Elddis Avenger Storm: Review

Under the body of the new Elddis Avenger Storm is a BPW Swing V-chassis which, by Australian standards, looks quite light with its punched-hole main rails (C-section not RHS) and few cross members. BPW is a well-known German manufacturer which is supplies caravan chassis in a number of countries. For vans destined for Australia, the chassis are strengthened and redesigned to handle the roads. The load capacity has been increased and the chassis raised 100mm to give better ground clearance. The brakes have also been upgraded.

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION

The van is built in a monocoque-type structure, with fibreglass composite used for the walls, roof and floor. It’s all bonded together in what Elddis calls its Solid Construction, which comes with a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Front windows give a distinctive look to many British caravans and the Elddis is no different. In this case, it consists of three separate windows across the front, one on each side, and a Skyview skylight (which doesn’t open) in the front of the roof. The entry door is a split, stable-style arrangement which is good if you want to be able to partially close the door, but not if you want to keep insects out, as the concertina-style insect screen can’t be used easily due to the garbage bin in the lower part of the door. Not that I’m complaining about the garbage bin, though – it’s far better than the traditional plastic bag hanging off the nearest hook! Another nice surprise is that there are only two keys for locking everything in this van – one for the entry door and the other for the front boot, side external bins and cassette toilet door. It’s so much easier and more practical than the large, heavy set of keys I am usually handed.

INTERIOR

On the opposite side of the van, between the entry door and the bedside wardrobe, is the Dometic 155L fridge and the microwave. The fridge is set at floor level, which means the microwave sits at a user-friendly height above. Adjoining this is a low cupboard with a cabinet above, designed for wine glasses. And there’s space between the two for a flatscreen TV.

The windows surrounding the sideways facing lounges make this an appealing area to sit and relax, giving a good view of the outside world, not to mention the two roof hatches, through which you can do some star gazing. Between the two lounges, the multi-functional cabinet can be used as a small table top or can slide out to create a slightly larger table. You can also pull out the slatted base to make the extra bed.

Overhead lockers are fitted on both sides and full-length floor locker doors give easy access to the under-seat areas. Part of the offside locker is taken up by the electrics, including the (labelled) mains circuit breaker and 12V fuse panel, which are all easy to get at.

HITS & MISSES

Pros…

Easy towing
Nicely appointed with a comfortable layout given weight and length
Two keys for everything
Well setup electrics
Generous roof hatches

Cons…

No shelf for bathroom vanity
Very small shelves next to bed
Fridge is on the small side
No security screen door

ELDDIS AVENGER STORM SPECS

Weights and measures

Overall length 8.05m (26ft 5in)
External body length 6.95m (22ft 10in)
External body width 2.3m (7ft 6in)
Travel height 2.84m (9ft 4in)
Internal height 1.95m (6ft 5in)
Tare 1774kg
ATM 2090kg
Ball weight 120kg

External

Frame n/a
Cladding Fibreglass composite
Chassis BPW hot-dipped galvanised
Suspension Independent rubber torsion
Brakes 10in electric
Wheels 14in alloy
Water 1x100L
Battery 1x110Ah
Solar No
Air-conditioner Truma Saphir
Gas 2x9kg
Sway control Intelligent Drive Control (IDC)

Internal

Cooking Thetford four-burner, grill and oven
Fridge Dometic RM8501 155L
Microwave Daewoo DC
Toilet Thetford cassette
Shower Separate cubicle
Lighting 12V LED
Hot water Alde gas/electric combo heater

Options fitted

None

Price as shown

$74,990 (on-road, NSW)

The full test appears in Caravan World #543 October 2015. Subscribe today for the latest caravan reviews and news every month!