Big Aussie showstoppers share major mag award

Two of the most jaw-dropping locally-made caravans built in the past year, are sharing the plaudits at the 2026 Caravan of the Year awards, run for the first time by Caravan World under its new owner.

The three COTY judges couldn't split the Melbourne-built Kokoda XG1 C216 range-topper and NSW-built Mountain Trail Paragon 6.4 flagship; in the end announcing the pair as joint overall winners in the annual awards.

Interestingly, the winning models were the most expensive among the small field, with the high-end remote tourers sporting price tags of $230,100 (Kokoda) and $283K (Mountain Trail).

Summed up by the judges as "truly impressive", Kokoda's winning 21ft couple's 'van is unlike anything else on the market, standing out with left-field features like an integrated ducted, split system air conditioning system similar to what might run in your home, and a very grey nomad-friendly but not often seen these days, his 'n hers captain's chairs layout.

The judges also praised the array of storage options, from Kokoda's trademark internal/external laundry 'chute' to the integrated front bike locker.

Also helping rack up the points was Kokoda's "no dickhead policy" when it comes to honouring the van's off-road warranty -- "use the van as intended, tow it properly and look after it, and you're covered" was how the COTY judges described it.

They also liked how it towed with its Terraglide airbag suspension controlled by a Go Air Pro system.

Also standing out was the 'van's impressive "giant Esky" insulation, including its 80mm thick sandwich panel roof with nothing protruding to aid aerodynamics; its big 12V 920Ah lithium battery system with 5000W inverter and 1720W rooftop solar, and the practicality and attention to detail of the overall build, including the sleek front storage locker containing the air-con compressor.

The 2026 award for the 4495kg ATM, XG1 C216 couple's 'van comes after Kokoda just missed out on the major gong at the 2025 COTY with its unique $400K Counterstrike Vincere.

Mountain Trail also took out the Best Build Quality award, for its large twin-axle, 4.2 tonne ATM off-roader that made its debut at the 2025 Melbourne Leisurefest.

The judges said the Paragon 6.4 is "underpinned by what Mountain Trail does best: unquestionable build methods and the use of proven, high-quality components throughout".

It also scored well for its "high level of innovation" including a bespoke Garmin system that operates all the electrical components via touchpads, located inside and out. The big-ticket Mountain Trail also had plenty of 'X-factor', with its one-touch set-up modes helping turn heads at the campsite.

Other winners included the new Melbourne-built Wonderland Solara composite 'van which took out the Judges' Award -- explained as "the van we would take home, given the opportunity", while Evernew's latest aluminium-framed GTX Platinum picked up the Best Value for Money trophy, despite the $180K price tag.

There were two Urban Group caravans in the field -- with the Vivid Voyager taking home the Best Van Under $100K award, and the Platinum Rogue 20.6 leaving empty handed.

Also missing out on an award was the Solitaire 16 from South Australia's Offline Campers, the Sydney-built Cub's C16 and X Series RV's Signature 19.6 (the only imported 'van in the competition).

All up, there were nine 'vans from eight manufacturers fighting it out in the '26 COTY, down from 12 'vans in 2025, with no Queensland manufacturers taking part this year.

As far as the judges' scoring went, the 'vans were each assessed over a minimum three-hour window, and were not compared but judged individually on three main criteria according to their target market: value for money, build quality and customer care.

Kokoda and Mountain Trail join other recent COTY winners, including Spinifex (2023 and 2025 Best Overall) and Wonderland RV (2024 Best Overall).