Goldstream Panther CPX 2025 Review

The “Established in 1993” insignia laser-cut into the aluminium trim on this review 'van reminds us that Goldstream RV are part of the old brigade of Australian caravan manufacturing.

The Pakenham, Victoria-based manufacturer made its mark with highly-regarded Jayco-style wind-up camper trailers, but its towable range is now just as much about pop-tops and hard-top caravans.

To give you a sense of the factory's scale, the mid-sized manufacturer built its

New-school construction

Whilst Goldstream RV might be old brigade, 'van number 1000 -- a 1760 RE Rhino CPX couple's off roader -- is representative of its latest 'new school' approach.

Part of a new model line introduced by Goldstream in 2024, the 'CP' refers to composite body panel, and the 'X' represents a package of upgrades including a special body coating, honeycomb floor and a galvanised chassis.   

Historically staunch supporters of traditional Meranti timber frame construction, Goldstream are late adopters when it comes to 'frame-less' composite body construction, or the use of fibreglass sandwich panels.

Despite a significant jump in price, it's proven a popular choice with discerning buyers that understand the benefits of a fair dinkum 35mm sandwich panel - fibreglass skin on both sides of the panel with a substantial foam core -- compared to the alternative of a 3mm thick sheet made up of an aluminium skin and a thin polyethylene core.

The thicker sandwich panels on the 1760 RE Rhino CPX offer the advantage of structural integrity and high thermal and acoustic insulation properties. Whereas the thin composite sheeting on older Goldstream 'vans is purely a cladding which needs to be affixed to a frame.

Importantly, Goldstream advises that eliminating the frame saves around 90kg in weight which allows for more payload or scope for fitting optional accessories. It could even make a difference in the choice of tow vehicle.

The 35mm composite panel is used for the walls and roof, with a 17mm one-piece honeycomb polymer panel for the floor.

Adopting well recognised composite construction methods, Goldstream bonds the floor to the chassis using high-strength, flexible adhesive with help from some fasteners until the adhesive has set.

The walls are then glued and bolted to a Z-section channel on the chassis below the floor line. Similarly, the roof is glued and screwed to the walls. Aluminium corner capping completes and seals the body.

The walls and corner capping receive the aforementioned coating known as Tufflon which is similar to Raptor coating but is designed to be much harder. It’s tough enough to replace the now old-school checkerplating, and weighs about the same.

Top-spec underpinnings

The Goldstream 1760 RE Rhino CPX has strong underpinnings for heading off the beaten path.

It starts with the locally-built Rollcraft chassis with 6in extended A-frame and 6in main beams, and extends to the choice of Cruisemaster's top-tier ATX independent suspension system.

The Queensland-built ATX suspension has been around a few years now, and boasts beefy trailing arms and 46mm monotube shock absorbers, complete with remote reservoir shocks, to cope with big hits and extended runs on punishing corrugations.

Utilizing air bags instead of coil springs, the body height can be easily raised and lowered through the switch panel and on-board compressor. Keeping the body low in normal travelling increases stability, while raising it on uneven ground prevents underbody damage; giving you the best of both worlds.

Adjusting the left and right sides independently also makes it easier to level the 'van on a sloping campsite. The only downsides to the ATX system is it's heavier and more expensive than other Cruisemaster offerings.

The Rhino CPX also comes with 12in electric drum brakes, and 16in alloy wheels wrapped in Goodride 265/75 mud terrain tyres. Unfortunately if you want the extra piece of mind of some form of trailer ESC you'll need to fork out extra.

Exterior essentials

Setting up and accessing external features is pretty straightforward and easy on the Goldstream 1760 RE Rhino CPX, with its fixed roof, removable jockey wheel and drop-down corner stabilisers.

Up front, two 9kg gas bottles sit on the A-frame behind a stone guard, rather than inside a fancy compartment. The toolbox is conventional with a slide-out suitable for a BBQ and the tunnel boot... well, it’s a tunnel boot.  

The lockable drop-down picnic table is among the biggest I have seen, so you could actually have a picnic on it!

The rear bar is minimalist compared to many off-road 'vans these days, with just one spare wheel and two jerry can holders. On a positive note, avoiding putting a lot of weight on the extreme rear is always a good thing, and especially helpful on this 'van as it has a lower than average unladen nose weight (143kg).

Off-grid ready

Off-grid power is all the rage on off-road 'vans these days, and Goldstream has come to the party with a decent 12V power system in the Goldstream 1760 RE Rhino CPX.

The brains of the off-grid power system is the Projecta Intelli-Grid Compact 70, which manages power input in the form of a 40A DC to DC charger and 30A MMPT solar regulator for a total of 70A of charging.

It's paired with a Projecta 3000W 180A inverter/charger and works in conjunction with a 300Ah lithium battery and two 220W roof-mounted solar panels. You can monitor all the power comings and goings with the seven-inch colour display screen inside, as well as keep an eye on water levels and control switch lighting.

Unless you jump up to a super-expensive 48V system, power packages like this one with a 3000W inverter are the benchmark for running popular 240V appliances like air-fryers, coffee machines and hair dryers.

There will be some capacity to run the air-conditioner off-grid but a handy trick to get the most out of your system is to run the air-con while you're driving up to the camp site. This way you will be able to bring the temperature down while take advantage of the DC to DC power.  

As reviewed, the weak link in this system is the 440W of solar panels. If you're a big power user, you might want to think about adding more optional solar panels. On-board fresh water capacity (180 litres) is bang on the industry standard, as is the 100L grey water capacity.

Familiar, user-friendly layout

Wondering what the 'RE' part of the Goldstream 1760 RE Rhino CPX means?

It stands for rear entry, and as soon as you step in you can see it's a very familiar layout – front bed, central dinette and kitchen, and rear bathroom.

What's less easy to see is Goldstream RV has also revamped its furniture to work with the new composite walls. It’s interlocked now, and freestanding, so it no longer relies on the walls and floor to hold it together.

Head to the back of the 'van and the full-width bathroom with separate cassette toilet and shower cubicle, provides adequate room to move around.

Bench space is limited due to the wall-mounted, front-loading washing machine, but it's always nice to be able to get some washing done out on the road.

Ensuite storage has been efficiently optimised, with a laundry hamper ergonomically positioned right below the washing machine. I've come across some 'vans that only have a fixed mirror above the sink, so incorporating cupboards with mirrors mounted on the doors really helps bolster storage.  

It appears there are three drawers below the vanity sink, but the top compartment is actually a drop-down door. It’s a great way to utilise the space around the sink plumbing and not something you always see.

'1760' in the model number refers to the 17ft 6in long body, of course. The mid-section of the 'van is usually most impacted by body length, so short 'vans get less seating and kitchen area and longer 'vans get more.

Consequently, the Goldstream 1760 has a compact but still functional layout. Horizontal surfaces for food prep are adequate, and the L-shaped seating is great for two but is certainly not an entertainer's club lounge.

There’s enough room for all the appliances you would expect in a six-figure priced caravan. These include a 185 litre compressor fridge and freezer, a four-burner grill, rangehood and 23L microwave; that take care of your meal preparation and cooking needs.

Cabin comfort and cleanliness is delivered via a reverse-cycle rooftop air-conditioner and a 12V roof-mounted dust suppression unit.

The front queen bed area is mostly conventional too, with all the good stuff like bedside robes and perhaps the longest drawers I have ever seen!

There are the usual cut-away nooks for storing bits and pieces like phones and books, while overhead reading lights with built-in USB chargers are useful. I also really like the expansive windows on both sides of the bed that flood the area with natural light.

Should I buy a Goldstream RV 1760 RE Rhino CPX?

In my view a 17ft 6in caravan is a sensible size that delivers a great compromise between adequate living space for extended travel and towability along tighter tracks and into smaller camp spots.

It’s also about as big as a caravan gets while sticking to a single axle configuration. Singles are inherently lighter as you're not doubling up on axles/suspension/brakes/wheels.

The single-axle set-up constrains the payload to 522kg, but the big advantage is the 2321kg Tare and 2843kg ATM; making it a sensible weight for mid-sized utes/SUVs. The 'van isn't going to outweigh the car if they're both reasonably loaded, which is the preferred set-up for handling and towing safety.

You can also stay legal as the 'van's weight will not eat up as much of the tow vehicle's GVM and GCM constraints.

While Goldstream is a late starter in adopting full composite panel construction, it's arguably overtaken many of its smaller to medium-sized rivals that use aluminium frames behind a composite sheet.

It's also a well-established Australian RV manufacturer with a good reputation for quality; the two-year manufacturer’s warranty along with five years on the Cruisemaster suspension is about par for the industry.

Yep, $110K is a lot of money for the average punter, but on first impressions it hits the mark for an Australian-built 'van of this calibre.

Price: $109,990 (tow-away)
Travel length: 8670mm
External body length: 5380mm
Travel width: 2350mm
Travel height: 3000mm
Tare: 2321kg
ATM: 2843kg
Ball weight (Tare): 143kg
Body: Fibreglass XPS sandwich panel with PVC inserts; 35mm thick walls and roof. 17mm honeycomb floor
Chassis:  150mm extended A-frame with 150mm main beams, hot dip galvanised
Suspension: Cruisemaster ATX trailing arm with air bag springs, DO-35 pin coupling
Brakes: 12in electric drum
ESC: No
Wheels: 16in alloys with Goodride 265/75 R16 mud terrain tyres                                     
Water: 2 x 90L fresh; 1 x 100L grey
Battery: 300Ah lithium
Solar: 2 x 220W roof-mounted
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Hot water: Gas instantaneous
Cooking: Thetford four-burner grill
Fridge/freezer: 185L two-door Dometic compressor
Microwave: NCE 23L
Toilet: Thetford cassette
Shower: Moulded fibreglass
Lighting: LED
Air-conditioner: Gree inverter
Washing machine: NCE mini wall-mount, front-load
TV: NCE 24in smart
Audio: Fusion external Am/FM sound bar
Supplied by: Goldstream RV, Pakenham, Victoria