Little Guy Deluxe Plus 2007 Review

By Rod Chapman

When we first caught sight of a Little Guy caravan at Melbourne’s Caravan, Camping and Touring Supershow in Caulfield, Vic, in 2006, CW’s curiosity was well and truly pricked.

Here was a single axle masterpiece in miniature: able to be towed by a small car, able to be stored with ease in a small backyard and offering secure sleeping for two with some room for luggage – we just had to take a closer look.

Fast forward to 2007, and now we’ve had another look and we’re still impressed.

Manufactured in Elkhart, Indiana, in the US, the Little Guy has been around for three years, although Little Guy Australia, set up by Adelaide-based businesswoman Tiffany Young, has only been bringing them into Australia since February last year.

About 32 units have made it down under, with 20 of them already sold, so it looks like the interest Little Guys are creating is translating into sales.

Simple Pleasures

Built on a square hollow section tubular steel chassis with a simple, yet effective, Al-Ko rubber torsion axle suspension system, the Little Guy has a plywood/laminated fibreglass construction, which keeps its weight well down, while being insulated as well.

The Little Guy range comprises the Deluxe Plus shown in this review, the Deluxe and the Cargo.

The Deluxe Plus has an extra 350mm of width over the Deluxe, while the Cargo is simply an empty shell that you can modify to suit your needs.

The Deluxe Plus has a Tare weight of just 363kg, which means it doesn’t need brakes and it can be towed by relatively small vehicles – our Holden Astra had no issues.

A spare wheel comes as standard, as does an alloy checkerplate stoneguard, 13in alloy wheels, the wind-up and screened roof hatch and the three AA battery-powered interior lights.

The interior is lined with carpet, while an overhead locker provides extra storage.

The floor is 1.8m long, but because you sleep with your head up at the leading edge of the teardrop design, there’s much more space than that.

At 6ft 2in (2m), I found the queen size mattress ($288 extra) offered ample room to stretch out on.

There’s a good amount of headroom once inside too, while the two doors/windows and the hatch offer plenty of natural light and ventilation, and the doors themselves are large enough to make entry and exit a breeze.

A rear door lifts on gas struts to reveal a galley with bench that is perfect for serving up meals.

An optional barbecue and shelf (approximately $480) is also available, as is a side-mounted 10ft x 10ft (3m x 3m) screen tent (approximately $1050), so it’s easy to build on the basic concept to suit your requirements.

So who buys Little Guys? According to Little Guy Australia it’s still discovering new niches, but it has had a good response from people who exhibit pets, cars or products at shows, along with former caravanners who have sold their van and downsized their car, but still like to take the odd trip.

The Bottom Line

The build appears to be of a high quality, and nice touches like the alloy wheels, brushed alloy guards and racy graphics add up to a polished package.

Priced at just under $9000, the Little Guys are a tad expensive if you’re used to tents and cheap if you’re used to caravans, but on the whole I’d have to say the Little Guy concept is a good one.

There are only three dealers in the company’s network at present – Adelaide, SA, Shepparton, Vic, and Traralgon, Vic – but that network is expanding, and I think we can expect to see a lot more of these clever little vans rolling Aussie roads in the future.

Many thanks to Stones Winery for the use of its premises for photography, 14 St Huberts Road, Coldstream, Vic, (03) 9739 0900, web: www.stonesoftheyarravalley.com

For more information contact Little Guy Australia on (08) 8132 0485, email: info@litttleguyaustralia.com.au, web:

We liked

• Ample space – even tall people will have plenty of room to stretch out

• Quality finish

• The concept in general

We would have liked

• Greater range of options available direct through Little Guy – TV, 240/12V wiring, etc.