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NEWS
MDC hybrid undercuts rivals
New sub-$35K full-height, compact Chinese off-road van leads the pack on priceBrisbane-based caravan and camper trailer importer MDC has thrown the gauntlet down to rivals in the micro-hybrid off-road market by offering its new 12ft full-height shower-toilet caravan for just $34,990 at the Queensland Caravan & Touring Supershow.
The Chinese-built HR (High Roof) model joined the MDC range earlier this year at $39,990, slightly undercutting its $40,491 XT12 pop-top stablemate, but the decision to drop the price by $5000 was made specifically for the Brisbane show and may rise again in the new financial year.
Both the hard and pop-top XT12s are essentially the same other than their height differences, interior layout and their front (pop-top) and rear (hard trop) entry doors.
However, the new HR has a slight tare weight advantage at 1800kg, while the extra wall strengthening to accommodate the one-piece pop-up roof increased the more expensive XT12 variant’s tare to 2000kg.
Both models feature similar welded body frames clad with aluminium composite panels and claim impressive ATMs of 3000kg, allowing them to carry large payloads in addition to their standard 80 litre fresh and 80 litre grey water capacities.
However, the real deal-breaker feature of the XT12 HR at its price is its combined internal shower and toilet – the first to our knowledge in a full height off-road caravan at this price.
Combined with a 150mm x 50mm galvanised steel chassis, standard trailing arm independent suspension with twin telescopic shock absorbers per wheel, 16-inch alloy wheels shod with 265/75R16 ‘knobby’ tyres and a 10-inch swing-up jockey wheel, the XT12 HR is as comprehensively equipped for off-road travel as some similar-sized rivals costing almost $50,000 more.
Other standard features that will be appreciated by remote area travellers include a 14-litre Truma hot water service, an outside shower with included shower tent, an external slide-out three-burner stainless steel kitchen with sink and hot/cold mixer tap, a roll-out awning, a drop-down picnic table, twin 9kg gas bottles, two 100Ah deep cycle AGM batteries, a Projecta 1000W inverter and a pillow-top queen mattress.
Three optional 100W roof-mounted solar panels add $1800 to the price; a Dometic air conditioner is another $2500; a Winegard TV aerial is $899 and an external Sizzler BBQ is $699.
Even adding them in, a XT12 HR buyer at the Brisbane Show would have been left with a comprehensively-equipped micro-hybrid off-road caravan for less than $40,000 with a five-year structural warranty.
Also on display in Brisbane were a number of the little MDC’s off-road rivals, including the similarly-Chinese built $34,999 Jawa TRAX-12 with slide-out hard-walled rear bedroom, and the $35,990 full-height Silversun on-road caravan weighing in at a very light tare of 1080kg.
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Written byMichael Browning
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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