Windsor Otway 2023 Review

Often the trickiest aspect of the journey to RV ownership is working through all the available options, but Apollo RV has made the job simple with its new campervan, the FIAT Ducato-based Windsor Otway.

The latest entrant to the Apollo RV line-up, the Windsor Otway adds a campervan to the brand’s larger motorhome line-up – the Windsor Daintree ($172,990 drive away), Windsor Flinders ($201,990 drive away) and Windsor Simpson ($215,990 drive away) – effectively creating a more affordable entry point to the Apollo RV range.

But while the term ‘entry point’ might conjure up thoughts of a Spartan, basic affair, the Windsor Otway is a thoughtfully equipped campervan that ticks all the main boxes, with the model’s $137,990 (drive away) pricing encompassing a healthy list of standard inclusions.

Ready to roll

In an easy-to-manage, maneuverable package that’s at home both in the country and in town, the Windsor Otway comes with everything you need for a quick getaway.

In fact, Apollo RV lists just eight optional extras for the Windsor Otway, including a second auxiliary battery (standard or lithium), diesel heater, electric step, additional insect screens (for the side and rear doors), a 1000W inverter, and a gas BBQ bayonet fitting.

Further simplifying matters is the sole layout, which sees swivelling driver and front passenger seats turning to face a two-seater dinette unit, a mid-kitchen opposite a combination shower and toilet, with a rear storage area that converts to an east-west bed.

The Apollo RV story

Apollo RV started out in 1985 as a family business with a single rental campervan and the rest, as they say, is history. Today it’s a publicly listed company that sells its own products alongside its massive rental business, with five RV sales locations in Australia (Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Geelong, and Newcastle) and two in New Zealand (Christchurch and Auckland).

Falling under the company umbrella are brands including Adria, Coromal, Windsor, Talvor and Winnebago, with the last three designed and manufactured at Apollo’s production facility at Northgate in Brisbane.

Apollo purchased Windsor (and Coromal) from Perth-based Fleetwood Corporation back in 2019, before setting about reinvigorating the brands. The first Windsor caravans under Apollo’s ownership broke cover in late 2019, followed by its first motorhome, the Renault Master-based Windsor Daintree, which arrived in February 2020 (with a launch price of $105,990 – what a difference a few years and a pandemic makes!).

The Daintree was soon joined by the Windsor Flinders and Windsor Simpson from March 2020, with the smaller Windsor Otway joining the ranks in November 2022.

Windsor Otway features

So, what do you get for your money in a Windsor Otway? Let’s start at the pointy end…

The Otway camper is based on the FIAT Ducato van in a long wheelbase, mid-roof format. It measures in with an overall length of 5998mm (19ft 8in) and an overall height of 2770mm (9ft 1in).

With a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 4250kg it can be driven on a standard car licence and it comes with a maximum payload of 659kg, while the three-point seat belts fitted to both dinette seats means it can carry up to four occupants. Both dinette seats feature ADR-approved anchor points for child seats too.

With FIAT’s 2.3-litre ‘Multijet 3 Power’ four-cylinder turbo-diesel hooked up to a nine-speed automatic transmission, driving the Windsor Otway is no more difficult than driving any large passenger vehicle.

The engine is impressively quiet on a steady throttle and progress is lively enough when required, with the oiler kicking out up to 119kW and 400Nm. In top gear and sitting on 100km/h, the engine ticks over at a smidge over 1500rpm.

The van’s commercial origins are revealed by the expanse of dark plastics throughout the cab, but the pedestal seating is comfortable enough (each with twin adjustable armrests) and the van comes with numerous modern safety systems, including autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, dynamic lane keeping, and a reversing camera, among other features.

There’s the usual campervan squeaks and rattles from the cabinetry when underway but, generally speaking, the Windsor Otway is a perfectly fine proposition for eating up the miles.

Vision from behind the wheel is good and we like how all four side mirrors (two standard mirrors and two spotter mirrors) have electric adjustment.

Fast set-up

Once you’ve reached your destination, set-up is as simple as pulling out the sliding alloy step, turning the driver’s and front passenger’s seat to face the dinette, and maybe pulling out the 3.2m Fiamma awning.

Externally, there’s a light over the rear of the van to illuminate underneath the awning, plus a cluster of power outlets (240V, 12V, 2 x USB) at the rear of the van, while sliding back the side door reveals a couple of speakers mated to the Fusion AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo.

There’s good storage throughout the Windsor Otway, including a compartment over the cab and beneath the raised flooring for the dinette, but there’s a heap of storage room at the rear of the van, which is easily accessed when the hinged bed base, which adopts a ratchet mechanism, is in the vertical position, giving walkthrough access to the rear barn doors.

The compact nearside kitchen features a two-burner Dometic gas stove over a sizeable (25L) Camec microwave, while the square sink (with filtered drinking water tap and flick/mix tap) is of a generous size too.

With the fold-up bench extension by the stove in place, along with the pull-out dinette table extension, there’s actually quite a bit of space for food preparation, given the vehicle’s relatively compact overall footprint.

We like the positive locking action of the metal pushbutton catches on the cupboards and drawers and the generous size of the pantry, which is above the 109L compressor fridge/freezer.

The fit and finish of the cabinetry is on point and the mix of light and dark tones creates a modern, contemporary feel throughout, accentuated by the three LED downlights.

Light and airy

Ventilation is rarely an issue in a campervan – certainly it isn’t in the Windsor Otway, with its large sliding nearside side door and 50/50 rear barn doors – but there’s also a hatch with 12V fan over the dinette while the acrylic windows – in the side door and next to the dinette – feature both blinds and insect screens. Retractable blinds are also fitted to the windscreen and side cab windows, plus to the rear doors.

The Windsor Otway isn’t too cramped, either. At 188cm (6ft 2in) I had full standing room everywhere throughout the body of the van, aside from when directly underneath the roof-mounted Dometic Ibis 4 air conditioner.

However, I did find the limits of the van’s dimensions when lying on the rear east-west bed. Setting up the bed is easy – just flip down the bed base and pull out the tri-fold foam mattress from the offside – but, confined by the van’s overall width as it is, the bed was about 5cm too short for me to properly stretch out. Having said that, this won’t be an issue for anyone of average height or below.

There are LED reading lights, a double power point and a double USB outlet at each end of the bed, along with a 22-inch HD LED TV on an articulated arm on the nearside.

The east-west orientation of the bed means whoever is at the very rear of the van will have to climb over their mate to get out, or face opening the rear barn doors, with an internal release that’s tricky to access with the bed in place and a considerable drop to the ground below (have an external step at the ready).

There’s further storage at the rear in the form of overhead cabinets on either side of the van, although the nearside cabinets preclude the use of the seating below.

That leaves the mid offside combination shower and toilet, with the latter featuring an electric flush and a base that swivels 90 degrees to give reasonable leg room. It’s a compact space, but it does the job and gives Windsor Otway owners that extra level of convenience and privacy.

The van has a 110L freshwater tank and a 55L grey water tank, with levels monitored by the BMPro unit, which also oversees battery and power management.

Speaking of, the Otway camper also scores a 190W solar panel to lend a hand when off grid, not that this van, with its single 4.5kg gas bottle, has off-grid living up the top of its priority list.

And the Windsor van comes with a five-year, 250,000km warranty, while the FIAT Ducato boasts long 48,000km service intervals.

The verdict

For a couple after a quick and easy, no-fuss RV option, the new Windsor Otway campervan covers all the main bases as a turnkey, ready-to-go getaway machine.

Easy to drive, easy to park, and equipped with an impressive array of standard features as well as safety features, the Windsor Otway provides all you’ll need for a comfortable life on the road, at a cost considerably under that of larger-format motorhomes.

How much does the Windsor Otway campervan cost?

Price: From $137,990 drive-away
Base vehicle: FIAT Ducato
Engine: 119kW/400Nm 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Transmission: Front-wheel drive via nine-speed automatic with manual shift mode
Body length: 5998mm
Body width: 2050mm (excl. mirrors)
Travel height: 2770mm
GVM: 4250kg
Payload: 659kg
Wheels: 16in steel
Brakes: Discs on all wheels
Fresh water: 110L fresh plus 55L grey tank
Battery: 1 x 100Ah deep cycle (Optional extra 100Ah deep cycle or 100Ah lithium battery)
Solar: Single 190W rooftop panel
Air conditioner: Dometic Ibis 4
Gas: 1 x 4.5kg
Hot water: 14L Truma gas/electric
Cooking: Dometic twin gas-burner cooktop, plus Camec microwave
Fridge: 109L compressor fridge/freezer
Shower: Combined internal shower/toilet
Lighting: LED
TV: 22in HD LED TV/DVD
Audio: Fusion AM/FM plus CD/MP3/Bluetooth stereo
Supplied by: Apollo RV, Somerton, Victoria
More info: Windsor RV