A'Van Euro Star 685 2007 Review

When a company hits on a good design, it seems logical to build on its popularity, and that's what A'van has done with its range-topping Euro Star caravan.

The first model, the rear-side-entry 594 with corner bathroom, was a departure for A'van from its previous A'line campers and many pop-top designs, setting a benchmark for European-flavoured interior style and sandwich-panel wall construction.

Its compact dimensions were very popular, but caravanners continue to want more space, and the trend towards increased elbow room in bathrooms, plus more kitchen workspace, led to a bigger version, the 609, and now to the 22ft 6in (6.85m) Euro Star 685.

Obvious changes from the previous layouts in the 2305kg ATM 685 are that the door is at the front, and the kitchen has swapped ends and moved for'ard.

Then is a comfy L-shaped dinette seat and lounge opposite, with the east-west bed next and the airy bathroom across the rear.

A'van's design team has enjoyed the extra room to move, and there is an overall feeling of relaxed comfort.

Built on A'van's Centurion hot-dipped galvanised chassis, the exterior walls are made of A'van's now-familiar vacuum-bonded panels, which incorporate 25mm styrene foam insulation, two layers of ply and a smooth pre-painted aluminium outer finish, which A'van says is easy to clean and is dent-resistant.

The front, roof and rear are moulded fibreglass.

Outside are a roll-out awning, Al-Ko gas-assisted shock absorbers, large storage boot, wind-up TV antenna, LED lights - side, front and rear - side-wall mains-pressure connection, two 95L fresh water tanks, lockable water filler, two 4kg gas bottles and regulator, and covered spare wheel on the rear bumper.

Some of the individuality of A'van's range stems from it sourcing a lot of its fittings and components overseas, some of which are unique to the company.

The 685's more unusual features include the Hartal door that can be half-opened, stable door-style, with a side-to-side sliding Horrex insect screen.

The double-glazed windows are also an A'van import, and are fitted with Horrex screens and opaque blinds that slide into place easily, for instant privacy.

The Rezilience interior panelling and one-piece flooring provide an all-round timber interior, complemented with bright fabrics and reflective laminate on the table and benchtop.

The cabinetry continues the Euro flavour, with solid timber construction and edge-banding technology providing strength as well good looks. Other design elements include recessed downlights fitted in specially designed curvy overhead panels around the van.

In the kitchen at the front gear includes 12V rangehood with light, Dometic 150L three-way fridge, hot-and-cold domestic flip-mixing tap and deep-bowl sink, and Swift 800 series four-burner (three gas) cooktop, grill and oven.

Another Euro Star favourite, the large pullout pantry, is fitted between the bench and fridge. Under-sink storage is nicely done too, with a big cupboard divided in two so it has three drawers under one side and a split space on the other. Overhead cupboards provide a good location for cooking necessities.

A Samsung microwave oven is neatly housed in a roller-door cabinet above the fridge, along with the LG DVD/CD and home theatre system.

There's OK bench space, and a large hatch set into the right hand end; a wire storage basket would be handy there.

In an appropriate spot above the cooktop and near the door is the control panel, which monitors the state of the battery and water tanks, with a one-switch control for all the lights.

The rear bathroom drew admiring comments from the CW team at the photo shoot, not least for the large window in the rear wall. The Thetford cassette toilet sits next to a curved vanity and cupboard unit, again with the concertina/folding roller door.

The shower cubicle is a one-piece moulded item with useful shaped sections for soap, shampoo, and so on. The shower door is a sliding flexible screen, unique to A'van.

The Euro Star's popularity seems set to grow as more layouts are planned for delivery later this year, according to A'van's Mitch Damyon, including a 25-footer.

Meanwhile the 685, with a $50K-plus price tag, looks like good value in the upmarket shower van stakes, and should be on prospective buyers' shopping lists for consideration.

A'van RVs, 7 Webster Way, Pakenham, Vic 3810, (03) 5941 6488, web: www.avan.com.au

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