Coromal Pioneer Compac 401 2006 Review

By Doug McIvor

Judging by the build quality of the Pioneer Compac, Coromal has offroad travel down to an art form.

We took the 13ft (3.96m) rear-door pop-top down south for a weekend to Peppermint Grove Holiday Park, near Capel two hours’ drive south of Perth, and came away agreeing that it’s a tough little brute.

When picking up the test unit from Coromal Caravans in Cannington, WA, manager Robert Holt pointed out features that make it a caravan that will not void your warranty if taken well off the bitumen.

“The Compac has been put through its paces on the Canning Stock Route, the Gibb River Road out of Derby, and even the army testing ground in South Australia,” he said.

“The 150mm x 150mm chassis, and renowned Coromal independent suspension, allowed it to pass with flying colours.” Inside, all the framework has been glued, screwed and bolted to make sure nothing comes apart when taken over corrugations and rough bush tracks.

“Heavy duty, 16in wheels are fitted with Bridgestone offroad tyres, increasing the Compac’s substantial ground clearance.”

Solar wiring, a slide-out battery pack, 9kg gas bottle and 60L water tank take care of free-camping requirements and to help get further out into the bush. A flexible Treg hitch is fitted as standard.

The front boot is divided, and therefore a bit restricted, with room for two gas bottles on the left and sheetmetal covering the auxiliary battery (which is accessed from the side) taking up some more room to the right.

A thoughtful touch was the inclusion of a canvas bag for tools and the handy hydraulic jack.

Being only 6ft 11in (2.1m) wide, the Compac is certainly compact. However, this proved an advantage because Toyota offered us a new Prado 4WD for the weekend and its external mirrors were so big that we managed without towing mirrors.

We took it along a few farm roads on the way into Peppermint Grove and the 1040kg ‘tough little brute’ followed with ridiculous ease behind the powerful Prado.

Once set up at the Peppermint Grove Holiday Park, the Pioneer’s compact dimensions demonstrated that this is a caravan for couples.

Entry is through a door in the centre of the back wall, with a two-seater dinette on the left and a stove with four-burner cooktop, sink and microwave to the right.

Taking up the front half is a double bed which lifts up to expose a decent storage area. The double bed also has a 150mm bolster, with the base extending to the same amount, so that the foam mattress does not sag over the end.

The Compac’s back entry allows you to step straight into the kitchen, which would be great for lunch breaks on the road, but with the rear door open, passers-by could see inside through to the bedroom.

For extra privacy it would be nice if a small rear annexe were an option.

The kitchen itself is a neat package, with all the necessary facilities for meal preparation. I was particularly pleased to see the microwave positioned at eye level and four 240V powerpoints on the wall.

The Compac appears capable of providing a couple with the home comforts in places usually reserved for rugged camper trailers and 4WDs.

Having independent suspension means less stress is put on the caravan’s frame and bodywork, especially travelling over bone-jarring corrugations, so owners will be secure in the knowledge that everything should be in one piece once they reach their destination.

At 13ft (3.96m), it lacks the interior space to lounge around in should the weather turn bad, but the setup time is minimal compared to say a soft-top camper – simply open the back door and pop the roof up.

The dinette is only big enough for two so if guests are invited to dinner you might have sit outside under the awning. But there is no doubt that this caravan could be taken to some beautiful, hard-to-access camping spots.

For more information contact Coromal Caravans Cannington, 1527–1531 Albany Highway, Cannington, WA 6107, (08) 9356 1999, fax (08) 9356 1897. For your nearest dealer visit www.coromal.com.au

We liked:
• Compact towing size, especially the narrow width
• Independent suspension
• Double bed bolster and base extension
• ‘Go-anywhere’ potential

We would have liked:
• Privacy awning over back section
• More lounge-like dinette seats
• More front boot space