Sunland Patriot

WHAT WE LIKED

• General workmanship of van
• Generous kitchen bench space
• Tandem windows in bedroom

NOT SO MUCH

• Hard to access dinette
• Door catches too small for arthritic hands
• Poor access to under-seat areas

Although much of Australia’s caravan manufacturing industry is based in Victoria, a number of specialist manufacturers are tucked away in south-east Qld. I use the word “specialist” because a number of them have found a niche in which they can work their expertise.

One such manufacturer is Sunland Caravans. Under the direction of Roy Wyss, Sunland has established a considerable reputation for building first class vans, culminating in last year’s top-of-the-line Winton IV.

However, this calibre of van does come at a price (both in financial terms and weight), so in the spirit of diversity Sunland rolled out its Patriot shortly after the Winton IV. The Patriot is a caravan built in the typical high class Sunland fashion but comes with fewer features to give it a more affordable price tag.

BIG UNIT

Weighing in with an ATM of 2500kg and a Tare of 2040kg, this 6.35m (21ft) Patriot is built with a ‘Mega Gal’ 100 x 50mm (4in x 2in) chassis. The drawbar features 150 x 50mm (6in x 2in) rails running back along the chassis, roughly 300mm short of the suspension mounts.

A look under the van reveals not only the 120 litre polyethylene water tank mounted between the rear rails, but the tandem axle Cruisemaster independent suspension, too. This coil spring setup comes with trailing arms and two shock absorbers per wheel – 15in alloys with 10in electric brakes.

In addition, all of the pipework and cabling underneath the van is well strapped up out of harm’s way.

Fitted with the usual features, such as ball coupling (Hyland and DO35 are options) and two 9kg gas cylinders, the drawbar also comes with a large alloy propeller plate storage bin. Surprisingly, this doesn’t look like an add-on, blending in very nicely with the lower skirt and front of the van, which is made of the same material.

Storage comes in the form of a standard front boot, but there’s also a front tunnel storage area – space for just about everything.

The Patriot’s frame is constructed from box section welded aluminium, which is filled with Coolite 25mm insulation before aluminium cladding is added to the walls. The van’s front, back and roof are all fibreglass.

A standard Camec triple-locker is used for the entry door and Seitz double glazed windows are used all-round. A Dometic awning helps to keep the nearside under shade when you’re enjoying the outdoors.

ROOM TO SPARE

Large windows all-round, plus white walls and ceiling, result in a very bright interior. The cabinetry is finished in a “Winter Maple” ply, while the flooring is all tongue and groove – sealed underneath with bitumen paint.

In accordance with most contemporary layouts, the Patriot has a front bedroom, full-width rear bathroom and living area in between.

Lighting is a mixture of fluorescent and halogen fittings, supplied from either mains power or a 100Ah house battery; the latter charged by a 25A battery charger or roof-mounted 80W solar panel. There are several optional upgrades available for the batteries and solar panels.

Starting in the rear, the bathroom is very spacious – enough room to swing the proverbial cat. In addition to the larger-than-usual shower cubicle and Dometic cassette toilet, there’s a deep vanity cabinet that includes a linen cupboard, surface-mounted washbasin and top-loading washing machine.

Fan hatches, wall mirror and side window are standard features., and a Truma 14 litre gas/240V heater keeps the hot water running for the shower and washbasin.

One key benefit of a van of this length is generous kitchen space. The Patriot’s benchtop includes a four-burner cooktop/grill, stainless steel sink and drainer and ample working space.

Five overhead cupboards complement the four below (including a wire-basket pantry) and two drawers.

The forward end of the bench houses the entertainment unit – AM/FM radio/DVD player, wall-mounted flatscreen TV and the necessary connections.

Filling the space on the opposite side between the bathroom and dinette is a two-door Vitrifrigo 240 litre fridge with microwave above.

YOU’RE INVITED!

Leather-upholstered cushions, including for the wall rest, make the café-style dinette an inviting place to sit and relax, and the tri-fold table makes it a multi-purpose area.

LED reading lights are fitted on both sides and the back of the front seat is designed with enough shelf space to be used as a work bench. There’s even a powerpoint hidden under the shelf.

Access to the under-seat storage area is only via lifting the seat cushions.

Having no front window is a fairly unique feature of the bedroom. And instead of large windows, two smaller ones are fitted on each side. This means the blinds on the lower windows can be closed while still allowing reasonable privacy when the top blinds are open.

Measuring 1.85 x 1.55m (6ft 1in x 5ft 1in), the foam mattress sits on a posture slat base that can be lifted to get to the storage space. The underbed storage is slightly shortened because of the tunnel boot, but there’s still plenty of space.

The side-hinged lockers above the bed match the style throughout the rest of the van, and there are the usual side wardrobes with mirror doors and bedside cabinets.

VERDICT

As mentioned earlier, although the Patriot doesn’t have as many features as the Winton IV, it’s still an attractive proposition. The van’s weight makes it ideal for mid-sized 4WDs and the price means a Sunland caravan is within budgetary reach of more people.

All of this doesn’t mean any shortcuts in the construction or build, but it does mean the van is capable of handling many Australian roads. All in the typical Sunland style, of course.

SUNLAND CARAVANS PATRIOT

Overall length: 8.51m (27ft 11in)
External length: 6.35m (20ft 10in)
External width: 2.46m (8ft 1in)
Internal height: 1.96m (6ft 5in)
Tare: 2040kg
ATM: 2500kg
Advised ball weight: 200kg
Frame: Aluminium
Chassis: MegaGal
Suspension: Cruisemaster independent
Cooktop: Stoves four-burner/grill/oven
Fridge: Vitrifrigo 240 litre
Microwave: Kambrook
Shower: Separate cubicle
Toilet: Dometic cassette
Lighting: 12V fluro/LED
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Fresh water: 120 litre
Price: $74,990 (tow-away, Qld)
Supplied by: Caravan & RV’s Australia, Greenslopes, Qld
More info: Sunland Caravans