Chris Fincham•26 Jul 2017

REVIEW

Jayco Freedom campervan

Jayco fills another niche with new entry-level Toyota-based camper

Of all the different types of RVs you can buy in this country, campervans are among the least popular. Most motorized RVs sold in Australia are to grey nomads, who generally prefer a much bigger and more comfortable motorhome for their extended travels.

Given that smaller van-based motorhomes, or campervans, are one of the few RVs practical enough to be used for daily transport when you’re not on holidays, it’s surprising they’re not more popular, but they seem to have limited appeal down under.

However, that could be about to change with Australia’s largest RV manufacturer recently introducing a new range of Toyota Hiace van-based campers. Launched under a new entry-level Freedom range, which also includes a cut-price Renault-based motorhome, the Freedom campervan starts from around $65,000, making it by far the cheapest Jayco motorhome.

No coincidence, the Freedom campers arrive around the same time that Jayco is rolling out motorhomes for Jayco chairman Gerry Ryan’s new rental business, LetsGo. Although interestingly, the Toyota campervans available for hire have a ‘HiTop’ fixed roof, rather than the pop-up, canvas-sided roof on the Freedom retail models.

CHOICE IS SIMPLE

Buying a Freedom campervan is pretty simple, with just two major decisions to make. The first is whether you want a layout with enough seat belts to carry four passengers, or the layout with just two.

The former (as reviewed here) features a rear bench seat with two seat belts, that folds flat at night to form the bed. The other layout just has the two front driving seats, with the rear section more of a U-shaped lounge/dinette that also converts to a big double bed.

The advantage of the four-seatbelt arrangement is that you can carry extra passengers in the camper, either on holidays or during the daily grind, so it could easily double as the family car. With a towing capacity of 1200kg you could even tow a small camper behind for the kids to sleep in…

However the downside of this layout is that the rear bench seat is a bit lumpy when folded flat, so the other layout could be a better option if you prefer a smoother surface for lying on at night.

PETROL OR DIESEL?

Buyers can also choose the $5990 option of the 100kW/300Nm 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine with four-speed automatic transmission, instead of the standard 118kW/243Nm 2.7-litre petrol engine with five speed manual transmission.

While a significant extra cost, it’s probably worth it as the diesel-auto set-up does a good job of propelling the 2000kg-plus (Tare weight) campervan along the highway. Acceleration from standstill is certainly not brisk but it cruises comfortably at 100km/h, and the auto changes smoothly.

Braking is adequate, despite the old-fashioned disc/drum set-up, and a sharp turning circle and light steering aids maneuvrability in tight quarters. Skinny tyres means there’s not a heap of grip when cornering, and the van is pushed around a bit on the highway in strong crosswinds.

However, our biggest gripe was the seating position, with taller drivers seated too high and too close to the steering wheel. The utilitarian cabin offers a few storage areas and should be easy enough to keep clean with lots of hard, grey plastic and rubber floor mats.

Apart from remote central locking, air-conditioning, cruise control, front and rear passenger airbags, rear camera and powered front windows, our diesel-powered test vehicle based on the Hiace LWB van also came standard with a 6.1in touchscreen display with Bluetooth connectivity and satellite navigation.

With the engine not yet run in, fuel economy over a mostly highway run was 10.7L/100km, though this still adds up to a range of around 850km from the 90 litre tank.

STOP AND CAMP

You wouldn’t want to take the rear-wheel drive Freedom camper too far off the bitumen, but it does everything else well as far as fuss-free camping goes.

Just pull up, pop the roof, rearrange the bed and seating if required and you’re kicking back in a couple of minutes. No wonder these campers are so popular as rental vehicles.

You’ll need a couple more minutes to wind out the Fiamma F45S awning whose two supporting legs attach to the side of the van, and hook up to mains power and water if provided,.

Access to the living area is through the passenger side, rear sliding door, and popping up the roof (after unhooking the three interior straps) requires some effort but should be manageable for most people.

Even with the bed in place there’s enough room for a tall person to get changed around the kitchen area; or under the rear tailgate if there’s no-one around!

Cooking is inside on the built-in Smev two-burner cooktop, which runs off gas supplied by a 4kg bottle contained in an outside locker. There’s also a gas bayonet to run an outside BBQ or stove.

The small sink/drainer with hand pump draws cold water from a 45 litre tank.

Benchspace is pretty limited but there’s a picnic table that drops down just outside the entry door, that’s under shelter with the awning out.

The 85 litre Vitrifigo fridge/freezer runs off either mains power, or the 100Ah house battery with Setec battery management system, which can be recharged by the 120W rooftop solar panel when camping off-the-grid.

MINIMAL STORAGE

Storage options are limited to four cupboards around the kitchen area, most with shelves, and one with a plastic cutlery drawer. There’s some additional storage space under the side bench seating, around the wheel arches, and room for a couple of large bags behind the rear seats in transit.

The pedestal table is on the small side for family dining, but can be swivelled into various positions and is easily removed and stored under the bed at night.

To set up the double bed, you pull a strap to fold down the rear seatbacks, and slide in place the two extra bases and cushions supplied.

The bed is 152cm wide but due to its odd shape -- 180cm long on one side and 163cm on the other due to the position of the fridge -- it won’t suit two tall adults.

Along with opening the four van doors, further natural light and ventilation is obtainable through the four screened windows in the pop-top canvas, as well as screened sliding windows along both sides of the van. Jayco says both the window screens and rubber-backed privacy curtains are removable for washing.

There’s also a Dometic roof hatch above the fridge, and two LED ceiling lights, kitchen strip lighting and two reading lights to help brighten things up. We also counted two 240V sockets and a water monitor on a side panel near the microwave.

FEW MINOR NIGGLES

While we only had it for a few hours, the build quality appears pretty sturdy, including positive lock catches on the satin-finished ply cabinetry. A wide range of décor options are available.

Our only issues were with one of the buckles that hold the roof straps, which was secured with small screws and broke free. Some other fittings, like the flimsy plastic cutlery drawer and privacy curtains, also appear on the low-budget side.

I’d also like to see some scuff plates covering the entry step, as it’s likely to receive more wear and tear than the interior lino. And more insulation along the interior walls would be good.

Also worth noting is that unlike some of its rivals, the Freedom doesn’t offer the convenience of being able to walk through to the living area from the front cabin. As there’s no external shower or portable toilet, you’ll also need to stay close to facilities or carry extra equipment on your travels.

VERDICT

Jayco doesn’t really offer anything new or innovative with the Freedom, nor does it manage to undercut similarly-specced Toyota-based campers from the likes of Sunliner and Frontline.

However, Freedom buyers can sleep soundly at night knowing they’ve invested in two of the best-supported nameplates in Jayco and Toyota, should things go awry when touring the country…

WE LIKED:

>> Competitively priced

>> Fuss-free set-up

>> Solar power for fridge

NOT SO MUCH:

>> Lumpy, odd-shaped bed

>> Driver’s cabin blocked off

>> Basic equipment list

2017 JAYCO FREEDOM TH.15-2 CAMPERVAN

Base vehicle: Toyota Hiace LWB

GVM: 2800kg

Licence: Car

Occupants: Four seatbelts, two berth

Engine: 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel

Power/torque: 100kW/300Nm

Transmission: Four-speed automatic

Wheels: 15in steel, Bridgestone RD-613 195 R!5

Brakes: Discs/drums with ABS and ESC

Travel length: 4695mm

External body width: 1720mm

Travel height: 2150mm

Rear bed size: 163-180cm x 152cm

Cooktop: Smev two-burner gas

Fridge: Vitrifigo 85L 12V/240V fridge/freezer

Microwave: Sphere

Lighting: 12V LED

Battery: 1 x 100Ah deep-cycle

Solar: 120W roof panel

Air-conditioner: N/A

Fresh water: 45 litres

Gas: 1 x 4kg

Price: From $64,890 (drive-away, Vic). As tested: $70,880

Supplied by: Jayco Australia, Dandenong South, Victoria

Jayco Freedom campervan

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