Traveller Intrigue 2024 Review

For close to 30 years, Melbourne's Traveller Caravans was a family-run business that developed a reputation for producing good quality, wallet-friendly touring and dirt-road caravans, before the administrators were called in recently.

Now there's a new range of Traveller-badged vans hitting the market, sporting similar design and model names but now built by one of Australia's biggest RV manufacturers, JB Caravans.

Incidentally, it's the second well-known RV brand that the owners of JB Caravans have 'rescued' in recent times, following their acquisition of the failed Paradise Motor Homes operation over a year ago.

While there are initially only on-road Traveller vans available, JB is set to release new semi off-road Traveller models in coming months. There's also a strong chance that Traveller will replace JB's Dreamline model sometime in the future as its entry-level caravan range.

This would allow the JB range to continue to focus more on the growing off-road, off-grid caravan market including the latest EV heavy-duty and composite hybrid models.

Here we're looking at one of the first Traveller vans built at JB's big Melbourne factory; a 19ft 6in couple's touring model with the front door/cafe dinette layout.

It's one of 10 Intrigue variants currently available: all tandem axle, full height on-road models ranging from 16ft to 22ft body lengths and available in both couple and family layouts.

As it stands, the Traveller Intrigue is currently one of the most affordable 'JB' caravans on offer, with a similar 19ft 6in Intrigue displayed at the recent Victorian Supershow advertised at an enticing show-special price of $74,990 - or $10,000 less than the $84,990 RRP.

For the money, you get a relatively basic but still decently equipped van, aimed at buyers who plan to spend much of their travel time on the bitumen as well as in caravan parks.

The upside of its basic 'touring' spec is it makes for easy towing behind a 3500kg tow rated Isuzu MU-X, with its Tare of just 2212kg Tare and 3200kg ATM. By the way that delivers a close to one tonne payload - pretty impressive!

Complete with 'Since 1984' heritage stickers along with an RVMAP badge on its 'old-school' white Stucco aluminium cladding, the Traveller Intrigue offers a very traditional look and feel, at least from the outside, in contrast to the eye-catching snazzier finishes on JB's more upmarket models.

It takes a keen eye to spot any external differences between the Traveller Intrigue and JB's current entry-level Dreamline on-road model. Probably the biggest improvement is the one-piece fibreglass composite roof on the Intrigue which should provide some peace of mind if you're worried about potential water leaks and hail damage.

Otherwise, the Traveller Intrigue is built with a sturdy Duragal chassis and a Meranti timber frame with XP insulation and some black checker plate for the lower body sides. That's about it for protection from stone chips, including underneath the van where there's quite a bit of exposed plumbing. Throw in limited ground clearance, and a 50mm ball coupling and leaf spring suspension, and you won't want to drag the Intrigue too far off the beaten track for fear of damage.

There's no toolbox on the A-frame as standard but you do get a wide tunnel boot plus a smaller vertical locker on the rear offside wall to swallow a fair chunk of outside gear.

The Traveller Intrigue only comes standard with a single 95 litre fresh water tank and 135Ah AGM battery with a 200W rooftop solar panel, with the battery mounted low down in a checker plate box along the chassis, but there's the option to add a second fresh tank or a grey water tank as well as another battery.

Other notable standard external features include a protected A-frame tap, twin 9kg gas bottles, an Anderson plug, external speakers and lighting, a roll-out awning and picnic table, and electrical connections for the TV. There were also a few options fitted to the review van including a rear bar with spare wheel, AL-KO ESC, reversing camera, and a second Anderson plug for running a portable solar panel.

The Intrigue van is low enough to the ground to make it an easy step up inside through the triple lock entry door, although there was an optional manual entry step fitted to the review van to make life even easier.

Once inside, you're greeted by a pleasantly light and airy interior, partly thanks to lots of big windows including a couple of deep ones either side of the bed which is directly to your left as you enter, along with two skylights in the main living area.

There's enough space to walk around the front north-south queen bed, with its coil spring mattress on the usual slatted frame that lifts-up on gas struts to reveal a large empty storage cavity underneath.

The kitchen gets another big tick with its large shiny stainless sink and drainer, fitted with both mixer and filtered water taps. There's some benchspace around the 3+1 cooktop with grille and oven, located under the rangehood and work light, while the review van also came with the upgraded 188 litre Dometic compressor fridge-freezer option instead of the standard Thetford three-way 175L unit.

The cafe dinette gets some firm, upright padded seating covered in stitched leatherette, along with a handy tri-fold table, another large window, a wall storage pouch, reading lights and some USB and 240V points to go with other electrical sockets around the bed, kitchen and bathroom areas.

Nothing much to complain about with the rear ensuite either, which gets another opening window and a 12V roof hatch not far from the ceramic bowl cassette toilet, with a bowl sink and a built in top-load washing machine integrated with the vanity.

There are all the required towel and toilet roll holders, along with a large mirror and roomy separate shower cubicle with another 12V hatch. The only minor disappointment is the fitment of a concertina privacy screen instead of a more solid sliding door for the ensuite.

Interior storage is a standout in this 19ft 6in couple's layout. Aside from the aforementioned underbed storage, there are bedside robes and overhead cupboards, plus more overhead cupboards around the kitchen to go with a few drawers and under-bench cupboards. JB has also made the most of under-dinette storage with some large pull-out drawers, plus there's a good-size pull-out pantry on the ensuite side of the kitchen. And did we mention the big cupboard for towels and linen in the bathroom?

The Traveller Intrigue also comes standard with a 24in Smart TV with connections that face the bed and dinette, and a roof-mounted reverse cycle air conditioner.

As far as fit-out goes, the timber-look laminated benchtops and one-touch catches for the lightweight ply cabinetry, appear up to the job for a van in this category, with some variations on colours available including a choice of splashbacks.

The BMPro Trek 3 touchscreen panel is located conveniently at head-height level near the door, just below the Bluetooth audio head unit, with the BMPro 30 battery management hardware neatly tucked away inside a cupboard near the foot of the bed.

There are quite a few other extra-cost options available for the latest Traveller Intrigue vans, including an A-frame toolbox and front mesh stone guard, 'timber free' build, off-road hitch, 2in chassis raiser, smooth aluminium exterior panels, 1000W inverter, Sirocco fans, a diesel heater and an external kitchen and shower.

However, we reckon many buyers shopping in this segment will be reasonably happy with all that you get with the standard package. They should also be reassured that it's a tried and tested package from a high-volume manufacturer that should know a thing or two about building a fuss-free caravan after 14 years' manufacturing experience.

While it might lack the off-road pizzazz of other JB models, the new 19ft 6in Traveller is more affordable and shapes up as a good option for less adventurous touring couples.

Price: $84,990 RRP
Travel length: 8100mm
Body length (internal): 5850mm (19ft 6in)
External body width: 2480mm
Travel height: 2900mm
Internal height: 1980mm
Tare weight: 2212kg
ATM: 3200kg
Ball weight (Tare): 120kg
Body: Meranti timber frame, Stucco aluminium cladding
Chassis: Duragal four-inch steel with six-inch A-frame
Suspension: AL-KO rocker leaf springs with 50mm ball coupling
Brakes: 10in electric drums
Stability control: AL-KO ESC, optional
Wheels: 15in alloy with LT235/75R15 MPC 27 tyres
Freshwater: 1 x 95L
Battery: 1 x 135Ah AGM
Solar: 1 x 200watt rooftop panel
Air-conditioner: Gree 3.5kW 240V rooftop
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Hot water: Swift 28 litre gas/electric
Cooking: Hawk 600 Series 3+1 cooktop, grille, oven
Fridge: Thetford three-way 175L
Microwave: NCE 240v
Toilet: Dometic cassette
Shower: Separate cubicle
Washing machine: NCE 2.5kg top load washing machine
Lighting: 12V LED
TV: LPT 24in Smart TV
Audio: Bluetooth unit with internal/external speakers
Supplied by: JB Caravans Melbourne, Campbellfield, Victoria
More info: JB Caravans