Legion Invictus 2023 Review

Legion is a relatively new caravan brand in Australia, offering a veritable feast of different models and very much a Roman 'Gladiator' theme when it comes to its model naming.

Victoria-based Legion was born three years ago, and works in collaboration with another caravan manufacturer ProRV which is located across the road from the Legion factory and assists with the CNC machine-cut furniture, upholstery and aluminium body frames (when fitted).

Apart from those components and the locally-sourced Rhino chassis, the Legion caravan-build and assembly process largely takes place in-house. The Legion factory is staffed by experienced industry workers, and the factory welcomes prospective buyers to take a tour of the operation located in Campbellfield in Melbourne's north.

There are five Legion dealers around Australia as well as a retail outlet in New Zealand, with the caravan for this review sourced from Windsor, NSW-based Parravans.

All fixed roof, full size models, the Legion caravan range opens with the 17ft 6in single-axle or tandem 18ft 6in Nero couple's series, with a mid-specification, 18ft 6in or 19ft 6in tandem axle Invictus and a 21ft 6in family bunk Caesar range also in the mix.

There are a number of different layouts on offer across the model lines but here we’re looking at the largest tandem axle model in the Invictus mid-grade line-up, in a 19ft 6in body length with a comfortable front bed/ rear ensuite couple's layout.

With a price of $84,900 (including on-road costs in NSW) this would have been considered an expensive touring caravan not so long ago -- but these days, it's actually a well-priced offering for the size and features it presents.

Have a look at the Legion Invictus standard features list and specs and it’s obvious, at a time when dropping six figures on a caravan is not unusual, that this Melbourne-built van is competitively priced.

With many of the features desired by modern caravanners including a 3kg washing machine, twin battery and solar panel power system, two 95-litre water tanks, a rear camera, air-conditioner and large three-way fridge, it makes an interesting alternative to similar offerings from more mainstream brands.

The 19ft 6in Legion Invictus is built with an insulated Meranti timber frame with smooth aluminium composite external body panels and 550mm high checker plate dressing the lower sides, together with a six-inch Supagal box section chassis with leaf spring suspension, a six-inch A-frame and a two-inch raiser.

Even though this isn’t an off-road van, it has mostly good underbody protection against stone damage -- the one exception being the plastic plumbing at the rear underside. You’d have to be unlucky to cop a solid enough hit for it to break though.

Most of the fittings, plumbing and wiring are neatly arranged, and the spare wheel is mounted underneath, ahead of the front water tank. This is an ideal position to mount the heavy spare wheel in regards to weight distribution, rather than in the usual spot on the rear bumper. However, it does reduce some of the ground clearance and won’t be as easy to access when needed.

While the Invictus van's smooth, boxy appearance is similar to dozens of other Melbourne-built vans, it does present well with its neat, modern finish together with some tough 'Outback' touches like the black checker plate cladding, toolbox and alloy wheels.

Heaps of external storage

As you'd expect external storage is pretty good on the 19ft 6in Legion Invictus, including an LED-lit tunnel boot that's accessed via a lockable drop-down hatch on both sides. There’s another small storage hatch along the offside wall for carrying other gear.

The drawbar-mounted checker-plate 'toolbox' houses two slide-outs, for carrying a portable fridge and a generator if you want. Two 9kg gas bottles sit in front of this, along with a centre-mount jockey wheel and 50mm ball coupling.

It looks like it would be a tight fit for weight distribution hitch brackets on the A-frame, so keep this in mind if you think you might want to fit some load levellers.

There are 12v and 240v outlets and a TV aerial jack on the awning side, along with other outdoor living feature including two external audio speakers and a wall-mounted picnic table. You'll also find two LED strip lights and a handle/coach light at the security entry door, to prevent any fumbling or tripping around in the dark...

Conservative but classy interior

After stepping inside via the nearside locking and meshed rear entry door, you’re met by an airy, clean (if conservative) colour combination, with this particular van sporting a mix of off-white and subtle pale grey timber look bench tops, table top and kitchen splash back, along with olive green cupboards.

The wood-look flooring also looks the part and should hide the dirt well as well as be easy to clean.

Two large roof hatches let in some natural light which adds to the light and airy interior feel, as do some large side windows in the front bedroom area, and smaller windows in the kitchen and dining areas and the ensuite.

The rear bathroom also has two roof hatches, above the benchtop and in the shower recess, for further options when it comes to natural light and interior ventilation.

When the sun drops, there are LED downlights throughout the van as well as reading lights at the bedhead and cafe dinette. Illuminated 'cubbies' on each side of the bed provide 240v and USB charging options, as well as a safe place to store reading material, wallets, phones, etc.

Bedroom comforts

The queen-size bed area at the front of this Legion couple's van offers plenty of storage at the sides as well as in overhead cupboards. The strut-assisted bed base also lifts up to offer another fairly open and large storage space.

As well as all the curtained/meshed pop-out windows, there are two Sirocco 12V fans above the bed, so you won’t have to sweat it out on those humid, hot nights when you're not plugged in at a caravan park and can run the 240-volt reverse-cycle air-conditioner.

Speaking of free camping, the review van can carry up to 190 litres of fresh water and has a tank for grey water, as well as running two 120Ah AGM batteries fed by 420W of rooftop solar. That should be enough to enjoy a few short showers and run a few powered items for a few days before having to head into town to top up.

The cafe-dinette lounge, with single facing seats and a bi-fold hydraulic table, is conventional in design but offers an amenity and size you don’t always see. There are multiple storage options in this area including more overhead cupboards, under-seat cupboards and another small cupboard under the table.

In-caravan digital entertainment is covered off with a basic Bluetooth audio unit and a a 24-inch LED TV/DVD that fits to a bedroom wall mount.

Cooking and washing up

The kitchen bench space in this 19ft 6in couple's van is sufficient for food prep, with a high splashback to make cleaning up a little easier.

The 3+1 cooktop includes a bench top cover and its own fold-forward lid, with a grill underneath and an electric rangehood with two LED strip illumination above.

A mixer tap serves the deep, single stainless steel sink, while the 180 litre three-way fridge/freezer and microwave are mounted on the opposite side, between the dinette and ensuite.

The 19ft 6in Invictus also comes with an ensuite large enough for a gladiator, with sufficient access to and space inside the shower cubicle, and a nice solid sliding door to the ensuite that's easily secured so it won't bang around in transit.

As well as a large mirror, square sink with mixer tap and plenty of legroom in front of the cassette toilet, the bathroom boasts a few decent storage options as well as some bench space and the convenience of an under-bench 3kg washing machine.

Verdict

The 19ft 6in Legion Invictus is a large well-equipped couple's caravan that doesn’t offer anything radical in terms of design, features or pricing, and in many ways appears similar to the many other caravans built in Melbourne's northern suburbs.

However, as long as you don't want to venture too far off the blacktop there's plenty to like, from its well-proportioned layout and ample payload to its premium features and sharp pricing -- especially if you're on a tighter budget or just starting out on your caravanning adventures.

How much does the 19ft 6in Legion Invictus cost?

Price: $84,900 (as reviewed, drive-away, NSW)
Options fitted: Twin-slide toolbox, grey water tank, 2 x Sirocco fans
Travel length: 7960mm
Body length (open length): 6000mm
External body width: 2400mm
Travel height: 2670mm (plus air-con)
Interior height: 1950mm (minimum)
Tare weight: 2380kg
ATM: 3200kg
Ball weight (Tare): 140kg
Body: Composite
Chassis: SupaGal six-inch chassis and A-frame, two-inch riser
Suspension: Roller rocker leaf springs
Brakes: 10in electric drums
Stability Control: No
Wheels: 15in alloy with 235/75R15 tyres
Fresh water: 2 x 95 litre
Battery: 2 x 120Ah AGM
Solar: 2 x 210W rooftop panels
Air-conditioner: Telair 240v rooftop
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Hot water: Gas/electric
Cooking: Hawk 600 Series three gas/one electric cooktop and grill
Fridge: Dometic 180L three-way fridge/freezer
Microwave: NCE 240V
TV: NCE 12V 24in LED TV/DVD
Audio: NCE CD/AUX/USB/radio with internal/external speakers
Toilet: Thetford cassette
Shower: Separate cubicle
Lighting: 12V LED
TV: 24in TV/DVD 12Valuminium
Supplied by: Parravans Caravan World, Windsor NSW
More info: Legion Caravans