherry finish and the detailing of the wood trim adds elegance to the vehicle. The contoured shape of the countertop and the wood laminated beveled edge add a very nice touch of elegance. We liked the generous amount of cupboard and drawer space, and the full extension ball bearing drawer tracks.
The galley is equipped with a large stainless steel bowl-shaped sink, with brushed nickel faucet and pull-out spray. There is a 3-burner glass cooktop and a microwave convection oven for your gourmet adventures. A Dometic double door LP/electric 7 Cu. Ft. refrigerator with raised panel door inserts completes the galley facilities.
While the galley is compact in this unit, the counter space is augmented by a counter extension.
Fluorescent and halogen accent lighting throughout the motorhome is tasteful and the skylight in the living area adds a very nice natural light to the interior of the vehicle. Pleated day/night shades and decorative window treatments let you manage the interior lighting effects throughout the vehicle.
The galley area has Easy Clean vinyl flooring, which blends nicely with the serged carpet in the bedroom and living area.
In The Bedroom
The spacious rear bedroom features an innerspring 60” x 74” mattress bed, with the headboard nestled into a slide-out to provide additional space. Decorative bedspread and toss cushions match the interior of the vehicle. A generous hanging closet at the foot of the bed includes a vanity table and an LCD TV.
Just forward of the bedroom, the full bathroom features a separate toilet and shower stall. A skylight brightens the area. The arrangement of doors in the bathroom area lets you close the rear section of the motorhome, or close the bedroom section.
In The Campground
Triple E has always designed motorhomes to be fully-equipped and very convenient. This is evident as soon as you arrive in your campground – all of the hook-ups are contained within cargo compartments on the driver’s side of the vehicle. There is an exterior shower with shut off valves (for winterizing purposes), and we often use this to rinse off various components before we stow them in the cargo compartments. An anti-freeze pick-up kit is provided for winterizing the vehicle.
The Regency is equipped with a standard 4.0 KW Onan MicroQuiet® generator with auto changeover switch, very useful for “dry camping” situations. All of the RV systems – fresh water, grey water, black water, and battery levels – can be checked from the monitor panel inside the vehicle.
The Bottom Line:
For comfort and convenience, it would be difficult to beat the 2011 Triple E Regency GT29T – large enough for a family to tour the country, compact enough to be easy to drive, and reasonably fuel efficient for a vehicle of this type, it is the modern answer to the requests of Canadian RV families – affordable luxury in a very well built Canadian motorhome.
