CHIC CARTHAGO

The luxury motorhome market is going from strength to strength, and Paul Owen reckons he’s hit paydirt when reviewing Zion Motorhomes’ latest acquisition, the Carthago Chic E-line I 64 QB.

You enter the E-line via a powered right-side door that can be operated keylessly via the radiofrequency identification chip located in the key fob of the Carthago. There’s a central locking button for the kitchen cupboards, rear garage and overhead lockers that will keep everything secure while on the move.

In the kitchen, the sliding pantry is almost overlooked next to the anyhand-will-do Dometic fridge, and when you slide it out it offers an unexpected amount of storage space.

This is a three-room cabin as there’s a single door that separates the bathroom from the living areas of the E-line and the sliding doors that seal off the rear bedroom. Close all three doors, and you’ve got a spacious personal grooming, comfort, and dressing area in the middle of the Carthago, surrounded by lots of mirrors that increase the sense of space. You can wash up in the circular shower cubicle with the overhead rain head as well as the hand-held shower, then move into the centre of the van for unhindered drying and dressing with the knowledge that no hand or arm will encounter anything as you swing them around. There’s a separate room for the toilet, and enough floor space devoted to it that tall people can get comfortable without banging their knees on walls or having to contort their legs unnaturally.

The bedroom is as equally well executed. The 2.0m x 1.450m queen bed is supported on slats with flexible leaf springs. The bed rises to reveal an extra storage area and an electronic security/ safety alarm system, which is linked to ultrasonic motion sensors and a carbon monoxide detector.

If more bed space is required, the sixseat lounge converts into a 1.94m x 1.48m double bed, and there’s a choice of either a drop-down double bed or extra storage lockers above the cab.

The Carthago can be prepared for long periods of independent camping.

This E-line had an 1800w inverter in the garage, and the stock energy storage of two 80Ah gel batteries can be easily expanded as it is already wired to accept a further battery of this type. The E-line is also pre-wired for the fitting of two 135w solar panels, and there are two 240w plugs located in the garage should you either wish to recharge the e-bikes while hooked to mains power or have fitted an electrical storage system with enough capacity to handle the task.

Find out more at zionmotorhomes.co.nz

Specifications

Make/model CARTHAGO CHIC E-LINE I 64 QB

Chassis Mercedes Sprinter/AlKo hybrid cab/ chassis, front wheel drive

Engine 2.0 litre turbo-diesel, 170bhp

Gearbox Nine-speed automatic Berths 4-5

Length/width/ height 8990mm / 2270mm / 3105mm

Fresh/hot/grey water Fresh 235L/Waste 185L

GVW/payload 5500kg /1 480kg

Unladen mass 4020kg

Read the full review in issue #222 or online at nzmcd.co.nz/reviews/motorhomes/zion-carthago-chic-e-line-i-64-qb-review/

Impressive Duo

Created with quality and ease in mind, Paul Owen finds himself very impressed with the Hilltop range of caravans from Coastal Caravans.

Two tandem-axle caravans are the first Hilltops to arrive at Coastal: the $93,000 Feathertop with a 5.94m long cabin; and the $121,000 Thredbo with a 6.88m long cabin.

While the Thredbo and Feathertop are aimed at couples with their spacious double bedrooms, their lounge seating and telescopic table can be quickly converted into a bed if required.

The Feathertop may be an entry point to the Hilltop range (it’s also available as a shorter single-axle caravan), but it certainly doesn’t look or feel it. There is commendable attention to detail to be found all over this model.

The longitudinally laid out kitchen means that everything is at hand and there’s no need to spin 180° to access the Thetford or Dometic three-way fridge. The doors on the overhead lockers have hinges running along their entire length, and the oven/hob has a flip-up/pull-down top that seamlessly extends bench space.

Although the Feathertop doesn’t feel short of space, if you need more, the Thredbo is happy to provide it. The larger Hilltop donates most of its 900mm of extra length to providing a larger bathroom located in the middle of the caravan, complete with a separate shower cubicle on one side, and a more generous washroom on the other.

A door separates these personal areas and main bedroom from the living space of the Thredbo, and if privacy is a biggie for you, this Hilltop is a better choice than the more open-plan Feathertop.

Ditto, choose the Thredbo if seeking to socialise with more people inside your caravan. The U-shaped lounge at the rear of this Hilltop is huge, and, like the Feathertop, the Thredbo gives the opportunity to park somewhere scenic and enjoy the view on three sides of the caravan from the lounge seating through the generously sized windows.

Diesel heaters are included, and NZbound Hilltops also get an extra 120Ah battery coupled to the one that comes standard in Australia, and both are topped up by a 160w solar panel and

30amp battery charger. There’s also an automatic satellite dish and two 24” TVs for the Thredbo and a single 24” TV for the Feathertop. With twin 100L freshwater tanks, 100L greywater reservoir, and a 25L hot water system for the Feathertop and a 28L system for the Thredbo, plus twin 9kg gas bottles mounted on drawbar, the Hilltops are ready to go wild. Learn more at coastalmotorhomes.co.nz

Specifications

Make/model HILLTOP THREDBO

Cabin dimensions 6.88m L with 1.98m head room

Chassis Heavy-duty FP steel trailer with electric brakes

Berths 4

Fresh/grey water Fresh 190L/Grey 100L

Unladen mass 2700kg

GVM 3490kg

Payload 790kg

Price $121,000

Read the full review in issue #222 or online at nzmcd.co.nz/reviews/caravans/hilltop-thredbo-feathertop-review/