RV Trends for 2020 Spotted at the Toronto RV Show

Back in January (was it really that long ago?!) we checked out the Winter 2020 RV Show in Toronto to scope out the latest trends in the RV world.

While we have no plans to replace the TCC any time soon, it’s always fun to tour the newest RV models and get inspiration for updates to our current trailer. Or perhaps plant the seed for a future purchase!

This year, we spotted several recurring ideas:

RV Trend #1: New materials

A coaster stating the benefits of Azdel, including no rot and 2x insulation value We are excited to see how many manufacturers are using or planning to use, Azdel composite panels in their RV construction. Azdel combines polypropylene and fibreglass to create durable and lightweight trailer walls. But in our opinion, the most important reason to look at Azdel is no wood is used in the walls.

No wood is the number one reason we bought our current trailer, an Evergreen Everlite. At the time, Evergreen was the only RV manufacturer we knew of that did not use wood in the walls. Sadly, Evergreen went out of business a few years ago, so we’re encouraged to see there should be lots of options on the market when it’s time to upgrade.

RV Trend #2: Huge decor improvements

The Outback 280URB travel trailer is a great example of current RV decor trends. It features grey tones, plank-style flooring and barn-style doors — *Inside the Outback 280URB*

We have often lamented the brown-on-brown colour scheme and busy floral patterns dominating the RV market. Aside from high-end manufacturers like Airstream, it felt like RV owners were destined to tow grandma’s living room down the road. So we were excited to see things like grey tones, shiplap wallpaper, plank-style vinyl flooring and barn-style doors.

This Outback model, for example, was gorgeous. Apparently, they’re moving to Azdel in all their models in the next year or two, so they’ll definitely be on our list to check out when the time comes.

RV Trend #3: New kitchen sink covers

We saw variations of these new sink covers everywhere! What’s the deal? Do they allow you to run the water while still having a flat surface to put stuff on? Is it for drying things? I guess it could be both!

This sink has a hard, split cover. One side is solid, while the other is slatted. — This is a solid, two-piece cover. You could remove either side independently to access the sink.

Another split sink cover, with one solid side and one slatted side. — Another solid, two-piece cover. See? They’re everywhere!

This is a one-piece, slatted sink cover, made of stainless steel and rubber. It's flexible and can be rolled up when not in use, but creates a solid surface when on the sink. — A different take on this RV trend. This sink cover is stainless steel and rubber. It’s flexible and can be rolled up when you’re not using it, but it creates a solid surface when it’s on the sink.

RV Trend #4: Outdoor griddles

We saw many of these outdoor griddles instead of BBQs in new 2020 RV models. We saw many new RVs with these outdoor griddles instead of a BBQ. We’re not sure what’s driving this one. We have noticed a lot of people bringing stand-alone BBQs to camp, like Webers or the Green Egg. Maybe that’s why? Perhaps it’s because bacon is so dang hard to cook on a grill?

RV Trend #5: Solar-ready

We spotted a lot of RVs with an exterior plug for a solar panel. We’re intrigued by this idea as we often pack small solar panels, suitable for keeping phones charged. We love the idea of plugging a panel into the trailer to help keep the battery charged. In some cases, RVs are including solar plugs on the roof, which we imagine would handle larger, permanent panels. It’s a neat idea that we’ll need to do some more research on!

RV Trend #6: Solid Step

We were happy to see these solid steps on most of the RVs we toured. They're so much more stable than the fold-down ones we're used to. These actually sit on the ground, giving them extra stability. It also cuts down on shakiness inside the trailer when someone is coming in or out.

Take note, on some makes and models these stairs are an upgrade, not part of the base price.

These are the top trends we noted from the show. We did see some other intriguing ideas, and some downright bizarre concepts, which we’ll cover in future blogs.