2025 Thor Motor Coach Pasadena 38XL Review

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Fact is, a lot of people buy Super Cs for one reason — towing. These rigs are based on very capable truck chassis that allow you to bring horse or racing trailers or other larger towables. Here, the 2025 Thor Motor Coach Pasadena 38XL, in particular, is a truly capable hauler. And there are some great examples of attention to detail that I can’t wait to share with you about this model, even beyond towing capability.

At a Glance: Pasadena 38XL

I rated the Thor Pasadena 38XL as a 7.7 out of 10 stars for a variety of reasons. There were plenty of concrete (well, wood really) examples of good design in here. But numbers alone don’t tell the full story of how pleasant this Super C is to spend time in. Add the incredible towing and cargo carrying, and you’ve got a really great motorhome here. 

However, if towing is not a priority for your motorhome purchase, there are other Class Cs that might be a better value. The Pasadena 38XL is a good rig with some great features, but all that attention to detail does come with a hefty price, which may not pencil out for every buyer.

Check the Specs

• Sleeping capacity: 7–9 (with jackknife sofa option instead of theater seats)
• UVW: 32,700 pounds 
• CCC: 7,431 pounds.
• Exterior length: 39 feet 10 inches
• Exterior height 13 feet 3 inches
• Exterior width: 8 feet 5 inches
• Fresh/Gray/Black: 100/80/80 gallons (Note: values combined from two gray and two black tanks)
• Propane: 105 pounds
• Awning: 20 feet
• MSRP: $347,760

Features We Love

• Cargo carrying and trailering capacity
• Overhead bunk space
• Kitchen
• Attention to detail
• A/C ducting

Benefits

• One of the reasons people choose a Super C is the towing. This model is rated to tow up to 15,000 pounds. So, you could bring horse trailers, car haulers for your race team or whatever you like, just about. 
• We have more information about the overhead bunk in the Sleeping Space section, but it’s a place where even adults will be comfortable and could be the first choice for sleeping.
• Kitchen design shows an impressive attention to detail. 
• Speaking of attention to detail, there are a lot of examples of that in here. One of those are cabinets which open from the side normally to allow full access, have power outlets inside them as well as Cat 6 connectivity (in an RV!), but which are also accessible through a side door when the slide room in retracted for travel. 
• Another example of attention to detail is the A/C ducting. The intake ports are along the side of the ceiling and the exhaust (where the cool air comes from) runs down the center. This means the A/C works well even with the slides in and the ducting provides thorough and very quiet performance for the A/C units in this RV. 

Challenges

• There is very little to dislike in this RV, but I would like to see better vent fans in the bathrooms. 
• I was also surprised to see a Schwintek slide mechanism on such a large slide. There are people who don’t like this mechanism and many competitors are using hydraulic slide rooms in this category. 

Best For

• Towing is one of the biggest reasons people buy these. With very comfortable sleeping for at least six people, you could easily use this to tow a race car with tools and bring along the entire crew. Or, if you have a band, all the band members will be comfortable and all the gear can be towed with ease. 
• This is also a great RV if you camp with other adults with plenty of sleeping and seating for all. 

Key Areas We Evaluate for RV Buyers

Sleeping Space

The back bedroom of the Pasadena 38XL is plush with a king-size bed that features a lift mechanism that can raise the head to almost vertical position, making it a great place for reading or just watching RV reviews on the TV. 

But don’t ignore the huge bunk over the cab of this RV with the large windows on the front and sides. On a beautiful starry night, this would be a fantastic place to lay and gaze at the wonders of the universe. Adults can easily fit up here and even sit straight up and that window is pretty nice. Plus, there’s a padded cover that can be powered down over the window when you’ve had your fill of the night sky. 

There are also two bunks in the slide room in a closet-like compartment — sort of like berths in an old railroad coach. These measure 27 inches by 74 inches and can accommodate adults. Each bunk also has both household and USB power outlets so even a moody teenager might be okay in this spot. (I said might.) 

The master bedroom also has a washer and dryer in it. When the bed is lifted at the top, this also opens up the space in here to be rather large so it would be a great place to do laundry with the bed being the place to fold those clean clothes. There is a surprising amount of floor space in the Pasadena 38XL’s bedroom. 

Bathroom

As if the bedroom weren’t enough, there are two bathrooms in this model. In the main living space of the Pasadena 38XL, there’s a guest half bath that’s more spacious feeling than some other RVs’ main bathrooms. There’s plenty of space and decent counter space for all those goofy soaps you collect on the road. (Who doesn’t need 12 soaps shaped like sea shells and sea horses?)

But the back bathroom in here is even larger with plenty of counter space and a good-size shower. One example of Thor’s attention to detail in here is the Oxygenics shower head. For many RVers, buying one of these is a rite of passage. But, in speaking with the decision makers who design this coach, it was clear that they wanted to make this feature standard for regular RVers, which is unusual in the RV industry. 

Living Area

When we were looking at Thor’s RV collection for these reviews, the Pasadena 38XL is we spent time in previewing in preparation. The comfortable power reclining theater seats with heat and massage were a hit with me — as was the totally open feeling of this rig. There is a larger TV right across from the theater seats for optimal viewing.

Kudos to Thor Motor Coach on the dinette in this motorhome that not only includes seat belts at all four positions but also has LATCH-compatible mounts for children’s seats. This is highly unusual in the RV industry. Often many people are unpleasantly surprised when they buy an RV to enjoy camping with their grandchildren and later find that they can’t accommodate their child’s seats. Not true here. 

Kitchen

If you can’t decide between using traditional propane cooking or induction cooking, no worries. The Pasadena 38XL has both. The kitchen in here also features a very large residential refrigerator with water and ice in the door and a convection air fryer microwave. 

While I’ve seen RVs with more kitchen counter space, this one isn’t bad, and the upscale tools Thor Motor Coach provides to demonstrate your skills as an RV chef will likely make any road cook happy. I love to cook, and this RV would absolutely make me happy with what’s here and how it’s arranged. 

There are also a lot of cabinets and drawers. So, I wouldn’t feel bad even bringing the seldom-used tools.

Four-Season Capabilities

While I wouldn’t want to camp in this where the temperatures were extreme, this Pasadena 38XL is decently insulated for colder weather camping. The holding tanks on this unit are all enclosed in a heated compartment, which means you should be good in colder situations. Another nod to climate protection are the standard dual-pane windows. Overall, a good unit to have even when the weather is less than ideal, if not extreme.

Storage Space

In addition to towing, storage is another highlight of the Pasadena 38XL. There’s plenty of basement storage on both sides and cargo carrying ability to fill these bays without worrying. 

Inside, there is also a good amount of closet, drawer, and cabinet storage. There are plenty of overhead cabinets in here as well plus a pantry-like closet that can be accessed from both the side and on the end when the slide room is in. (This is a brilliant adaptation that shows that Thor’s decision makers actually have gone camping. Again, not typical in the RV industry.)

The bunks in here, too, can be folded up and there is a long hanging bar in here if you’d rather use that space to hang all your sequined suits and jumpers for those days on stage. (I did mention that this would be a great rig for a traveling band, right?)

Closing Notes on the Pasadena 38XL

There was a lot I really liked about this Super C. Honestly, this was one of the best Super C RVs I have experienced. Something unusual in here, too, was the wiring of Cat 6 in the pantry closet. If you desire, there is an antenna system where you could use subscriptions to cell phone data plans to connect to the internet and have the infrastructure to support that already in-place in the RV. 

One thing, though, 100 watts of solar is like a teaspoon of frosting on your birthday cake. It’s not enough to really do much more than be a battery tender at best. This RV is very capable as an off-grid camper with the huge 8,000-watt generator aboard, but solar isn’t much help.

The color and lighting in this RV made it a place we all enjoyed spending time and there was a lot to like about the space. It just felt comfortable. 

Driving Experience

While you might assume driving a truck like this would be unpleasant, that’s not true at all. The Freightliner cab is every bit as comfortable as many cars and features air ride seats to help mitigate any harshness transmitting from the road to your backside. 

This also features a full suite a cameras and other features to simplify driving. 

A Note on the RV Trader Review Process

RV Trader asked RV shoppers what was most important to them in their RV buying process. Potential buyers — like you — helped us to identify a list of six key areas that camping and travel enthusiasts always look at when they’re searching for the perfect RV: sleeping space, bathroom, living area, four-season capabilities, and storage space.

The RV Trader team then got to work providing you with honest and unbiased evaluations. If you’re wondering, that’s where I came in. As an RV expert and enthusiast, I provide an honest look at RVs from an RV industry insider perspective.

Tony Barthel

Tony Barthel is an RV industry insider. Always prepared to give an honest look at an RV, Tony loves sharing the good, the bad, and the intriguing about RVs — from travel trailers and fifth wheels to Class As, Bs, and Cs. In addition to his RV Trader reviews, you can follow Tony at StressLessCamping.com.

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