Millard Sunseeka 1560

WE LIKED:
>> Easy towing van
>> Impressive internal layout considering limited space
>> Well lit

WE WOULD HAVE LIKED:
>> Better nearside window/awning arrangement
>> Taller door – being a full van
>> More decorous wall rivets and not having half curtains

Many vans in Australia are longer than 6.5m (21ft) and they usually offer all kinds of home comforts in relatively spacious surrounds.

But what if you want the essential features in a shorter and lighter van?

Enter the Millard Sunseeka 1560. It has a body length of 4.74m (15ft 7in), weighs in with an ATM of 1790kg and a Tare of 1480 kg and comes ready to go.

Plus, it’s available in both a full van (as reviewed) and a pop-top layout. 

That, of course, makes it perfectly suitable for towing by a wide range of vehicles, possibly including something you already have parked in the garage.

Being a small van, it was no drama at all behind our Kia Sorento, which is definitely not a tow tug heavyweight.

PROVEN FORMULA

Like the rest of the Millard range, the Sunseeka is built on hot-dipped galvanised chassis with 100x50mm (4inx2in) rails and drawbar, along with 50mm (2in) cross members.

The beam axle fitted leaf spring suspension gives the chassis a slight lift via a 50mm (2in) riser, and both water tanks are fitted between the rails and forward of the axle.

Things are kept fairly simple on the drawbar – ball coupling, handbrake, jockey wheel and two 9kg gas bottles.

There isn’t a conventional front boot as such, instead, a tunnel boot runs across the front. And there’s a storage bin at the rear nearside, which can be used for a generator or for general storage.

Being a Millard caravan, all the external and structural bodywork is aluminium. Added to the mix are Seitz double-glazed acrylic windows, a 1.7m (5ft 7in) Camec security door and, out of sight, insulation in the walls and roof.

I mention that last item because, although it’s generally considered to be a standard item, there are some manufacturers who have reverted to offering it as an option – so make sure you read the fine print before signing!

Checkerplate stone protection adorns the front of the van while, at the rear, a simple bumper bar acts as the mount for the spare wheel.

Along the nearside, there’s a slight problem with windows, door and the Dometic awning – the front window can’t be opened unless the awning is open, and the rear window can’t be opened unless the door is closed.

In the case of the front window, it might have been better to use two smaller windows instead. And, in the case of the rear window, moving it back slightly would fix the problem.

But, at the end of the day, there are always going to be a few compromises in a smaller van like this.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE

Inside the Sunseeka, there are a few surprises as well as all the standard equipment.

Being a 4.74m (15ft 7in) van with a bathroom in the rear offside corner means some other things are going to be a bit compressed or laid-out differently, such as bed, which is fitted east-west across the front of the van.

But that leaves enough room for a reasonably-sized kitchen along the offside wall, as well as a generous amount of internal storage space and a dinette on the nearside wall.

Although the timber pelmets look quite classy, the full curtains, unlike the net curtains, are for decoration only. Fortunately the windows have standard integrated blinds, as well as insect screens.

The internal finish looks fine, in general, but I thought the wall rivets could have been disguised a bit better.

Ventilation is by way of windows, a Four Seasons hatch mounted mid-van and a Dometic air-conditioner.

LED lights are fitted throughout, with most of the switches being handily located by the entry door.

Entertainment is handled by the radio/CD player located above the bedhead and the flatscreen TV mounting bracket on the bathroom wall, although that limits TV viewing to the dinette only.

Measuring 1.94 x 1.51m (6ft 4in x 5ft) the front bed is certainly a good size, although it’s going to be a compromise for those who prefer an island bed – but again, that’s the price you pay for a shorter van.

There are no bedside shelves of any sort but overhead lockers, as well as a drawer underneath the bed supply ample storage space.

CREATING SPACE

To save a bit of space in the kitchen and give a bit more benchtop working space, Millard has done two things. One is to fit the 90 litre three-way fridge under the bench, and the other is to use a three burner cooktop/stainless steel sink combo unit.

The latter is certainly effective in the space saving department but does mean going without a grill or an oven. At least there’s a microwave oven which is fitted into the overhead lockers at a lower height than usual (excellent for shorter people).

For general storage, three drawers of various sizes, as well as a couple of cupboards and a wire basket slide-out pantry have been fitted under the bench.

Powerpoints have been fitted at either end of the bench and lighting is quite generous with two ceiling lights, along with an under overhead locker fitting and the rangehood illumination.

The single pole mounted table is of an adequate size for two people at the café-style dinette.  Contoured cushions are fitted to both the seats and back rests and the table can be swiveled around if needed.

There’s plenty of storage in this corner of the van, and in addition to the overhead lockers and under seat drawers, there’s a large storage bin behind the rear seat accessed by lifting the lid.

And the large cabinet in the mid rear wall has both hanging space and three drawers below.

That leaves the remaining space for the bathroom, which has a variable height flexible hose shower, Dometic cassette toilet and a small corner wash basin. It’s not particularly spacious but certainly roomy enough for all the necessities.

I should also note that, although this is a standard Millard layout, there are several layout variations available.

VERDICT

Due to its length and weight, the Sunseeka 1560 doesn’t require a large tow vehicle, nor does it need a lengthy parking spot.

It’s aimed at the more budget conscious traveller, and there are certainly a few design compromises, but importantly it doesn’t lack any necessary features for contemporary on-road caravan travel in Australia.

MILLARD SUNSEEKA 1560

Overall length: 6.83m (22ft 5in)  
Body length: 4.74m (15ft 7in) 
External width: 2.19m (7ft 2in) 
External height (incl a/c): 2.88m (9ft 5in)   
Interior height: 1.98m (6ft 6in) 
Nameplate Tare: 1480kg
Nameplate ATM: 1790kg  
Ball weight (advised): 160kg
Frame: Aluminium
Chassis: Hot dipped galvanised steel
Suspension: Leaf spring
Cooktop: Dometic three-burner sink combo
Fridge: Dometic RM2556 90 litre
Microwave oven: Samsung
Shower: Variable height, flexible hose
Toilet: Dometic cassette
Gas: 2 x 9kg 
Price: $46,500 (on road, NSW) 
Supplied by:
Camden Caravans, Camden, NSW
More info:
Millard Caravans