Viscount V2 Family 2019 Review

Badge-engineering is an old concept in the car industry where similar -- sometimes almost identical -- models are released wearing different brand names, saving on costs and fanning brand loyalty.

The caravan industry is beginning to follow suit, and one recent example is the return of the Viscount brand.

Viscount was Australia’s top-selling caravan brand by a country mile back in the 1970s but the 1978 fuel crisis saw sales fall over and the company itself grind to a halt a few years later. Now Viscount is back, thanks to Melbourne based Concept which added added Viscount to its stable of Concept, Newlands and Franklin caravans.

Viscount in name only

It's pretty clear that the latest eight-layout model range has no real direct connection with Viscount of old except for a familiar theme to the ‘Viscount’ logos, and for some that’s a welcome relief. Who wants lime green laminate bench tops and acres of heavy-looking faux woodgrain in 2019?

The key to the new range is value-for-money, with the V2 Family four-berth bunk van reviewed here laden with gear for its $58,990 drive-away price. Sure, the sides are clad in what is fast becoming old-school aluminium sheeting, but that’s the only obvious concession to cost savings. Consider it a link to Viscounts past. The front, rear and roof panels are clad in 3mm composite.

External features include a roll-out awning, a gas outlet for a BBQ and a fold-down picnic table on the nearside, as well as a 12v auxiliary port and TV aerial connection. There’s a large tunnel boot with access from both near- and offside locking hatches, and a small LED strip light is fitted to the nearside -- a nice touch and not a given for vans with a tunnel boot.

The A-frame is quite a simple set up: aside from the common fitment of two 9kg gas bottles, there’s a shielded water tap and the jockey wheel is centre mounted, giving plenty of room for weight distribution hitch brackets if required.

Despite being an on-road van  the Viscount is well underneath with water tank guards and plumbing and wiring not exposed to stone damage.

Open plan living

Inside, via the centre-forward dual mesh screen/outer door is a rather open-plan front bedroom and centre dinette kitchen, with the rear offside bunk and nearside bathroom areas separated from the living area with a folding concertina door as required.

The front bedroom with north-south double mattress has plenty of room to get around the bed and storage is well covered off with above-bed lockers, side drawers and hanging wardrobes. There's also a neat cubby for each side of the bedhead area, as well as under-bed storage accessed by the usual gas strut-assist bed base.

Moving onto the kitchen, the bench space is not immense for a family van, with not a lot of food prep space if the sink and cooker are being used. At least there's a lot of storage on offer, with the three lockers above the kitchen and drawers and cupboards below the bench. There’s also a small slide-out pantry in one of the lower cupboards.

Like a lot of vans, the microwave is mounted up high in the Viscount. This isn’t the best if you’re retrieving hot liquids out of it and if your kids are old enough to trust using the microwave, but not tall enough to reach it... well, that’s a problem.

The L-shaped dinette has enough space to seat two adults and two children comfortable, and also provides some storage underneath the cushions as well as an easy to get to pull-out drawer under the short side of the lounge.

Big bunks

The rear bunks are large enough in terms of head room for adults/teens and there's ample storage in a wardrobe at the end of the centre aisle. Below the wardrobe a cupboard door reveals a Camec Aqua RV 4kg front-loader washing machine.

The bathroom in the rear nearside is quite spacious, and separated from the centre aisle/bunk area by a side-hinged door. You’ve got storage lockers here above the vanity unit as well as below, and a separate shower cubicle in the back corner, which is separated from the bathroom by a cantilevered opaque door.

There’s good amount of electronics for a $58K family van, including a 120watt solar roof-mounted solar panel and Enerdrive ePOWER 30amp solar charge controller, Projecta 25amp battery charger and remote control display, and a 100Ah AGM battery.

All these features are not the makings of a long-term remote, free-camping caravan, but will at least offer some independence from the umbilical cord of 240v power.

Summing up

The Viscout V2 Family is the kind of caravan that will appeal to families on a budget but who want as much standard equipment thrown in as possible.

A shower/toilet four-berth bunk van with air-con, solar, washing machine, large fridge/freezer, grill and oven for less than $60K is a pretty good deal.

The Viscount also indulges with a fair amount of internal living space and the option to add equipment later such as an outdoor cooker with its outdoor gas bayonet and A-frame water tap.

Specs: Viscount V2 Family 2019

Travel length: 7120mm (23ft 4in)
Body length (open length): 6600mm (21ft 8in)
External body width: 2320mm (7ft 7in)
Travel height: 2949mm (9ft 8in)
Interior height: 1976mm (6ft 6in)
Tare weight: 2242kg
ATM: 2742kg
Ball weight: 124kg
Body: Timber frame, aluminium cladding
Chassis: 150 x 50mm Supagal
Suspension: Roller rocker leaf springs
Brakes: 10-inch drums, electric
Stability Control: N/A
Wheels: 15-inch alloy on 205/70RR15C LT tyres
Fresh water: 1 x 95L and 1 x 62L
Battery: 1 x 100Ah AGM
Solar: 120watt rooftop panel
Air-conditioner: Gree 3.5kW rooftop
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Hot water: Swift gas/electric
Cooking: Thetford Caprice MkIII three gas/one electric hob, grill, oven
Fridge: Thetforld 175 litre three-way
Microwave: NCE
Toilet: Dometic cassette
Shower: Separate cubicle
Lighting: 12v LED
TV: Finch 24in HD LED TV/DVD
Price: $58,990 (NSW drive-away)
Options fitted: None
Supplied by: RV Connection, St Marys, NSW 
More info: Viscount Caravans