Kokoda Commando F226 Reviewed

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Kokoda’s latest caravan is not what you’d expect from this well-regarded manufacturer. If you’re expecting a meranti timber frame, composite aluminium cladding and a front-bedroom, rear-bathroom layout, you would be mistaken.

The Kokoda Commando F226 family van is a different breed of caravan. In fact, it looks entirely different from the rest of the Kokoda line-up. This composite fibreglass sandwich panel van, riding on a 6in chassis with 6in drawbar, is clearly intended for offroad, off-grid touring for extended periods.

Our review van is the product of real-world R&D. The husband and wife owners of Kokoda took the prototype on a long trip away with their kids, with the intention of incorporating their experience, ideas and areas for improvement, into the final design.

The result is a caravan that brooks no compromise. It even has a laundry chute. Intrigued? I don’t blame you…

KOKODA COMMANDO: EXTERNAL INNOVATION

The F226 is the first van in Kokoda’s new Commando range. It is a high-riding rig with a purposeful stance on the road, tipping the scales at 3477kg, with an ATM of 4500kg. However, you can opt for a 3500kg ATM on the standard model F226.

The design is such that despite having a body length of 22ft 6in, when unhitched on a site in a van park, it takes up much the same room as a 21-footer, thanks to a couple of design tricks employed by Kokoda Caravans. By fitting a custom rear bar (with in-built storage space!) and mounting the spare wheels to the van rather than the rear bar, Kokoda has saved at least 300mm in length.

There is a lot to appreciate about this van’s exterior. For example, rather than mounting a garden-variety fold-down picnic table to the nearside, Kokoda has customised a mini kitchen. A table made of composite fibreglass folds down to reveal a recessed space that would suit a portable electric cooker and the like.

And that brings me to one of the key features of the Commando F226. This is a gas-less caravan, a trend we are seeing more, which is made possible by advances in lithium battery technology. This van uses the 51V, 14.3kW/h DCX lithium system by OzXCorp with a 5000W inverter – and that’s only the beginning of what this genuinely impressive battery system offers. The battery is mounted between the chassis rails, fully protected. However, this is an upgrade. The 7kW/h DCX system is standard.

The battery can accept massive amounts of solar input, too. The Kokoda Commando F226 comes standard with 1600W of solar, but the ‘Take Charge’ option adds a twist. There are eight panels, but instead of being spread around the roof of the van, they are ‘stacked’ in two sections. The upper panel of each section is on an electric slide-out tray. Push a button and these trays will slide out from both sides, exposing the lower panels to the sun and revealing 3200W of solar panels. Clever.

The storage box on the A-frame is another highpoint. This box contains three open-storage containers at the front, and a custom laser-cut slide-out tray to suit a 96L Evacool portable fridge/freezer with storage tray above on the nearside. The offside, however, contains a front-loading washing machine.

It’s unusual to have the washing machine outside, true, but it makes sense. You might be wondering if carrying your washing outside in a basket might become tedious. Well, Kokoda has given the van a locker next to the washing machine with a built-in laundry chute in the bathroom. Just drop your washing in and let it collect in the locker below!

I am really only scratching the surface on this van’s external features. As I said, there is a lot to take in, including air-bag suspension that can be controlled by an app on your smartphone. Of course, you can also use the in-built air-compressor to increase your tyre pressures, too. There’s also a large tunnel boot at the rear, another large storage boot for fishing rods and tackle, etc., not to mention various optional steel storage boxes mounted to the chassis rails.

Our van was equipped with three 110L fresh water tanks, two 56L dedicated drinking water tanks, a reversing camera, an electric awning and much more.

If you’re familiar with Kokoda’s caravans, one quick look around the Kokoda Commando F226 will be enough to show you that this van represents more than a facelift. It is something new entirely.

SURPRISING LAYOUT

The innovation continues on the inside, with a layout that took me by surprise. A king-size, foam, ergonomic bed (which you can actually lift the corners of to dress) fills out the rear of the van, sitting above the cutaway.

By foregoing the traditional bedside wardrobes and instead providing ‘his and hers’ storage lockers on the nearside, not to mention a vast amount of overhead lockers, Kokoda has created a functional space that allows for a larger and more comfortable mattress.

Further, by omitting the traditional cooktop, griller and oven, and instead providing an induction electric cooktop only, the kitchen feels more spacious than it otherwise might. The cooktop runs off the DCX inverter, backed by that massive battery capacity. This battery will also simultaneously run the reverse-cycle air-con and any other 240V appliance.

The dinette is comprised of a single lounge and a multi-directional table and is quite comfortable.

The Kokoda Commando F226 gets a 274L Dometic compressor fridge, as well as a microwave, and who wouldn’t like the black sink and matching tapware with pull-out mixer, not to mention dual slide-out rubbish bins?

Our van was equipped with onboard Starlink. This isn’t a standard feature; however, should customers want it, they only need to provide the system themselves and Kokoda will fit it at the factory.

Two bunks are fitted in the front of the van, though you can opt for three. Each bunk has a 12V Sirocco II fan, a reading light, charging point, and there’s a wardrobe with three drawers. By moving the washing machine to the A-frame, Kokoda has freed-up space in this area, which is where the machine would typically have been fitted.

That leaves the offside-front bathroom, a well-appointed space. Nothing feels cramped or out of place, and that laundry chute is a simple but very clever feature.

Again, we have only scratched the surface. I will, however, mention that the fit and finish is excellent.

GORV’S VERDICT

The Kokoda Commando F226 is one of the most appealing, intriguing and fit-for-purpose vans that I have seen in some time. It is clearly a labour of love.

It makes excellent use of available technology and everything seems to have a clearly defined purpose. Yes, it weighs nearly 3500kg at Tare, and you’ll need a tow vehicle that can manage 4500kg if you intend to make full use of the available payload capacity.

That said, this caravan brings a great deal to the table. It’s not about bells and whistles with this van. It’s about a lifestyle… and I think Kokoda has squarely hit the mark.