Jayco C Class Motorhome

By Malcolm Street

Jayco has been manufacturing caravans in Australia for 30 years, so one could confidently say that it knows a thing or two about the caravan building business, especially as Jayco is Australia’s largest manufacturer as well.

Last year Jayco caused something of a sensation by straddling the fence and moving to the manufacture of motorhomes, as well as caravans.

Its first three designs were all motorcampers based on the very popular Fiat Ducato vans. Obviously that proved something of a hit with motorhomers, so Jayco then produced its first C class motorhome. As it has not been given a name, MHG will refer to it simply as the Jayco.

The company has collaborated with Europe’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturers, Fiat, to build its first C class motorhome on a Ducato cab chassis. This was a wise move, as Fiat has certainly been making its presence felt in the motorhome industry in recent years.

One of the benefits of a Fiat chassis is that it is fairly low off the ground, giving motorhome makers such as Jayco the opportunity to build a fairly low-height unit. Even the raised Luton Peak above the driver’s cab has been nicely curved both back and front to give it a low profile.

Tough enough

The Jayco body has been built using fairly conventional techniques of an external fibreglass finish, using what Jayco calls its Tough Frame sidewalls.

A smooth fibreglass exterior looks impressive and the Jayco is no exception. Even around at the rear, Jayco has ‘rounded’ the top edge and made a classy-looking moulded fibreglass fairing for the tail lights.

In fact the latter, set at an angle, looks quite snazzy and from a safety point of view, the high level brake light is a good feature.

There’s only one undedicated external locker – at the nearside rear – and that is the underbed storage area. On the offside are the Thetford cassette at the rear and the gas locker behind the driver’s door.

A Fiamma awning keeps the sun and rain off the Hehr entry door and flyscreen. MHG did ponder why Jayco didn’t fit a security door as it does on caravans. Windows are the tinted hopper variety made by Camec and it’s nice to see the mid-wall awning light.

Euro style

Internally, the Jayco features a rear bed layout with the main double bed fitted into the rear nearside corner. In the opposite corner is the bathroom, with the dinette behind the driver’s seat.

Sitting in between the two is the fridge and a wardrobe and along the nearside is the kitchen bench. Naturally the Luton Peak above the driver’s cab has a second double bed.

In some respects it’s disappointing that Jayco did not take advantage of the flat floor design of the Ducato and install swivelling seats in the driver’s cab, thus giving space elsewhere.

In seems there are two main décor schemes available in the motorhome market today. Some companies follow a US interior style and others follow a more European style. Jayco has wisely opted for the Euro. The end result is a curved and stained timber look with everything fitting neatly into place.

All the windows have curtains, except the kitchen which has a roller blind, and all the opening windows are flyscreened. A curiosity was the window by the dinette and the two windows in the Luton Peak, none of which could be opened.

Keep in mind this was an early-model C class that we looked at and MHG suspects that later models will have all-opening windows.

Being a four-berth motorhome, the dinette will seat four people in reasonable comfort. The full-height rear seat has two seat belts, one lap and one lap sash.

By contrast the front seat only has low backs. There is the usual storage underneath the seats, although the front one is partly occupied by the gas compartment. Each seat has a halogen reading light in addition to the ceiling downlight and there are three lockers above the dinette.

All the overhead lockers in the Jayco have a small shelf underneath – while this looks good and will have some limited use, I suspect motorhomers who are constantly on the move won’t have much need for the shelf feature at all, otherwise gear will constantly have to be packed away.

In the catering department, the kitchen bench is fitted with a Stoves stove, with a four-burner hob (three gas, one electric), grill and oven.

Alongside that is a round stainless steel sink, which looks on the small side, especially as there is no drainer. For that reason, there is a fair amount of benchtop space, which is illuminated by two halogen downlights, one under the overhead locker and one in the fume extractor.

Storage consists of two overhead lockers plus one two-door cupboard (with two drawers) and one single-door cupboard under the kitchen bench. At the end of the bench, a narrow cupboard has been usefully fitted out with a wine rack.

Both the Dometic 90 litre three-way fridge and microwave oven on the opposite side of the motorhome.

Built into the rear corner, the foam mattress bed measures 6ft 2in x 4ft 4in (1.88m x 1.3m), which chamfers down to 3ft 9in (1m).

Windows on two sides give good ventilation and electric lighting consists of one ceiling dome halogen light plus two halogen reading lights.

Four overhead lockers sit above the bed, along with the shelf underneath; there are two corner shelves between the lockers, but they are a bit hard to use.

At the front of the Jayco is the second bed. Measuring 7ft 2in x 4ft (2.2m x 1.2m), it is slightly larger than the rear bed but you need the ladder to get to it. There is only one central roof light and no reading lights.

When travelling, part of the bed can be lifted out to give easier access to and from the cab.

The bathroom has a flexible hose shower, bench-style Thetford cassette and fold-out vanity sink – it’s tricky sitting on the loo and cleaning your teeth at the same time! Above the sink is a mirrored cabinet for bathroom essentials.

Two more cabinet features include a hanging wardrobe, with three drawers underneath, beside the bathroom, and there’s a little corner cabinet at the front by the doorway.

It has two small cupboards plus a mounting bracket for a flat screen TV. Jayco has put both a 12V socket and antenna connection in the ceiling behind where the TV would fit.

In the roof a Carrier air-conditioner cools things down nicely. All the lighting is 12V and there are powerpoints at the end of the kitchen bench and by the bed, although another somewhere near the dinette would not go astray.

I am something of a Ducato fan, so on the road driving the Fiat is not a hardship at all. The 2.8 litre turbodiesel is a very willing performer, especially if you keep an eye on the tacho when working through the gears and the stubby dash-mounted gear shift is very slick. Handy split rear external mirrors give a good view both behind and alongside.

Summing up

As this is Jayco’s foray into the coach-built motorhome market, you’d expect the odd design glitch or two – there are a few, but overall it is a very neat-looking motorhome.

It is certainly going to appeal to motorhoming newcomers, especially as a sharp pencil has been used in the pricing. Having the Ducato as a motor base is going to appeal as well because it is a very easy vehicle to drive.

Inside, the Jayco has a very pleasant décor and all the timberwork has been done in an attractive manner. Although it is more than likely going to be used by a couple, there’s no reason why the Jayco wouldn’t suit a family as well.

Geelong Prestige Jayco: (03) 5248 6655.

Brisbane Camperland: (07) 3348 8200.

Hobart Kings Caravans: (03) 6273 4666.

Sydney Jayco: (02) 9832 3040.

Coffs Harbour Watsons Caravans: (02) 6652 7544.

Adelaide Australian Caravan Co: (08) 8297 6664.

New Zealand Coastal Caravans Whatakane: (07) 307 0503.