RV review: 2025 Forest River Wildwood X-Lite 273QBXL – two rooms, 10 beds

Today’s RV review is of the new 2025 Wildwood X-Lite 273QBXL. This is a mid-sized bunkhouse, but the bunkhouse is done differently. Actually, the whole trailer has something special going for it. 

There are two variations on this trailer, which is a common practice on Wildwood products. There is a standard aluminum-skinned, wood-framed trailer, and then one with fiberglass skin. Unlike some fiberglass-skinned models, however, this is not a laminated trailer, but one where a fiberglass skin is bonded to a Luan sheet and then attached to the wood frame. These fiberglass-skinned models are heavier and pricier than their aluminum-skinned counterparts but offer some additional upscale features. 

Start at the road with the Wildwood X-Lite 273QBXL

These Wildwood trailers are more entry-level in a lot of features including what’s underneath, starting with off-brand import tires and a very simple leaf spring suspension. I recently had the opportunity to ride in a trailer with an upgraded leaf spring suspension as well as one with a more advanced suspension system—the difference was night and day. 

I keep harping on the fact that I don’t like leaf spring suspensions. The ride on a test track just reinforced that. In other words, I told ya’ so. You can come along with me in an article and video about my experience with trailer suspensions here. 

While I’m kvetching, I also don’t like the import tires, especially with no tire pressure monitoring system. 

But what I do like under here is the use of a Power Gear^® above-floor slide mechanism. The reason I do is that you can occupy this slide when it’s in and when it’s out. I’m sure plenty of people occupy their slide in towable RVs when they’re in, but you’re usually not supposed to. 

However, I am also seeing more and more towables that have slide mechanisms that are capable of accommodating this use case. 

The interesting thing about this mechanism is that it does require a step-up to get to the couch or dinette. However, it allows the slide and frame to be a bit lighter and, again, usable in or out. 

Something to like under here is the fully enclosed and heated underbelly, though. That’s a more premium feature in this trailer. 

What I like about the Wildwood X-Lite 273QBXL

Whoever is in charge of interior design at Wildwood deserves an award. The 2025 model interiors are just beautiful. While they look good in photos, I also got to see them in person. They are quite tasteful, and I don’t think they’ll look dated in a few years. But what do I know? I like retro interiors—not that that’s what this is. 

Something functional to appreciate is Wildwood’s Versa-Lounge, which has a couch and U-shaped dinette. There’s a movable cushion so the couch can be prioritized or the dinette. Or you can take the backrest cushion out altogether and have a long surface. 

There are also food-safe totes under the dinette and couch. Those really make loading and storage much more accommodating. There is actually seating for seven in here. Many bunk models don’t have enough seating for all the people who can sleep in them. 

There is additional seating back in a separate bunk room, as well, in the form of a jackknife sofa. 

A bunk platform drops down over the sofa so that you can have an L-shaped bed. This works to accommodate a taller person, such as an adult. It’s a good layout. 

Kitchen in the Wildwood X-Lite 273QBXL

Back in the main living space the kitchen features an L-shaped counter (lots of “L”s here!) that offers a good amount of surface. The overhead cabinets are actually not wood, although they look like it. They are a solid surface material with a wood wrap. Interesting. 

The microwave is under a commercial-looking flip-up hood—I kind of like this. 

In the main bedroom is an Olympic queen bed on a mechanism that can power lift the head of the bed. Fancy. This means there’s more walking around space in the bedroom when the bed is lifted. 

Interestingly, there is a closet on the road side of the bedroom but not one on the camp side. Instead, the camp side has a small step up to get into the bed, and a side table. This would actually work in my world as my wife has a step to get into our bed. I do suspect the step here is also to allow pets into the bed but, when we had pets, they weren’t allowed on the bed. 

What I would change in the Wildwood X-Lite 273QBXL

You already know about the suspension and tires. But a couple of other regular things I bring up are the worthless 17” oven and the noisemaker vent fan in the bathroom. 

I recently got to attend the RV dealer open house where I saw hundreds and hundreds of RVs—literally. Something I noticed is that a lot of them now are no longer including the propane oven and using a convection microwave instead. I would say over half the RVs I saw were configured this way—especially the more affordable units. I actually prefer this to the small burnsalot propane oven.

Boondocking and travel access in the Wildwood X-Lite 273QBXL

Depending on how you configure it, this trailer comes with 200 watts of solar with a 30-amp charge controller. That might be enough to compensate for the 12-volt refrigerator… might.

I would imagine that these are going to spend much of their time in full-service RV parks as it is. But there are decent holding tanks, although with up to ten people sleeping in here those will fill up very quickly. 

Conclusions about the Wildwood X-Lite 273QBXL

I like this floor plan, as the bunk room does offer multiple use cases including being able to sleep actual adults. The totes for storage make sense, as well, and the interior is a really pleasant place to be. 

There are a few things I would change, as you know. But overall, this is a good package at a very good price.

My thanks to Josh from Bish’s RV for the video and photos in this article.

This RV is also available as the Salem Cruise Lite 273QBXL. Same trailer, different stickers.

More about these RV reviews

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.

Tony comes to RVtravel.com having worked at an RV dealership and been a life long RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. He also works closely with a number of RV manufacturers to get an inside look at how things are done and is a brand ambassador for Rockwood Mini Lite with his wife, Peggy.

You can also check out his RV podcast with his wife, Peggy. 

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