New Age Campervan 2026 Review

After manufacturing caravans since 2008, New Age has begun the foray into motorised RVs. Its first step in late-2024 was the Iveco-based $240k, 7.9m motorhome. And the latest venture is the smaller (6.4m) and cheaper ($140k) Fiat Ducato-based Campervan.

The leap into the drivable category may not be as big as you first think. New Age parent company, the JB Group also owns Queensland's Paradise Motor Homes, and JB launched a motorhome range under its own brand in late-2023; making it a whole lot easier for New Age to hit the ground running.

In case you were wondering, a campervan is based on what we would generally consider a delivery van, with the living quarters built inside the body. A motorhome on the other hand starts life as a rolling chassis, with the RV manufacturer building a custom body on top for the living quarters.

Campervans range from little ones that are pretty much filled up with the bed, and with not enough roof height to stand up in them, through to multi-berth set-ups with more living space.

The New Age Campervan is a mid-sized specimen at 6.4m long x 2.1m wide x 2.8m high, and there’s a lot to like about this size.

The overall height is not enough to cause too much wind resistance, yet it enables an internal height of 1910mm, so most people can comfortably stand inside.

The width is compact enough that you feel comfortable staying in your lane, unlike some other bigger vehicles. The overall length and the fact that you sit pretty much over the front wheels make manoeuvring in car parks, etc, also feel very manageable. Most people will not find it intimidating to drive, and it’s a great option if you don’t like the idea of towing.

A standard driver’s licence is all you need for this Fiat Ducato front wheel drive platform. It’s not an off-roader - the low ground clearance and longish wheel base mean it will be most at home on sealed surfaces and in curated RV parks. However, it's more than capable of spending a few days off-grid at easy to get to free camps. The low height also makes it more accessible for less agile people.

Keyless entry and push-button start get you going with no fuss. The 10in touchscreen colour display has Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto capability and TomTom 3D map navigation, and a wireless phone charger and USB-A and USB-C ports should keep everyone happy.

I drove the Ducato through some rolling country roads and a bit of city hustle and bustle with little drama. Sure, the eight-speed auto drops down a gear or two to punch up the hills, but it never feels like the 2.2 litre turbo diesel is breaking a sweat, and it can easily keep up with the traffic taking off at the lights.

To be fair, the camper was unladen, but I wouldn’t foresee any great strain when loaded. This unit has a maximum payload of 1190kg, but I can’t see many people going close to that kind of weight on board. 

The ride is quite plush and it soaks up the bumps nicely. I found the driver’s seat OK, but not super comfy for me and would have liked some more lumbar support. The best thing to do is go for a test drive and find out if the seats are agreeable for you. I also missed the magic button for heated seats.

A lack of seat belts in the rear dining seat means you can’t bring the grandkids along, but they are an option.

Visibility is excellent out the front, and the side mirrors do their job. The camera-generated rear vision 'mirror' provides good visibility out the back in a variety of daylight conditions, but I didn’t get to see how it performed at night. 

I found the safety tech helpful; not a hindrance. It only beeped at me a couple of times, warning me of vehicles approaching quite close beside me. The 360 degree parking sensors are helpful, but I would like to see a 360-degree camera system as part of the package.

It’s pretty common these days, but I really appreciated the traffic sign reading tech that provides a constant display of the speed limit. Other safety features include automatic emergency braking, lane centring, adaptive cruise control and drowsy driver detection. 

Walk-through access from the cockpit to the living area is one of the greatest advantages of a campervan like this over a caravan - it's ideal in bad weather. You can also jump straight out of bed and drive off without venturing outside if you feel somehow threatened at campsite.

Alternate access is through the passenger side sliding door. The user-friendly size has ample room for a rear east-west bed, a passenger side galley, driver's side dining table and a combination shower/toilet. (A twin single layout option is also available.)

When there are no bugs around, lying in bed with the rear doors open really brings the outside in - provided you don’t mind being on display. There’s a decent amount of storage under the bed, accessed from the rear doors and a little hatch inside the cabin. 

The galley is well appointed with a Thetford twin gas burner cooker, Thetford 105L compressor fridge and NCE 23L microwave. The kitchen sink with mixer tap is big enough to handle big pots and pans, as are the ample cupboards and drawers.

When plugged into mains power, the Gree 2.5kW reverse cycle air conditioning takes care of climate control, and you can take heating to another level with an optional diesel heater.

Of course, the combination shower/toilet is quite compact, but it's still great to have on board, even if you opt for the caravan park facilities most of the time. Plus, you have the external shower, which isn’t the slightest bit cramped for room!

The swivel driver’s seat quickly transforms into the second seat at the table for a cozy dining experience. The passenger's seat also swivels to allow couples to watch the 24in Smart TV.

And when you would prefer to be outside, the Fiama roll-out awning is a welcome shelter from the elements.

The New Age Campervan has everything you need to save a few bucks on an unpowered site at the caravan park or settle back at a nice roadside camp spot.

Two 200W solar panels and a Redarc DC to DC charger capture energy, two 100A/hr Enerdrive batteries store the energy, and a 2000W Enerdrive inverter delivers 240V power.

The 95 litre fresh and 95L grey water tanks will also keep you going for a few days if you're careful with shower usage. The 4kg gas bottle stowed under the bed also helps keep the cooker and Swift 28L gas/ electric hot water unit running off grid.

RV builders have been using the Fiat Ducato platform for a long time – our first review dates back to 2006. Similarly, New Age has a long-standing record as caravan builders and the Melbourne manufacturer's transition to campervans and motorhomes is ably assisted by parent company, the JB Group.

While there's not a heap of space to work with, the New Age Campervan's layout is very workable and it comes well equipped with decent appliances and reasonable off-grid capability. The price is competitive for an Australian fit-out and it's backed by one of the biggest players in the industry.

If you like the idea of a user-friendly RV that can also double as a daily driver, it's worth a closer look.

Price: From $139,990 plus on-road costs. 
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
Dimensions: 6.37m (L) x 2.1m (W) x 2.75m (H)
Engine: 132kW/450Nm, 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Tare: 3060kg
GVM: 4250kg
GCM: 6500kg
Towing capacity: 2250kg
Licence: Regular 
Passengers: 2 (extra 2 optional)
Berths: 2
Cooktop: Thetford gas two burner
Fridge: Thetford Compressor 105L
Microwave: NCE 23L
Off-grid power: 2 x 100Ah lithium battery, 2000W inverter, 2 x 200W solar panel, DC to DC charger
Air-conditioner: Gree 2.5kW, roof-mounted
Space heater: Optional
Shower/toilet: Combination/Thetford toilet cassette
Hot water: Swift 28L gas /electric
Fresh water: 95 litres
Grey water: 95 litres
Gas: 4kg
TVs: 24in LPTV Smart
Audio: Fiat vehicle sound system
More info: New Age Caravans