Review: 19ft 6in SunFinder Caravan

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There is something to be said for being able to purchase a caravan ‘off the shelf’. The SunFinder brand of vans is, essentially, standardised. What you see is what you get. And what you get is, in truth, very good.

Built by Majestic Caravans, the SunFinder brand is all about getting you out there faster. Because they are built without customisation, the company is able to create these caravans in numbers before making them available for purchase, which in turn makes them a little cheaper.

While in some cases, minor aspects to a SunFinder might be able to be changed, they are built primarily to a set layout and features list.

MAJESTIC FLAIR

In my opinion, Majestic Caravans has been knocking it out of the park. The quality of their vans has gotten better and better, to the point that the fitout is hard to fault.

The SunFinders are available in three different sizes: 18ft 6in, 19ft 6in, and 21ft 6in. Each variant has two layouts to choose from, a couple’s layout and a family bunk layout. Our review van was the 19ft 6in couple’s van. Stepping inside, I was reminded of the Majestic Navigator, one of the company’s most popular models.

This layout incorporates a front bedroom, nearside kitchen, offside dinette, and a rear bathroom. The living space inside is surprisingly generous. The queen-size bed offers plenty of walk-around space, along with some overhead lockers and side wardrobes. Each wardrobe contains a niche with 240V powerpoint inside – the reading lights have a built-in USB port. However, I’d still love a 12V point in the niches. The cabinetry in the bedroom is really well done – everything looks square and there are no poor joins.

The TV bracket on the nearside attaches to the forward kitchen wall. There are some exposed bolt heads, but the bracket appears very secure.

The kitchen, meanwhile, has all the expected features. There’s a full cooktop, griller and oven, stainless steel sink with filtered drinking water, a good spread of storage options and even a bit of bench space.

The dinette, meanwhile, is one of those areas that can be changed – a cafe-style or L-shaped dinette is on offer. Our van had an L-shaped lounge and, honestly, it’s bigger than any L-shaped lounge I’ve seen on vans of comparable size. Four people would sit comfortably here. While there is a small hatch underneath for access to the storage space beneath, in practice you’d want to lift the cushions for access. In any event, space here is limited somewhat by the wheel arch.

Between the dinette and bathroom wall, Majestic has mounted a slimline Thetford fridge-freezer with a decent pot drawer underneath.

No question, this layout feels spacious; however, every van contains a compromise and here, it’s in the size of the bathroom. While it contains all the essential features and equipment, including a fully moulded fibreglass shower, it is a little tight around the toilet. That being said, I loved the offside corner linen cupboard. Now, the SunFinder would usually come with a front-loading washing machine within the middle cupboard. However, this was a customer’s van and the customer had specifically requested storage space instead of a washing machine.

Other features include a BMPRO BatteryPlus 35 battery management system with Trek digital display and OdysseyLink (brilliant), a CD player linked to a couple internal and external speakers, and a reverse-cycle air-conditioner.

It adds up to a convenient and very well presented package. And, dare I say it, there’s a noticeable Majestic flair to this van’s fit and finish.

EXTERNAL SUNFINDER HIGHLIGHTS

When building the SunFinder range, Majestic Caravans hasn’t steered away from formula. There’s a 4in DuraGal RHS chassis with riser, meranti timber frame, and smooth composite aluminium cladding with black checkerplate. The roof, however, is a one-piece composite fibreglass construction stretching from the front to the rear, while the floor is 12mm marine ply.

SunFinders are available in a semi-offroad or full offroad configuration. Our model was the semi-offroader. As such, it had a beam-axle leaf-spring suspension system with one Pedders shock-absorber per wheel. Being a tandem-axle rig in a 19ft 6in size, I immediately guessed that it would offer a generous payload capacity. I was right. With its Tare of 2265kg and ATM of 3200kg, 935kg worth of payload capacity is on offer. That is very generous for a mid-size couple’s van.

Hauling this van behind my D-MAX on highway and gravel tracks presented no problems. With its 50mm ball coupling and 12-pin plug, hitching up is straightforward. The van comes with a reversing camera, too, so the necessary cable to plug into the tow vehicle is there, too.

The A-frame isn’t equipped with a toolbox; however, there are two jerry can holders, two 9kg gas cylinders, and there’s plenty of room to fit weight distribution hitch brackets, if necessary. You will also find a fresh water tap with stoneguard on the A-frame.

External storage space is limited to the tunnel boot up front. A gas bayonet is mounted near the nearside boot, which is convenient because you might decide to fit a slide-out tray and barbecue inside the boot later on. I appreciated that an external shower was part of the standard package.

The water supply on this van is good. Two 95L tanks, mounted forward of the axles, are standard, as is a rear-mounted grey water tank. The 12V system is comprised of a single 100Ah AGM battery and one 170W solar panel; however, the battery management system is lithium-ready, so upgrading down the track is a simple task.

There’s really nothing lacking from the exterior. Sure, there are things that would be nice to have, such as an entertainment locker, but all the essentials, plus a couple more, are included. And it’s worth remembering that this van is intended as a ‘what you see is what you get’ product, with price in mind.

GORV’S VERDICT

Majestic Caravans is highly reputable and the fit and finish found in the Navigator, for example, is on show in the SunFinder. Our van towed well and felt balanced on the towball. Overall, it’s a solid, attractive proposition for anyone who wants to hit the road in comfort.