JB Dirt Roader 2022 Review

There has been a gradual move in recent years to large caravans that have some off-road touring capability, and Melbourne's JB Caravans has embraced this style of RV with a large range of full-size off-roaders built to plunge into the Outback or bush.

While its off-road range is headed by hero models like the Gator X and airbag suspended Scorpion Sting, for those on tighter budgets but who still want to play in the dirt JB offers a large semi-off road model in the form of the Dirt Roader and Dirt Road Xtreme.

Here we’re having a look at the entry-level Dirt Roader with 19 foot 6 inch body and CNC Front Door Cafe two-berth specification. It's one of 19 tandem-axle Dirt Roader configurations that buyers can choose from, ranging from 18ft 6in two-berth to 22ft 6in rear club lounge floorplans, along with three family bunk layouts. 

Smooth or Stucco?

The 'van we're looking at here is $85,450 drive-away with smooth aluminium composite body panels, or there's the option of a more traditional Stucco finish.

First impressions are that the Dirt Roader is attractive looking with its smart graphics and colour palette – silver and grey over black, with a neat aluminium composite roof and front and rear walls. Interestingly, the aluminium clad side walls shown here are optional; the standard Dirt Roader body has glossy alucomp cladding all around over its Meranti timer frame.

For doing long miles on poor Outback dirt roads, the Dirt Roader appears well set up with an AL-KO off-road coupling and AL-KO off-road independent suspension, and just about everything underneath appears well protected from stone damage.

However, we did notice a bit of plastic plumbing here and there that could be tucked up a little more (the grey water outlet in particular).

Also worth pointing out is the galvanised chassis which is built in-house at JB Caravans' large Melbourne factory. We’ve got so used to seeing messy, weld-spattered chassis joins over the years that it’s a pleasant surprise to see just how neatly the joins and gussets can be welded together with a little bit of care and attention.

Basics covered

With 190 litres of fresh water capacity, two 9kg gas bottles and a 135/h AGM battery fed by 200watts of solar, you’ll be able to spend a reasonable time 'unplugged' with this caravan.

For external living you also get a picnic table and roll-out awning, as well as two LED coach lights and two external audio speakers. There are also some 240v and 12v outputs, and a TV aerial connection for watching the footy game in nice weather.

Getting a heavy spare wheel off or swapping gas bottles is no fun when they're mounted too high or awkwardly, but JB has taken this into consideration and you shouldn't break your back doing either job.

External storage for the 19ft 6in Dirt Roader boils down to a tunnel boot accessible on both sides (but with just one LED light), a medium-size A-frame lockable toolbox and a hatch on the offside rear.

Room to move

Step up and inside the 19ft 6in JB Dirt Roader caravan and you're welcomed by a neat, airy interior boasting a pretty conventional layout, incorporating a north-south front queen-size bed, a mid-point kitchen and opposing cafe dinette, and a full width rear bathroom. The use of glossy pale grey and white cabinets and grey leather works well to imbue a sense of low-key luxury.

The master controls for water and electrics are housed on the rear wall adjacent to the entry door, allowing you to easily and quickly check the battery and water levels when pulled up on the side of the road, or power up or power down the system on your way in or out of the 'van. This is really where all caravans should have their main control panel set up, not hidden away in the kitchen or somewhere else.

There are multiple storage options with nicely executed CNC cabinetry in the front bedroom area, including two lockers above the bed, a wardrobe and side table with storage each side, and a roomy under-bed storage space.

There’s also a cabinet at the foot of the bed which houses the battery management system, and both USB ports and 240V outlets are located within arm's reach of the bed. There’s also a TV mount adjacent to the entry door, which can be swivelled around to face the bed or the dinette.

Cooking covered

The kitchen is a pretty straight-forward design, and includes a cooker and large sink, along with a microwave up next to spacious lockers.

Below the bench is adequate cooking implement storage for two, while the generous pantry slide-outs adjacent to the bathroom should accommodate plenty of provisions.

The microwave position is something I regularly mention, as it's one of the hardest things to fit into a caravan at the right height. So, like most caravans, this one is mounted high up, which may make getting the likes of hot soup out a bit tricky depending on your stature. Two more 240volt outlets reside high up on the rear wall of the kitchen.

The cafe dinette has a neat bi-fold table and a small cupboard underneath, as well as a large slide-out drawer under each seat. There are also two USB ports for the dinette area, and two 240v outlets. There's also a map pocket on  the rear wall of the dinette, for all your reading matter when you’re on the move.

Roomy bathroom

Moving on back to the bathroom, it’s a fairly conventional yet well thought-out and relatively roomy space.

Even with the sliding door closed behind you, there’s room to get dressed after having a shower without being a contortionist.

A 3kg top-loader washing machine sits in the vanity cupboard while both the sink basin and toilet are made of hard-wearing porcelain.

The shower is also generous size and comes with the usual ceiling hatch and extractor fan. There’s a fair bit of storage provision in the bathroom, with two lockers above the vanity, a large cupboard on the rear wall adjacent to the toilet and two deep drawers in the vanity unit.

Summing up

There's a lot to like about this well-equipped and fitted out semi off-road 'van, with its well balanced list of features for the money and a big payload to ensure you don't overload on big trips.

With its hefty 3000kg-plus loaded weight, you'll need a decent 3500kg tow-rated vehicle to haul it around but it makes sense for those who want the ability to wander off the tarmac – and the power and water capacity to stay out there a while.

How much does the JB Caravans Dirt Roader 19ft 6in cost?

Price: From $85,450 (drive-away NSW)
Travel length: 8100mm
Body length (open length): 5944mm
External body width: 2480mm
Travel height: 3000mm
Interior height: 1980mm
Tare weight: 2375kg
ATM: 3300kg
Ball weight (Tare): 177kg
Body: Meranti timber frame, aluminium composite roof, front and rear walls, aluminium clad side walls
Chassis: 150mm frame, 50mm raiser, 150mm A-frame, Supagal
Suspension: AL-KO Cross Country 3.3T independent, coil springs, dampers
Brakes: 254 x 54mm AL-KO electric drums
Stability Control: AL-KO ESC
Wheels: 15in alloy with LT 235/75R15 tyres
Fresh water: 2 x 95L (plus 1 x 95L grey water)
Battery: 1 x 135Ah AGM
Solar: 1 x 200Watt rooftop panel
Air-conditioner: Gree reverse cycle roof mounted
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Hot water: Swift 28-litre gas/electric
Cooking: Mobicool 3 + 1 gas/electric hotplates, grill, oven
Fridge: 170-litre Thetford N4000 Series tropical rated
Microwave: NCE
Toilet: Ceramic cassette
Shower: Separate cubicle
Lighting: 12V LED
TV: LPT 24in Smart LED
Options fitted: Stucco aluminum cladding (smooth composite panels standard)
Supplied by: JB Caravans Sydney, St Marys NSW
More info: jbcaravans.com.au