Is this Australia's cheapest 4x4 motorhome?
New Ranger or HiLux-based Smidge Long Weekend from Sydney's Suncamper priced from $129,990Sydney's Suncamper has released its first motorhome under its Smidge sub-brand, with the new 4x4 ute-based camper being promoted as the "cheapest 4x4 motorhome on the market".
Priced from $129,990 ($135,900 drive-away in Victoria), the new Made by Smidge Long Weekend model presents as a neatly finished but somewhat stripped back, cut-price alternative to one of Suncamper's popular and long-running Sherwood campervan models.
However, unlike the traditional Suncamper models it's not constructed at Suncamper's Sydney motorhome conversion facility. Instead, the new Long Weekend motorhome body is built in Malaysia, in a factory set up by Suncamper founder Keith Harrison who has been living in the south-east Asian country for the past couple of years.
"We are still doing all of the safety and ADR features (marker lights etc), 240v electrics, gas and all of the vehicle related features, not to mention the chassis itself (at our Sydney factory)," explained Suncamper's Marketing and Brand Experience Manager, Connor Jones.
Like the Suncamper Sherwood, the new Smidge Long Weekend camper can be based on either the Ford Ranger or Toyota HiLux SR 4x4 cab chassis, and features a fixed camper body with standing room throughout except for the queen bed in the front nosecone, plus there's a kitchenette, combination shower/toilet and a rear lounge/dinette.
For the price you get a 120Ah AGM battery and 100W solar panel, 86L fresh and 43L grey water tanks, a 95L fridge freezer, gas cooktop and a stainless sink with mixer tap, a microwave, rangehood, rooftop air-conditioner, powered awning and entry step, an LCD control panel, high density foam bed mattress, cassette toilet, gas/240V hot water unit, two 4.5kg gas bottles, reading and LED lights, USB points and internal ply cabinetry.
The 5.8m long and 3.25m high, two-fourth berth off-road campervan also comes with a suspension and 3500kg GVM upgrade.
Suncamper has been building HiLux and Ranger based campervans in Australia for decades, but it's the first time it's released a budget model under its Smidge sub-brand, which is best known for its retro style compact camper trailers.
Meanwhile, Suncamper has also released a big new six-berth, rental-style motorhome with three separate sleeping areas, priced from $204,950.
The well-equipped 7.3m long Saxby XL motorhome gets a family-friendly fit-out including a front overhead bed, cafe dinette and rear lounge (the latter two converting to beds), plus plenty of storage including a tunnel boot.
Suncamper is also debuting a new 6.8m long Saxby S-2 campervan model at the upcoming 2025 Canberra Caravan & Camping Show, which is designed to bridge "the gap between compact van fit-outs and full-sized motorhomes". The new model is available on the latest Ford Transit chassis as well as Iveco and Mercedes-Benz platforms.
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