Are Chinese caravans really that much cheaper?

Chinese-built RV products first made their mark in Australia with camper trailers and then hybrids. Now they are taking a chunk of the full-size caravan market with low-cost, feature-packed offerings.

To protect market share, Australian manufacturers are hitting back with price-fighting brands.

But do you really save that much money opting for a Chinese 'van over an Australian one?

To try and answer that question, we compared entry-level Australian and Chinese on-road touring 'van offerings from six leading brands.

Our wish list was a classic couple's 19 footer, composite-construction caravan for around $70,000 list price.

Our comparison ended up being a bit more “apples and oranges” than we anticipated. In some cases limited range offerings meant we were throwing 17 through to 20 footers into the comparison mix.

Similarly, at this price point and length, we found some single as well as twin-axle vans (see our explanation at the end of this article as to why this might be important).

As you'd expect, a simple way for manufacturers to reduce the price is to limit standard features, and keep plenty of options in reserve to sell up to. In general, the Australian 'vans fall more into this category.

But every brand’s standard vs optional take is slightly different. Let’s check them out...

JAYCO STARCRAFT 19.61-2.SC

The Jayco price fighter met all our key criteria: twin-axle, 19-footer for $68,990 tow away.

The five-year structural and two-year non-structural warranty is good, and there's a huge nationwide network to call on with this iconic Australian brand.

Jayco goes the hardest on stripping back features for the price point. Key examples of what you will have to option up include a grey water tank, TV, front toolbox and reversing camera. One exception to the other two Australian offerings is that ESC comes standard.

The Starcraft has a reasonable 200Ah capacity lithium battery and 260W of solar. Inverters and DC to DC chargers are optional.

DREAMHAVEN TOURLINE 19 SERIES

The Dreamhaven is another twin-axle 19-footer, but the price jumps up to $74,290 plus on-roads. The higher price can be defended with the TV, front toolbox, reversing camera and even a washing machine included, but a grey water tank is optional.

The Dreamhaven's five-year structural and two-year non-structural warranty aligns with Jayco. Dreamhaven is a new price-fighting brand from the Australian manufacturing powerhouse Crusader Caravans, so the backing is strong here too.

The 135Ah lithium battery and 220W solar capacity are notably down on Jayco, and DC to DC/inverter are optional.

TRAVELLER DESTINATION CRUISE 17FT OR 20FT

The closest sizes on offer are the 17-footer single axle at $72,490 tow away and the 20-footer twin-axle at $78,490 tow-away. Traveller ups the warranty to a five-year structural and three-year non-structural warranty, which is definitely worth something.

Following an acquisition, Traveller is now a brand run by the JB juggernaut, with construction taking place in its New Age Melbourne factory.

Washing machine, grey water tank, TV and a reversing camera are standard, but the front toolbox is optional. Traveller matches Dreamhaven’s 135Ah lithium battery capacity but has the lowest solar capacity at 200W.

A DC to DC charger is integrated into the power management system as standard. Inverters are available as an option.

SNOWY RIVER SRC-19 AND SRC-20

The Snowy River SRC-19 (19 feet) is a single axle priced at $69,990, and the SRC-20 (20ft) twin axle is $71,990.

Snowy River is the Chinese manufacturer brand taking Australia by storm, driving the Australian manufacturers the hardest to push back on price.

The five-year structural and two-year non-structural warranty is on par with the industry, and Snowy has an impressive dealership footprint currently standing at 14 nationally.

The Snowy River SRC is amongst the strongest with standard features including a grey water tank, washing machine, TV, and reverse camera. However, ESC is not standard, and front toolboxes do not appear to be offered.

A 100Ah lithium battery is the equal lowest across all six brands (although that could change soon), but the 400W solar beats all of the Australian-made offerings. You will pay more for an inverter and a DC to DC charger.

MDC FORTE SR19 S2

MDC is an established brand with camper trailers and hybrids. Full-sized caravans were initially built in Australia, before moving to Chinese production in 2019. The Brisbane-based company also offers an upmarket caravan range with its new Gold Class brand.

The recently updated Forte SR is spot on for our wish list, with the 19ft twin-axle from $69,990, but you do pay extra for registration and delivery in remote locations. Another 'tick' is a five-year structural and two-year non-structural warranty.

ESC as standard is a winner, as is the grey water tank, TV, reversing camera and washing machine. MDC runs with an open storage compartment on the A-frame as standard, rather than a toolbox.

MDC wins the arms race on the power front with a 300Ah lithium battery, 525W solar, DC to DC charging, and 1600W inverter as standard.

ON THE MOVE INFINITY 5.5 AND 6.3

We included the 18ft single axle at $66,990 tow away and the 20ft twin-axle at $69,990 tow away. They are equal top of the class with a five-year structural and three-year non-structural warranty.

OTM was originally an Australian boutique manufacturer. Under new ownership, all models from 2026 are produced in China.

The “comes standard” list is long, including an A-frame toolbox, grey water tank, TV and a washing machine. ESC and a reversing camera are not standard.

OTM has the lowest power spec with a 100Ah lithium battery and 200W solar. DC to DC and inverters are optional.

We've gone into more detail in the table below...

Std = Standard (included). Opt = Optional (extra cost). N/A = Not available. All prices AUD. Specifications subject to change

There is no clear winner in our little shoot-out.

The Aussie 'vans are generally down on features compared to the Chinese offerings; Jayco has the least standard features but is also the cheapest.

Aussie 'vans are more likely to creep up in price after ticking a few options. However, overall, the gap is not great.

For example, the Jayco and Dreamhaven are going to be $4000–$5000 more at least if you try to make them roughly the same spec as their Chinese rivals.

Those looking for off-grid power will see greatest value in the MDC, but a bigger battery system is not important to everyone, especially when shopping in the entry-level 'caravan park plug-in' segment.

At the end of the day, you'll need to work out what features are important to you and which brand suits you best.

Having said all that, the Aussie brands are doing a decent job and definitely in the hunt when it comes to competitively priced models...

Better for what? Generally speaking, few single axle caravans are longer than 18ft in body length, so if you're looking for a full-size family or touring caravan, you’re probably looking at tandem axles.

If you’re just a travelling couple, you can tow a shorter single axle van down narrower tracks to more remote places, turn it around easier and use less fuel in the process without the extra rolling resistance of two extra tyres.

On the other hand, a tandem-axle 'van tends to be more stable on soft surfaces (like sand) by sharing its weight over four contact patches and if properly loaded, is less susceptible to side winds and road camber.

The downside? Double the brake wear; another pair of wheel bearings and tyres to maintain, or to deflate/inflate depending on the unsealed/sealed road surface.