NewGen NG20F 2020 Review

Chinese-built caravans have been around for a few years now, but it's only recently that they've been seen as serious alternatives to Aussie-built models.

A noticeable lift in build quality and designs and features more in line with Aussie tastes have seen sales of brands like Snowy River and Goldstar sky-rocket.

Now there's a 'new kid on the Chinese block' in the form of NewGen. While having much in common with the Snowy River models (including production and final assembly in the same Chinese and Australian facilities), there are enough differences to make them stand out in the budget caravan pack...

Same but different

NewGen is owned by Leisure Lion Pty Ltd, with Queenslander Jack Green as its CEO, and plans are place to build a national retail network following the set-up of the first NewGen dealer in Somerton, Victoria late last year.

Priced from $49,000 to $60,000, the NewGen line-up currently consists of three on-road models -- a single-axle 17ft NG17, a tandem-axle 19ft NG19S with a slide-out lounge and a 20ft family model NG20F -- plus a 19ft 6in tandem-axle semi off-road NG19.

All NewGen models are built in China by the Long Tree company, before being shipped to Melbourne and completed to Australian regulations in the same Melbourne facility that builds Snowy River and Regent vans.

Apart from the attractive pricing, what sets the NewGen vans apart from many Aussie (and most Chinese) built rivals is their full composite construction. Vacuum pressed 25mm thick composite walls, consisting of a welded aluminium frame with an aluminium outer and inner fibreglass surface, are fitted to the galvanised steel chassis, with the structure strengthened by a 48mm thick fibreglass particle floor and a one-piece roof.

We certainly noticed the superior insulation properties of this type of construction during our photo-shoot of a 20ft family van, with a pleasant 'room' temperature maintained despite the van parked in the hot midday sun.

Design differences

Glossy white 'minimalist' exterior styling, with contrasting black checker plate side stone protection, alloy wheels, and a powdercoated chassis, give the 20ft NewGen bunk van a fresh, modern look that should appeal to many buyers.

Designed for bitumen and smooth dirt road travel, the NewGen NG20F comes standard with AL-KO rubber torsion beam suspension, along with 12in drum brakes, removable jockey wheel and 50mm ball coupling.

Riding on 15in alloys, there's sufficient ground clearance to avoid damage in most circumstances to any exposed plumbing underneath. If you're forced over wet or debris-covered tracks, there's some checker plate protection for the two low-mounted external battery boxes on the offside (only one battery is supplied standard) as well as the two 90 litre water tanks. There's also a thin layer of 'X-plate' providing some further underfloor protection.

Up front,the black checker plate toolbox behind two 9kg gas bottles is big enough for all your hoses and electrical cords, while the generous aperture for the tunnel locker should allow larger items like a Weber Baby Q or generator to be stored here. Access is restricted through the offside door however, due to placement of the water heater.

There's another small locker on the onside, that provides limited access to the underbed storage area, plus a vertical locker on the rear wall that's not deep enough to hold much.

The drawbar tap and mains pressure inlet are tucked away near the A-frame on the offside.

Otherwise, the NewGen family van is well equipped externally for its $55K drive-away pricing, sporting a two-part security door and drop-down entry step, full width roll-out awning, twin external speakers, drop-down picnic table, gas bayonet, external TV connections and hot/cold outside shower.

You'll never be caught stumbling in the dark with at least one external light on all four sides, including a work light on both the front and rear wall, together with a reversing camera.

AL-KO ESC is an option but with a Tare weight of 2421kg and a ball weight (at Tare) of 142kg, the NewGen should sit nicely behind most capable tow vehicles, like the 3000kg tow rated Isuzu MU-X tow vehicle we used.

Interior delights

Like the NewGen's exterior, the interior presents as fresh and modern, with an appealing mix of glossy and matt surfaces and earthy, neutral colour palette for the floor, benchtops and upholstery.

The family-friendly layout holds few surprises, with a standard north-south, walk-around queen bed up front. kitchen and L-shaped dinette/lounge in the central 'living' area, and a rear section with the bunk beds, full height wardrobe and separate shower and toilet.

Due to the super-sized tunnel locker, the extendable bed with coil spring mattress sits quite high, which reduces headroom under the low-hanging overhead lockers at the sleeping end. This could result in some 'head-banging', although the Green RV dealer said a design fix was currently being worked on by NewGen.

While there's only a solitary large side window on one side of the bed, getting some natural light in shouldn't be a problem with a large hatch in the sloping roof directly above the bed that could also provide some star gazing opportunities at night!

Also contributing to the light and airy feeling are the off-white glossy cupboard fascias, white, brown and grey glossy wall and roof finishes, whitewashed timber-look lino, stone-look table and benchtops, and natural tones for the cloth dinette upholstery.

Kitchen credentials

The kitchen's not huge but is suitably equipped with a circular stainless stink with drainer, head-height mounted microwave, four burner (one electric, three gas) cooktop, grille and small oven, rangehood, and 190 litre three way fridge/freezer.

There's another roof hatch alongside the roof-top air conditioner and another small window in the kitchen, as well as a basic audio unit with two internal speakers. The arm for the 24in TV/DVD can be adjusted for bed or lounge viewing.

Inside one of the kitchen overhead cupboards is the BMPro Genium battery charger (for the standard 100Ah battery), solar controller for the 130W rooftop panel and water level indicators, among other electrical displays and switches.

The NewGen van also ticks the boxes for family dining and lounging, with the comfy, cloth-covered L-shaped lounge with multi-adjustable tabletop providing sufficient space for five people.

Bathroom and bunks

Noticeably missing is a privacy curtain separating the bunk area from the rest of the van, although it would be a fairly easy DIY job to add one.

There's a nice solid sliding door for the bathroom area however, and built-in steps and side barriers for the top two of the three-bunk set-up. Each bunk also gets a coil spring mattress, 12V socket, reading light and backlit storage nooks for books and tablets, so whinging from the kids should be kept to a minimum.

While sit-up-in-bed headroom is tight with three bunks in place, they look long enough for most pre-teens to stretch out.

There's a full-height 'kids' wardrobe along the back wall, although half the available space is taken up by the 2.5kg top-load washing machine.

The slightly cramped but well-equipped ensuite features a separate fibreglass shower cubicle with smokey glass door, vanity with ceramic basin, swivel cassette toilet and handy accessories like a towel rail, toilet roll holder and mirror.

Mains power outlets and internal lights are available in good numbers throughout the van, although it would be nice to have some mood lighting options.

Internal storage in the NewGen family van is a mixed bag: adequate in the kitchen, and excellent under and around the main bed. There's also some handy space under the dinette seats, and a good number of overhead lockers spread throughout the van.

Summing up

Sharply priced for a well-equipped, full height, full composite family van, and with a fit-and-finish comparable to many Aussie vans, the latest NewGen range is worth a close look if you're shopping in the competitive $50,000-$60,000 caravan market.

NewGen NG20F

Overall length: 7200mm
Body length: 4900mm
Travel width: 2200mm
Travel height: 3000mm
Tare (plated): 2421kg
ATM: 3021kg
Ball weight (Tare): 142kg
Body:  Fibreglass composite walls, floor, roof
Chassis: 100mm powdercoated, galvanised steel (A-frame), 150mm chassis
Wheels/tyres: 15in alloy, Maxtrek Sierra S6 235/75R15 LT tyres
Suspension: AL-KO torsion independent
Brakes: 12in electric drum
Stability control: AL-KO ESC optional
Cooking: Thetford Caprice MkIII 3+1 cooktop, grill, oven
Microwave: NCE
Fridge/freezer: Thetford 190L three-way
Shower: Separate cubicle
Toilet: Thetford cassette
Air-conditioner: Belaire 3500 roof-mounted
Hot water: Suburban gas/electric 30L
Fresh water: 2 x 90L
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Washing machine: Sphere 2.5kg top load
Lighting: 12V LED
Batteries: 1 x 100Ah AGM
TV: 22in Finch LED/DVD and Winegard aerial
Audio: Finch RV, speakers inside and out
Solar: 1 x 120W roof-top panel with 30amp regulator
Price: $54,790 (drive-away, Vic)
Supplied by: Green RV, Gympie, Queensland
More info: NewGen Caravans