2017 Thor Palazzo 33.2
An In-Depth Review of the Thor Palazzo
Article Date: December, 2016
Article and Photography by Mark Quasius
Thor Motor Coach has really outdone themselves with this coach. The Palazzo is a compact diesel pusher that is
priced in the realm of many gasoline powered class A coaches. Yet the Palazzo has features that puts it well above any gas class A in the market.
Available in five distinct floorplans there is enough selection to guarantee that anyone will find a coach that meets their unique requirements.
The Palazzo is well appointed but places considerable emphasis and usability and offers an amazing amount of storage space for a coach of this size.
I recently had the opportunity to review this coach while at the Grand Opening of the new Atlanta facility at
National Indoor RV Centers.
Exterior
Our 33 series Palazzo was built on a Freightliner XC-S straight rail rear engine diesel pusher chassis, featuring full
air-ride suspension and anti-lock air brakes. Power is supplied by a 6.7 liter Cummins ISB engine with 300 HP and 660 lb-ft of torque, although the
longer 36 series coaches get an upgraded 340 HP engine with 700 lb-ft of torque. A six speed
Allison MH-2500 automatic transmission delivers the
power to the ground via 255/70R22.5 tires. The GVWR rating is 26,000 lbs while the GCWR is 30,000 lbs with a trailer hitch capacity of 10,000 lbs. A
Cargo Carrying capacity of 3,312 lbs. is adequate for a coach of this size, even with the amount of storage space present. A 90 gallon fuel tank is
supplemented by a driver's side 13 gallon DEF tank that allows for easy refills at truck stop DEF pumps.
Our Palazzo was finished in the Riverbank full body paint scheme, one of four available paint options. Stainless steel wheel
trim, LED lighting, slide out toppers, and a power awning with LED lighting complete the exterior decor.
The Palazzo is equipped with an Onan 6.0 KW Quiet Diesel generator that is mounted in the front of the coach
and easily accessed via a hinged access panel that lifts up out of the way.
An exterior entertainment center holds a 32" LED TV for patio area entertainment.
The 13 gallon DEF tank is located on the driver's side of the coach to make it easy to refill from
DEF pumps at truck stop fuel islands.
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The main basement storage areas straddle the frame rails with a lower pass-through section as well as an upper
section with a storage platform above the frame rails. This patio side view also shows the dual doors that don't stick
out quite as far into the patio area for this wide cargo opening.
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The upper storage platform is mounted on slide rails so that it can be accessed from either side of the coach, as this
driver side view shows.
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The Palazzo's rear view looks good when going down the road. From the full body paint scheme to the LED rear lighting and recessed
rear view camera everything looks stylish, modern and attractive. A rear ladder is mounted securely to the rear cap to allow easy
access to the roof when needed.
Access to the engine service points, such as coolant, engine oil and transmission fluid is available via a hinged engine access grill.
The Palazzo's 10,000 lb. towing hitch is equipped with a 7 pin lighting connector for trailer or towed vehicle lighting.
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Onboard 104 lb. propane tank.
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Twist-lock removable 50 amp power cord.
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Magnum inverter/charger.
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Chassis and coach batteries.
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The on-board LP tank holds 104 lbs. of propane and is located in a vented driver-side compartment. Electrical needs
are handled by a 50 amp shore power connection via a twist-lock removable 30' power cord that feeds to an automatic transfer switch along with
the Onan 6.0 KW Quiet Diesel generator. A 2,000 watt modified sine wave Magnum
inverter/charger handles various items inside the coach, such as
the entertainment system and various electrical receptacles. The house 12 volt needs are met by a bank of four deep cycle batteries as well
as a pair of chassis batteries to start the engine and power the vehicle's accessories when driving. All of these batteries are located in a
dedicated battery compartment on the curb side of the coach.
33.2 Floorplan
The 33.2 is one of five available floorplans, three in a 34' overall length and two in a 37' overall length. The 33.2
is a comfortable central bath design that can sleep seven. It's a two slide design with a large full wall slide on the driver side and a small
bedroom slide on the patio side, without any slideouts intruding into the patio area when
entertaining or accessing the basement storage.
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