Today’s RV review is of the 2023 Thor Sequence 20A, a Class B RV built on the Ram ProMaster chassis. All these Ram ProMaster models feature a 3.6 liter gasoline V6 and nine-speed automatic, period.
The interesting thing about these vans is that they’re front-wheel drive. So the engine, transmission and drivetrain sits over the front wheels and makes everything go. The advantage of this is that it enables the entire rear area to be used for packaging and frees up the underside for tanks in the case of a motorhome.
The disadvantage is that, in a heavily loaded van you may have more weight over the rear wheels than the front. Further, with the front wheels steering and pulling the vehicle, you may see accelerated tire wear, though not significantly so.
Power to the people
The main story, to me, in this van is the power system it comes with. No, no, not the engine—the batteries. These vans come standard with a 200 amp-hour lithium battery system and 190 watts of rooftop solar. But the nifty thing isn’t as much the solar as the second alternator that can charge these batteries.
Let’s be honest. 190 watts of rooftop solar isn’t going to do a lot for you if you’re seriously taxing the 3,000-watt inverter that comes with this rig. But you can fire up the engine and recharge the batteries. This negates the need for a generator in the van, since the engine that’s there is performing this function.
Further, you could use a solar suitcase to help with the charging as well such as the Go Power! DuraLite system that I carry that I like so much. The fact that this comes with the 3,000-watt inverter means you have lots of options, including running the air conditioner for a short time on just the batteries alone. Need more time? Engine generator.
Opt-in a lithium battery system in the Sequence
But you can also opt-in a Mastervolt 460 Ah lithium battery system. That will give you much more time on batteries before having to fire up the engine.
In fact, that system could be enough that you can run the AC for a while to cool the interior of this rig and be done with it for the night.
Highlights
This floor plan would be a decent rig if a family needed a daily transport that could also be the weekend getaway machine. With the two forward-facing rear seats plus the captain’s chairs, there are four belted positions for daily driving.
The front captain’s chairs swivel around to transform this space into a conversation/dining spot, which works out well.
There are also two opposing bench seats at the rear which could be used for sitting (obviously!), but also as twin beds. But you can pull out a “bridge” between them and make this into a larger sleeping area at 72” X 66”.
Upper bunk in the Thor Sequence
There’s also the “sky loft”—which is revealed by swinging up the pop top on the camper. Now you can sleep two more campers up there. That upper bunk could be a great place for the kids to sleep. There are windows facing front and to the sides, so there’s plenty of air flow.
Cabin heat and water heat are accomplished by a Truma Combi system, which performs both tasks. There is an air conditioner at the rear of the coach to do the opposite job of the heater.
Cabinets halo the interior so there is a pretty decent amount of storage. There’s even a hanging closet next to the bathroom.
That bathroom is serviceable with a cartridge toilet and a flip-down sink. It’s not spacious, but that’s van life. Few of these rigs have spacious bathrooms. They’re not a Tardis, after all. I do like the door that swings around the bathroom space. But, should you want to offend the other campers or be by yourself, you do have the option of not pulling the door closed.
There’s even a high-performance ceiling fan to exhaust your bathroom accomplishments.
Who is this for?
I can’t see this rig being for the camper who spends a lot of time in their rigs on epic road trips, although I’m sure there are some out there. But I can see this being the family camper, and it would make a lot of sense as such.
You could take this to the games the kids play. Now you have a proper and clean bathroom, a kitchen, and a place to sit and argue about the calls made by the visually impaired referee. This vehicle is not so large that it can’t be the second car for a family, so long as four belted positions are sufficient.
Even if you’re not using it for a lot of longer trips, it certainly would be capable of taking those trips. Heck, when I was a young lad, lots of folks were using Volkswagen Westfalia campers for long trips. Those had no bathroom, no shower and no air conditioner.
A Thule bike rack is included on the Sequence
Further, Thor includes a Thule bicycle rack on the back. So if you use this as a couple’s camper, you have your bikes with you. Or you could also put a couple of bikes between the rear benches for the kids, and now you have everybody’s bikes.
Speaking of Thule, Thor also includes a nifty Thule telescoping ladder much like the MeanFun ladder I bought. But this one also has a magnetic mount, so you can place that anywhere on the van and be relatively secure in showing off that rooftop solar.
As with all these vans, the kitchen and bathroom are absolutely compromises. I will say that, while the two-burner recessed cooktop is nice, it’s probably also going to rattle like mad. I wonder, with all that battery power, if a portable induction cooktop like the Duxtop I have might have been a better choice? Fewer rattles, and you wouldn’t have to worry as much about venting.
In summary
I can see this making a lot of sense for a lot of families or even couples as a true multi-purpose vehicle. Heck, you might even be able to use this for trips to the hardware store, so now you don’t even need a pickup—although not having a pickup may be illegal in some states.
One of the things I really didn’t like was how the various connections and fill points were just cut into the side of the van, although that’s pretty typical. But after seeing things like that Embassy and the Strada and how well they integrate these connections, you can see that it’s possible to not make them look like an afterthought.
More from Tony
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Tony comes to RVtravel.com having worked at an RV dealership and been a lifelong RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. You can find his writing here and at StressLessCamping .
You can also check out his RV podcast with his wife, Peggy.
These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. They are based on information from a single unit and may not reflect your actual experience. Shop your RV and dealership carefully before making a buying decision. We receive no money or other financial benefits from these reviews. They are intended only as a brief overview of the vehicle, not a comprehensive critique, which would require a thorough inspection and/or test drive.
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##RVDT1887
You said you wouldn’t suggest the Thor sequence for full timers. Which class B would you suggest?
Tony, I sure enjoy your humor. “Bathroom accomplishments” made me chuckle out loud! 🙂
For the price of this, I would still vote for a 24′ class C and have money left over to travel. These vans seem WAY overpriced for what you get.
Oh…and no one is taking my pickup! 😉
So how much of a charge actually gets from the alternators to the house battery?
Tony a couple of questions, you said the bed in the rear was 72X66, in the video he said the bed makes out into a bed larger than a queen size but smaller than a king size, the 72X66 isn’t even close to a queen? That appears to be to short for many adults. The top tent area may be large enough for someone over 6’ but once you climb up at the head of the bed it’ll be a challenge turning around to put your feet at the foot of the bed. As you said be careful if you load it heavy in the rear not to drive on wet grass or you may find yourself stuck just like the fwd pickups when the load heavy in the bed. This may be why Honda’s Ridgeline only comes with awd.
A 72″ bed? How short ARE you people? 😀