Option RV Distinction 2020 Review

If you’re planning an extended, predominantly on-road caravanning holiday, my advice based on a lot of touring, is to buy the largest caravan your existing vehicle can tow legally.

The reasons behind this are sound. Apart from care when negotiating small town roundabouts and patience when it comes to finding a parking spot for shopping, there are not many downsides to a bigger van.

Most modern caravan parks will welcome you and apart from care with overtaking, you shouldn't notice the extra length behind you when travelling. What's more, set-up is really no harder, and you just can’t replicate the lounging room and comfort once you stop for the night. You'll also be able to invite newfound friends in without apologising.

You don't necessarily pay a lot more either, with a quality, large, luxury caravan like the Australian-built Option RV Distinction 22ft Club Lounge reviewed here not as expensive as it looks.

Price is right

All things considered, the $79,990 drive-away price for the Option RV Distinction 22ft Club Lounge from Queensland dealer Caravan World isn’t a lot of money for a caravan as roomy, well equipped and comfy as some small apartments. And if you get bored with the view, or sick of the neighbours, move on and find others!

The Option RV Distinction was the premium all-road model of the Melbourne family company’s caravan range until about five years ago, when it was overtaken in popularity by Option RV's Traction series.

But now, thanks to an upgrade in standard equipment, it’s back between the range-topping Tornado and Traction as the first choice for frequent caravan travellers looking for a well-equipped and well-priced all-roader.

The 22ft Club Lounge is the ‘wow’ model of the Distinction range, allowing you to sprawl around the large swivelling table on the large, leather-clad rear club lounge, where you can greet guests with a cooling G&T or a frosty beer, depending on their preference.

The advantage of this European-inspired layout, which has a central bathroom with the shower cubicle on one side and a shared cassette toilet next to a basin atop a front-loading washing machine on the other, is that by opening and shutting the two dividing sliding doors, you can annexe these facilities to the rear lounge or front bedroom. And if you want to leave the party early, the bedroom is your own private place.

Solid underpinnings

There’s no getting around that the Option RV Distinction is a big van. With its grey composite aluminium clad front, rear and side walls, fibreglass-wrapped roof and its tandem axles set well back under its Supagal-treated 200mm x 50mm chassis (along with a 200mm raiser and and extended 300mm x 50mm A-frame that extends all the way to the axles), it has a real road presence that belies its relatively modest tare weight of 2540kg.

Cruisemaster CRS2 coil spring and twin-shock independent suspension gives it both on-road and major unsealed Outback highway cred.

Combined with an ATM of 3040kg, this puts it close to the legal towing capability of a Toyota Prado and most of the current crop of 4x4 utes. But with a light rated towball loading range of 200-350kg, you’ll need to watch how you distribute the load if the two 95-litre fresh water tanks are not full.

The cavernous A-frame front tool box and large unencumbered front through-body boot offer plenty of exterior storage for fitting items other than the usual hoses, electrical cords and ground-matting.

Despite its size, the Distinction towed well and confidently, with no signs of nervousness behind our Holden Colorado crew-cab 2WD tow vehicle, at posted speed limits on both the freeway and bumpy ‘B’-roads on the way to our photographic location at Kenilworth Camping in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

Simple set-up

Setting up is simple once you find the space. Disconnect the ball coupling, wind down the four corner struts  (speedily, if you use an electric power wrench), deploy the huge 5.5 metre roll-out awning, pull out your chairs, pour a drink and relax.

With its inner space and facilities, the Option RV Distinction is intended for luxury indoor living regardless of the ambient temperature, so if the mercury drops and the wind whips up, spend a great night in.

Entry is easy via the tri-lock entry door with a recessed floor step and fold down external single step (I’d rather this was a double step) and you're immediately immersed in the Option’s ambiance, with its U-shaped club lounge surrounded by three large double-glazed windows and storage cupboards above, so you can make yourself very comfortable and feel close to nature.

The rectangular dining table swivels sideways to make access easier to the middle of the lounge. And if your friends decide to stay over, you can drop the table, deploy the optional in-fill cushion and turn the lounge into a double bed.

Well-equipped kitchen

Moving forward, the kitchen sits on both sides of the Option RV Distinction, with its four gas burner Swift 500 Series cooktop, grill and full oven under a hinged part of the large 25mm benchtop to the right, next to its large Dometic 190-litre fridge-freezer – your choice of three-way or 12v/240v compressor – with a slide-out pantry in-between.

Opposite, there are more drawers – all with heavy-duty steel slides – in a cupboard that houses the Distinction’s large stainless-steel sink, with more bench-space beneath its NCE microwave oven, which really should be mounted lower for safety.

Further rearward on the door side, before the shower enclosure, is another floor-to-ceiling cupboard which can serve as a linen press.

A second sliding door grants access to the Distinction’s compact front bedroom, which is dominated by a north-south queen bed, with its head surrounded by twin half-robes and storage cupboards, and a nest of three drawers on each side.

A quilted headboard replaces a front window here, but two large side windows and a central-opening roof vent supply good ventilation here.

There’s a double 240v power point on each bedside, but curiously no USB points and nowhere to hang, or connect the van’s standard 24-inch TV/DVD player, but these items can be specified when you place an order. And there’s loads more storage under the lift-up bed.

If you’re planning a big lap of Australia, the Distinction 22ft Club Lounge is quite well prepared for off-grid camping on a short-term basis, with its single 110aH deep cycle  house battery and 160W rooftop solar panel, big 190L Dometic fridge and twin 95-litre fresh water tanks (but sadly no grey water tank, although it's optional.)

Summing up

The Option RV Distinction 22ft Club Lounge is an ideal long-distance touring caravan, that's well-priced, well-equipped and made by a respected, 23-year-old Melbourne family caravan manufacturer.

Specs: Option RV Distinction 22ft Rear Club Lounge

Travel length: 6710mm
Body width: 2450mm
Travel height: 3020mm
Tare weight: 2540kg
ATM: 3040kg
Ball weight: Up to 350kg
Body: Aluminium composite clad walls over Meranti timber wall framing with fibreglass pop-top and front
Chassis: Hot dipped galvanised steel 200mm x 50mm chassis with 200mm raiser, plus 300mm x 50mm A-frame that extends to the suspension
Suspension: Independent Cruisemaster CRS2 tandem axle with trailing arms, coil springs and twin shock absorbers per wheel
Brakes: 10-inch electric drums
Wheels: 16-inch alloy wheels with 245/75-16 with all-terrain tyres
Fresh water: 2 x 95L fresh water tanks
Battery: 1 x 110Ah
Solar: 1 x 160W roof-top glass panel
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Hot water: Gas
Cooking: Four gas burner Swift 500 cooktop with grill and oven
Fridge:  190L Dometic fridge/freezer (option of 3-way or 12v compressor)
Shower: Internal in separate cabinet
Toilet: Separate cassette
Lighting: LED throughout
Price: $79,990
Supplied by: Caravan World, Chevallum, Queensland
More info: Option RV