Lotus Sprint 2024 Review

It's been 20 years since industry young gun George Josevski started Lotus Caravans and proceeded to set up a small factory in the Melbourne caravan heartland of Campbellfield.

A pioneer of the ‘tough-road’ checkerplate off-road look and ‘glam-rock’ interior styling since adopted by most rival Melbourne manufacturers, Lotus continues to stand out from the pack, and earlier this year moved into a bigger new factory in Epping where its latest 20th Anniversary models are currently being rolled out.

Also new for the MY24 Lotus range is the re-introduction of the Sprint name for a new entry-level caravan that offers many of the off-road attributes of other Lotus vans but at a more affordable starting price of under $120,000.

The new base-model Sprint also boasts a lighter Tare and more towing friendly maximum 3500kg ATM than some of Lotus’ more hardcore models like the Trooper, making it more suitable for towing behind the most popular dual-cab utes and 4WD SUVs.

How much is the Lotus Sprint caravan?

The 2024 Lotus Sprint is available in five different floorplans, ranging from 19ft 6in to 22ft body lengths, and with ensuite layouts for both couples and families.

Here we’re looking at the 20ft 3in Lotus Sprint off-road couple's caravan which starts at $121,587, although the review van we picked up from Lotus' Melbourne dealer Freestyle RVs, with its optional stone guard and lounge wall splashback, had a slightly higher sticker price of $123,037.

The Sprint shares a similar 'tough-road' exterior look to the other 2024 Anniversary models, including the exclusive sand taupe sides and dark grey front and rear, along with the latest stealth decals and 20th Anniversary logo. While inside you also get the signature Lotus fit-out including plenty of premium Italian leather upholstery.

While the Sprint misses out on some of the more desirable gear fitted to pricier Lotus vans like Cruisemaster's airbag suspension, it still comes kitted out for some serious Outback touring with AL-KO Enduro X independent trailing arm coil suspension, a Cruisemaster DO-35 coupling, 12inch electric brakes and 17in alloys with rough-terrain rubber, all part of the off-road package. AL-KO ESC is an optional extra, as is the 1 Key Caravan solution.

How is the Lotus Sprint caravan built?

There's a bit more attention-to-detail that goes into the construction of any Lotus off-road van, compared to the average Melbourne-built rough-road caravan, that also helps justify the premium pricing.

For the Sprint, that includes a sturdy powdercoated AL-KO/G&S Supergal chassis, together with a galvanised two-arm rear bar, AL-KO jockey wheel, and an A-frame mounted checker plate toolbox. The spare tyre is mounted underneath, towards the front.

Designed to stand up to Australia’s harsh conditions, the body construction also includes Lotus’ aluminium/timber hybrid frame with polystyrene insulation, clad with black checker plate and marine grade aluminium composite panels from Germany, and finished off with a one-piece structural grade timber floor, fibreglass roof and double glazed tinted windows.

Inside, the Sprint also gets Lotus’ proven interlocking cabinetry, and secondary keyed locks inside the cupboards to prevent doors and drawers coming apart over corrugations. The high-quality aluminium positive catches and residential-grade hinges used for the Sprint’s furniture also look up to the job.

What other external features are on the Lotus Sprint caravan?

Externally, the 20ft 3in Lotus Sprint also comes standard with a Global 17ft roll-out awning, Ranger drop-down picnic table, large Fusion speaker, wireless reversing camera, an anti-bug annexe light, twin 9kg gas bottles, four corner stabilisers, a triple-lock entry door and a single pull out entry step.

For storage, the A-frame mounted toolbox has two compartments with side doors, plus twin jerry holders, and you can also store a lot of a larger gear in the LED-lit, gal-lined tunnel boot. While a narrow, vertical locker on the rear offside wall looks like a good spot for the fishing gear.

There was no external 'entertainment locker' on the review van, for mounting and connecting a TV outside, although you could plug in a toaster or coffee machine using the 240V socket near the picnic table. The review van also missed out on a gas bayonet for connecting up a small BBQ or cooker; both of which should fit inside the tunnel locker.

The Sprint also misses out on an outside shower but there is a stoneguard mounted water tap, with brass inlets for the water tanks and individual tank switches located along the offside chassis.

How far off-road can the Lotus Sprint caravan go?

Fitted with the optional stone mesh guard, and with checker plate protecting all four sides, plus bash plates underneath for the water tanks, you’d be fairly confident of taking the Lotus Sprint along long stretches of gravel and dirt roads without causing too much damage.

The decent ground clearance, all-terrain tyres, off-road coupling and independent coil suspension also make it a good option for bumpy off-road travel, while we also noticed an underfloor coating and protective sleeves for underbody pipes, as well as guards for the brass plumbing, to further protect against flicking stones.

The reinforced furniture fit-out is another tick for off-road adventures, although we’d probably want to fit an optional dust reduction system of some sort, like the roof-mounted Dometic unit fitted as standard to the Lotus Trooper, if planning any sort of dusty driving.

The Sprint also misses out on a grey water tank as standard, although there’s room underneath to fit one.

What do you get inside the Lotus Sprint caravan?

The 20ft 3in Lotus Sprint doesn’t have the often bland internal fit-out of your typical entry-level model, with plenty of upmarket touches to catch your eye including the stylish brown Italian leather upholstery, marble-look benchtops, distressed timber-style flooring, dual-tone flush cabinetry, soft-close drawers and brushed steel sink and tapware.

Lotus hasn’t skimped on the beautifully stitched and embroidered cow-hide either, with its use extended to the outside of the dinette seating, the table leg, the bedhead, and a couple of magazine pouches near the entry door. The optional splashback behind the dinette also adds to the lush feel, as does extensive LED and mood lighting which extends to strip lights around the entry step, which not only look good but prevent tripping when entering the van at night.

The kitchen comes with a four-burner cooktop and grille, a deep square sink with high-rise mixer tap including filtered water, a rangehood, 188 litre three-way fridge/freezer, and a microwave (but no conventional oven). There’s no under-bench pull-out pantry but there is a full height narrow cupboard with shelving next to the fridge for all your dried food and condiments.

The Lotus Sprint also comes with an on-demand hot water system, rooftop air-conditioner and an HD TV antenna but no TV, although there is a partition facing the bed with pre-wired TV connections where you could mount a flexible arm to watch TV from either the bed or dinette.

What is the Lotus Sprint like for camping?

The 20ft 3in Lotus Sprint has a familiar couple’s floorplan including north-south front queen bed, central side kitchen and café dinette, and a full width rear ensuite with separate shower, toilet and washing machine.

There’s enough floorspace throughout the van for two to comfortably move around, including around the base of the bed, although the feature-packed ensuite is light on for stretching room.

There’s some dedicated benchspace in the kitchen for food prep, while the square sink is big enough for washing up large pots and bowls without splashing, although there's no drainer.

The café dinette with its tri-fold table boasts some well padded and comfortable bench seats, with 240V/USB electrical sockets, Fusion pod speakers, reading lights and some under-seat cupboards all within arm’s reach.

Floorspace in the ensuite might be tight but it ticks the boxes with a solid sliding door, large vanity mirror and ceramic bowl sink with mixer tap, top-load washing machine, ceramic cassette toilet, and a fibreglass shower cubicle with frosted door and 12V fan hatch. There’s also some benchspace, electrical sockets and a small window above the toilet for ventilation.

Storage is what you’d expect in a van this size, including overhead cupboards, bedside robes, drawers and pigeon holes with USB sockets around the bed. There’s not a lot of storage under the bed however, with the battery and hot water systems taking up much of the space.  There are also plenty of kitchen and bathroom storage options, along with some less accessible storage spots under the dinette seats.

Ventilation and natural light is taken care of with a number of opening windows with built-in blinds and screens along both sides of the van, and a big, centrally-mounted LED-lit roof hatch. You’ll pay extra for a 12V fan or two, though.

The Fusion stereo and two cube speakers are located around the dinette,  with the Redarc digital display, water gauges, water heater display, switches and fuse box located in one of the overhead cupboards.

Is the Lotus Sprint caravan suitable for off-grid camping?

The 20ft 3in Lotus Sprint is set up for some off-grid camping with a 200Ah Enerdrive lithium battery system with 500W rooftop solar and a Redarc Manager30 battery manager. That should be enough to run some of the smaller 12V appliances like the fridge, radio, and a TV for extended periods when not plugged in at a caravan park.

The Sprint comes with twin 95 litre fresh water tanks, with the option to add an extra fresh or a grey water tank.

What is the Lotus Sprint caravan like for towing?

With many loaded-up Lotus caravans now being delivered with 4000kg or 4500kg ATM ratings, the 2615kg Tare/3495kg 20ft 3in Lotus Sprint is really pitched at the majority of caravan buyers who plan to tow with the most common 3500kg rated tow vehicles, rather than a higher-rated American pick-up or light truck.

The unloaded review van certainly proved a good match for the 3500kg tow rated Isuzu MU-X, although we did notice the Isuzu's rear sagging a bit with the extra 190kg on the tow ball when hitched up.

The towing rig felt steady and stable during a short stint out on the highway, and there was sufficient clearance between the rear of the tow vehicle and the caravan's stone guard to undertake some tighter U-turns without making contact.

Should I buy a Lotus Sprint caravan?

The Sprint name was previously used by Lotus on a semi-off road touring model before it was discontinued in 2016, but this latest 2024-version is more in line with Lotus’ heavy-duty off-road range, albeit minus a few non-essential standard features to help bring down the price and weight.

If you’re after that premium Lotus look and feel, to go with a swag of off-roadability and creature comforts but in a van that’s slightly more affordable and easier to two, it makes a lot of sense.

Price: $123,037 (As reviewed)
Options fitted: Stone guard, lounge splashback
Travel length: 8424mm
Body length: 6246mm
External body width: 2500mm
Travel height: 3070mm
Interior height: 1946mm
Tare weight: 2615kg
ATM: 3495kg
Ball weight (Tare): 190kg
Body: Composite aluminium panels, timber/aluminium frame, fibreglass roof
Chassis: AL-KO/G&S Supagal 6-inch chassis and A-frame
Suspension: AL-KO Enduro X independent trailing arm coil
Brakes: 12-inch electric drums
Stability Control: AL-KO ESC (optional)
Wheels: 17-inch alloy with LT265/70R17 RT tyres
Water: 2 x 95L fresh
Battery: 200Ah lithium
Solar: 500watt rooftop total
Air-conditioner: Dometic reverse-cycle, roof-mounted
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Hot water: Girard gas on-demand
Cooking: Thetford four-gas burner cooktop and grill
Fridge: Dometic 188L three-way fridge
Microwave: NCE 25L 240v
Toilet: Dometic cassette
Shower: Separate fibreglass cubicle
Washing machine: NCE top-load
Lighting: 12V LED
TV: Optional (antenna and internal connections included)
Radio: Fusion Bluetooth, internal/external speakers
Supplied by: Freestyle RVs, Somerton, Victoria
More info: Lotus Caravans, Epping, Victoria