Trakka Jabiru JCrew 2023 Review

Travelling Australia’s wide, brown expanses has never been easier given the smorgasbord of new campervans, caravans, pop-tops, motorhomes and camper trailers on the market. 

But what about road-tripping as a family? For many, the idea of lugging three tonnes of caravan across the country is tedious and exhausting, a camper trailer is plain hard work, while a truck-based motorhome might be considered overkill. 

Cue the Trakka Jabiru JCrew. 

Based on Trakka’s long-standing Mercedes-Benz Sprinter-based Jabiru camper, the JCrew offers seating for five and bedding for two adults and two children, courtesy of a new pop-top roof familiar with Trakka’s smaller campervan offerings. 

Kitted out with solar panels, batteries, a kitchenette and bathroom, the Jabiru JCrew positions itself strongly for off-the-grid touring.  

But as we found on this maiden voyage, it is right at home (and completely manageable) on a leisurely short-distance coastal trip away, too. 

The Jabiru JCrew is priced from $216,865 driveaway (NSW).

Familiar surroundings 

Like much of Trakka’s ‘Jabiru’ range, the template for the new JCrew is the 2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter long-wheelbase. 

It measures 7.1 metres long and 2.79 metres high, using a crew van layout that comprises two seats up front and three seats in the rear completed with top-tether points for child restraints. 

Handily, the front driver and passenger seats swivel, allowing them to easily transition from driving to camping, meeting the three-seat crew bench behind the front cab. After deploying a table that is stowed nearby, it means the seating layout doubles as a space for meal preparation, workspace and dining. 

For 2023, the JCrew sources power from a revised 140kW/450Nm turbo diesel four-cylinder engine, matched to a nine-speed automatic transmission that drives the rear wheels. 

Trakka is currently developing an all-wheel drive version of the JCrew that will offer greater off-road ability. It is slated for showrooms in the first quarter of 2025. 

There are elements borrowed from Trakka’s J2M, J2, and J4 Jabiru models, including a permanent north-south bed configured at the rear of the van and accessed by a step entry, with an arsenal of cavernous overhead locker storage.  

The main bed measures almost two metres long, and is underslung by a spacious storage area measuring the same area and dubbed the ‘adventure garage’. It's suitable for luggage, golf clubs, bicycles, fishing gear and all the paraphernalia that goes with a trip away – keeping in mind the total payload figure of 635kg (including passengers). 

There’s also an internal bathroom module containing a toilet and a hot shower, towel rail, toiletries cabinet and extraction fan, a 90-litre fridge/freezer, kitchen sink, diesel-fuelled water and ducted room heating, a 12-volt fan, drinking water filtration and a 110-litre fresh water tank and 80-litre grey water tank with electronic dump valve (with manual override), microwave and an induction cook-top. 

Additionally, there’s a roll-out four-metre long awning which flanks the left-hand side of the vehicle, plus a portable step for getting in and out. 

Where the JCrew differs from other Trakka Jabiru models is its upstairs sleeping quarters. Accessed via a stowable ladder, the 1900mm long bedding area easily opens up via gas struts and a tilted safari style roof – similar to that employed on Trakka’s Volkswagen Multivan-based Trakkadu. 

Thick canvas provides protection from the elements, or occupants can choose to open the area to a basic fly screen, providing an incredible 270-degree view of your surroundings. 

Elsewhere, the Jabiru JCrew is fitted with a 300Ah lithium battery system with both AC and DC/solar chargers, a 2600W inverter (converts 12V house power to use 240V appliances such as your microwave, stove, coffee machine, chargers), plus a 250W roof-mounted solar panel. 

Our particular vehicle’s as-tested price pushes out to $229,504 driveaway once options are taken in. They include an optional Mercedes-Benz exterior colour, an electric sliding door, a bedroom skylight, additional solar (taking the system total to 500W), an outdoor bench and wash-up/hot shower facility, a front ‘brunt’ bar and bar wings completed with an integrated LED double row light bar. 

South Coast awaits 

Our time with the 2023 Trakka Jabiru JCrew comprises a 500km, three-day adventure to the stunning NSW coastal town of Lake Conjola, an old favourite for Sydney-siders and travellers from further afield. 

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter origins of the JCrew create a strong first impression, with comfortable front seats offering great support and fold-down armrests for excellent long-journey amenity, together with ample storage up-front storage. 

Even at this size, the Benz feels easy to place in its lane and never feels intimidating – even on winding mountain slopes and greasy roads. The steering is light, the body feels well controlled over undulating surfaces and there’s an inherent surefootedness to the Sprinter in all conditions. 

For all of its commercial properties, the Sprinter feels almost car-like with the orientation of its cabin and key controls, the installation of an 10.25-inch centre touch-screen display with smartphone mirroring plus fitment of a 360-degree reversing camera. It is also devoid of excessive road and wind noise. 

The 2.0-litre engine offers reasonable go-forward in everyday driving situations, working with the nine-speed automatic transmission to naturally push for efficiency.  

There are occasions where the 2.0-litre feels a tad undernourished in the face of the Trakka’s hefty 3500kg weight: on inclines, on the open road or when overtaking, for instance. The result is additional engine noise when it is pushed.  

With that said, the oiler offers incredible real-world efficiency. We average 10L/100km in a mix of conditions on-test, across 500km worth of driving, and see as little as 8.2L/100km in open-road settings. 

Other than weight, you’d barely know you were in a van-based motorhome from the driver’s seat. On the way down the coast there isn’t a noticeable squeak or rattle to speak of, and the fitment of roller shutter doors and quality cabinets ensures everything stays secure during the journey. 

Once at Lake Conjola, the JCrew is straight-forward to set-up. In fact, it’s almost turn-key, especially if already you’ve utilised the available overhead space for clothing, stocked the fridge and your beds are already made up. 

We unfurl the awning and pull out deck chairs stowed at the rear. The pop-top roof is easily pushed up into place once you’ve unclipped the two locks located at the roof entry, and finally, the front chairs are swivelled around and the table is locked into place. 

All told, it’s a 10-minute exercise. The fishing rods come out, the kids bikes are in play and you’re all set! 

Elsewhere, the Jabiru JCrew is uncomplicated and fuss-free with its tech. After a quick tutorial, it isn’t long before we’re making use of hot water and the available appliances on test, including the clever induction cook-top and diesel heater. 

All of the key metrics (fresh water volume, grey water volume, state of charge, voltage, ingoing and outgoing currents) are conveyed by a simple control panel and there is smartphone functionality available too.  

Where the JCrew can occasionally become complicated is around the shower-toilet arrangement, which are both shared in a relatively compact cubicle space and require some fettling to set up individually. The toilet swivels in and out of place, while the shower head pulls out and can clip into place for a fixed shower, or can be used in a hand-held capacity. 

Either way, if you’re using the shower, the entire bathroom space is prone to getting wet, which poses potential teething issues for a family of four on a long trip away. 

One potential work-around we found is to make use of the outdoor hot-cold shower, which spares the bathroom of mess and is also handy for washing sandy feet. 

Alas, we decide against using the bathroom facilities on this particular test (with public facilities a stone’s throw away), but it’s one potential compromise that pickier occupants may want to consider. 

Additionally, even with its surfeit of solar power and outdoor outlets, we reckon another internal power outlet wouldn’t go astray in the JCrew either.  

Otherwise, Trakka’s alterations are immaculately finished, punctuated by sleek dimmable LED strip lighting, soft-close cupboard doors, smartly-integrated sunblinds and durable, hard-wearing kitchen surfaces. 

There is ample space for cooking utensils, cleaning essentials and crockery in the draws that reside underneath the cooktop, too. 

Being the warmer months, we found the optional outdoor bench and hot water system particularly handy; together with the portable induction cook-top, it means you can set up outside for cooking and rid the cabin of needless mess or cooking aromas.  

With its slightly larger footprint, the Sprinter-based Jabiru doesn’t require the constant reshuffling of items like smaller vans – especially around setting up for meals or overnight sleeping. 

The adult bedding arrangement is quite comprehensive, with a soft and comfortable mattress and ample space even with those overhead cabinets in play. The installation of the 12-volt fan is welcome on warmer nights, while the touch-sensitive lighting is capable of illuminating small pockets of the interior without startling other occupants.  

We found the moveable step into the sleeping quarters easy to navigate, too. 

By comparison, the top sleeping quarters aren’t nearly as accommodating. Although the bedding space officially measures 1.9 metres in length, the angled roof-top tent design means it’s probably better suited to occupants no taller than 1.6 metres (any taller and their feet will touch the roof-top) than full-blown adults – an important consideration to keep in mind if your kids are on the taller side of the ledger. 

Three days away in the Trakka Jabiru JCrew offers a pretty fascinating insight into this premium new family-based camper. 

It’s practical, immaculately finished and manufactured to a high standard. Oddment storage is excellent and the Trakka manufacturing team has given thorough consideration to the van’s everyday functionality. They’ve literally thought of everything! 

In reality, we barely scratched the surface on what the JCrew is really capable of, especially with its off-the-grid functionality.  

We reckon it will comfortably provide power and water for a few days away (at least), based on our short test, together with strong day-to-day amenity. 

And yet, away from those settings, the Jabiru JCrew feels right at home on a coastal trip away, meaning young families can gently feel their way into the adventure scene.  

Price: $216,865 drive-away NSW ($229,504 drive-away as tested) 
Model: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter LWB 
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel 
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic, RWD 
Body length: 7.12m
Body width: 2.02m
Travel height: 2.79m
Tare: 3465kg 
Payload: 635kg 
GCM: 6100kg 
Towing capacity: 2000kg
Fresh water: 110L fresh plus 70L grey tank 
Battery: 1 x 300Ah lithium 
Solar: Single 250W rooftop panel 
Air-conditioner: Single-zone climate control (cab) with 12-volt fan 
Space heater and hot water: Diesel fuelled 
Gas: N/A 
Cooking: Single induction 
Fridge: 90L fridge/freezer  
Ensuite: Internal shower and toilet (together with optional outdoor shower at side of van) 
Lighting: Dimmable LED strip lights  
TV: N/A 
Supplied by: Trakka, Mt. Kuring-Gai NSW