KZ RV Review

KZ RVs may not be a household name outside of the recreational vehicle (RV) world like some of the industry’s best RV brands. But for plugged-in RVers, the company is a well-known entity. Over the last five decades, the company has developed a reputation for quality campers, as evidenced both by industry awards and glittering KZ RV reviews.

We wanted to put that reputation to the test. This KZ RV review takes an in-depth look at the company’s costs, quality, customer support, and owner reviews. You can use what you learn to help you decide if KZ is the right RV manufacturer for your new RV.

Between KZ’s well-earned reputation for quality, its large selection of models, and its better-than-average warranty program, the brand is a solid choice for a camper manufacturer at multiple price points. Although there are some of the same complaints you’ll find with any RV brand about quality and service, its strengths earned the company a strong 4.0 out of 5.0 stars in this KZ RV review.

KZ got its start in the RV world making truck campers, operating out of a gas station in Middlebury, Indiana, in 1972. Since then, the company has relocated to nearby Shipshewana where it now produces full lines of travel trailers, fifth wheels, and toy haulers.

While the company–like many–now falls under the Thor Industries umbrella, it has maintained a reputation for producing high-quality towable RVs. KZ makes travel trailers, fifth-wheels, and toy hauler RVs. It doesn’t make motorhomes like Class A, Class B, or Class C RVs. You can find those from brands like Jayco and Forest River.

While it tends to be a little more expensive than some of its competitors, RV buyers can find campers from KZ across the price spectrum. The brand has multiple options in the entry-level category under $30,000, like the KZ Connect and KZ Sportsmen lines. But the brand also offers a few luxury campers that sell for more than $100,000 brand new.

As with almost every RV manufacturer, you have many options when it comes to features and amenities that you can have built into your KZ RV. These options can easily push an entry-level model into mid-range territory or even higher.

KZ produces 14 lines of RVs, each with its own range of models and floor plans. While some of these lines only feature models in one category, several have models in multiple categories. Different lines offer different sizes and amenities and, as a result, come with different price points.

KZ RVs have a long-held reputation for build quality. When company founder Daryl Zook sold the company to Thor Industries in 2014, many KZ fans were understandably concerned that the company wouldn’t be able to maintain its quality standards. However, so far, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

As a testament to that quality, KZ has won the Dealer’s Satisfaction Index (DSI) Quality Circle award an impressive 18 out of the 25 times it has been issued. Five of those awards were won from 2014 until now.

The DSI Quality Circle award is issued every year by the RV Dealers Association to the top 10 manufacturers in the RV industry, rated on dealer satisfaction. Reliability and quality are some of the primary considerations in this survey. Clearly, RV dealers think very highly of the brand’s quality and have for some time.

In addition to its reputation for build quality, KZ has also built a reputation for providing helpful after sales service. Its customer service phone number is easy to find on the website, although the company does not make it clear when representatives are available. 

But much of this reputation likely has to do with the abundance of resources the company makes available to its customers. On its website, KZ offers links to helpful resources like:

• Owner’s manuals
• Towing guide
• Self-service support
• Vacation planner

Like most RV companies, KZ also has an owners forum where people can share information and ask questions. However, this forum is not as active as those of some other brands, so it may not be as helpful as some. Still, it’s a good place to connect with other KZ owners who might have insight into your particular model.

KZ touts its warranty heavily on its website. Branded as “KZ True 2,” the company’s warranty is a two-year “hitch-to-bumper” warranty. This is an extra year of protection compared to many other big names in the RV industry.

It’s important to note the KZ True 2 warranty doesn’t come with every model. Most models come with a one-year warranty. However, you’ll get the company’s two-year warranty on these products:

• Durango half-ton fifth wheels
• Durango fifth wheels
• Durango Gold fifth wheels
• Connect SE travel trailers
• Connect travel trailers
• Sportsmen fifth wheels
• Sportsmen destination trailers
• Sportster toy haulers
• Venom V-Series toy haulers
• Venom toy haulers

As with all warranties, it’s important to read the fine print carefully. Companies often include terms and exclusions to warranties that make them cover less than most people would assume. Despite the company’s strong reputation, you should always make sure you know exactly what is and isn’t covered by your warranty.

Based on the company’s reputation for quality and service, it should come as no surprise that it holds an A+ rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). This top rating from the organization indicates that it handles complaints from customers well.

Reviews from customers do vary a bit online. KZ has an overall 3.6 out of 5.0-star rating on RVInsider, which is above average for the site. Customers gave KZ three or more stars for the Livability, Overall Quality, Floorplan, and Driveability/Towing categories. Curiously, however, they only gave it 2.7 stars in the Warranty category.

Positive KZ RV Reviews

Customers mention just about everything when they leave favorable KZ RV reviews. But the overall build quality and amenities are frequent topics of these reviews.

“Has lots of great options. I love the pullout tubs that go under the u-shaped dinette for easy pull out storage. It had a huge pantry. It has USB charging ports at every bed.”

– Jonathan, 2021 KZ Connect

“Very good quality and the fit and finish–the best we have had and this is our fourth RV. It is built with full-time RVers in mind. The rear kitchen and lots of counter space is the best we have seen in any brand.”

– Bert, 2017 KZ Durango Gold

Negative KZ RV Reviews

KZ has its share of negative reviews online as well. Most of the people who leave these unfavorable reviews describe quality issues and problems with their dealership.

“It has been at the dealership twice for more than four weeks each time being repaired. The main AC went out, the awning had to be replaced, the pipes are leading in the bathroom, [and] the molding has come loose on the ceiling.”

– Troy, 2016 KZ Spree

“Within one month the silicon around the kitchen sink failed and the countertop [delaminated]. The bulb seal along the slide out is dry rotting and cracking. The slide out also leaks into the main cabin if you get caught driving in the rain.”

–Tim, 2019 KZ Connect

Despite some reports of quality issues, it’s clear that KZ continues to earn its reputation as a manufacturer of high-quality RVs. You only need to look as far as the fact that it consistently earns a spot among the top RV manufacturers in the DSI Quality Circle awards to confirm.

KZ offers towables at multiple price points, making it an accessible brand for a wide range of people. The company’s two-year “hitch-to-bumper” warranty is also a strong selling point–although it is a little disappointing that this warranty doesn’t come with all models.

Overall, there’s a lot to like about KZ RVs and not much to dislike about the company. For people looking for a dependable RV in the towable category, KZ would be an excellent place to start.

*Data accurate at time of publication.