Horizon Grevillea

WE LIKED

• Option of sliding or conventional motorhome door
• Given it’s a van conversion, good interior space
• Curtains around the front cab windows

NOT SO MUCH

• No locker above the kitchen bench
• No bedside shelves for the wall sleeper
• No kitchen griller

One of the more noticeable growth areas in the campervan and motorhome world over the last few years is in the ‘large van conversion’ sector.

I like to call them motorcampers, in order to distinguish them from campervans and coach-built B and C class motorhomes, and their numbers have grown not only because large commercial vans have become more available, but because the actual size of the vehicle is convenient for many people.

Up to 7m (23ft) of van gives travellers a reasonably comfortable living area, as well as a vehicle that is easy to drive and manoeuvre in tight spaces.

Their compact size also makes them popular with single travellers, and an added attraction (for some) has been the replacement of the side sliding door (“whirr clunker”) with more normal hinged motorhome door.

Clayton Kearney and his team at Horizon Motorhomes in Ballina, NSW, has capitalised on this market growth, with a range of vehicles based on Fiat Ducato, VW Crafter and, in the case of our Horizon Grevillea review motorcamper, the (extra long wheelbase) Mercedes Benz Sprinter.

BRIGHT AND BLUE

One of the first things I noticed about this particular Grevillea was its rather striking rich blue exterior. In a world where most motorhomes (and caravans) are some shade of white, the Mercedes’ factory blue is a real stand out.

The second immediately obvious feature is the aforementioned optional door. Fitted neatly just behind the passenger door in a custom-made moulding, it solves two of the perennial problems of whirr clunkers: the noise of opening the door late at night door, and the potential impact damage to an opened window behind the door.

However, I should point out that fixed doors are not for everyone. Van interiors are naturally confined spaces and some travellers like the large opening that is offered by a sliding door. One of the assets of purpose-built awnings like the Fiamma F65 is that by being partly wound out, they keep both sun and rain from the open sliding door.

Further external clues that the Grevillea is not a normal delivery van include Seitz hopper windows on both sides (not the rear doors), fridge vents, hot water heater vent, shower, gas cylinder bin and toilet cassette door. Like most van conversions, the Grevillea doesn’t have an external storage bin.

ALMOST EVERYTHING YOU NEED

On the inside, this Horizon’s layout features a double bed in the rear offside corner, mid-offside bathroom cubicle and a kitchen bench along the nearside. The front dining space uses swivelled cab seats and a table behind the driver’s seat, plus a third seat on the other side of the table.

While the Seitz windows have integrated screens and blinds, the front and rear windows come with curtains, which I find easier to use than rubber suction screens. Optional insect screens are available for the rear doors and sliding door (if kept).

All the cabinetry, made from high pressure laminated plywood in order to keep the weight down, is stained in a light hue and offset by grey doors and drawers.

The Grevillea comes with two options for the bedroom: the 1.93m x 1.4m (6ft 4in x 4ft 7in) innerspring mattress bed fitted to our review motorcamper, or two 1.93m x 0.65m (6ft 4in x 2ft 2in) single beds. Many couples prefer the larger bed, but the singles are often more practical.

Lifting the double bed – hinged along the offside – gives internal access to the large storage space. This space is broken into compartments, but these can be removed easily enough if you want to put something longer in there. This storage space can also be easily reached from the outside by opening the rear doors.

There are overhead lockers along the offside and a bedside cabinet with three drawers in the nearside corner.

ROOM TO DINE

The nearside kitchen bench includes a three-burner Dometic cooktop (no grill), stainless steel sink, Waeco 110 litre fridge and under-bench Sharp Carousel microwave.

Storage consists entirely of drawers: three conventional size, two for pots and pans, and a cutlery drawer.

Benchtop space isn’t bad for this a rig this size, although there’s no drainer for the sink.

The wall space above the kitchen window is occupied by the electrical controls, as well as the mounting point for a flatscreen TV which can be seen from the bed and the front seats.

Making full use of the swivelling cab seats in this motorcamper is a smart move – it means just about every available inch of space is used. Having the good sized table and seat behind the driver’s seat creates a neat little dining room.

LED reading lights sit above both cab seats, along with a strip LED fitting above the table.

All of the essentials are fitted into the bathroom, including a Dometic cassette toilet, small corner wash basin with separate hot/cold water tap and a flexible hose shower. A small wall mirror is fitted above the wash basin.

Alongside the bathroom is a full height cupboard that’s split in two with hanging space in the top half. However, a few shelves in the bottom half would be useful.

Driving the ‘Benz-powered Grevillea is a breeze. Although the 2.2 litre engine doesn’t quite have the grunt of the more powerful six-cylinder V6, it still delivers power smoothly through the five-speed auto gearbox, with no problems along the highway and around the town.

Air bag suspension fitted to the rear wheels is a big help to the ride quality.

With a width of slightly less than 2m (6ft 6in), parking in most places isn’t too much of a problem. And the optional reversing camera will be a welcome addition for those who choose it.

VERDICT

It’s not hard to understand why a motorcamper like the Horizon Grevillea is a popular choice. What's more, Horizon makes a number of different layout and length conversions, so there’s something for everyone.

Relatively speaking, there’s plenty of interior living space, yet it will remain an easy driving machine for most people, including long-term travellers and those who are looking for more of a weekend escape machine that’s still practical to use around town.

HORIZON MOTORHOMES GREVILLEA  

Base vehicle: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 316 CDI 
Engine 2.2-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel  
Power/torque: 120kW @ 3800rpm/ 360Nm @ 1400-2400rpm
Gearbox five-speed auto
Brakes: Disc  
Tare: 3006kg    
GVM: 3550kg  
Length (external): 7.34m (24ft)  
Width (external): 1.99m (6ft 6in)
Height (internal): 1.92m (6ft 3in) 
Travel height: 3.1m (10ft 2in)
Cooktop: Dometic three-burner  
Fridge: Waeco 110 litre two-way  
Microwave: Sharp Carousel   
Lighting: 12V
Toilet: Dometic cassette
Shower: Vari-height flexible hose  
Gas: 2 x 4kg 
Fresh water: 105 litre  
Hot water: Truma 14 litre 
Grey water: 95 litre 
Second stage compliance: Yes 
Price: $131,000 (on-road, NSW)
Supplied by: Ballina Campervan and Motorhome Centre, Ballina, NSW
More info: Horizon Motorhomes