Chris Fincham•1 Nov 2017

REVIEW

Tested: New Age Gecko

We put the popular family expander van through a Top End endurance test

Back in early-2016 we did a walk-through review of New Age’s 16ft Gecko family ‘expander’ van, but there’s nothing like a long-distance, long-term test to see what really works and what doesn’t…

Setting off in early-September, we towed the brand-new Gecko behind a latest Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series over three and a half weeks and the best part of 6100km (click here for a blow-by-blow account of the trip).

It’s not often you get the opportunity to really live with a review vehicle and appreciate its good and not so good features.

Let's talk about the good first...

Chassis, suspension and towing

The 16ft Gecko family van was fitted with the optional $10,000 Enduro pack, which proved its worth on many occasions during the trip as it makes the van even more user-friendly and capable when touring remote regions.

Key among the Enduro extras is AL-KO’s Enduro Outback independent trailing arm coil suspension and Vehicle Components’ Hitchmaster DO-35 V3 hitch, which were ideal for tackling the bumpy, corrugated dirt access roads into some of Kakadu’s more popular bush campgrounds.

Other Enduro items like the extra black checker plate on the front and sides protected the smart silver aluminium cladding from stone damage, while the matching toolbox on the extended A-frame was useful for storing ‘wet’ items like hoses, boots and the jockey wheel (although it can’t be accessed with the front bed extended).

Also handy was the drop-down picnic table and gas bayonet, located conveniently near the entry door for quick hook-ups to our Weber Baby Q. We stored the barbie in the back of the ‘Cruiser as it didn’t quite fit in the van’s otherwise spacious, gal-lined through tunnel boot alongside our other camping essentials including fold-up chairs and table.

The Enduro pack adds 210kg to the Tare weight, but even with the Gecko’s maximum loaded weight pushing 2300kg it was never any trouble behind the capable V8 turbo-diesel LandCruiser GXL wagon. The Gecko would also work well with other popular tow tugs including Prado and various dual-cab pick-ups and ute-based SUVs.

The extra road clearance provided by the Enduro suspension boosts overall height of the fixed roof van to 2.95m but it never felt top heavy, with only minor sway experienced at speeds up 100km/h along the Stuart Highway, even in serious cross-winds.

Setting up

Often only staying a night or two in campsites, we quickly came to appreciate the quick and easy set up and pack down of the Gecko. After unhitching, it’s simply a case of winding down the four corner stabilizers and opening the solid, strut-assisted front lid before pulling out the canvas-walled queen bed base.

The folding mattress remains largely made up in transit and to make things easier, New Age recently added a sturdy steel latch that holds the folded-up bed base firmly in place, in lieu of fiddlier internal straps. The extended drawbar also provides more room to access the back of the tow tug with the bed down, when remaining hitched up overnight.

The standard Dometic wind-out awning sets up in less than a minute and provides plenty of shade from the scorching sun, though the retractable entry step requires a bit more effort to pull out and in.

Cooking

When not cooking outside on the Weber, the Gecko’s compact but very usable kitchen provides almost everything you need to whip up a quick pasta dish or other tasty family meal. The three-gas burner Dometic cooktop fires up quickly and the circular stainless sink with adjustable, flick mixer tap is just big enough for tackling the dirty dishes.

There’s not much stand-alone benchspace but clever cooks will utilise the two glass covers that cover the combination sink/cooktop for food prep.

Given we had a portable, back-up fridge in the back of the ‘Cruiser, the Gecko’s standard three-way 93 litre Thetford fridge was sufficient to feed a family for a few days.

However, it would be worth paying the extra $750 for the optional 164L fridge, especially when travelling through areas like Kakadu where options for stocking up on fresh food are limited.

There’s also plenty of cupboard space above the fridge to fit the larger unit, as well other options throughout the van including four generous-sized cupboards/wardrobes and numerous overhead lockers for storing non-perishable foods, without having to compromise on interior storage.

Running the fridge on 240V power where possible, we used less than half the gas from the two 4.5kg bottles (mainly on the BBQ, internal cooking and water heating) while the 100Ah battery that was also topped up by 150W roof-mounted solar panels, ran the 12V water pump and lights. The Gecko Enduro also comes with an Anderson plug and drawbar connection to run another portable solar panel.

We never used the microwave, and didn’t miss the absence of other big-van luxuries like a grille or oven.

Sleeping

With its solid foam mattress resting on a sturdy platform surrounded by canvas, the transverse queen bed provided a snug and relatively comfy, tent-like sleeping experience.

The Aussie Dynaproofed canvas blocked out the morning light (if not noise!) for sleep-ins and the three screened windows let in plenty of natural light and ventilation when unzipped. They also allowed for some star gazing at night from bed, if desired.

However, I couldn’t fully stretch out my 188cm frame across the bed when sleeping, and my partner tested her flexibility every time she climbed over me at night to get to the toilet.

Our Gecko van was fitted with three bunks, although the two bunk set-up would have been better for their 12 and 14-year-old occupants, given the increased headroom that allows sitting up in bed as well as a second ‘living’ area for the kids during the day (We used the bottom bunk as an extra storage area).

There were no other complaints about the sturdy 80kg rated bunks though, which each had a doubled-screened window, reading light, solid foam mattress, and removable barriers, plus a fixed ladder to get to the top bunk.

Washing

The Gecko was well equipped with two water tanks (140 litres in total) which easily covered a few days’ bush camping including some short, hot showers if required.

While the ensuite area was small, the separate shower cubicle was large enough for adults to scrub and dry off without feeling cramped. There’s a handy 12V fan hatch in the shower as well as above the separate swivel toilet, along with two towel rails and toilet roll holder on the wall.

The bathroom was also well equipped with a ceramic basin with flick mixer tap, and solid sliding door securely held in place with a rubber strap in transit. Unusually for a New Age van, there’s only one smallish mirror above the vanity (another one on the wall near the entry door for hairdryer use would be good).

We made good use of the optional Daewoo Mini washing machine fitted to the rear wall, running back-to-back 29min cycles to clean all the red dirt out of clothes whenever we had access to a powered site and mains water.

Storage and liveability

Having a queen bed, cafe dinette, kitchen, bunk beds and separate shower and toilet in a 16ft van is always going to create space issues, but we never really felt cramped in the Gecko.

Walkways were tight but the 2.03m interior height, light décor and various windows and hatches helped eliminate any feelings of claustrophobia, and a good array of interior and exterior LED lights (including bug-proof blue-light options on the reading lights) meant we were never left in the dark.

There’s no lack of 240V inlets either, and it was good to see that New Age has now added an internal 12V point that together with the supplied USB adaptor, made sure all phones and Ipods were kept fully charged.

Given its compact size the Gecko has a remarkable number of interior storage options, and we had trouble filling up half the space provided. Given the amount of storage, the biggest problem for most owners will be keeping to the 300kg maximum payload (which reduces to 160kg when both water tanks are filled).

Among the quality appliances we were mosto impressed by the Dometic Harrier Invertor roof-top air-conditioner. Much quieter than most air-conditioners we’ve tried (especially at night in ‘Sleep’ mode), this new model also did an excellent job of cooling down the van within minutes of switching it on – a life-saver in the tropical Top End!

And the not so good…

You can just squeeze four people into the café dinette (the pop-top version has a more lounge-like, L-shaped dinette that converts to another bed), and the grey cloth upholstery resisted stains well. However, the foam cushion bases kept moving forward and had to be pushed back into place -- perhaps a Velcro fastener under the seats would fix this.

While the Enduro pack makes the Gecko more suitable for off-bitumen travel, it’s not really built for serious off-road work or hours of corrugations. That said, surprisingly little red dust made its way inside, mainly through the front door gas vent, and none worked its way into the well-sealed external lockers.

The well-finished cabinetry also stood up well to the bumps, with the only casualty some screw-in metal pins that secure the cupboard door latches, working loose. Some plastic bits holding the outside section of the Camec security door also broke off, although not sure if that was from general wear and tear or the corrugations!

Light sleepers may not like the fact that the canvas bed sides don’t have the same insulating properties as a solid caravan wall. Or that there were no block-out curtains for the glass section of the entry door –we taped a spare towel to the door at night to block out the morning light. However, there were some privacy curtains located around the queen bed and bunks area, to create some separation between kids and parents.

While generally working well we experienced a couple of electrical ‘gremlins’ with some of the appliances, although in most cases they sorted themselves out: the underfloor-mounted Johnson Aquajet 12V water pump went dead for a period before working again, and the Dometic air-conditioner displayed an error signal before firing up again later.

Despite featuring both auto and manual selection modes, the Thetford three-way fridge also struggled to lock into battery mode when travelling, which meant it often didn’t cool for much of the day before switching to 240V or gas power at night.

Also frustrating was the lack of a display to monitor the water level in the tanks, although New Age says an RV View display is now fitted as standard to this model.

While arguably worth the $10,000 premium as a complete package, some buyers may wonder why New Age doesn’t offer any of the 16-odd Enduro items separately, like the toolbox, gas bayonet or upgraded suspension.

And while we rarely missed watching TV, those who do enjoy some small screen entertainment in their travels will need to fork out another $1350 for the optional 24in Smart TV, bracket and antenna.

Verdict

Sitting somewhere between an entry-level camper trailer and full-sized family caravan, the 16ft Gecko is an excellent compromise for families who want the best of both worlds. It’s easy to tow, simple to set up and well equipped for families who don’t want to miss out on too many comforts when touring around.

The Enduro pack turns the Gecko into a light off-road tourer suitable for Kakadu-like adventures, and the build quality is up there with the best of the traditional-style caravan manufacturers.

There are certainly cheaper expander van options on the market, but New Age’s growing reputation and solid after-sales support including a three year warranty and roadside assist boost the value proposition.

We liked:

>> Easy to tow and set up

>> Big van features

>> Excellent interior storage

>> Rough road capable

Not so much:

>> Squishy café dinette

>> Small standard fridge

>> Insufficient privacy curtains and mirrors

>> Long options list

NEW AGE CARAVANS GECKO GE16BE ENDURO

Travel length: 7200mm

Body length: 5400mm (with bed extended)

External body width: 2500mm

Travel height: 2950mm

Interior height: 2030mm

Tare: 2000kg

ATM: 2300kg

Ball weight (Tare): 130kg

Body: Aluminium sheet cladding, Meranti timber frame

Chassis: Preston 100mm x 50mm RHS Duragal steel

Suspension: Al-Ko Enduro Outback independent trailing arm coil suspension

Brakes: 12in electric

Stability control: Optional

Wheels: 16in alloy with 265/75R16LT tyres

Fresh water: 1 x 60L and 1 x 80L

Battery: 100Ah AGM

Solar: 150W panel and solar controller

Gas: 2 x 4.5kg

Hot water: 22.6L Suburban gas/electric

Cooking: Dometic three-burner gas cooktop

Fridge: 93 litre Thetford AES fridge/freezer

Microwave: Samsung

Toilet: Thetford swivel electric

Shower: Separate

Lighting 12V LED

TV: Pre-wired
Options fitted: Daewood Mini washing machine, Dometic Harrier Inverter roof-top air-conditioner

Price: $59,990 RRP (As tested: $62,990)

Supplied by: New Age Caravans, Epping, Vic

Tested: New Age Gecko

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