THE ULTIMATE RETREAT

The Retreat Aotea 260B caravan from InsideOut RV is an attractive offering for Kiwi families keen on extended holidays. Claire Smith takes a closer look.

With a north-south island bed plus four (yep four!) bunk beds for the kids, this comfy caravan is all about creating wonderful family memories.

InsideOut RV has designed the Kiwi version of the Retreat slightly differently to the Aussie counterpart, with sleek white and black cabinetry, black upholstery and white walls. It’s contemporary, easy to clean, and allows the owners to add their own personality with pops of colour and accessories.

As you step inside, the ‘grown-ups’ bedroom is to the left, the kitchen and L-shaped dinette is central, the kids ‘bunk room’ is to the right, and the full-width bathroom beyond that.

The layout means you can close off the kids’ sleeping quarters from the lounge room, although you’ll have to tiptoe past the sleeping kids if you want to use the bathroom.

Big family holidays require big family kitchens that are spacious and functional, and the Retreat delivers nicely. There’s a selection of drawers below and overhead are two cabinets, a microwave, and extractor fan. Opposite is a family sized 188L Dometic fridge/freezer big enough for a few weeks’ worth of supplies. The Retreat includes an oven and mini-grill plus three gas burners and one electric element in the cook top.

The Retreat’s island bed measures 1600mm x 1900mm with an innerspring mattress and full height bed head, and the layout allows for a lovely large window and storage on either side.

There are four bunk beds – plus an additional small bed if needed by transforming the lounge seating.

The bathroom layout is practical as well as spacious, with a full-sized shower to the left, a Thetford toilet on the right, and a good-sized vanity sitting centrally, plus a Camec front-loading 4kg washing machine.

The Retreat is built on a 6-inch A-frame with 15-inch all-terrain tyres, and standard for New Zealand, a hot-dipped galvanised chassis. There’s plenty of storage with a lined tunnel boot plus a front-mounted storage box to hold the gas bottles and the slide-out Weber barbecue. The awning creates that extra outdoor living space.

The Retreat caravan ticks lots of boxes for Kiwi families. It’s spacious, modern, and the advanced construction will stand up to our unique climate and will handle going off the beaten track.

To find out more, visit insideoutrv.co.nz

SPECIFICATIONS

Make/model RETREAT AOTEA

260B CARAVAN

Axles Tandem

Berths 6

Body length 7920mm

Body width 2350mm

External height 2600mm

Water tanks Fresh: 2 x 95L Grey: 2 x 95L

Gas tanks 2 x 9kg

ATM 3500kg

Tare 3008kg

Payload 492kg

Price $155,000

NICE ‘N’ LIGHT

If you’re looking for a caravan that’s big on precision construction but low on sheer weight, Paul Owen found a pair of Sprite Major caravans in Nelson that could be just the job.

The Sprite Major 4EB and 4SB have quickly established themselves as the best sellers of the Swift caravan range for Nelson Caravans.

The two Majors are relatively affordable at $67,990 for each of the two interior layouts. They have a spacious ambience that belies their actual size inside thanks to the panoramic front windows that curve upwards into the roofs of both models. And weighing in around 1320kg when unladen, they’re a doddle to tow.

Where the SB offers slightly more floor area thanks to the relatively narrow bathroom positioned at the rear of the van, the EB devotes more of midvan floor space to a larger facility that appears more opulent. There’s also an extra bathroom cabinet inside the EB, increasing storage, while the right-side toilet sits next to a wheel well locker.

The comparative sizes of the shower cubicles are further reason to opt for the EB, as you get a nice cylindrical unit that offers more elbow room than the smaller rectangular space found in the SB.

The longer 1.9m x 1.33 bed of the EB, located longitudinally at the rear of the van, can be sealed off for extra privacy. Master sleeping quarters for the SB are an east/west mid-mounted split double mattress of the same width that extends to 1.85m in length.

Essentially, the living areas of the two Majors are the same, meaning that both enjoy a wealth of natural light, complemented by four spotlights over the U-shaped seating area and two overhead lights. The squabs and cushions can be combined to create a 2.02m by 1.59 double bed when required. The kitchen area of the Majors is comparable to that of the average motorhome in size, although those downsizing from a larger caravan might find it a little compact. The Majors come with a Thetford stove with a three-burner hob and full oven/grill, 175 watt solar panel, 120AH battery, full gas bottle, power cable, step, and 40L

Fiamma fresh and grey rollaways. The 98L Dometic Series 10 fridge comes with a 12L freezer, and there’s a free-standing fold-out table when it’s time to serve up.

The two Major four-berth models major on value, offering exceptional value for money as recognised by their popularity in the UK arguably the toughest caravan market in the world. Find out more at nelsoncaravans.co.nz

Specifications

Make/model SWIFT SPRITE MAJOR 4EB

Chassis Zinc-plated AL-KO trailer with mechanical brakes

Overall dimensions 7.54m L x 2.25m W

Berths 4

Fresh/grey water Rollaway tanks

MRO 1275kg

MTPLM 1500kg

Price $67,990

Read the full review in issue #219 or online at nzmcd.co.nz/reviews/caravans/swift-sprite-major-4eb-review/