MDC Forte SR19 2024 Review

The hardtop caravan market in Australia has been dominated by local manufacturers for decades, but that's starting to change with a new breed of value-packed, Chinese-built vans starting to arrive down under in serious numbers.

One of the latest to hit our shores is from the big-selling camper trailer and hybrid importer Market Direct Campers (MDC), which recently followed the release of its latest six-figure priced off-grid caravan with a new range of lighter and more affordable touring caravans available in six different body lengths.

Here we're looking at the range-topping MDC Forte SR19; a large two to three-berth caravan that's set up for comfortable touring but comes with a number of features you don't normally expect on a van with a base price of $64,990.

The new MDC SR Series caravan range kicks off at $29,990 for the 9ft pop-top, and tops out at $64,990 for the 19ft MDC Forte SR19 full-size ensuite model we're reviewing here.

Mid-$60K is about what you expect to pay for an entry-level 19ft touring van from one of the bigger Australian caravan manufacturers, complete with separate shower and toilet, well-equipped kitchen, lounge-dinette, queen bed, big fridge, air-conditioner, etc.

However, there are a few extras included on the Forte SR19 you don't often get as standard on locally-built budget vans, like independent trailing arm coil suspension and a decent lithium battery system including rooftop solar and an inverter, that delivers more free-camping power than your typical AGM battery-fitted tourer. While the 19ft MDC also comes standard with other 'luxuries' like a top-load washing machine and a powered awning.

To help keep pricing down, the new 19ft MDC tourer does miss out on a few niceties like the Trail-Assure electronic stability control safety feature on MDC's pricier MKIII off-road vans (it's not available as an option either). While smaller items like gas bottles and a TV are also missing from the standard equipment list (although the gas holders with connections and an internal TV arm and rooftop antenna are included).

There's also no customisation available when it comes to internal/external styling and colour schemes. Although that's not such a bad thing as it all presents as smart, modern and fairly neutral, from the sporty decals on the glossy white exterior panels and contrasting black checker plate and alloy wheels, to the timber floor-style lino, marble-like laminate benchtops, beige cloth upholstery, and dark gloss furniture fascias inside. Besides, you can always add some personal touches like cushions and wall hangings (as MDC's Melbourne dealer did with the review van).

MDC as a company prides itself on its quick deliveries, with the waiting time for an SR19 currently sitting around six weeks after placing an order.

How is the MDC Forte SR19 built?

The MDC SR19 is built pretty solidly as far as budget touring vans go, with a hot dipped galvanized chassis and aluminium-framed body panels with foam insulation and 3mm thick aluminium composite sides, together with some black checker plate on all sides, a honeycomb composite floor and a 2.2mm thick fibreglass sheeting for the roof.

The internal cabinetry is made from lightweight plywood, with some nice twist-knob handles and strut and hinge-supported cupboard doors, along with neatly finished laminated benchtops. We only spent a few hours mucking around with the van but overall the attention-to-detail and fit and finish was impressive for an entry-level van.

As far as quality control goes, it's also reassuring that the MDC business boasts ISO 9001 quality certification as well as RVMAP accreditation from the industry body, while the on-road vans are backed by a 12 month manufacturer's warranty, with a five-year structural warranty on the drawbar and chassis.

What other external features are on the MDC Forte SR19?

The MDC Forte SR19 comes standard with a 50mm ball coupling, along with a user-friendly ARK XO750 jockey wheel (also fitted to MDC's XT off-roaders), four drop-down corner stablisers, 12in electric drum brakes, and 16in alloy wheels with all-terrain tyres.

Along with holders for two 9kg gas bottles, there's a tap on the drawbar, plus some outside speakers and an LED grab handle and awning light with bug-deterring orange glow on the onside wall. There are also 12V/USB/240V sockets located near a large drop-down picnic table, for charging devices and powering a toaster or coffee machine.

The switch for the 4.35m wide electric warning is just inside the entry door near the floor, with twin pull-out entry steps to help climb up through the meshed and curtained security door. The mains pressure inlet is next to the water tank fillers along the offside wall, with a rear bar-mounted spare tyre and wireless reversing camera located at the back.

With no drawbar-mounted toolbox, external storage is limited to an LED-lit tunnel boot which has a relatively narrow opening but opens up to reveal a deceptively large cavity; big enough to swallow camp chairs, picnic tables, and perhaps a small BBQ. There's also a chassis-mounted gas bayonet located nearby for easy campsite cook-ups.

How far off-road can the MDC Forte SR19

go?

MDC calls the Forte SR19 an on-road van, which normally means it's mostly suitable for sealed bitumen roads and caravan park camping. However, some decent ground clearance, substantial underbody protection and more forgiving off-road-style suspension, provide a margin for error if you do happen to venture off the beaten track at some point.

Otherwise, off-roading is limited by the lack of a front mesh stone guard, a dust reduction unit and an off-road coupling (although a Cruisemaster DO-35 hitch could be fitted as a dealer-fit option). Like any large boxy caravan you're also limited by the height, width and weight of the van, as to how far on the dirt you can go before it gets stuck or scraped.

The SR19's 200Ah lithium battery system which includes a 1600W inverter, and battery chargers, monitor and solar controller supplied by Projecta, should power the fridge, lights and some smaller appliances for a few days if you decide to free camp. There's also 160 litres' fresh water and 80 litres’ grey water capacity, for á few hot showers and when heading into national parks.

What is the MDC Forte SR19 like for towing?

The SR19 might be a little heavier than some other large touring vans we've recently reviewed, with a Tare weight just under 2400kg, but even when fully loaded to three tonnes it should be relatively easy towing behind 3500kg tow-rated vehicles like the Isuzu MU-X we used for this review.

Measuring 7.5m long overall, 2.31m wide and 3.06m tall, the SR19 behaved well for a large van when towed at speeds up to 80km/h, although its tall boxy sides might encourage some unwanted movement when out on the highway in a stiff cross wind.

The tandem axle coil suspension did a good job of soaking up the odd pothole and speed bump over some gravel sections, while also ironing out the bumps on rougher patches of B-road bitumen.

What do you get inside the MDC Forte SR19

?

Although lacking some dedicated benchspace, the central kitchen in the Forte SR19 delivers the goods with a large stainless sink and drainer, a three gas burner cooktop, grille and oven, plus a rangehood, microwave, and a 175 litre compressor fridge/freezer.

There's no water filter but the gas hot water unit and 12V water pump are neatly tucked away in a cupboard under the sink. There's also a water guage and audio unit mounted at head height, not far from MDC's signature power/switch board located in an overhead cupboard. A few other switches and displays are located a little less conveniently down low inside the entry door.

There's some room to move around within the rear ensuite, with its separate cassette toilet; a vanity with mirror, bowl sink and high rise tap; a 2.5kg washing machine tucked inside a cupboard; and an over-sized shower cubicle, which includes some handy shelving, towel rails and a fan hatch.

Soft cloth upholstery covers the foam cushions on the four-person lounge dinette, and there's sufficient LED lights and electrical sockets scattered around the fit-out. While other interior features include a rooftop air conditioner, large roof hatch/skylight, a Sirocco fan, acrylic tinted push-out windows with blinds and screens, and an audio unit with ceiling-mounted speakers. The adjustable arm for a TV directly directly faces the bed.

What is the MDC Forte SR19 like for camping?

The MDC Forte is a tad easier to set up and pack up than most budget caravans, thanks to user-friendly items like the fixed swing-down ARK jockey wheel and the powered awning, which takes about 30 seconds to fully wind out and incorporates drop-down supports for when the wind blows up.

The couple-friendly layout includes a front walkaround queen bed and separate shower and toilet at the rear, and an offside kitchen and onside L-shaped dinette which also comes with a separate bed-length cushion and drop-down table supports to create another sleeping option at night. With the SR19 about 20cm narrower than most Aussie vans, the slimmer L-shaped dinette makes it easier to move around the layout than with a more conventional cafe dinette, while the just under 2.0m interior height makes it a good fit for taller adults.

Flow-through ventilation is available through opening windows on both sides and a roof hatch directly above the bed, while another window above the toilet also helps keep the air fresh inside. The only issue we found was that the onside bedside window wouldn't open fully with the entry door in its opened, latched position.

While nit-picking, the 2.0m long x 1.45m wide x 15cm thick high density foam queen mattress offers plenty of stretching space but is on the firm side, as is the seat cushioning on the lounge. And while it adds an upmarket touch, the mirror-like dark finish on some of the cabinetry won't hide the dust and fingerprints like a less glossy finish.

It's also worth noting that the Projecta inverter located in one of the seat bases is not fully integrated into the van's power system, so you'll need to run an extension cord to the high-mounted microwave if you're after a quick hot meal or drink when camping off-grid.

No quibbles about the ensuite, with its solid, lockable sliding entry door, and handy fixtures like soap and toilet roll holders, plus towel rails and shelving in the spacious shower cubicle.

As you'd expect there are plenty of internal storage options, including the usual ‘his and hers’ hanging robes and cubby holes plus two large under-bed compartments, and countless more overhead cupboards, drawers and cupboards in the cooking, lounging and ablution zones, including some slide-out 'shoe' drawers around the dinette and kitchen areas.

The SR19 also gets a pretty comprehensive LED fit-out included reading, ceiling, mood and floor-mounted night lights (some with wireless-switching).

Should I buy a MDC Forte SR19?

With close to 20 years in the Australian market, selling a wide range of camper trailers, hybrids and now caravans, it shouldn't come as a surprise that MDC's first touring van is a good thing from the get-go; ticking all the boxes for a budget model and including a few bonus extras while remaining sharply priced.

It's definitely worth a closer look if you're strapped for cash, and after a large touring or limited dirt-road couple's caravan that has pretty much all the important stuff you want in a modern caravan.

How much does the Market Direct Campers Forte SR19 couple's touring caravan cost?

Price: From $64,990
Travel length: 7500mm
Body length: 5700mm (19ft)
External body width: 2310mm
Travel height: 3060mm
Internal height: 1965mm
Tare weight: 2387kg
ATM: 3000kg
Ball weight (Tare): 199kg
Body: Aluminium insulated frame with 3mm aluminium composite panels, honeycomb floor, fibreglass roof
Chassis: Hot dipped galvanised steel
Suspension: Independent tandem axle coil spring and shocks, 50mm ball coupling
Brakes: 12in electric drums
Electronic stability control: NA
Wheels: 16in alloy with Goodride  LT265/75 R16 all-terrain tyres
Water: 2 x 80L (fresh), 1 x 80L (grey)
Battery: 200Ah lithium with 1600W inverter
Solar: 2 x 175W rooftop panel
Air-conditioner: Dometic Freshjet 2200W roof-mounted reverse-cycle
Gas: 2 x 9kg holders and connector provided
Hot water: 14L Truma gas
Cooking: Thetford Triplex MK3 three burner gas cooktop, oven, grille
Fridge: Thetford 175L 12V/240V compressor fridge/freezer
Microwave: MoboRV 240V 20L
Toilet: Thetford cassette
Shower: Separate cubicle
Washing machine: 2.5kg top-load
Lighting: 12V LED
TV: Not supplied (TV bracket, connections and antenna included)
Audio: Bluetooth unit with internal/external speakers
Supplied by: Market Direct Campers, Brisbane, Queensland