2017 Entegra Anthem 44B

An In-Depth Review of the Anthem by Entegra Coach
Article Date: October, 2016

Article and Photography by Mark Quasius

Entegra Coach has made a number of improvements to its ever popular Anthem motorhome. The Anthem has always been a good blend of features and amenities within a reasonable price point for an upscale coach that offers tremendous bang for the buck. 2017 in particular brought a number of changes as part of Entegra Coach's commitment to continual improvement. But the many new features don't take away from the fact that an Entegra Coach has always lived up to their claim of being "The Quietest Riding, Best Handling Coach on the Market. Period". I recently spent a day with a 2017 Anthem and documented this year's changes and upgrades.

44B Floorplan

The Anthem I tested was the popular 44B, one of 5 available floorplans and is a 45' quad slide coach. Entegra doesn't care for full wall slides and would rather stress structural integrity but the 44B gives the look of a full wall slide floorplan without sacrificing the strength and support of a quad slide floorplan. This particular coach was finished in the Gold Ribbon paint scheme. The Anthem is built on Spartan's K2-450 chassis and is powered by a 450 HP Cummins ISL9 engine that puts out 1,250 ft-lbs of torque. The chassis is a side radiator design that is rated at 49,000 lbs. GVWR and 64,000 GCWR.

As good as the Spartan chassis is, Entegra kicks that up a notch with a number of custom chassis tweaks that make this coach a real joy to drive, such as additional X bracing that further stiffens the frame and provides a solid surface to mount the coach on. The end result is a chassis that doesn't flex and a superstructure that will not twist and loosen up over time. Michelin 315/85R22.5 Load Range L XZA2 series tires easily handle the front axle weight while 295/85 tires are fitted to the rear and tag axles. The stated cargo carrying capacity (CCC) of this coach is 9,369 lbs. The unloaded vehicle weight is 39,631 lbs. with full fuel. This is an all-electric coach so no propane tank is required but if you add in 830 lbs. for a full fresh water tank you can easily carry in excess of 8,500 lbs. if you could find a way to stuff that much cargo into the coach. The 17,000 lb. rated front axle has in excess of 1,000 lbs. capacity when unloaded and fueled up so steer axle overweight issues will not be a concern with this coach.

The coach is designed for easy access to the engine and related components. A Spartan service center contains all of the service items in a dedicated compartment. For those items that need to be directly accessed at the engine, a power lift access cover raised to expose the various dipsticks and filler tubes for engine oil and transmission fluid as well as easy access to the hydraulic filter and any drive belts.

The fuse blocks used to power cockpit accessories in previous years have now been replaced by a Firefly Systems G6 multiplex controller. Circuit breakers now supply power to these systems and greatly clean up this compartment, which is located on the driver's side of the coach at the very front.

Radar sensors such as these are located in various positions on the side of the coach to warn drivers of close proximity objects.

The 2017 Anthem is equipped with the En-telligent Blind Spot Monitoring system. This system uses radar modules mounted on the front and sides of the coach to detect objects in close proximity to the coach. This eliminates blind spots by flashing a warning light on the dash as well as in the appropriate side mirror to warn the driver of the nearby object.

Entegra has also replaced the plunger style latches in the basement compartment doors with automotive style rotary latches. The storage compartment for the Sanicon Turbo macerator hose has also been relocated to a lower position and fabricated with fiberglass rather than sheet metal.

The utility bay contains controls for the remote dump valves, Sanicon Turbo macerator and fresh tank fill. A soap dispenser and paper towel holder are standard as is a power rewind hose reel, full house water filtration system and black tank flush connection. A quick-release panel gains access to a bypass valve for those times when you would rather use the 3" slinky type dump hose rather than the macerator.

Immediately nest to the utility bay is the compartment that holds the Aqua Hot 450D hydronic heating system. This system uses diesel fuel or 120 volt AC power to heat the boiler to provide heating for the coach interior, domestic hot water heating and the hydronic heating loop that heats the tile floor. This compartment also contains the power cord reel for the 50 amp shore power service. The previous automatic transfer switch is now replaced in 2017 by the TRC 40350-RVC. This transfer switch has full surge protection as well as both low and high voltage protection for the coach's electrical systems so there is no need to add a supplementary surge protector to this coach.

Interior

This Anthem was finished with the Ambience interior decor package and Windsor Cherry hardwood cabinetry. There are numerous interior decor and woodwork choices available from light, medium and dark. This particular coach was decorated with the darker selections. The woodwork and cabinetry is built by talented Amish craftsmen. The ceiling treatment has mirrored insets that surround a decorative LED backlit translucent panel that is framed in cherry woodworking while the floor is made of high gloss porcelain tile. All of the cabinetry is fitted with slid surface countertops and LED lighting is built into the leading edge of all fixed counter tops to provide an upscale look.

The 45B comes standard with an L-shaped couch but is also available with an optional 84" Hide-a-Bed sofa if desired. The couch extension expands for seating or retracts for travel. A pair of Ottomans is also included. Each Ottoman has a removable top to access storage space beneath.

The 45B has Entegra's largest galley, which holds a drawer type dishwasher, stainless steel dual basin sink, a two burner induction cooktop and an extendable work area. A Whirlpool convection microwave oven is located in the overhead cabinetry while a wide full height pantry is located just to the right of the galley, offering plenty of storage space. This image also shows the look of a full wall slide while still retaining the strength of the support between the pantry and bedroom.

The driver's side super slideout holds the residential refrigerator, the dinette and the entertainment center. The entertainment center sports a fireplace built into a mantled cabinet. A 50" LED Smart TV rests on top of the cabinet and compartments are provided for satellite receivers, the Blu-ray player and the surround sound system. The system feeds a total of four TVs in the coach - a 32" front overhead, 50" entertainment center, 32" bedroom and 40" in the outside entertainment center. A Winegard Rayzar Automatic antenna provides automatic operation for capturing off-air TV stations and a choice of either a Winegard Trav'ler automatic satellite dish or in-motion satellite dome is available.

The bedroom sports a king bed with a Tempurpedic Cloud mattress that lifts up for below-bed storage. A ceiling fan is located in this area, which can be controlled from the various lighting and fan controls beneath the cabinetry over the bed.

Directly opposite the bed is a 32" LED TV that is mounted on hinges to allow access to the storage area, second Blu-ray player and wall safe behind it. A Bose sound bar provides premium audio. The vanity is solid surfaced and equipped with LED edge lighting.

The rear bath vanity features a molded solid surface sink and wide mirror, although no medicine cabinet is found in the rear bath on the 45B floorplan. The shower stall is built with hand-laid porcelain tile and enclosed with a circular shower surround. a Tecma macerator toilet flanks the shower enclosure.

The rear of the coach contains a cedar lined wardrobe with mirrored doors. A stackable washer and dryer pair is located to the right of the wardrobe.

A couple of new features for 2017 are a storage drawer built into the entry steps to hold items such as mud shoes, pet leashes or other similar sized items. The front console cup holders are stainless steel this year with blue LED accent lighting.

The 2017 instrument panel features the usual Spartan three gauge setup and information center but this year a pair of LEDs are added to allow the En-telligent warning system to alert the driver of nearby hazards. These LEDs work in conjunction with the LED signals embedded into the side mirrors. The side console also has some new changes for 2017. The engine compression brake switch is now a red toggle switch with a raised handle to make it easy to find the switch without removing your eyes from the road.

2017also brings a new in-dash infotainment system to all Entegras. The radio/navigation system not sports one large glass screen that is partitioned into two monitors. The top controls the entertainment system and the Rand McNally GPS navigation system while the bottom portion displays the rear and side view cameras. The rear camera is a two position camera than can provide the traditional rear view or a tight view of the hitch.

2017 also debuts the new VegaTouch system. This touch screen panel can control virtually every multiplexed component in the coach. The home screen contains basic information and icons that bring up additional menu screens, such as interior lighting, window shades, exterior lighting, HVAC control, plumbing and electrical screens, etc. The HVAC system is a huge improvement over the thermostat and offers fast, user-friendly control over every aspect. A new Auto setting will switch between heat and cooling as needed and separate settings can be set for daytime and nighttime to eliminate having to fiddle with the thermostat on a regular basis. This system can also be accessed via a downloadable app for smart phones or tablet computers.

Overall Impressions

The Anthem is made to drive. Entegra promotes their coaches as "The Quietest Riding, Best Handling Coach on the Market Today. Period." and after spending some seat time in the coach we found that to be 100% true. Entegra's tweaks to the chassis improve handling and make the Anthem a very responsive coach. Entegra takes great pains to create a quiet coach as well. Their R33 floor offers superior insulation but also blocks the usual road noise associated with most motorhomes. Not only is the sound blocked, but vibrations are isolated via a number of steps that Entegra takes.

Lastly, there is Entegra's forward control cab design is also a huge plus. Entegra coaches all use a large windshield that drops down lower than the typical motorhome windshield and Entegra's forward seating position and dash gives the driver the ability to see directly in front of the coach without the blind spots typical to a higher windshield base. This is a huge benefit when maneuvering into a tight area or negotiating a tight turn because you can see how much room you have at the front and corners of the coach. Another benefit is that the lower windshield allows the mirrors to be mounted lower than usual, allowing the driver to see over the top to eliminate any blind spots, especially at intersections.

Living in the coach is equally impressive. The coach is so well insulated and free of drafts that the heating and air conditioning systems had no trouble keeping up and ran for fairly short periods of time. Entegra's attention to detail when insulating this coach have also made it a very quiet environment to live in. Entegra's policy of packing most features in as standard equipment helps at resale time, when options are not considered when determining trade-in value, and having that two year bumper-to-bumper warranty is another benefit. All of these new features and improvements are helping to keep Entegra at the head of the class for 2017.

Specifications

2017 Entegra Coach Anthem 45B

Base Price: $501,042

Standard Features:

• Solid surface countertops
• Gold Ribbon full body paint
• Ambiance interior with Windsor Cherry hardwood woodwork
• MCD power roller shades, privacy and sun screen
• Winegard Rayzar Automatic TV antenna
• Dual Girard Multi-Angle power patio side awning
• Girard power entry door awning
• Girard window awnings
• Sanicon Turbo system
• Power cord and hose reels
• Dual full width cargo slide trays
• Three 15,000 BTU AC units with heat pumps
• 22 cubic inch residential refrigerator with ice and water dispenser
• 50" Ultra-HD LED Smart TV
• 32" front overhead LED TV
• Surround Sound System with Blu-Ray Player
• 32" LED bedroom TV with Blu-Ray player and Bose sound bar
• 40" exterior LED TV and JB Lansing sound system in galley slide
• Six way power cockpit seats with integral lap and shoulder belts
• Two burner induction electric glass cooktop with convection microwave oven
• Dual 2800 and 2000 watt pure sine wave inverters with 4 L16 390 amp-hr batteries
• In-dash entertainment system with Rand McNally TripMaker GPS navigation system
• Equalizer Systems dual acting leveling jacks
• Aqua-Hot 450D hydronic heating system
• Onan 12,500 watt diesel generator
• Fisher-Paykel dishwasher drawer
• Stackable washer/dryer
• Built-in central vacuum system with dust pan
• King bed with Tempurpedic Cloud Mattress

Options:

• Basement freezer and slide tray - $1,499.00
• Winegard Trav'ler automatic satellite dish - $1,342.00
• Dual solar panels - $2,774.00

Price as Tested $506,657 (MSRP)

Specifications:

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR): 49,000 lbs.
Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR): 64,000 lbs.
Net Cargo Carrying Capacity (NCC): 9,369 lbs.
Trailer Hitch Capacity: 15,000 lbs.
Wheelbase: 320 inches
Overall Length: 44' - 11"
Overall Width: 101 inches
Overall Height: 12 feet 9 inches
Fresh Water: 100 gallons
Gray Water: 63 gallons
Black Water: 41 gallons
Chassis: Spartan K2-450 rear engine diesel
Front Axle: 17,000 lb IFS, Air-ride
Drive Axle: 20,000 lb Air-ride
Tag Axle: 14,000 lb Air-ride Brakes: Six wheel anti-lock front disc, rear drum brakes
Fuel Tank Capacity: 150 gallons
DEF Tank Capacity: 15 gallons
Engine: Cummins ISL9 with 2 speed compression brake
Horsepower: 450 HP at 2,100 RPM
Torque: 1,250 lb-ft at 1,400 RPM
Transmission: Allison 3000 series 6 speed automatic

Source

Entegra Coach
(800) 517-9137
www.entegracoach.com

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