Rhino Kenya

WE LIKED:
>> Looks different but is still practical
>> Front storage bin
>> External slide-out kitchen

NOT SO MUCH:
>> 240V and 12V socket far from the dinette
>> No bench extension flap for the internal kitchen

Every now and again, something a little different makes an appearance in the caravan market. Often, it’s not unusual enough to be totally radical but just something a little bit fresh which catches the eye.

Take the Kenya, built by Rhino Caravans, a south-east Queensland-based manufacturer which is relatively new to the industry. But judging from what I saw in the workshop, they’re not inexperienced in the RV repair and modification business.

It’s not just the name that draws attention to the Kenya but also the interesting chassis design and body shape. It’s not unlike a hard-shell camper trailer, but somewhat larger.

SOMETHING A BIT DIFFERENT

The chassis is hot-dipped galvanised in a conventional manner and uses 4x2in (100 x 50mm) RHS steel to create a standard box-section structure – to a point. But from the axle forward, it’s all a bit different.

For a start, the drawbar is built like a small bridge, about 300mm high, and is extended along the sides of the van to the wheel arch which also has a frame built around it.

The effect is that front section of the van body sits in a cradle of what is, basically, a chassis which extends upwards. The chassis at the rear acts as a sort of lower protection rail.

It’s quite a different take on the more traditional chassis. It also raises the mounting point for the two 4kg gas cylinders and the very large checkerplate storage bin.

Standard weight distribution gear cannot be fitted to this drawbar which is something to keep in mind but it’s not really an issue for serious offroading.

Some items on the drawbar are standard though, such as the Cruisemaster DO35 offroad hitch, jockey wheel and handbrake.

Under the chassis are more familiar items like Cruisemaster independent suspension which comes with coil springs, trailing arms and shock absorbers.

BODY BEAUTIFUL

The body of the van is built using a 30mm composite honeycomb panel, covered internally with 3mm plywood.

Alloy checkerplate replaces the usual mouldings on all the edges such as the roof, front and side walls while, at the rear, a raised section across the top and down the walls is quite effective in improving what would otherwise be a very boxy look.

The looped end bumper bar with mounted spare wheel looks very conventional and there are other standard items such as the large Seitz hopper windows and the Camec triple-locker door.

The Kenya’s roof has a stepped design which is lower at the front than the rear. This means the air-conditioner, mounted at the front of the van, is almost in line with the highest part of the roof, rather than sitting well above it.

As well as the drawbar mounted bin, which is effectively a front boot, there’s also what looks like a front tunnel boot. But the nearside door opens to reveal a camper trailer style slide-out kitchen bench.

Made from stainless steel, it comes with a combo three-burner cooktop and stainless steel sink, along with a drawer that doubles as a bench extension. It all makes al-fresco living underneath the awning quite civilised.

INTO AFRICA

What Rhino has achieved within the Kenya’s 4.86m (16ft) body length is quite surprising. Yes, it’s a front bedroom/rear bathroom setup and some things have been compressed a bit but the end result is still very liveable.

There are large windows throughout which add to the spacious feel.

The cabinetry work is all done in a light timber hue which contrasts nicely with the black leather upholstery, the mottled light grey of the walls, the softer grey of the curtains and the striking red of the bedspread.

If I was to be picky, a few rounded corners might be nice. On a more positive note, stylish LED light fittings throughout keep the interior well illuminated and a look inside the cupboards and lockers reveals everything to be neat and high quality.

The cabinetry work is 15mm bonded ply with a beech laminate on both sides.

The front of the van has a lower ceiling height because of the stepped roof, but the island bed has a posture slat bed base and lifts easily enough to get at the storage space underneath. The space isn’t the full length because of the tunnel boot.

The area around the bedhead is a slightly more simple design than usual because of the angled front wall. It has hanging wardrobes on either side and a bedside cabinet and drawer.

A hanging wardrobe allows for good-sized bed shelves underneath and these are easily accessible from the bed. Being a relatively short van, there are no cupboards at the foot of the bed.

The L shaped dinette works quite well with this layout and the dinette is relatively easy to get in and out of from both sides. It’s also reversed from the usual way in that the ‘open’ end is at the bed end, creating good walking space around the bed.

The shorter length of the van means the kitchen area is relatively small but is still very workable. A Thetford four-burner cooktop/grill sits alongside a stainless steel sink/drainer. Both have smoked glass lids, which is a good idea given the lack of any other benchtop space.

For under-bench storage Rhino has sensibly opted for three good-sized drawers rather than cupboards, two overhead lockers and two floor lockers, one of which contains the water heater.

Between the kitchen and the bathroom is the Evakool 161 litre fridge with a microwave oven above. The fridge is at the top with the freezer and drawer storage below.

Above the microwave, an overhead locker contains the electric panel with 12V/hot switches and water gauges. Conveniently mounted on the panel alongside this is the battery charger monitor and radio/CD player. This high viewing angle is a slight hassle for multifocal users.

Although it looks like the Rhino has a full-width rear bathroom, it doesn’t. Instead, the bathroom is fitted into the rear-offside corner and is spacious enough to have a Dometic cassette toilet, variable height flexible hose shower and a wash basin.

Ventilation is handled by both a ceiling vent fan and a small window.

While it’s not a full ensuite it’s certainly very useable and it leaves the nearside corner for a full-sized wardrobe and a very generous amount of storage space.

ON THE ROAD

The Kenya ran along behind our tow vehicle without any obvious problems. Although the chassis is a unique design, it didn’t seem to affect the van’s towability at all and there’s no doubt that for undulating terrain, the bridge-style drawbar won’t provide any ground clearance problems.

For bush camping, the Kenya is fully self-contained with good gas cylinder capacity, solar panels to charge the deep cycle batteries, and a 65 litre grey water tank.

VERDICT

While it’s not radically different, except for the chassis design, the Rhino Kenya does offer some very interesting prospects for someone looking for an offroad caravan with a bit of style and class about it.

It certainly appears to be well-built and its 4.86m (16ft) length offers that practical combination of an easy tow length and a very livable interior.

RHINO CARAVANS KENYA 

Overall length: 7.2m (23ft 6in)
External length: 4.86m (16ft)
External width (incl. awn.): 2.3m (7ft 7in)
External height: 2.9m (9ft 6in)
Interior height: 1.985m (6ft 6in)
Nameplate Tare Weight: 1980kg
Nameplate ATM: 2495kg
Ball weight (advised): 200kg
Body:  Composite honeycomb
Chassis: Hot Dipped Galvanised
Suspension: Cruisemaster independent
Cooktop: Thetford four-burner/grill
Fridge: EvaKool 12V 161 litre
Microwave oven: Panasonic
Shower: Separate cubic
Toilet: Dometic cassette
Lighting: 12V LED
Gas supply: 2 x 4kg
Hot water: Suburban 23 litre    
Fresh water tank: 3 x 65 litre
Grey water tank: 65 litre
Price: $69,900
Supplied by: Rhino Caravans, Logan Village, Qld