Coromal Princeton 752 2006 Review

By Doug McIvor

When asked to put the Nissan Navara’s three-tonne towing capacity to the test, Coromal’s Richard Raven came to the party with a classy Princeton caravan.

As national sales and marketing manager, Richard was not only able to set the rig up for a comprehensive trial, he also brought more than 40 years’ caravanning experience to the test.

While the main reason for the outing was to load up the Nissan Navara DB40 dual-cab and give its 2.5L turbodiesel a good workout, we were tempted to take the stylish Princeton further down the road for a night or
two of tourist park luxury.

At 24ft 8in (7.5m) long, the Princeton 752 is the biggest van in Coromal’s range and, at 2200kg Tare, it proved a sophisticated companion for the technically advanced Navara.

The tandem-axle unit, featuring Coromal’s renowned independent suspension, has a sloping front profile to reduce wind resistance, fibreglass front and rear sections and moulded side trim.

The front boot houses up to two 9kg gas bottles with room for various tools and gear, and a smaller hatch on the A-frame covers the battery used for auxiliary power.

Stepping inside, there is a U-shaped dinette at the front, to the left of the entry. The dining table has an extension which folds up to provide more dining room for visitors or a squarer surface for cards or board games.

The seats, which double as a lounge, have high backrests, extra lumbar support and bolstered edges.

The kitchen is on the far side and includes a stainless steel sink with a moulded cover for extra work space, and an oven and four-burner cooktop (three gas and one electric) are angled to define the food preparation area.

Opposite is a three-way fridge with a generously sized freezer, a microwave, four-door pantry and provision for a TV on a slide-out shelf.

Timber cabinets and overhead cupboards provide that authentic home-away-from-home feeling – in fact, a closer look revealed an incredible amount of storage space with almost every vertical surface having an access door.

CW counted 19 cupboards in the kitchen/dining area, plus a cutlery drawer and a keys compartment. There is also a deep hatch in the corner near the dinette.

At the risk of dwelling on the subject, Coromal also separates each cupboard inside with plywood so that anything placed in them remains where you put it – a prime consideration when travelling on Australia’s less-than-perfect roads.

A concertina door opens to the bedroom and its east-west queen sized bed with an innerspring mattress that can be bolstered 150mm to accommodate taller users.

Combo wardrobes with mirror doors sit on either side of the bed and there are various cupboards – 17 in total plus four drawers – to store personal items.

Positioned across the back behind a sliding door is an ensuite (boasting four cupboards) with a cassette style toilet to the left, handbasin in the middle and shower recess on the right.

Other features of the Princeton include a radio/CD player, 12V lighting, a hat or coat rack, a triple-lock security door, a clear view roof hatch with sliding insect screen and blind, plus a rollout awning.

The Princeton 752 has a base price of $61,100 and there is a Coromal Pioneer version built tougher for offroad travellers.

Observant readers may notice the lack of towing mirrors on the Nissan dual cab tow vehicle, which is true – we didn’t use towing mirrors for the Navara/Coromal combination.

It was an oversight as we were mainly concerned with setting up the van to tow properly using weight distribution and anti-sway bars.

The National Caravan and Recreational Vehicle Towing Guide states that: “Extra mirrors may need to be added to the tow vehicle when towing large trailers. It is a legal requirement that the driver has a clear and unobstructed view of the road at all times.”

Since the Nissan had big mirrors that gave a wide-angle view, we were confident it was safe to tow the van. However, for an extended trip, we would recommend towing mirrors.

For more information or to contact your nearest Coromal dealer call (08) 9352 0900, or visit www.coromal.com.au

We liked:

• The vast interior makes you feel at home

• Ample amount of cupboard space

• Refrigeration – big fridge/separate freezer

• Ergonomic kitchen with its angled stove

We would have liked:

• Decor colours are a little dated

• Wheel-well intrudes on bedroom floor space