Heartland Bighorn 38DS

Name: Heartland Bighorn 38DS
Brand: Heartland

Fifth wheelbuilt 2027– (in production)Mixed build tierFindable on the used market

WHAT ONE COSTS

$144,600est. MSRP (from 31 priced floorplans of this line)

Still in production. A used 2023 would run roughly $85,300.

WHAT IT WEIGHS BEHIND YOUR TRUCK

~16,665 lbestimated as towed, for 2 people

dry weight 15,865 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 around18,520 lb (10% margin)

GVWR (the sticker maximum)18,800 lb

Tongue weight, loaded~3,178 lb (19%)

WHICH TOW VEHICLES IT FITS: 14 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 38DS's published weights held steady. Fifth wheels also need a pickup bed and are held to the fifth-wheel rating where published.

VEHICLE	TOW RATING	VERDICT
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 2500HD (Duramax, max tow) '24-26	22,500 lb	fits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 3500HD (Duramax DRW, gooseneck) '20-26	36,000 lb	fits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 3500HD (Duramax DRW, gooseneck) '11-19	23,300 lb	fits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 diesel, gooseneck) '20-22	22,800 lb	fits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 HO diesel, gooseneck) '23-26	23,000 lb	fits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 diesel DRW, gooseneck) '17-19	32,500 lb	fits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 diesel DRW, gooseneck) '20-22	37,000 lb	fits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 diesel DRW, gooseneck) '11-16	21,600 lb	fits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 HO diesel DRW, gooseneck) '23-26	38,000 lb	fits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-450 Super Duty (6.7 HO diesel DRW, gooseneck) '23-26	40,000 lb	fits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 2500 (6.7 Cummins HO) '19-26	20,000 lb	fits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 3500 (6.7 Cummins DRW, gooseneck) '13-18	31,210 lb	fits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 3500 (6.7 Cummins HO DRW, gooseneck) '25-26	36,610 lb	fits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 3500 (6.7 Cummins HO DRW, gooseneck) '19-24	37,090 lb	fits, loaded, with 10% margin

The 81it doesn't fit

Chevrolet Colorado / GMC Canyon (2.7 Turbo HO, tow pkg) '23-26: over by ~9,735 lb loaded
Chevrolet Colorado / GMC Canyon (2.8 Duramax) '15-22: over by ~9,735 lb loaded
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 1500 (6.2 V8, max tow) '19-26: over by ~7,395 lb loaded
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 2500HD (Duramax) '20-23: over by ~5 lb loaded
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 2500HD (Duramax) '11-19: over by ~375 lb loaded
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (max tow) '14-18: over by ~6,225 lb loaded
Chevrolet Silverado EV (4WT) '24-26: over by ~5,415 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) '25-26: 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 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 ~6,945 lb loaded
Ford F-150 (3.5 EcoBoost, max tow) '15-20: over by ~5,955 lb loaded
Ford F-150 (3.5 EcoBoost, max tow) '21-23: over by ~4,065 lb loaded
Ford F-150 (3.5 EcoBoost, max tow) '11-14: over by ~6,495 lb loaded
Ford F-150 Lightning (max trailer tow) '22-26: over by ~7,665 lb loaded
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 diesel, tow pkg) '17-19: over by ~465 lb loaded
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 diesel) '11-16: over by ~1,725 lb loaded
Ford Maverick (2.0 EcoBoost, 4K tow pkg) '22-26: over by ~13,065 lb loaded
Ford Ranger (2.3 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '19-23: over by ~9,915 lb loaded
Ford Ranger (2.7 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '24-26: over by ~9,915 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 ~9,915 lb loaded
GMC Sierra EV '24-26: over by ~5,865 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 ~12,165 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 ~12,165 lb loaded
Jeep Gladiator (3.6 V6, max tow) '20-26: over by ~9,735 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 ~10,230 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 ~7,880 lb loaded
Nissan Titan XD (Cummins diesel) '16-19: over by ~5,225 lb loaded
Ram 1500 (3.0 Hurricane, max tow) '25-26: over by ~6,215 lb loaded
Ram 1500 (5.7 Hemi eTorque, max tow) '19-24: over by ~5,190 lb loaded
Ram 1500 (5.7 Hemi, max tow) '11-18: over by ~7,105 lb loaded
Ram 2500 (6.7 Cummins) '11-18: over by ~485 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 ~6,765 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 ~6,765 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 ~10,815 lb loaded
Toyota Tacoma (V6, tow pkg) '16-23: over by ~10,545 lb loaded
Toyota Tundra (5.7 V8, tow pkg) '11-21: over by ~7,485 lb loaded
Toyota Tundra (i-Force Max, tow pkg) '22-26: over by ~5,865 lb loaded
Volkswagen Atlas (tow pkg) '18-26: no pickup bed (cannot hitch a fifth wheel)

These verdicts assume 2 people aboard with typical gear. See the margin for your truck and your crew →

THE SPECS

Length44.4 ft

GVWR18,800 lb

Dry weight15,865 lb

Dry tongue weight3,025 lb

Sleeps8

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

WHERE PEOPLE SLEEP

1× Front king bed(Permanent)—
1× Mid bunk(Permanent)—
2× Sofa and dinette(Convertible)—

HOW IT'S BUILT: 5/5

WallsAzdel composite

FrameAluminum

RoofWalk-on

UnderbellyEnclosed

Heartland (Mixed tier): Bighorn

YEAR BY YEAR: WHAT CHANGED

2027Introduced

FINDING ONE

Findable: a few listed nationwide most weeks. Why: Heartland is a volume manufacturer; only one model year; still in production. Estimated from build volume and production span, not a count of live listings.

OUR TAKE

New for 2027 - biggest GVWR jump in the line at 18,800 lb. MSRP not published at collection.

OTHER BIGHORN FLOORPLANS

3120RK · 16,500 lb · sleeps 4 3160EL · 15,500 lb · sleeps 4 31RL · 16,000 lb · sleeps 4 3215RL · 16,000 lb · sleeps 4 3300DL · 16,000 lb · sleeps 4 331RL · 16,895 lb · sleeps 6 3375SS · 16,000 lb · sleeps 4 3575EL · 16,000 lb · sleeps 4 36RK · 17,300 lb · sleeps 4 3700RL · 16,500 lb · sleeps 4 3776RL · 16,845 lb · sleeps 4 37MD · 18,100 lb · sleeps 8 3870FB · 16,250 lb · sleeps 4 3880MD · 16,925 lb · sleeps 4 the whole line →

Find one for sale

Live listings for the 38DS on the big marketplaces. Each search opens pre-filled with this exact floorplan:

RV Trader ↗Camping World ↗FB Marketplace ↗Google ↗

Inventory varies by site and day. Slim pickings? search the whole Bighorn line ↗

Is the 38DS 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, switch on your hard limits, and watch the whole market re-rank around them. Every exclusion explained, every margin shown.

See where it ranks for you →

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