One more takeaway from the recent 103rd FMCA Convention was the fact that I got to spend some time with Matt and Will from Matt’s RV Reviews channel. And they got to spend time with a new owner of a 2021 Newmar Essex 4551 diesel pusher.
Page Contents
Solving problems
I have written in the past how my biggest challenge with any Class A diesel pusher is the ingress/egress in the event of a fire, which can often start at the fridge or in the instrument cluster. Newmar has completely solved this with an emergency exit in the rear that even has stairs.
In fact, the owner in this video says he uses that to load and unload the coach at times – it’s that convenient. Frankly, this should be standard in all big motorhomes. But it’s not, so kudos to Newmar for this feature alone.
There is also a navigation system built in that takes into account the physical size of this machine. Again, kudos to Newmar on this. You’re not going to see this coach on those 11Foot8 Bridge videos on YouTube.
You won’t have to fill propane in the Newmar Essex 4551 because there is no propane, period. The coach uses its diesel supply (150 gallons!) to heat the interior and water. And everything else is done electrically. Also smart.
You could argue that this is what you get when you spend this kind of money. But lavish interiors are more the hallmark of this price class. Smart features put in by people who actually RV are what make the difference, and I think that’s what you get here. But, let’s talk interior.
Driver’s cockpit
The number of switches and buttons the driver of the Newmar Essex 4551 can push is pretty impressive. Of course, there’s push-button start and a push-button automatic transmission. You also get three stages of engine braking. And there is a screen that shows you what the cameras see outside in a 360° view as if someone’s flying over your rig shooting video constantly.
There is also a feature called “Comfort Drive” – which is adaptive steering and memory positions for the driver’s seat. Of course, the steering column, pedals and almost everything else are fully power-adjustable.
There is also collision avoidance technology, lane departure control, adaptive cruise control and more. The owner of this coach also spoke highly of the steerable tag axle. He mentioned that the coach is surprisingly agile and very drivable.
If you’ve gone this far, you’ll want to go just a few hundred bucks more and get the heated and air conditioned massaging ultra-leather seats, right? I mean, you’ve already gone this far.
If you’re completely insane, you can get a second tablet for your passenger so that they can remind you of the turns you missed. Although maybe I should rethink this as my wife has been a most-outstanding co-pilot on our recent trip across the country, not only with the mapping but also finding things to see and do and places to stay. Maybe this is a good option after all.
What’s inside the Newmar Essex 4551
You can expect that if you spend this kind of money, the interior would be lavish, and it truly is. There are four choices of wood and four choices of upholstery/decor along with four choices of exterior paint.
The 4551 seen in the attached video features a couch on the camp side behind which is a TV on a televator. Opposite that there’s another couch and there’s a button you can press from that seating position that dims the lights, lowers the shades and raises the TV all in one step.
Wow.
Further down, the kitchen features a pantry drawer that slides out when you want it and adds additional prep space. Since this is an all-electric coach, the cooking is done via a two-burner induction cooktop. Newmar makes this removable, so if you want to take it outside you can. When you’re done with it, it has a cover that matches the rest of the counter space. That cover also has a cutting board on the bottom. Clever.
The sink in the Newmar Essex 4551 has a shape that matches that of Newmar’s logo – sort of a wave pattern. There’s a faucet that can be touched on and off. Cabinets and drawers abound in this rig.
Opposite the galley is a dinette that can feature a power extension (optional). The refrigerator, a residential model, is next. Newmar has affixed wooden covers on the doors to match the rest of the cabinets. I wonder if Newmar is considering some of the larger 12-volt fridges instead of a residential model. Next to the cold storage is dry storage in the form of a pantry.
Opposite the food storage is the place to go to relieve yourself from food and drink in the form of a small guest bathroom with a toilet and a sink.
Bedroom
The bedroom features a king bed in a slide. The bed has the ability to raise and lower facilitating watching the TV that’s opposite. That TV is surrounded by cabinets and drawers and is in the huge slide room that extends all the way to just behind the driver seat.
The slides in this rig fit flush with the exterior, which is nice, but they are also completely carpetless. Also good.
Bath master in the Newmar Essex 4551
When you have this much space to put things, you put things that are really nice. That would be the giant master bath. There’s a huge 50” X 36” shower with hidden drains as you’d find in some nicer houses. Of course, there’s a washer and dryer in here, and the vanity holds two sinks. There’s plenty of room around the toilet for doing what you’re doing.
Lastly, the whole rear features a closet – so there’s no shortage of hanging and clothes storage.
Outside
On the exterior, you’ll notice full body paint, of course, but the paint patterns extend to the walls of the slide rooms. I’m not a fan of swishy swirly paint jobs. But I respect when painters do good work, having restored a lot of vintage cars, and this is attention to detail.
So are the wipers for the monster windshield. They are hidden behind a cover to keep the rubber pliable over summer.
For 2022, Newmar has added a shelf in several of the below-deck storage cabinets, giving you additional storage space. Below that shelf are optional power sliding trays.
The Spartan chassis on which this is based has all the main routine service points behind one door and is conveniently located. Another smart touch.
In summary
You could argue that all the attention to detail perks in this motorhome are what you get for more than $800,000. But I’ve seen some other motorhomes where they just aren’t this good at putting in features that are usable. Yes, they get the decor right, as they do in this coach. But the little stuff that makes a difference over time is missing. Not here.
This is a coach with a real attention to detail. Incidentally, I was able to check enough boxes in the options list to stretch the price above the $900,000 list. So while I might love this thing myself, there isn’t likely going to be one in my driveway any time soon. Why did I sell all that Apple stock so early on?
Tony comes to RVTravel having worked at an RV dealership and been a life long RV enthusiast. You can find his writing here and at StressLessCamping where he also has a podcast about the RV life with his wife.
These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. 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.
Got an RV we need to look at? Contact us today and let us know in the form below – thank you!
##RVDT1648
These are way overpriced. From the quality in the finished interior workmanship. Storage space which is very essential when traveling, you have less storage in LIVING, DINETTE
and BEDROOM. A coach with windows that do not open. Talk about CARBON FOOTPRINT. These new coaches are such a let down.
People need to figure how they got to there standing in life than you would throw money away on these new style coaches on stroke of a pen really!?
Strange article. Reads like he was paid to advertise this specific coach. Our coach is several years older and from a lower line… But it has almost everything he hypes in this article.
When they mentioned “non-opening windows” in the video, that was the deal-breaker for me. I was almost ready to put an order in.
$874,000 !! All about the $$$
For a million bucks you get cabinets that look like they were on close-out at Home Depot? What the heck.