Concept Ascot II Cross X Pack 2007 Review

Concept has been a player on the Aussie market for around three years now, and in that time it has developed a committed and loyal customer base

And that’s no surprise, as Concept’s founders – brothers Bruno and Steve Caruso, along with Keir Smith – have decades of experience between them.

The Ascot II caravan is Concept’s best seller, and sales manager Wayne Freeman says it’s all down to simply giving people more of what they want.

“With this model Ascot you get a lot of great features like the air-conditioning, the awning, the innerspring mattress and so on,” he says.

Freeman says the 19ft (5.8m) shower model is by far Concept’s most popular. “I think growing numbers of people are after a bit more privacy,” he explains, “and the ensuite with sliding door does just that.”

Built on a 6in SupaGal chassis, this tandem axle 19ft (5.8m) Ascot II rides on four 16in alloy wheels with Simplicity independent suspension and 10in electric brakes. The independent suspension and the 16in wheels are part of Concept’s Cross X Pack, which also includes checkerplate skirting and a strengthened chassis, among other things. Standard suspension comprises a beam axle and roller/rocker setup.

With an ATM of 2370kg, the Ascot II is in mid-to-large 4WD tow vehicle territory, and on the road our test van behaved nicely behind a Toyota Hilux.

The Ascot II features aluminium cladding, full insulation, a Meranti timber frame and Galaxy windows; on the drawbar you’ll find an 8in jockey wheel, twin 9kg gas bottles and a mains pressure tap, with the gal-lined boot, housing the battery and CTEK Smart Charger, is just behind.

Easy Lift stabiliser jacks are found at all four corners, while at the rear is a checkerplate-covered bumper with spare wheel, and brackets for two jerry cans.

Smoke lens tail-lights add a stylish touch, while on the nearside you’ll find a Dometic awning, plus a drop-down table, access to hatches both front and rear, a powerpoint, an external light and – near the rear – a Camec triple-lock door with illuminated grabhandle.

Bright and Chic

Stepping inside reveals an open plan interior, rich in timber tones, with a forward bed, mid-nearside dinette, mid-offside kitchen and a rear bathroom; the latter is partitioned by a wall and sliding door, complete with shower and toilet.

The bedroom enjoys a good amount of natural light, courtesy of two large windows and an overhead Seitz hatch, backed up by two spot downlights and two halogen reading lights.

There’s a shelf behind the 6ft 2in (1.9m) queen size island bed, which also has drawers either side with relatively deep hanging wardrobes above them. There is also a spacious overhead locker above, further cupboard space at the foot of the bed, and a large storage area below.

Between the bedroom and the kitchen is an offside LCD television, mounted on a swivelling arm for easy viewing either from the bed or the dinette, with a coaxial point and Winegard antenna nearby. This is mated to a JVC DVD/CD/MP3 entertainment system, mounted in the forward edge of the overhead lockers running over the kitchen.

The kitchen itself features quality cabinetry with timber pelmets, push button doors and a stainless steel splashback. A 150L Dometic fridge sits directly opposite the door, with an LG microwave above.

Beneath the stainless steel sink with flick mixer tap and drainer is a stack of drawers and cupboards, although directly under the sink much of the space is taken up by the Truma 14L hot water service. Further storage space is found in the nearside bulkhead between the bedroom and the kitchen, with a slim slide-out pantry at floor level, and overhead lockers over the sink and dinette.

The kitchen itself wants for nothing in terms of appointments, and the Spinflo four-burner (all gas) cooktop is complemented by a grill, oven and Swift rangehood.

The L-shaped dinette will seat three to four on its comfy dark blue fabric cushions, and folds down to sleep one. The accompanying swivel table will be an integral part of your kitchen bench space.

The bulk of the storage area beneath the dinette is taken up by the wheel arch, but the base of the ‘L’ stores a bit of gear.

That leaves the bathroom, a major selling point of this van, with offside shower cubicle and nearside Thetford loo, separated by a sink, mirror and vanity unit against the rear wall. The centre sliding door makes it easy to access, and there’s plenty of space, with a hatch and fan unit above the shower and loo, and a general feeling of quality workmanship.

The Bottom Line

With its practical, open plan layout, modern and tasteful interior and all-round quality construction and finish, it’s no wonder the Ascot II has proven to be such a popular choice.

Throw in excellent standard and many optional features, and add some competitive pricing, and it’s clear that this Concept favourite will continue to win hearts and minds well into the future.

Contact your nearest dealer for a quote. Concept Caravans, 64 Capital Link Drive, Campbellfield, Vic 3061, (03) 9357 6190, or visit www.conceptcaravans.com.au

Thanks to Oasis Caravans for the use of the Concept Ascot II and the Toyota Hilux tow vehicle. Oasis is located in the World of Caravans complex at 140 Canterbury Road, Bayswater, Vic 3153, (03) 9761 4933.

We liked

• Open plan feel

• General fit and finish

• Spacious bathroom

We would have liked

• More cupboard space