Jayco Sterling 25-78-3

WE LIKED

• Plastic collars for plumbing at cabin entry points
• Very spacious bathroom
• Overall living space on offer

NOT SO MUCH

• Where’s the stoneguard for A-frame tap?
• Grey water system could be better integrated

The Jayco Sterling is a value-for-money luxury caravan. With everything you need to travel Australia in comfort, at a raise-your-eyebrows-and-smile price, it’s no wonder this model accounts for 28 per cent of sales in its market.

The Sterling is the company’s flagship and, as you’d probably expect from the country’s largest RV manufacturer, the range of layouts and configurations borders on mind boggling.

“Something for everyone” is a cliché, but in the case of the Sterling, it’s the truth. The Jayco Modular System (JMS) allows you to replace certain parts of a given layout with a different “module”, leading to 200 or so layouts across the range.

We went for the 25-78-3 layout (Series 25, 7.8m long, layout 3), with its two “captain’s chairs” at the front and slide-out bed towards the back.

This layout is a good example of the JMS in action: the captain’s chairs are part of a module that replaces a club lounge, while the slide-out bed is a module that replaces a fixed bed.

You might think that such layout variety – an approach that lets customers replace this with that – could give a van an ad-hoc appearance. But there’s a sense of completeness to the Sterling that testifies to Jayco’s professionalism and experience.

LITTLE PLEASURES

The front of the van is occupied by those two stylish leather captain’s chairs, with a tri-fold table and storage nook beneath. Reclining in one of those chairs, your nose in a book, listening to the susurration of the surf, has to be one life’s little pleasures.

Yes, it’s a very comfortable area, and the halogen light fixture above lends a touch of class. The dinette table measures 970mm when folded out and 480mm when closed – more than enough room for two people and their dinner. This area could do with a 12V point, though.

In the kitchen, storage is a highlight. The large drawers and overhead lockers are more than adequate for a week’s worth of victuals.

The locker above the Smev cooktop/griller/oven is, however, taken up by the slide-out switch, Coast to Coast combined battery and water tank monitor, and hot water switch. Hiding them like this does, however, make for a much neater presentation.

On our test van, the Sphere microwave, fitted among the overhead lockers, didn’t sit quite level in its housing. Without physically removing the microwave, we couldn’t work out why, but it didn’t affect the way the appliance operated. It just looked a little off kilter.

While I was searching for the Breaksafe unit (which I discovered was fixed at floor-level beneath the kitchen cabinetry), I came across ultra-neat plastic collars that sealed the holes in the floor through which the plumbing runs.

I’m so used to seeing the holes gapped with unsightly silicone that these collars were a revelation. Bought in bulk, they’d probably cost next to nothing – it would be great to see them in wider use throughout the industry.

The Sterling does not feature a great deal of bench space. In fact, meal preparation is limited to the cutting board infill over the sink and the glass lid of the Smev cooktop – unless you were to use the dinette table, of course.

Opposite the kitchen, next to the entrance, is the 186 litre three-way Dometic fridge and entertainment centre – a Pioneer sound system and combined Sphere flatscreen TV/DVD player. Naturally, the van comes with a Winegard antenna, too, and an air-conditioner – in this case, a Coleman unit.

SPACE RACE

Luxury in a caravan is about more than the features – the washing machine, the oven, the onboard swimming pool. The luxury of space is just as important, and in this respect our Sterling shines.

The forward captain’s chairs arrangement, coupled with the slide-out bed, lend the van so much floor space that you’ll never again have to say “S’cuse me, love” as you squeeze past.

Nor will you have to apologise as you climb over your partner to visit the loo at night – often, east-west beds are positioned hard up against the front or rear wall. But in the Sterling, there’s walking space either side.

Setting up the slide-out, from releasing the locking mechanism to waiting for it to glide electronically open takes no more than 20 seconds. With the bed extended to its full length of 1.95m (width: 1.45m), there’s still 340mm – enough to scoot past to get to the bathroom.

On either side, handy storage nooks in lieu of bedside tables are provided, but only accessible when the slide-out is open. Other bedroom features include a 12V and antenna point for a secondary telly, a couple of reading lights recessed into the cabinetry above the head of the bed, and wardrobes.

The neatness of the presentation even extends to the zip-tied mass of cabling inside the forward wardrobe. It should look untidy or downright messy, but it somehow blends with the overall décor and feel of the van.

Beneath the bed, the storage space is understandably limited due, in part, to the slide-out’s mechanical components, intruding wheel arch, 100Ah AGM battery, small personal safe, and the Setec 240V-12V converter, produced specifically for Jayco.

This unit ‘senses’ when only 12V power is available, so no switching over is required. Each of the 12V fuses is neatly labelled and accessible at the base of the bed.

The luxury-of-space theme continues in the bathroom, where you’ll find a circular shower with 12V light and fan hatch in the offside corner, a Thetford cassette toilet, vanity across the rear, and a decent bench along the nearside wall, a Lemair top-loader washing machine hidden below.

Quick observation: there is more bench space in the bathroom than in the kitchen.

EYE CATCHER

The Jayco Sterling has to be one of the most distinctive caravans on the road. The frame is aluminium, the walls and roof a blend of vacuum-bonded fibreglass composite and moulded fibreglass.

The result: a rigid, glossy, streamlined van that stands out from the white, aluminium-clad masses.

The 6in drawbar is uncluttered, with plenty of room to fit a weight distribution hitch if needed. We found it necessary to use load levellers when we hitched the Sterling to a Jeep Grand Cherokee, but behind our LandCruiser, it was like a well behaved pet, keeping to heel at all times without the levellers.

The front boot is divided into a compartment for camping gear, etc., and a cubby for dual 9kg gas cylinders. A tip: feed your gas appliances from the outside cylinder and keep the other as a spare – getting this one out for a refill requires you to first disconnect and remove the outside cylinder, a fiddly endeavour.

Though we kept the Sterling on the bitumen, the central strut that supports the boot lid when it’s open came away at the lid. Things like this do happen on a shakedown and, to be honest, I’ve had worse happen with other vans. Fortunately, the damage was quite minor and I’m sure easily fixed.

Beneath the Sterling is a network of PVC grey water pipes, with three separate grey water outlets on the offside, one of which is for the washing machine. If all of this sounds like a lot, Jayco provides a plastic ‘manifold’ that makes two outlets into one.

The chassis is comprised of 6in main members and punched-hole cross members, a design shown to decrease weight and increase strength. They are also convenient for running underfloor wiring and plumbing through.

Other external features include a Carefree awning, drop-down picnic table, rear-mounted spare wheel in a moulded fibreglass casing, LED tail and running lights, 15in alloy wheels, “Flexcoat” pebbleguard, Al-Ko quick-drop corner stabilisers and more.

VERDICT

The particularly efficient manufacturing and significant buying power of Australia’s largest RV builder allows it to build decent, well-equipped rigs for most budgets. If it was a car, the Sterling would be a Ford Territory: luxurious but not too flashy, and at the right price.

And then there’s the space factor. Thanks to the acres of living space, this is a van unlikely to cause cabin fever if you’re stuck with extended wet weather. Ten large overhead lockers and plenty of smaller lockers throughout should provide ample storage for an extended tour, too.

JAYCO STERLING 25-78-3

Overall length: 9m
External body length: 7.8m
External width: 2.47m
Travel height: 2.91m
Internal height: 1.98m
Tare: 2458kg
ATM: 2933kg
Ball weight: 134kg
Frame: Aluminium
Chassis: Galvanised ‘Millenium’
Suspension: Tandem-axle leaf spring
Cooktop: Smev with griller and oven
Fridge: 186 litre three-way Dometic
Microwave: Sphere
Toilet: Thetford cassette
Shower: Separate cubicle
Lighting: 12V LED/halogen
Gas: 2x9kg
Batteries: 1 x 100Ah AGM
Fresh water: 2 x 82 litre
Hot water: 23 litre Suburban
Price as shown: $59,900 (plus registration)
More info: Jayco