Geist LV660 Utopia 2005 Review

The styling, inside and out, was very different compared to Australian vans but the other factor that created much interest was their relatively light weight.

The subject of our review and the largest van available is the LV660 Utopia. This luxury model has an external body length of approximately 23ft (7m) but a Tare weight of just 1600kg, therefore making it well within the capability of towing by Holden and Ford sedan vehicles.

One of the concerns that has been expressed about the Geist vans is that the light weight has been achieved at the cost of strength in both the chassis and body of the van. “Not so,” says the Oakhurst/Geist team.

How many caravans do you know of where the entire van body can be lifted off the chassis without having an effect on the van body? The extra strength of the body means that less strength is required in the chassis, meaning less weight all-round.

On the drawbar, the Winterhoff stabiliser looks a little different from the normal ball hitch but it works in a similar way. The hitch is actually designed to work in tandem with the V-Tec axle and suspension setup to keep body sway and roll to a minimum.

British and European vans have a particular design that makes them easily identifiable in a crowd, at least in Australia, and the LV660 certainly has that. Smooth flowing lines, a very clean looking drawbar and moulded tail light fairings are all characteristics of the Geist van.

Stove enamelled aluminium walls and roof fit in well with the moulded fibreglass front that has those big Euro-look triple hopper windows. They are double glazed, along with the rest of the windows thus suiting both hot and cold climates.

Running lights are prolific, along the front, side and rear. The big rear tail lights also include ADR-required triangular reflectors. Speaking of lights, there doesn’t appear to be an external light but it’s actually a low profile fitting above the door, which is remotely controlled.

In the front boot, the hatch of which lifts up and out, are two 9kg gas cylinders behind an aluminium checkerplate cover, the spare wheel and still some empty storage space. Apart from the Thetford cassette door, the only other external locker at the nearside front contains the house battery plus 240V inlet and outlet.

Inside the 660 is a layout that features a rear bedroom with full ensuite, mid-station kitchen on the offside and a front lounge/dinette/second bed. The stained timber look is very much a prominent feature and all the cabinet work is put together in a superb fit and finish. An extensive window area and a big Seitz hatch up front let plenty of light in. Curtains are fitted all round, except for the kitchen window and all windows have integrated blinds and flyscreens.

Up front the dinette/lounge area is the most prominent feature of the caravan. Set in a U shape, it affords comfortable seating for four and lounging space for two.

Panoramic windows ensure good vision all round, so won’t miss any of the view. Between the front seat and the windows is a small shelf – useful for books and the like.

The oval table is a freestanding item that can be stored out of the way or folded down to make the lounge into a double bed. Under the front and offside storage seats is empty space but the nearside seat storage area is taken by water tanks. Storage space is quite plentiful with two overhead lockers on either side and three across the front.

An overhead round twin halogen lamp plus two corner halogen downlights supply all the necessary illumination.

Some Euro vans we’ve looked at tend to be a little cramped but this one isn’t. Complete with stainless steel sink, Country Leisure four-burner cooktop/grill and microwave oven, there is still a reasonable amount of benchtop space.

The under-bench area consists of three cupboards of various sizes but just one drawer for cutlery. Part of one of the cupboards is taken by the Truma water heater with the controls above.

Powerpoints are fitted at either end of the kitchen bench. At the forward end under the overhead lockers are the necessary electrical control switches and gauges plus an AM/FM radio/DVD player.

Part of the kitchen storage area is taken by the microwave oven and gas-fired heater underneath. A point to note here is that on some imported RVs, the gas ‘furnaces’ are illegal; the heater here is fully legal and carries a gas compliance sticker. Above the kitchen bench are four overhead lockers, under which is a small shelf.

The two-door Waeco 187 litre fridge isn’t missing, just located on the opposite side of the van. Above and below the fridge is extra cupboard space and between the fridge and entry door is an almost full-height wardrobe complete with internal light.

It is not immediately obvious but sliding doors can close off the bedroom and bathroom from the rest of the van, and there’s a sliding door for the bathroom as well. In the bedroom, an east-west double bed sits against the nearside wall.

A foam mattress sits on a slatted wooden base, which can be lifted up to access the storage area underneath. Measuring 6ft 1in x 4ft 6in (1.85m x 1.38m), the bed still has about 10in (254mm) of walk-around space.

On either side of the bed are three cupboards, plus a smaller floor locker complete with bedside shelf and powerpoint. Above the bed are the usual overhead lockers, again with a small shelf underneath. Halogen reading lights plus an overhead unit supply adequate light. Natural light and ventilation also come from the vent hatch above the bed but it’s not easy to reach unless you are tall or you stand on the bed.

A full rear bathroom does give designers plenty of room to fit things in, as seen in the 660. The separate shower cubicle has a flexible hose shower and bi-fold doors; there’s also the ubiquitous Thetford cassette toilet and a wash basin which has a very swish vanity cabinet indeed.

Three mirror-door cabinets sit above the sink with a small shelf, while underneath the sink is a curved two-door cupboard. In the corner is a four-shelf linen cupboard, so there is no shortage of storage but still plenty of room to perform bathroom functions without banging elbows.

The bottom line

The price tag of the 660 puts it in the luxury class bracket, but you do get a lot of bang for your buck in the fit-out and finish of this Geist luxury van. It is superbly done indeed.

There is one advantage that it has over its Australian contemporaries: if you are only planning on cruising on bitumen throughout Australia, then its relatively lighter weight will mean spending less on a tow vehicle.

You’ll save not only in upfront costs but ongoing parts, and overall fuel expenditure will be cheaper too. Considering fuel prices seem to be going one way, it’ll be an advantage after a few years on the road, and will make the initial purchase price look good. Inside, the Geist LV660 Utopia presents a very roomy layout that will mean very comfortable caravanning for two people. Auf Wiedersehen!

For your nearest Geist dealer, contact Oakhurst International Caravans, 185 Nerada Road Maryborough, Qld 4650, (07) 4121 4479, fax (07) 4123 1086; web: