Winnebago Freewind 2313SL 2006 Review

One of the advantages of being Australia’s largest motorhome manufacturer is you can offer the largest range of motorhomes: everything from a small Fiat Ducato-based C class Free Spirit to a 36ft (11m) Spartan chassis/Cummins motor-based Classic.

Up until a few years ago Winnebago really didn’t have a B class motorhome: that is, a cab chassis-based motorhomes sans Luton peak. However, when the Freewind model appeared on the scene, it filled that particular gap in the model line-up.

Earlier units were based on either a Ford Transit or Mercedes-Benz Sprinter but in more recent times Iveco motive power has been added to the list. Iveco trucks and vans, being part of the Fiat stable, are very common on the roads of Europe and, more relevantly for MHG, very popular with motorhome builders, especially Iveco’s Daily range of vans and cab chassis.

The Iveco is not the only thing that’s new. Our review motorhome, a Freewind 2313SL, has a slide-out (that’s the SL bit) behind the driver’s door. In a 23ft (7m) motorhome, that’s certainly a generous amount of living space that has been added.

It was the Brisbane Motor Camper Centre (BMCC) staff, Ray McCoy and Mike Larney who showed MHG over the slide-out Freewind. I mention that little fact because BMCC is now part of the Brisbane RVs group but the same friendly helpful staff are still there at the company’s Loganholme location.

Actually, MHG picked up the Freewind from the manufacturer’s display site at the Campervan and Motorhome (CMCA) Club rally at Maryborough. Given the jigsaw parking arrangements for the motorhomes on display, there was some very intricate manoeuvring to extricate the Freewind. If nothing else, it proved how easy it is to move a 23ft motorhome around.

Iveco innovation

On the road, the Iveco powered Freewind gets along with aplomb. Unlike its stablemate, the Fiat Ducato, the Iveco is a rear-wheel-drive truck (not that most people can really tell the difference). Like its Euro contemporaries, the 2.8L turbodiesel powers things along well enough in tandem with the six-speed gearbox. Tandem rear wheels keep sideways motion to a minimum and power steering tracks the vehicle admirably.

Most of the controls and instrumentation are where they should be, however the pedestal-mounted gearshift, although OK for driving, does require a tricky leg movement when moving to and from the rear of the motorhome. It’s just something that requires getting used to, otherwise getting in and out of the cab is no problem.

For motorhome living, the passenger seat swivels around to make a comfortable lounge seat. Above the driver’s cab is an all-round shelf with ‘portholes’ for access.

Winnebago’s Freewind is built along the same lines as most of its fleet; the plywood wood floor that has galvanised underfloor protection sits on a fully insulated metal frame. Above the floor, a welded aluminium frame with foam insulated walls and roof is covered by Medallion external fibreglass walls and a one-piece rubber roof. Moulded fibreglass is used for both the nose cone and rear wall and gives the motorhome a relatively streamlined look.

Slightly different from most of the Winnebago fleet are the Seitz windows with integrated blind and screen but the door is the time honoured Hehr with separate flyscreen. Apart from the Thetford cassette compartment and gas cylinder/battery locker, the Freewind has just one external door at the nearside rear. This gives access to the large under-bed area.

Internal improvement

Inside the Freewind, the layout is not unlike a few other Winnebago layouts. The rear half is shared by a bathroom tucked into the offside corner alongside the double bed, which is fitted into the nearside corner.

The kitchen is split between the bench along the nearside wall and fridge on the opposite side, next to the slide-out that contains the dinette. With the slide-out in the open position, there is plenty of space in the centre area of the motorhome. Even with the slide-out closed up for brief stops, it’s still a liveable area.

Winnebago has used what MHG calls its ‘Euro look’, using a curved stained timber feel, for the interior decor. While the interior natural light was agreeable, and aided by a Seitz hatch up front, MHG thought that larger windows would not go astray – they just seemed a little small for this sized motorhome.

When the going gets too hot, natural air can be replaced the cooler variety from the roof-mounted Coleman Mack air-conditioner. At the other end of the temperature scale, the diesel-fired Webasto heater warms things nicely.

In the catering department, Winnebago has designed a fairly standard kitchen – Cramer three-burner cooktop and stainless steel sink sans drainer, with cutlery drawer and three cupboards underneath. One of the cupboards has three wire basket drawers and above is two overhead lockers with a couple of shelves alongside.

On the panel under the sink are the Webasto heater controls plus the water pump switch and tank gauges. Bench lighting is supplied by a recessed fluorescent fitting plus the two halogens.

Between the dinette and bathroom is the rest of the kitchen. Stacked up on each other are the Dometic 110L fridge, Smeg grill plus Sharp carousel microwave – cooking any way you like.

Set in the slide-out, the dinette is almost in an alcove. Four people can sit at the table on the contoured foam cushions, although the three overhead lockers are rather low. It does make reaching into the lockers when sitting at the dinette is quite easy. Two halogen reading lights supply the necessary light and there’s a powerpoint under the table for laptop users.

Tucked into the rear corner, the double bed looks almost too small but it is a 6ft 4in x 4ft 4in (1.9m x 1.3m) foam mattress. The slatted wooden base can be lifted to gain access to the storage area underneath and above are five overhead lockers. Reading light is supplied by two halogens and there is even a couple of small ‘bedside’ corner shelves.

Between the kitchen bench and the bed is a large hanging wardrobe with one large and one small drawer underneath. An LCD TV is mounted on the bedside wall of the wardrobe that can be swivelled.

Winnebago has managed to squeeze quite a decent sized bathroom into the Freewind, with a separate shower cubicle, Thetford cassette toilet and wash basin. The latter is classily set in a vanity unit with cupboards upper and lower and a wall mounted mirror.

There’s no window but hatches above both shower and loo. Lighting comes from an incandescent fitting in the shower and three recessed halogens above the wash basin. Shavers and hair dryers can be plugged into the wall mounted powerpoint.

Lighting throughout the Freewind is 12V, and is supplied by two 100ah batteries. Winnebago has one of the better electrical control panels around. Mounted above the door in this motorhome, it has volt and ammeters for both 12V and 240V plus both the 240V circuit breaker and 12V fuses – all very easily accessible. One or two manufacturers we know about seem to assume that fuses will always go in daylight and in good weather. Entertainment is courtesy of the DVD/video player mounted above the driver’s cab.

The bottom line

This Freewind has what could be described as a versatile layout: it can be used with the slide-out in or out. Of course, there’s much more room to move with the slide-out extended and, in some ways, this layout might be better with just two swivelling chairs instead of the fixed dinette.  

The Freewind’s 23ft (7m) length is comfortable for many people, both to drive and live in, and with the extra living space it will certainly have a broad appeal.

 Brisbane RVs, 3940 Pacific Highway, Loganholme, Qld 4129, (07) 3801 2045, Contact Winnebago on freecall 1800 102 201, www.winnebago.com.au.

We liked:

The bathroom layout is fairly compact but there is room to turn around without banging elbows.

The large storage area underneath the bed.

Driving the Iveco – doesn’t have a ‘big truck’ feel.

Front swivelling seat and the extra space created by the slide-out – there’s a few design possibilities there.

We would have liked:

Higher overhead lockers above the dinette.

Larger windows all round and one in the bathroom.

Larger apertures in the storage area above the driver’s cab.

Shelves, small though they might be, in the bed corners.