RV review: 2023 Alliance Avenue All Access 22ML fifth wheel
Today’s RV review is of the 2023 Alliance Avenue All Access 22ML. This is the smallest fifth wheel the company sells and I had a chance to see one in person at the Family Motor Coach Convention in Perry, Georgia.
Alliance RV
Alliance RV’s claim to fame is that they surveyed some 3,000 RV owners to see how they wanted things done and then simply did that. But then they also used a lot of experience to then take that data and turn it into RVs. Up to this point they’ve built high-end fifth wheels including toy haulers.
The new Avenue line is a more affordable range than the company has previously been involved with being what is called a “mid profile” fifth wheel. What that means in English is that they will count the Grand Design Reflection, Jayco Eagle and Keystone Cougar among their competitors.
Those are some strong competitors that are well established so it takes some big chops to stand out in this field. What is Alliance bringing to the market?
What’s to love
There are a lot of features built into this fifth wheel that really do set the bar higher, quite frankly.
For example, the flooring in these is a laminate of aluminum with Azdel on the top and bottom.
The company also uses Azdel substrate in the wall construction. Azdel is a man-made product that provides slightly better insulation and sound deadening properties but, more importantly, it also doesn’t get ruined if there is water intrusion.
All Alliance fifth wheels are wide body right down to this smallest model which means this measures 101” inches in width. That translates into larger bathrooms and upper decks.
Alliance not only consistently color codes all their wiring but also numbers it consistently. This makes it easier for the person building the RV to do it properly but makes a huge difference if there’s ever a warranty issue.
Having handled warranties I can tell you that diagnosing wiring issues is significantly faster and easier when you have a place to start, and many RV companies don’t even have schematics for their RVs.
I have frequently written that you should buy an RV by starting at the chassis and Alliance chassis structure is a bit heavier in some places but much heavier where the suspension is attached. Further, the company uses a wet bolted suspension system with a MorRyde CRE3000 rubber mounting system.
The plumbing is absolutely done the way it should be where each fixture has its own shut off valve. If the kitchen sink has a leak, for example, you can shut off just this fixture and use the rest of the RV. This is quite a significant feature.
Further, you can very easily get to the back of the water system in the wet bay, again, if there’s an issue. This kind of thinking is quite apparent in much of the rest of this RV.
While you’re looking at how things are made Alliance also adds additional structure to the drawers in their units to give them greater strength.
Smart features
I am also a fan of the fact that there are no ducts in the floor for the furnace. Instead, the ducts are up on the cabinetry so that you’re not kicking dust in them all summer and then getting “that smell” the first few times you turn on the furnace.
There are also spaces right at the entrance as well as under the steps up to the upper deck for shoes.
One of the features I wish more RVs had is a port on the roof of the rig. Nowadays more and more RVers are wanting to run wiring from the roof for things like solar panels or Starlink or cell phone boosters. On just about all RVs you have to drill a hole in the roof and then figure out how to fish this wiring through to where you want it to go. On this rig, there is a port up on the roof so this is done already. And weather sealed.
Perceptions
I got to tour the RV with a few people including my wife and a friend. The perceptions of the rig were interesting, to me.
I loved the bright, open feel of the RV. Part of how Alliance accomplishes this is to have taller slide boxes at 80 inches in height. They also prioritize much larger windows.
The colors used are very light with white cabinetry and very light wood tones. In some ways the interior of this rig reminds me of Ikea and I really like it. But my friend said he thought the interior looked cheap. So this shows how one design absolutely doesn’t appeal to all travelers.
I also saw the long table on the camp side of this rig and thought that it was really meant for skinny travelers. It just looks like a tight space and I would much rather they had used a free-floating table rather than one on pole mounts.
We all agreed that the kitchen, which is along the back of this rig, is a good design with lots of counter space and the pantry is a plus as well. Further, there’s a little spice rack by the window which I also like. Oh, and there’s a window above the sink.
There’s also a high-performance ceiling vent which also incorporates a rain sensor. I also like the dimmers on many of the lighting fixtures in here.
Boondocking and travel access
If there has to be one area where this RV falls short it’s on travel access. The stairwell to the upper deck is on the road side of the trailer which means the road-side slide completely blocks access to the upper deck. In other words, no mid-journey potty stops. Bummer.
That same slide also makes it more difficult to get to the kitchen sink, which is along the back of this rig. But you can get to the refrigerator so at least you a load the groceries.
Alliance does offer an optional solar package on this model consisting of a 320 watt single solar panel and 2,000 watt inverter, but that inverter’s wiring doesn’t include the microwave. Boo.
My thoughts
There is a whole lot to like about this fifth wheel but one more thing absolutely worth mentioning. Every single Alliance product is tested at the end of the assembly line by filling the holding tanks and taking the rig on a 15 minute test drive.
This is unheard of in the industry but it goes back to how these are made. Further, the warranty on these RVs does cover full-time use.
When you look at a lot of the competition for this product it is very, very clear that this is something I would much rather have than a Jayco or a Grand Design product.
In fact, at this same FMCA Convention I spoke with someone who was very excited about shopping for various brands and I pointed out all the reasons the Alliance was a better product than the one high on his shopping list.
I think that if you’re in the market for a smaller fifth wheel that really does have demonstrably better features, build quality and structural design elements you’d be sorely missing out not at least looking at something from Alliance.
Oh, and one more thing. Kudos to Alliance for not using the implication or name “half ton” in this fifth wheel. I honestly think that that designation can endanger some RVers who think that these rigs should be towed by light-duty trucks. Thank you, Alliance.
