By Malcolm Street
&nbsp;
Campervans are often overshadowed by their larger and more stablemates of the motorhome world, and that gives the wrong impression of the world of campervans.
&nbsp;
For a start, it was really vehicles like the legendary VW Kombi campervan which kicked off the campervan/motorhome industry in Australia.
&nbsp;
Secondly, the campervan for many people is an affordable way to enjoy the campervan/motorhome lifestyle.
&nbsp;
It’s also practical because a campervan is not much bigger than a large sedan, and certainly on par with many 4WDs, and therefore is no more difficult to manoeuvre around. 
&nbsp;
There are not many dealers around whose speciality is campervans, which is why Jeremy and Cathy Pearce decided to set up the Sydney Campervan and Motorhome RV Centre, with the view of having a good range of campervans for sale.
&nbsp;
Jeremy has been a director of UK based Brownhills Group of Motorhome Dealers, one of the largest in Europe, and a couple of years ago decided to come to Australia to experience the campervan and motorhome industry in a sunnier lifestyle.
&nbsp;
After a couple of years serving his ‘apprenticeship’ with a campervan/motorhome manufacturer, Jeremy decided to set up his own dealership.
&nbsp;
One of the campervan brands they sell is Discoverer. Since its purchase by the Tyson Group a few years ago, the Discoverer range of campervans has been upgraded and enlarged.
CW was able to borrow a Toyota HiAce pop-top conversion with a bed-seat layout for a look-see.
&nbsp;
It’s worth pointing out that we were not only supplied with a clean and sparkling vehicle but a full and comprehensive list of features as well. 
&nbsp;
Base vehicles for campervans have gone through a series of waxes and wanes in the last 20 years. The Kombi was superseded by the Toyota HiAce which held sway as the campervan king for many years before the European vans, VW in particular, began to appear in strength again.
&nbsp;
With the recent appearance of the new Toyota HiAce, there’s both a good choice and range of base vehicles. 
&nbsp;
Put to the test
Our Discoverer pop-top campervan was a Toyota HiAce LWB van with a 2.5L turbo-diesel motor. It has to be said that the turbo-diesel in the new HiAce is a considerable advancement on its predecessors.
&nbsp;
However, with a max power of 75kW, it is a little short of the power output of the 111kW 2.7L petrol motor. If you’re considering buying a HiAce, then it’s worth doing a few fuel consumption, length of service, and maintenance cost calculations.
&nbsp;
If pondering whether to buy a petrol or diesel version, then it’s definitely worth going for a drive in both to check them out.
&nbsp;
In CW’s run, the HiAce turbo-diesel powered the van along well. Sure it is not going to set the tyres burning but for reasonable performance around town and steady country running, then the diesel in tandem with the four-speed automatic works fine. 
&nbsp;
It should be remembered that the HiAce is a commercial van and you do sit over the front wheels.
&nbsp;
It’s a cut above other cheaper camper models but with not quite the comfort levels (or walk through) of the more expensive Euro vans.
&nbsp;
Driving the HiAce is quite easy with all the necessary controls and instrumentation close to hand.
&nbsp;
Design restraints apparently mean that the under-dash hand brake is still with us.
One thing that appeals to many when parking and manoeuvring the HiAce, is that it is a relatively small vehicle – 15ft 5in (4.7m) x 5ft 7in (1.7m) – with a 32ft (10m) turning circle.
&nbsp;
The pop-top too means that more underground car parks can be negotiated. 
&nbsp;
Discoverer offers several layouts in its HiAce pop-top conversion – a ‘walk-through’ layout with kitchen in the rear and dinette/bed behind the driver’s cab, a ‘single bed’ layout with two singles/one double in the rear and our review van, a ‘bed-seat’ layout.
&nbsp;
Each has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on how you travel. We have seen this style layout before but it is not particularly common in a HiAce.
&nbsp;
Setting up the pop-top takes minimal time; it’s a matter of unclamping four straps and lifting the roof. The roof rises to give a ceiling height of 6ft 4in (1.93m) and the canvas gusset has screened windows on the front and sides.
&nbsp;
CW wouldn’t have minded longer windows on the sides, that way you could look out the window while washing up. 
&nbsp;
Sleeping and eating
The centre piece of the ‘bed-seat’ layout is, not surprisingly the bed-seat. It’s a rear seat that folds over to make up a bed at the back of the camper.
&nbsp;
The advantage of this arrangement is that there is a reasonably comfortable travelling seat for two in the rear and it’s one which doesn’t sit sideways or is too square for comfortable travel.
The disadvantage is that the bed has to be made up every night. That really doesn’t take long though and is much easier than some Luton peak beds CW has seen.
&nbsp;
While the bed is long enough, its width might be a problem for larger people. The bed mattress is made up of three cushion sections and the middle section (ie, the seat back) is narrower than the other two.
&nbsp;
One of the inclusions in our van, although not pictured, is a roof bed for children, so a family can use the camper as well. 
&nbsp;
Being a seat as well as a bed, it also doubles as a dinette. The table, stored behind the driver’s seat when not needed, sits on a fixed pole mount in front of the seat.
While the single pole is undoubtedly more stable than a moveable arm, it does mean that the person sitting in the seat can’t move while the table is in position and a folding seat is required on the other side of the table. 
&nbsp;
Fitting a kitchen into a van this size is something of a challenge but Discoverer has achieved it by installing a 90L three-way fridge with stainless steel sink into the cabinet work opposite the sliding door, 12V-pumped water supplies the sink, and there is even a little bit of benchtop space. 
&nbsp;
Behind the passenger seat, a two-burner cooktop and microwave sit in a small cabinet that can be rotated to be used inside or out. Given its height, especially in the microwave’s case, it is easier to cook when standing outside under the awning. 
&nbsp;
One of the main features of this particular layout is that most of the general storage ends up along the offside of the van. Also the cabinet work is made from lightweight ply wood and has a quality finish.
&nbsp;
Behind the driver’s seat is a multi-shelf cupboard with a cutlery drawer above. Between that and the fridge is a very narrow cupboard with a couple of shelves – quite small but in a van this size, every space counts.
&nbsp;
On the other side of the fridge is a sliding-door cupboard with a couple of storage boxes above – both boxes having hinged lids.
&nbsp;
Finally, at the back is a small half-height wardrobe. Also accessible from the back is an open area underneath the rear seat and rear part of the mattress.
&nbsp;
Part of that area is taken up by the house battery and gas cylinder box but there’s still a reasonable amount of room.
&nbsp;
Two of the inclusions with CW’s review van are a flexible hose shower and a rear door tent, so you can shower without the neighbours looking on.
&nbsp;
Not many lights are required in a campervan but there is quite a generous amount – two ceiling-mounted fluorescents, one above the sink and two halogen reading lights at the rear of the van for the bed.
&nbsp;
A powerpoint and TV antenna connection are provided above the mid-van bench area. 
&nbsp;
The bottom line
However it is done, campervan design is going to be a compromise somewhere. This ‘seat-bed’ setup won’t suit everyone, which is why Discoverer offers three options, but it is going to interest people who want a camper that can legally and safely carry four people. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
The bed part of the seat-bed is quick to set up and the kitchen is laid out so that it is just as easy to use inside or outside the camper. 
&nbsp;
That’s something to consider because in some layouts the kitchen is in the rear of the van and is not so easily accessible. CW suspects that in moderate to warm climates people will prefer to cook outside anyway. 
&nbsp;
The starting price for a Discoverer HiAce camper is $49,500 but our review van had quite a few extras fitted (including the automatic turbo-diesel) and the drive-away price reflects that. 
In fact there is a considerable list of options available.
&nbsp;
Generally speaking the fit and finish of the Discoverer HiAce conversion appeared to be good quality and there’s no reason for any budding campervan owner not to give one a serious look over.
&nbsp;
For more information contact Sydney Campervan and Motorhome RV Centre, 83 Darley Street, Mona Vale, NSW 2103, (02) 9979 4449, email: info@sydneyrvcentre.com.au, www.sydneyrvcentre.com.au
&nbsp;
We liked 
• Rear ‘seat-bed’ layout – it fitted into the HiAce van quite well
• That the kitchen can be used quite easily inside or outside the van
• Having an awning – good in sunny weather but very useful for sliding door campers when it is raining 
• An easy to set up bed – two ‘clicks’ and it’s done
&nbsp;



Discoverer Campers Toyota HiAce LWB

Engine: 2.5L turbo diesel DOHC

Brakes: Front disc, rear drum

Gearbox: Four speed auto

Max power: 75kW@3600rpm

Max torque: 260Nm@1600-2400rpm

Tare weight: 2140kg

GVM: 2800kg

External length: 15ft 5in (4.7m)

External width: 5ft 7in (1.7m)

Internal height 6ft 4in (1.93m) (pop top up)

Cooktop: Cramer two-burner

Fridge: Dometic RM2350 90L

Microwave: Black and Decker

Gas: Two x 4kg

Lighting: 12V

Hot water: Optional

Fresh water: 70L stainless steel

Towing capacity: 1000kg (with brakes)

Price: $63,763 
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Discoverer HiAce

Tags