1974. It’s the year I was born. It’s also the year that Sunliner was born, and they, like me, have managed to hang around ever since. What we don’t have in common is an ability to produce innovative, high-quality RVs (mine are simply rubbish; I can never get the Paddle-Pop sticks to stay together).

An Australian owned and operated company, Sunliner’s competitive edge is the effort it puts into research. It employs both a marketing department to work with customer feedback, and a research and development department to keep ahead of the competition with new and emerging technology.

Some other tricks up Sunliner’s sleeves are its 24-month workmanship warranty and its Australia-wide service network. Dealerships are located on both sides of the Nullarbor and in four states, so finding one nearby should beeasy enough.

Sunliner does motorhomes as well as caravans, and has extensive model ranges in both. Each model can also come in a variety of different configurations, so the odds are you’ll find alayout that you like.

I took a Holiday motorhome for a test run, and the Ford Transit motor got up and went smoothly, easily keeping up with traffic. The Ford has more car-like than truck-like handling – a definite plus. The cabin noise was nice and muted; it didn’t sound like a busy café kitchen, as some motorhomes do once they start to move.

EXTERNAL

If the Sunliner looks to you like a smooth, seamless piece of design, that’s because it literally is. One of the innovations Sunliner employs is a monocoque construction, which is a fancy way of saying the shell consists of a giant single piece. Having a monocoque construction is as cool as it sounds – it eliminates the need for a separate frame and cladding, you get better strength and rigidity, and there are no joins that move about under load, creating wear, tear and breakages. To finish it all off, the exterior is moulded fibreglass.

If you do a lap around the Holiday, you’ll quickly see that all the bits you’d want to see are there. There’s an electric step, large ergonomic grab handle, awning, two 4kg gas bottles neatly tucked away in the rear, grey water outlet, external shower, and easy access to the Thetford waste canister.

A sizeable external storage locker is provided, which would be capable of swallowing a decent amount of gear. A couple of extras are there too. There’s a ‘wet’ locker, which is fully sealed and will easily wipe clean, so you can throw in wet gear, rubbish, muddy shoes – anything that might create a mess. Another excellent addition is a slide-out cooker.

EXTERNAL FEATURES

Chassis: Ford Transit 4490
Motor: 2.4L turbo diesel
Engine torque: 375Nm
Engine power: 103kW/140hp
Frame construction: Monocoque
Windows: Yes, Dometic double-glazed tinted with built-in blinds and flyscreens
Insulations: Sandwich panel walls
Corner Jacks: Yes, wind down
Waste water common outlet: Yes, wind down attached to the rear
Water tanks: 120L fresh, 80L grey
Water tank covers: No
Clearance: Standard
Brakes: Ventilated front disc brakes and solid rear disc brakes
Wheels: 5.5x16in
Tyres: 215/75 R16C
Awning: Rollout Dometic A&E8500
Boots(s): Storage locker
Gas cylinder size/s: 2 x 4kg
Hot water: Truma boiler 14L
Battery: 100Ah sealed battery
Battery charger: Electro 30A three-stage charger
Inverter: Optional
Solar panels: Optional
Solar provision: Yes
Entrance door/flyscreen: Camec full split door

INTERNAL

My first impression upon stepping inside the Holiday was nice. Not ‘that’s a nice jumper’ nice, but niiiice. It’s a very slick-looking van. The wood veneer floors and European cupboards make a stylish and modern impression. I found myself immediately drawn to the rear of the van, enticed by the flood of natural light through the huge windows, as well as the sumptuous lounge.

The cabinetry construction is first class – there’s not a rough, unfinished edge in sight. To get splinters inside the Holiday you’ll need to bring an axe. The overhead cupboards are built extra tall, since the Holiday itself has been given extra height to accommodate for the over-the-cabin bed. This also improves the sensation of space inside. With the large wardrobe at the rear, under-seat storage and bathroom cabinetry, there will be enough nooks and crannies for your bits and pieces.

The rear lounge is the star of the show. It’s U-shaped and palatially proportioned, taking up the entire rear of the van. I reckon you could get eight people tucked in around the table. It’s very comfortable, and two of you will stretch out with decadent ease. With the huge windows wrapping all the way around and with the right view, you won’t want to leave. The front dinette is small, as it needs to be, and will fit two people if required. I don’t imagine too much time will be spent here, though – not given the gorgeous lounge that beckons from the rear.

The bathroom can boast a separate toilet and shower, and the shower unit is made from a single piece of moulded fibreglass. The door has a full-length mirror on the inside, which rumour has it is a must-have for the ladies.

The bathroom faces the kitchen, which leaves only a narrow corridor in which to cook in and gain access the rear. I guess it’s just a good excuse to cuddle up to your partner as you squeeze past.

The kitchen has a decent amount of bench space for a unit of this size. A splash cover on the stove can be used as extra bench space, and there’s a thoughtful mini-shelf near the sink. I’d like to see a sink cover so you can create even morebench space, but that’s only a small consideration.

The cook top is a three burner, not a four burner for its compact size. Included in the kitchen cabinetry is a slideout pantry – that always brings a smile to my face. Slide-out everything, I say!

Sitting up front in the cabin is perhaps the only slight disappointment with this unit. There is nothing wrong with the car dash, but it just feels a bit utilitarian, especially in comparison to the rest of the van’s stylish design. Note you can instead opt for a Fiat or Iveco as the drive chassis in your motorhome.

And, I’ve saved the best ’til last. Get this – another double bed descends from the rear roof! How tricky is that? It comes to rest just above the rear lounge, and there is even separate lighting for it. It’s all electrically operated, so you just press a button and the bed slides up or down with little sound. No sleeping in the couch tonight, it’s even got a proper mattress for a good night’s sleep.

INTERNAL FEATURES

Fridge: Dometic 120L three-way
Television: 15in LCD TV/DVD combination
Antenna: Winegard wind up
Music system: CD/FM/AM radio combination
Cooking equipment: Spinflo 2+1 stove, grill and oven
Microwave: 20L
Heating/cooling: Dometic roof-mounted B3254
Rangehood: Swift stainless steel
Lighting: Ceiling and reading all 12V
Smoke alarms: Yes
Gas leakage detector: Yes located in the entry step area
Cupboard finishes: Laminated timber
Latches: Standard
Lounge configuration: Rear club lounge, front four-seat dinette
Seating capacity: 6/8
Upholstery: Cloth with driving seats to match
Sink: Deep-bowl stainless steel
Sleeping configuration: Front double bed above the peak, rear drop-down double
Berths: Four
Bed sizes(s): Double
Mattress: Standard, 1370mm x 1870mm
Under bed storage: Yes
Privacy screens: No
Bathroom configuration: Separate toilet, shower and wash basin
Privacy door: Solid
Toilet: Thetford C-200-CS, Electric 17L
Toilet roll holder: Yes
Shower head: Yes adjustable height and pressure
Washing machine: Optional Lemair top loader
Clothes dryer: No
Towel racks: Yes, tea towel in kitchen, bath towel in bathroom

RATINGS

Exterior: 5/5
Interior: 4/5
Layout: 5/5
Kitchen: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
Overall: 5/5

WORTH BUYING?

I’d buy it just for the descending bed! But seriously, having the bed so neatly out of the way during the day opens up many possibilities for how you can design your dream motorhome’s interior. The superb manufacture of the cabinetry and innovations like monocoque construction make the Sunliner Holiday a real temptation.

TECHNICAL SPECS

Make/model: Sunliner Holiday G38 24ft
Chassis number: WFOFXXTTFF7T39382
External body length: 7.32m (24ft)
External body width including awning: 2.48m (8ft 1in)
Vin Tare Weight: 3640kg
Vin GVM: 4490kg
NB: length and width are external measurements of the vehicle shell (and awning) only

CONTACT/THANKS

Contact person: Taury Adams
Company name: Melbourne RV Centre
Address: 120 Canterbury Road, Bayswater VIC 3153
Phonw: (03) 8761 6255
Fax: (03) 8761 6299
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.melbournerv.com.au

Manufacturer: Sunliner Recreational Vehicles
Manufacturer's phone: 1800 7865 4637
Manufacturer's email: [email protected]
Manufacturer's website: www.sunliner.com.au

Please Note: Prices were correct at time of review.

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY SEAN CUMMINS