Caravan Review: MDC Forte SR14

MDC has launched a range of on-road caravans: the Forte SR Series. For a company that made its mark building offroad camper trailers and hybrids in China before importing them to our shores, the move into blacktop-only caravans came as a welcome surprise. 

Never heard of MDC? There are a couple things to know. First, the company was founded in 2005 and still builds its trailers in China and does not shy away from this fact. The being said, MDC’s team is heavily involved in the research, development and engineering of all its trailer models in collaboration with its off-shore factory.

The vans are finished off in the company’s Australian factory – in fact, MDC has multiple factories around the country and employs more than 150 people nationwide. Items such as air-cons and in some cases the under-body work are done here, but the bulk of the manufacturing work is done overseas.

MDC vans are obviously built to Australian requirements and, from a compliance standpoint, they are RVMAP-accredited. Furthermore, MDC is certified to the ISO9001 Quality Management Systems standard across its assembly facilities and showrooms

There are eight models in the Forte SR range, from 9ft to 22ft. The 14-footer, as seen here, offers a great deal of liveability in a light-weight, single-axle package. The Forte SR14, in fact, ticks a lot of boxes. It is strictly an on-road caravan which, in a market saturated with so-called ‘off-roaders’, I found quite refreshing. Let’s step inside.

INTERIOR MDC HIGHLIGHTS

Aesthetically, the interior is appealing. The layout works well, too. In the nose of the van is an east-west bed, a few overhead lockers, a couple of reading lights, and padded vinyl covering the front wall. A couple of drawers provide ready access to the storage space beneath the high-density foam mattress.

Amidships, there’s a comfortable dinette on the nearside, while the kitchen sits directly opposite.

The kitchen contains the Dometic 130L NRX1130 compressor fridge. This unit is versatile in that you can remove the 8.2L freezer compartment and use the entirety of the space for refrigeration only. It will take some jiggling to remove the compartment, though, as the fridge door can’t open all of the way due to the position of the bed. It can be done – it just takes a little fiddling.

In terms of cooking, the kitchen comes with a three-burner gas cooktop – no griller or oven is provided, which is something to be aware of. However, there is a microwave built into the overhead cabinetry. Bench space is a bit tight, but that’s the result of the fact it’s a 14-footer with all the gear – something has to give. In any case, the dinette table is right there, ready to be help with meal prep space.

I have been complaining about unsightly mounds silicone inside caravans for 15 years, especially when used to seal around the plumbing under the kitchen and bathroom sink. So imagine my surprise when I saw that MDC had used plastic collars to finish off the plumbing entry points! Honestly, if a company that has its vans built in China can get this right, then the companies that make their vans locally have no excuse. The finish in the Forte SR14 is much more in line with what you’d expect when paying tens of thousands of dollars.

Across the rear wall, MDC has given this van an excellent storage system comprised of a side wardrobe, a couple of overhead lockers, and some cupboards below a vanity/washbasin. It might seem counter-intuitive to have a bathroom vanity within the main cabin, but the bathroom itself is a combo unit containing a toilet and hand-held shower rose – space doesn’t permit anything else. That said, this rear section of the van is multi-functional, and I can see a benefit to having a sink close to the entrance of the van.

Poking around the interior, I discovered a Projecta control panel within a nearside overhead locker containing switches for the van’s various 12V functions, from the fridge to the hot water service. It also contains a Projecta volt-meter for at-a-glance information concerning the state of charge of the van’s 200Ah lithium battery. It has two 175W solar panels, too, along with a 1600W Projecta pure sine-wave inverter.

No, it’s not the most extensive 12V system in the world, but nor does it need to be. Remember: this is an on-road caravan that will likely spend a decent amount of time in holiday parks. Having said that, it is more than capable of spending a couple nights off-grid.

EXTERNAL FEATURES

Built on top of a 4in hot-dipped-galvanised chassis, the MDC Forte SR14 rides on a independent trailing arm coil suspension with Tough Trax shock absorbers on each arm. Looking underneath, I was impressed by how ‘clean’ it all looked, with all components protected or otherwise out of harm’s way. This includes the two 80L water tanks, which are mounted immediately fore and aft of the axle group where they’ll have minimal impact on ball weight. An 80L grey water tank is mounted further back.

The van is framed up in welded aluminium and clad in composite aluminium and black checkerplate. It’s undeniably a good-looking unit, with a certain streamlined appeal.

On the drawbar, you’ll find holders to suit tow 9kg gas cylinders (cylinders not provided) and a ball coupling. Nothing wrong with that – the humble 50mm ball coupling has been integral to Aussie caravans for decades!

The nearside is home to an electric awning – great! – as well as a fold-down picnic table and a tunnel boot towards the front. The rear has a spare wheel mounted to the bumper, and a reversing camera is included too. Oddly enough, I appreciated the fact that MDC had given this van a rear window – these are so rare to see on caravans nowadays, and I felt like it really added to the internal ambience and natural light.

The lithium battery is secured inside a vented steel box mounted to the offside chassis rail. Nearby, you’ll find the water fillers. I only bring these up because I appreciated the fact that a) the steel surround of each filler was engraved with its corresponding tank, and b) the mains water inlet was located within the body of the van too, rather than left to hang off the chassis rail. A much neater finish.

Now, MDC has given this van a gas bayonet; however, no external kitchen is provided – BYO barbecue. Nor can you really opt to have an external kitchen fitted. Because of the nature of this company’s manufacturing – which in part also allows MDC to keep its prices low – customisation isn’t really in the cards, nor is it really needed or expected for an on-road model at this price point.

SUMMING UP

Any compromises found within the Forte SR14 are minor and a function of the van’s size. But therein lies the beauty of this caravan: it absolutely offers a comfortable and convenient on-road touring lifestyle within a streamlined single-axle package that is readily towable by a wide range of vehicles.

Further, it comes with a five-year structural/chassis and drawbar warranty. In the market for a new van? This one is worth a good look.

THE SCORE

FIT AND FINISH

LAYOUT

INNOVATION

HITS & MISSES