Horizon Grevillea

WHAT WE LIKED

• North-south arrangement of the double bed – it takes up a bit more space but works well
•  Good, practical size kitchen for a motorhome of this size

NOT SO MUCH

• No door to the under-bed storage – the bed bases on both layouts lift, but a door would make for quick access

Back in late-2009, I reviewed a Horizon Grevillea motorcamper with a sliding door and single beds. There are a couple of variants available on that Horizon design, and here we compare some alternatives: a Grevillea with a double bed; the other with singles.

Both have sliding doors; however, a ‘conventional’ motorhome door is available with Grevillea, and we’ll discuss the pros and cons shortly.

Both Grevilleas are based on a VW Crafter 35, which is well suited to a motorcamper conversion both in size and engine performance. The 2.5L turbodiesel delivers 100kW of power and 300Nm of torque through a six-speed Shiftmatic (automated manual) gearbox.

The Mercedes Benz Sprinter can also be used, thanks to its similar body shape. The Sprinter comes with a 110kW turbodiesel and a full automatic box.

In both the single and double bed versions of the Grevillea, the front layout is much the same. Both passenger and driver seats swivel around, the latter forming part of a small dinette that has a table and seat directly behind.

The kitchen bench (a good size) occupies the nearside wall and a small shower/toilet alongside the wardrobe and pantry is fitted opposite.

BEDROOM EYES

It’s in the bedroom where the main variations occur. Our original Grevillea had single beds measuring 1.87x0.69m (6ft 2in x 2ft 3in).

Naturally, they were fitted north-south, were easy to make up and had the usual under-bed storage areas. The rear doors of the Crafter provided access to this area, too.

Double beds, which many couples prefer, pose a minor design challenge in motorcampers because of space limitations. They can be set across the van (i.e., east-west), which saves a bit of space, but doing so only gives a maximum bed length (in this case) of about 1.78m (5ft 10in).

The alternative is a north-south double bed. In the Grevillea, the result is a bed that measures 1.9x1.38m (6ft 3in x 4ft 6in) set alongside the offside wall.

This means there’s a walkway down the nearside, but no access out of the rear doors and the person sleeping against the wall will have to do a bit of clambering if they need to get up during the night. In this arrangement, a bedside cabinet with two drawers is fitted into the nearside corner.

The double or single choice really comes down to personal preferences, with the former very much the favourite and the latter offering more layout flexibility.

DOOR THOUGHTS

Motorcampers (i.e., large van conversions) usually come with the original sliding door of the van’s manufacturer. Now, some owners are happy with this, especially if they get Velcro or zipped (or similar) insect screens that can be fitted to both the large sliding door and the rear doors (available from Horizon); but others prefer a more conventional motorhome door.

The Grevillea and other Horizon models are available with a standard motorhome-style door. To achieve this, the original sliding door has to be completely removed and a new moulding, complete with Dometic half-window door, is fitted in its place.

There are several advantages with this arrangement – the “whirr-clunk” noise every time the sliding door is opened is no longer a problem and security is less of an issue (the window can be left open and the door locked). However, without the large sliding door, space perception and ventilation are reduced somewhat.

THE BOTTOM LINE

As always, there are advantages and disadvantages that come into play when comparing layouts. The best bet is to think about your own needs, talk through the various scenarios with your travelling partner (will they mind you scrambling over them during the night, and is rear-door access important, etc.?), to ensure you don’t end up regretting your decision.

With its 2.5L turbodiesel, the VW Crafter 35 is a nimble performer that will have no problem tackling the ‘softer’ terrain of Australia. So it comes down to personal choice – and that is probably the best feature!

HORIZON GREVILLEA (DOUBLE-BED LAYOUT)

Base vehicle VW Crafter 35 LWB with overhang
Engine 2.5L turbodiesel 
Gearbox Six-speed Shiftmatic 
Max power 100kW@3500rpm 
Max torque 300Nm@2000rpm 
Brakes Disc 
Tare 3040kg 
GVM 3880kg 
External length 7.35m (24ft 1in) 
External width 1.99m (6ft 6in)
Internal height 1.93m (6ft 4in)
Cooktop Cramer three-burner 
Fridge Waeco 110L 
Microwave LG 
Gas 2 x 4kg 
Lighting 12V halogen and LED
Toilet Dometic Vacuflush
Shower Vari-height, flex-hose 
Hot water Truma 14L 
Fresh water 105L 
Grey water 95L 
Second stage compliance Yes 
Motorhome door fitting $4,900
Price as shown $109,000 (drive-away, NSW)

SUPPLIED BY:

Ballina Campervan Centre, 299 River Street, Ballina, NSW 2478, (02) 6681 1555.
For more information, including your nearest dealer, visit  horizonmotorhomes.com.au