01 What makes it unique
The 16BHX is the plan that gets families into towing: rear bunk beds for the kids, a front bed for the adults and a working kitchenette between them, in a 90-inch-wide single-axle body 19 feet 6 long. At 3,109 pounds dry on a 454-pound tongue, a properly equipped mid-size SUV or small pickup handles it — the whole point of the X-series.
X-series compacts run the lighter Aurora Light equipment set: a 6-foot-6 interior, one 20-pound LP bottle, a two-burner cooktop and the 3.3-cubic-foot 12-volt refrigerator, under the same Norco electromagnetic powder-coated chassis, seamless lifetime-warranty roof membrane, 13,500-BTU GE ducted heat-pump air conditioner and GE tankless water heater the whole line carries. The factory prints a 4,454-pound GVWR; 3,109 plus 1,345 equals it exactly.
The honest limits: five berths in under 20 feet means the dinette converts nightly, the 3.3-cubic-foot fridge shops every other day, and 1,345 pounds of margin goes fast with a filled 40-gallon fresh tank (about 330 pounds). Families who camp longer than a weekend should read the 18BHSX one size up.
02 Full specifications
Dimensions
- Exterior length
- 19' 6"
- Exterior width
- 90"
- Exterior height
- 10' 1"
- Interior height
- 6' 6" (RVUSA)
Weights
- Dry / unit base weight (UVW)
- 3,109 lbs
- GVWR (max loaded)
- 4,454 lbs
- Net cargo / payload (CCC)
- 1,345 lbs
- Dry hitch weight
- 454 lbs
Capacities
- Fresh water
- 40 gal
- Grey water
- 30 gal
- Black water
- 30 gal
- Refrigerator
- 3.3 cu ft GE (12V)
Construction
- Chassis
- Norco electromagnetic powder-coated
- Exterior
- Metal siding
- Roof
- Seamless membrane · limited lifetime warranty
- Counters
- Value-line laminate
Running gear
- Axle class
- Single axle (RVUSA record)
- Hitch
- Bumper Pull · dry tongue 454 lb
- Spare tire
- Included, with carrier
- LP
- One 20-lb bottle
Galley & systems
- Cooktop
- 2-burner (X-series)
- A/C
- 13,500 BTU GE ducted heat pump
- Water heater
- GE 60K BTU tankless
- Furnace
- 20,000 BTU (single-axle spec)
Sleeping & layout
- Sleeps
- Up to 5 (RVUSA)
- Primary bed
- Front bed
- Layout
- Rear bunk beds, kitchenette, front bed — single-axle X-series compact
- Awnings & entries
- 10′ power awning · 1 entry
Drawn to scale
Weight budget
Size, with end view
Holding tanks
Axles, wheels and nose shape are schematic; not a floorplan. Data: dataset.
Towing it
Loaded range: 10–15% of GVWR on the tongue, a rule of thumb, not a measurement of this unit. No truck ratings or hitch classes (why; NHTSA, DOT HS 809 433). The range starts at the published dry figure, because loaded is never lighter than dry.
03 Aurora Light floorplan family
Forest River's Aurora Light line — the lightweight tier of the Aurora family: a 2026 roster that runs from 16-foot single-axle X-series compacts a mid-size SUV can pull to a 36-foot-2 quad-bunk family flagship, on the same Norco electromagnetic powder-coated chassis with a 13,500-BTU GE ducted heat-pump air conditioner, a GE tankless water heater and a seamless roof membrane standard. Eight plans are profiled in depth; the full roster including catalogued, deferred and dealer-stock-only plans lives on the Aurora Light hub with verified weights.
| Floorplan | Nominal | Sleeps | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13BHX | 16 ft | 4 | Micro bunkhouse X — catalogued on the hub |
| 13RDX | 16 ft | 2 | Micro rear-dinette X — catalogued on the hub |
| 13RKX | 16 ft | 3 | Micro rear-kitchen X — catalogued on the hub |
| 15RBX | 20 ft | 2 | Murphy-bed rear-bath X — catalogued on the hub |
| 15RDX | 20 ft | 3 | U-dinette couples X — catalogued on the hub |
| 16BHX | 20 ft | 5 | X-series family compact — bunks in 19 ft 6, SUV-towable |
| 18BHS | 23 ft | 7 | Dealer-stock-only bunkhouse sibling — catalogued on the hub |
| 18BHSX | 23 ft | 7 | Single-axle bunkhouse with a slide — outside kitchen, sleeps 7 |
| 18RBS | 24 ft | 2 | Dealer-stock-only Murphy rear-bath — catalogued on the hub |
| 19RBS | TBD | 3 | Deferred — factory has not published weights |
| 21BH | 26 ft | 7 | Full-width slide-free bunkhouse — 2,000-lb payload |
| 22EPIC | 26 ft | 3 | Slide-free couples plan — 18-ft awning, 6-ft-9 interior |
| 22MLS | 26 ft | 2 | Dealer-stock-only mid-living slide — catalogued on the hub |
| 23MKS | 28 ft | 3 | Mid-kitchen slide couples plan — pass-through bath |
| 23BHS | 28 ft | 7 | Bunkhouse with slide — catalogued on the hub |
| 26BH | 29 ft | 7 | Big slide-free bunkhouse — no slide upkeep |
| 26BHS | 30 ft | 8 | Volume bunkhouse with slide — outside kitchen, 50A option |
| 27BHS | 33 ft | 8 | Off current factory roster — RVUSA-catalogued on the hub |
| 28QBUNK | 36 ft | 9 | Quad-bunk flagship — sleeps 9, camp-kitchen option |
The Aurora Light roster splits into two build classes: 90-inch single-axle X-series compacts (6-foot-6 interiors, one 20-lb LP bottle, a 3.3-cu-ft refrigerator on the 13/15/16-series) and 96-inch tandem-axle full-size plans (6-foot-9 interiors, two bottles, the 10.7-cu-ft GE fridge). This is a published-GVWR-clean line: on every plan with published weights the factory GVWR equals UVW plus CCC exactly. Forest River does not print per-plan axle counts — the class shown is the RVUSA catalog record, flagged where it is the sole source (as on the full-width 21BH). Always confirm against the unit's weight sticker before towing.
04 Notes on this floorplan
SUV-class towing is the pitch
A 454-pound tongue and 4,454-pound GVWR sit inside many mid-size SUV ratings — verify against the door-jamb placard, not the brochure tow number.
X-series equipment set
Single axle, one LP bottle, two-burner cooktop, 3.3-cu-ft fridge, 6-ft-6 interior — the deliberate weight diet that keeps it under 3,200 dry.
RVUSA record drifts
RVUSA shows 2,969 dry / 4,396 GVWR / 396 hitch; the current factory page prints 3,109 / 4,454 / 454. Factory used, logged. No MSRP is published.
05 How it compares
One size up — a slide, a U-dinette, the 10.7-cu-ft fridge and an outside kitchen at 4,183 dry, still single-axle.
The 16-foot micro-bunkhouse — 2,643 pounds dry, catalogued on the hub with verified weights.
The value micro-bunkhouse field — the Aurora Light counter is the tankless water heater, heat-pump A/C and the lifetime roof membrane.
06 Loading it for a trip
A full 40-gallon fresh tank is about 334 lb of water (water counts as cargo: 49 CFR 571.110 S9.3.2), 25% of the Aurora Light 16BHX’s 1,345 lb cargo capacity, leaving 1,011 lb (202 lb per rated berth). Across 14 Aurora Light floorplans the water share runs 16% to 26%, and 1 gives up more than this one. Nearest on that share: Aurora Light 15RBX at 24% and Aurora Light 15RDX at 26%. Your own unit’s figure is on the label inside its entry door (49 CFR 571.110 S9.3.3).
07 Where this floorplan sits
Closest sibling: the Aurora Light 15RBX, nearest on the published figures. It differs on 5 of the 8 fields both publish (this plan first): dry weight 3,109 lb vs 3,105 lb; GVWR 4,454 lb vs 4,432 lb; cargo capacity 1,345 lb vs 1,327 lb; dry hitch weight 454 lb vs 432 lb; fresh tank 40 gal vs 38 gal. They match on length, grey tank and black tank.
| Aurora Light plans | This plan | Position, low to high | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| GVWR (lb) | 4,454 | 6 of 14 | 4,143–8,874 |
| Dry weight (lb) | 3,109 | 5 of 14 | 2,643–7,374 |
| Cargo capacity (lb) | 1,345 | 3 of 14 | 1,201–2,000 |
| Dry hitch weight (lb) | 454 | 6 of 14 | 277–976 |
| Length | 19 ft 6 in | 4–6 of 14 | 16 ft 0 in–36 ft 2 in |
| Fresh tank (gal) | 40 | 11–13 of 14 | 38–44 |
| Grey tank (gal) | 30 | 1–8 of 14 | 30–44 |
| Black tank (gal) | 30 | 4–14 of 14 | 28–30 |
| Sleeps | 5 | 3 of 8 | 3–9 |
Either side of it by GVWR: Aurora Light 15RBX is 22 lb lighter (4,432 lb GVWR); Aurora Light 18BHSX is 1,202 lb heavier (5,656 lb GVWR).
| Nearest Aurora Light siblings | Length | Sleeps | Dry (lb) | GVWR (lb) | CCC (lb) | Hitch (lb) | Fresh (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora Light 16BHX | 19 ft 6 in | 5 | 3,109 | 4,454 | 1,345 | 454 | 40 |
| Aurora Light 15RBX | 19 ft 6 in | — | 3,105 | 4,432 | 1,327 | 432 | 38 |
| Aurora Light 15RDX | 19 ft 6 in | — | 3,183 | 4,384 | 1,201 | 384 | 38 |
| Aurora Light 13BHX | 16 ft 0 in | — | 2,643 | 4,143 | 1,500 | 348 | 40 |
| Aurora Light 13RDX | 16 ft 0 in | — | 2,651 | 4,151 | 1,500 | 304 | 40 |
| Aurora Light 13RKX | 16 ft 0 in | — | 2,705 | 4,277 | 1,572 | 277 | 44 |
All 14 Aurora Light floorplans: Aurora Light line hub.
| Other lines, nearest by GVWR | GVWR (lb) | Dry (lb) | Sleeps | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora Light 16BHX | 4,454 | 3,109 | 5 | 19 ft 6 in |
| Hideout 176BH | 4,445 | 3,494 | 6 | 20 ft 11 in |
| Basecamp 20Xe | 4,500 | 3,750 | 4 | 20 ft 2 in |
| Jay Flight 175FQ | 4,500 | 3,260 | 4 | 22 ft 1 in |
| Jay Flight SLX 184BSW | 4,500 | 3,355 | 6 | 21 ft 7 in |
| Zinger Lite Mini 18BH | 4,400 | 3,080 | 6 | 21 ft 7 in |
| Puma Camping Edition 141THCE | 4,589 | 3,089 | — | 16 ft 3 in |
Against the Aurora Light 16BHX: the Hideout 176BH is 9 lb lighter and 1 ft longer and sleeps 1 more; the Basecamp 20Xe is 46 lb heavier and sleeps 1 fewer; the Jay Flight 175FQ is 46 lb heavier and 3 ft longer and sleeps 1 fewer.
08 Common questions about the Aurora Light 16BHX
How much does the Aurora Light 16BHX weigh?
3,109 lb dry; 4,454 lb GVWR, the most it may weigh loaded.
How much can the Aurora Light 16BHX carry?
1,345 lb, 30% of its GVWR (median across 958 travel trailers here: 23%). A full fresh tank uses 334 lb of it.
What is the tongue weight of the Aurora Light 16BHX?
454 lb dry, 15% of the dry weight (median across 1,156 travel trailers here: 12%).
What size tow vehicle does the Aurora Light 16BHX need?
A tow rating of at least 4,454 lb, plus payload for the loaded tongue weight, passengers and cargo.
How many people does the Aurora Light 16BHX sleep?
It is rated to sleep 5. 5 of the 8 Aurora Light floorplans that publish a count sleep more.
What are the tank capacities on the Aurora Light 16BHX?
Fresh 40, grey 30, black 30 gallons. Off hookups, fresh water runs out first.
How long is the Aurora Light 16BHX?
19' 6" overall, tongue or pin box included.
From the figures above.
09 What this page publishes, and what it does not
15 of the 18 fields this catalogue tracks are published for the Aurora Light 16BHX. Not published: slide count, tire specification, awning.
Sourcing rules: methodology.
10 Manuals & documents
Sources: forestriverinc.com (linked below); the full source note is at the foot of the page.
11 NHTSA safety record
NHTSA files neither recalls nor complaints under the name Aurora Light. That is a filing convention and not a clean record — the roster sits under the parent line, Aurora.
Recall coverage here is not complete, and complaints are owners’ unverified reports (how this record is built). Check a specific VIN at NHTSA before you buy. Full tables are on the Aurora line page.