RV review: 2021 Fleetwood Discovery LXE 36HQ 25th Anniversary Edition

By Tony Barthel
You really don’t see a lot of island kitchens in motorhomes and there’s a good reason for that. Usually, when there’s an island it prevents you from accessing anything behind it when the slides are in, so no getting a road drink or even using the bathroom on the road with the slides in. Fleetwood has nailed this issue in the Fleetwood Discovery LXE 25th Anniversary Edition 36HQ.

The Fleetwood Discovery LXE 25th Anniversary Edition 36HQ is a 36’ diesel pusher motorhome that celebrates the company’s quarter of a century in business by creating a premium model with some noteworthy features. Of course, being a premium model you expect top-notch interior appointments and materials throughout, and Fleetwood certainly delivers on this.

But where they really excel is in some of the unique ideas which have earned them a “Top Ten” award from RVBusiness.

Speaking to that island, the way Fleetwood created the space was to integrate a really unique table arrangement that sort of starts out as a breakfast bar along with two free-standing chairs. This thin table arrangement means you can get by when the slide is in and access the mid-bathroom and also the refrigerator.

But, if you want a larger table, the tabletop pivots out to be at a 90-degree angle from the wall. Two additional chairs are included which fold up when not in use but match the others enabling you to seat four at a proper dining table. It’s a slick design for sure.

The Fleetwood Discovery LXE 25th Anniversary Edition 36HQ sits on a Freightliner Freedom Bridge chassis with a Cummins L9 diesel engine at the back and a Cummins 8000 watt diesel generator at the front on a sliding tray arrangement. This chassis incorporates Freightliner’s V-Ride system which is intended to reduce shaking when going over uneven surfaces such as pulling out of a campsite.

There are a number of features I thought really made sense including the fact that you can program that generator to not kick on during quiet times at camping spots. It can also be programmed to kick on based on the interior temperature of the coach such that you could leave a pet at rest in the motorhome and not be concerned about their temperature as the generator and air conditioners will activate to keep them comfortable.

Looks like Fido’s got a great situation here.

I saw one of these in action and that generator was surprisingly quiet.

When choosing options for this model you can specify a 100-watt or 265-watt solar panel as well as a 30-amp solar charger as part of a technology package. There is a 2800-watt pure sine wave inverter as well to keep all those electronics happy.

In total count, I saw four TVs in this rig including one over the cockpit, one outside, one in the bedroom and one above the couch on the driver side of the coach. Yep, there’s a TV above and behind the couch but those in the recliners on the opposite side of the rig will get a good view (as long as nobody is sitting on the couch – then you see those people). That TV also has the option to either display programming or show what the myriad of outdoor cameras are seeing which can be a nifty thing if your partner tells you they’ve “heard something” and want you to go see what it is.

Forget that, flip on the TV and set it to display what the cameras see.

If there is someone sitting on the couch they’re just going to either have to crane their necks to see the TV over the cockpit or get a mirror and see the one that’s behind them. Of course, there’s always the option of a conversation.

In the rear of the coach is the bedroom, also with dual opposing slides, and the king-sized bed is adjustable so you can sit up in the morning and watch yet another TV (is Rupert Murdoch the target customer for these things?). That adjustable bed also enables you to walk around it when the slide is in. There is a stacking washer and dryer in the back of the unit too.

Getting to the bedroom means you’re walking through the bathroom and if there’s someone who wishes to sit down and figure out the day’s issues the toilet is in its own closet which has its own MaxxAir fan.

Lastly, I hope my wife doesn’t read this as there is a heated floor which is available in either matte or polished porcelain. The water heater is an Aqua Go 400D so she could also luxuriate in the shower for long enough that you wonder if she just moved in there.

Overall this is a beautiful rig with some really, really usable features. As tastefully as it’s decorated inside, somehow Fleetwood missed the memo that swooshes and swirls are going out of style and so this has an epic collection of those that the company brags about. To each their own, of course, and the painted surface is beautifully done. Overall a very nice rig indeed.

These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with my own research and represent the most accurate information and opinion at the time of writing. Your experience is always encouraged.