CamperHardlyKnowHer

Forest River Impression 280RL

Fifth wheelbuilt 2023–25Mixed build tierFindable on the used market
WHAT ONE COSTS
—price not published

The maker never published an MSRP for this floorplan. Unknown is not cheap — treat any asking price against comparable models, not against zero.

WHAT IT WEIGHS BEHIND YOUR TRUCK
~10,824 lbestimated as towed, for 2 people

dry weight 9,549 lb + fresh water (57 gal, full) 475 lb + propane + battery 200 lb + gear for 2 600 lb. Brochure dry weight omits water, propane, batteries and your gear; this estimate doesn't.

You want a tow rating around12,030 lb (10% margin)
GVWR (the sticker maximum)12,025 lb
Tongue weight, loaded~2,069 lb (19%)
Cargo capacity2,476 lb
WHICH TOW VEHICLES IT FITS — 23 OF 95

Judged the way the app judges: estimated loaded weight against each vehicle's rating less a 10% margin — per model year, because the 280RL's published weights held steady. Fifth wheels also need a pickup bed and are held to the fifth-wheel rating where published.

VEHICLETOW RATINGVERDICT
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 2500HD (Duramax, max tow) '24-2622,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 2500HD (Duramax) '20-2318,510 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 2500HD (Duramax) '11-1918,100 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 3500HD (Duramax DRW, gooseneck) '20-2636,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 3500HD (Duramax DRW, gooseneck) '11-1923,300 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado EV (4WT) '24-2612,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-150 (3.5 EcoBoost, max tow) '21-2314,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 diesel, gooseneck) '20-2222,800 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 diesel, tow pkg) '17-1918,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 diesel) '11-1616,600 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 HO diesel, gooseneck) '23-2623,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 diesel DRW, gooseneck) '20-2237,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 diesel DRW, gooseneck) '17-1932,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 diesel DRW, gooseneck) '11-1621,600 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 HO diesel DRW, gooseneck) '23-2638,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-450 Super Duty (6.7 HO diesel DRW, gooseneck) '23-2640,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Nissan Titan XD (Cummins diesel) '16-1912,710 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 1500 (5.7 Hemi eTorque, max tow) '19-2412,750 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 2500 (6.7 Cummins HO) '19-2620,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 2500 (6.7 Cummins) '11-1817,980 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 3500 (6.7 Cummins DRW, gooseneck) '13-1831,210 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 3500 (6.7 Cummins HO DRW, gooseneck) '25-2636,610 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 3500 (6.7 Cummins HO DRW, gooseneck) '19-2437,090 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
The 72it doesn't fit
  • Chevrolet Colorado / GMC Canyon (2.7 Turbo HO, tow pkg) '23-26 — over by ~3,894 lb loaded
  • Chevrolet Colorado / GMC Canyon (2.8 Duramax) '15-22 — over by ~3,894 lb loaded
  • Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 1500 (6.2 V8, max tow) '19-26 — over by ~1,554 lb loaded
  • Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (max tow) '14-18 — over by ~384 lb loaded
  • Chevrolet Suburban (5.3 V8, max tow) '21-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Chevrolet Tahoe (5.3 V8, max tow) '21-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Chevrolet Traverse (tow pkg) '18-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Chrysler Pacifica '17-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Dodge Durango (5.7 / 6.4 Hemi, tow pkg) '14-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Ford Bronco 4-dr (2.7 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '21-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Ford Expedition (3.5 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '18-24 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Ford Expedition (3.5 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '25-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Ford Explorer (3.0 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '20-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Ford F-150 (3.5 EcoBoost, max tow) '24-26 — over by ~1,104 lb loaded
  • Ford F-150 (3.5 EcoBoost, max tow) '11-14 — over by ~654 lb loaded
  • Ford F-150 (3.5 EcoBoost, max tow) '15-20 — over by ~114 lb loaded
  • Ford F-150 Lightning (max trailer tow) '22-26 — over by ~1,824 lb loaded
  • Ford Maverick (2.0 EcoBoost, 4K tow pkg) '22-26 — over by ~7,224 lb loaded
  • Ford Ranger (2.3 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '19-23 — over by ~4,074 lb loaded
  • Ford Ranger (2.7 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '24-26 — over by ~4,074 lb loaded
  • Ford Transit (HD tow pkg) '15-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • GMC Acadia (tow pkg) '20-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • GMC Hummer EV Pickup '22-26 — over by ~4,074 lb loaded
  • GMC Sierra EV '24-26 — over by ~24 lb loaded
  • GMC Yukon / Yukon XL (5.3 V8, max tow) '21-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Honda Odyssey '18-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Honda Passport (AWD) '19-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Honda Pilot (AWD, tow pkg) '16-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Honda Ridgeline (AWD) '17-26 — over by ~6,324 lb loaded
  • Hyundai Palisade (tow pkg) '20-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Hyundai Santa Cruz (2.5T AWD) '22-26 — over by ~6,324 lb loaded
  • Jeep Gladiator (3.6 V6, max tow) '20-26 — over by ~3,894 lb loaded
  • Jeep Grand Cherokee (5.7 Hemi) '11-21 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Jeep Grand Cherokee (WL, tow pkg) '22-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Jeep Grand Cherokee L (5.7 Hemi) '21-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Jeep Grand Wagoneer (Hurricane, max tow) '22-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Jeep Wagoneer (Hurricane, max tow) '22-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4-dr (tow pkg) '18-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Kia Telluride (tow pkg) '20-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Land Rover Defender '20-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Land Rover Discovery '17-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Lexus GX 550 (tow pkg) '24-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Lexus LX 600 '22-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Mazda CX-90 (3.3 turbo, tow pkg) '24-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Mercedes-Benz Sprinter '19-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Nissan Armada (3.5 twin-turbo, tow pkg) '25-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Nissan Armada (tow pkg) '17-24 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Nissan Frontier (3.8 V6, tow pkg) '22-26 — over by ~4,389 lb loaded
  • Nissan Pathfinder (tow pkg) '22-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Nissan Titan (5.6 V8, tow pkg) '17-24 — over by ~2,039 lb loaded
  • Ram 1500 (3.0 Hurricane, max tow) '25-26 — over by ~374 lb loaded
  • Ram 1500 (5.7 Hemi, max tow) '11-18 — over by ~1,264 lb loaded
  • Ram ProMaster '14-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Rivian R1S '22-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Rivian R1T '22-26 — over by ~924 lb loaded
  • Subaru Ascent '19-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Subaru Outback (XT / Wilderness) '20-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Tesla Cybertruck '24-26 — over by ~924 lb loaded
  • Tesla Model X (tow pkg) '16-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Tesla Model Y (tow pkg) '21-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Toyota 4Runner (4.0 V6) '11-24 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Toyota 4Runner (i-Force Max) '25-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Toyota Grand Highlander (i-Force Max) '24-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Toyota Highlander (tow pkg) '20-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Toyota Land Cruiser (i-Force Max) '24-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Toyota Sequoia (i-Force Max, tow pkg) '23-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Toyota Sienna '21-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
  • Toyota Tacoma (i-Force Max, tow pkg) '24-26 — over by ~4,974 lb loaded
  • Toyota Tacoma (V6, tow pkg) '16-23 — over by ~4,704 lb loaded
  • Toyota Tundra (5.7 V8, tow pkg) '11-21 — over by ~1,644 lb loaded
  • Toyota Tundra (i-Force Max, tow pkg) '22-26 — over by ~24 lb loaded
  • Volkswagen Atlas (tow pkg) '18-26 — no pickup bed — cannot hitch a fifth wheel
THE SPECS
Length35.2 ft
Height (incl. A/C)13.2 ft
Width8.0 ft
GVWR12,025 lb
Dry weight9,549 lb
Dry tongue weight1,825 lb
Cargo capacity2,476 lb
Sleeps4
Slide-outs3
Axles2
Fresh water57 gal
Grey water60 gal
Black water30 gal
Awning14 ft

A missing row means the maker never published that figure — unknown, not zero.

WHERE PEOPLE SLEEP
  • 1× Front queen(Permanent)—
  • 1× Trifold hide-a-bed(Convertible)—
HOW IT'S BUILT — 4/5
WallsLaminated fiberglass
FrameAluminum
RoofWalk-on
UnderbellyEnclosed

Forest River (Mixed tier): Impression

YEAR BY YEAR — WHAT CHANGED
  • 2023Introduced
  • 2025Discontinued
FINDING ONE

Findable — a few listed nationwide most weeks. Why: Forest River is a volume manufacturer. Estimated from build volume and production span — not a count of live listings.

THE READ

Rear living couples plan; GVWR derived.

OTHER IMPRESSION FLOORPLANS
235RW · 11,570 lb · sleeps 4238RL · 11,775 lb · sleeps 4242RD · 9,995 lb · sleeps 4270RK · 11,715 lb · sleeps 4282RL · 12,070 lb · sleeps 4290VB · 11,955 lb · sleeps 6301ML · 13,995 lb · sleeps 4315MB · 13,213 lb · sleeps 6318RL · 14,120 lb · sleeps 4320FL · 14,535 lb · sleeps 4330BH · 14,280 lb · sleeps 8360MYR · 15,885 lb · sleeps 636BR3 · 14,155 lb · sleeps 844STAY · 17,370 lb · sleeps 6the whole line →
Is the 280RL your #1 — or just a spec sheet?

These are the facts. Whether it beats the other six thousand rigs for you depends on what you care about — set your priorities as sliders and watch the whole market re-rank around them. Nothing gets hidden, everything gets explained.

Rank it against your setup →

Data compiled from dealer and aggregator listings, retrieved 2026-07.