Sunliner Viva

By Malcolm Street

Generally speaking, there is a fairly direct relationship between a motorhome’s length and its price: usually the longer they are, the more they cost.

Design also affects price, and the trend is to build in features once considered optional.

Although it adds to lifestyle, this restricts choice for those with a limited budget. Enter the Sunliner Viva.

This 21ft (6.46m) C class motorhome has the distinctive Sunliner build and layout, without some of the company’s finer features. The little Viva has been built for a budget but it lacks none of the essentials for happy motorhome travel.

Outside

The Viva is based on a Fiat Ducato cab bolted to an Al-Ko chassis. The front wheel drive Ducato is imported as two cabs bolted back-to-back, and the chassis is added here.

The Ducato has become a popular vehicle for motorhome conversion. Its 2.8 litre turbodiesel motor is mounted in an east-west arrangement and it has a short nose. This prevents engine components protruding into the cab for maximum room; a slight advantage over similar length Toyota Hilux-based units.

The rear boot with locker door houses the Truma hot water heater, battery and charger and the gas compartment with plenty of room left over.

Windows are tinted Galaxy hoppers and the door is the well tested Camec triple lock. By the door is a grab handle, sans light but there’s an incandescent fitting above the front window. There’s also a Fiamma F45 awning.

Inside

The Viva has a simple layout – raised double bed across the rear, kitchen along the offside, bathroom on the nearside and dinette behind the driver’s cab.

Decor and general cabinet work is a much simpler version of more upmarket Sunliner motorhomes but still has a comfortable feel. Blue curtains and darker blue upholstery set off the internal look.

All the windows have flyscreens and there are two wind-up hatches, one above the rear bed and one in the bathroom.

The compact kitchen accommodates a Spinflo four-burner hob and grill, Dometic three-way fridge underneath and stainless steel sink alongside; but it does lack benchtop space. Above is a microwave and over the stove is a Swift rangehood.

Storage consists of a cutlery drawer, a small area underneath the sink and a two-door cupboard with one shelf.

Between the kitchen bench and the rear bed is a floor-to-ceiling cabinet with shelves and hanging space.

Lighting is an overhead fluorescent light, and downlights fitted to the rangehood. A twin powerpoint and a tea towel rail are on the wall above the sink.

With its very comfy looking (and feeling) contoured cushions, the dinette will seat two comfortably and four with a squeeze. The laminated table top can be moved and the dinette has two seat belts.

With the opening windows on either side to the dinette, Sunliner has fitted a timber batten across the lower half of the window and a larger back cushion rests against it to allow maximum window space and reasonably tall seat backs. There are overhead lockers, overhead fluorescent lights and halogen reading lights.

The double innerspring mattress covers the entire rear of the Viva, and is reasonably easy to get in and out of.

On the offside there is an overhead locker with a couple of halogen reading lights underneath. There is another bed above the driver’s cab – great for storage or to sleep one adult or two children.

The bathroom has a fairly standard fitout with a fixed Thetford cassette, flexible hose shower and shower curtain, rotating shampoo and soap holder, a towel rail and a mirror on the door.

On the road

The punchy diesel motor powers the Ducato with panache and the dash-mounted stubby little gearstick is a delight to use. Stopping is not a problem either – all round disc brakes see to that. Driver comfort is assured with the power windows, large rear-view mirrors, multiple storage pockets and halfway decent seats. At 21ft (6.46m) it’s a nice length to drive.

Summing up

The Viva has obviously been built with a budget in mind and little things, like getting to and from the driver’s cab more easily and swivelling driver and passenger seats, add to the cost.

That said, this little motorhome has been designed with the usual Sunliner flair and it has plenty of attributes.

It’s easy to drive and is compact for those who don’t want a larger motorhome, yet still want comfortable, stylish motorhome living.

For more information on any of the Sunliner range and your nearest Sunliner dealer, visit <a href="http://www.sunliner.com.au/"><span><u><font color="#0000ff">www.sunliner.com.au.</font></u></span></a>

We liked

Neat layout

Compact size of motorhome

Comfortable dinette

Easy driving

The price

We would have liked

Bed reading lights on opposite side

Better access to driver’s cab

Hatch above kitchen area, rather than the bed