Caravan review: Coromal Thrill Seeker 18ft

Coromal Caravans is a well-known manufacturer in Australia. One which makes a range of caravans to suit both couples who like their comforts and families on a budget. The van models vary from 18ft to 21ft 6in and part of the range includes the Thrill Seekers — vans designed for semi-offroad use.

While the semi-offroad use definition is vague, it effectively means a van designed for rough gravel roads, including those found in many a national park. The Thrill Seeker is most definitely not a heavy-duty offroad traveller. 

The smallest van in the Thrill Seeker range is the 18ft model, and it’s not surprisingly designed for a couple. That said, a family van that is just 6in/150mm longer is available.

Rear door entry

Although called an 18ft van, it has an external length of 18ft 3in (5.56m). What do you get for a van that length? Quite a bit of space if considerations are reasonable. Being a rear door van, there’s just enough room for an offside kitchen and nearside dinette in the mid area, with a bedroom at the front end and a bathroom across the rear. Although the roof and walls are glossy white, the cabinetry and upholstery are a mixture of dark grey and black. The cabinetry all fits together reasonably well. The lower cupboards have easy-to-use door catches, but the overheads have a more discrete style — although still easy to use with arthritic fingers.

Catering space

Starting in the mid-section, the offside kitchen bench butts up against the fridge cabinet, which in turn is located against the bathroom wall. With a capacity of 175 litres, the three-way Thetford fridge is well-sized and suitable for off-grid stays. A little differently, the microwave oven is not mounted above the refrigerator, but instead in the alternative overhead locker position above the kitchen bench. 

With the Thetford four-burner hob and grill and the adjacent stainless-steel sink/drainer taking up most of the benchtop space, there’s a nominal amount of working area at the forward end. Under the benchtop, there’s quite a good amount of storage space with four drawers and a cupboard at your disposal. There’s less space available in the overhead lockers, where there is one for your storage needs while the other is taken up by the electrics — BMPRO Battery Plus 35A-II-HA battery management system, 12V switching, touch panel control and Fusion radio. 

Dining in comfort

L-shaped dinettes work well in this length layout, and this one is orientated to the rear so that it’s easy to get into when entering the van. Both the seats and the table are nicely sized for two people. Overhead lockers supply the usual storage, and there’s a floor locker door for the under-seat storage. A mains power point and USB charger outlet are also fitted to the under-seat area — not the best position for dangling leads. 

Cleaning up

The bathroom is bigger than it first appears. In addition to the nearside shower cubicle and offside cassette toilet, there’s also a washing machine. The rear cabinetry has been designed to include a top loading washing machine, as well as an array of drawers and a compartment in the offside corner that could be used for dirty laundry if nothing else. As a result of that, the toilet looks a bit squeezed in. Two fan hatches, one above the shower and the other above the toilet, supply the necessary circulating ventilation. 

Enjoy the view

Large windows on either side of the bed give a good view of the world outside. Between the bedside wardrobes and drawers, the caravan queen-sized mattress takes pride of place. In addition to the side cupboards and the compartments beside each pillow, there are the usual overhead lockers, and the bed can be lifted to get to the space underneath. A couple of low-height cupboards are in each corner at the base of the bed — and are a good height for tying shoelaces! It depends on how you like your L-shaped lounge but having it facing the rear makes getting around the bed base a bit more difficult. 

Underpinnings

Built as a semi-offroad caravan, the Thrill Seeker is fitted with AL-KO Enduro Cross Country suspension. It comes with coil springs, trailing arms and dual shock absorbers. 12in electric brakes are fitted to the 16in alloy wheels. The SupaGal chassis has 100mm x 50mm (4in x 2in) RHS rails and similarly sized raisers. The two 95L water tanks are fitted forward of the suspension but despite being a semi-offroad caravan, there’s no grey water tank included. A single battery box is affixed to the offside front chassis rail. 

At the sharp end, the drawbar is built using RHS sized 150mm x 50mm (6in x 2in) and has a Cruisemaster DO35 coupling. The drawbar also supports two 9kg gas cylinders and a good-sized alloy checkerplate toolbox.

For the bodywork, Coromal has opted for the traditional design with a meranti timber frame and smooth aluminium composite cladding. Eurovision double-glazed acrylic windows are fitted and the entry door, with a security screen, is made by Aussie Traveller. It hinges to the rear and doesn’t interfere with the adjacent window. 

When travelling off the grid, there’s a 100Ah AGM battery and 170W solar panel capacity. As usual, the cassette toilet is the limiter on extended stays, particularly in places like national parks. 

Customer care

Coromal offers a three-year structural warranty on its vans. That’s for the original purchaser only and does not cover all the OEM items like the chassis, tyres, fridges, stoves and microwave ovens. Like all warranties, some fine print should be read before purchase. 

The bottom line

Being the smallest in the Thrill Seeker lineup doesn’t hinder the 18ft model. It’s packed with features, designed for semi-offroad use and won’t place heavy demands on a tow vehicle. 

HITS AND MISSES

Hits

• Ideal for a mid-sized tow vehicle
• Good ground clearance with independent suspension
• No real compromise in the smaller van layout
• External storage capacity

Misses

• No grey water tank fitted
• Cassette toilet a bit of a squeeze
• L-shaped lounge limits bed access

COROMAL THRILL SEEKER 18FT RATINGS

VALUE FOR MONEY 
In the current market, it’s priced quite well

TOWABILITY 
Great for a 4WD ute or similar

SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING 
Has all the necessary gear fitted for a rough road tourer

BUILD QUALITY 
It’s generally good, with a few blemishes in the hard-to-see areas

LIVEABILITY
It’s a smaller van, but there’s still room to move easily

SELF-SUFFICIENCY
It has enough battery and solar panel capacity for a few days staying off-grid

CUSTOMER CARE
There’s a three-year structural warranty with the usual separate warranty on OEM items, including the chassis

INNOVATION
Nothing particularly noticeable, although having a front bed, rear bathroom layout in a van this length is noteworthy

X-FACTOR
Independent suspension for a rough road van

COROMAL THRILL SEEKER 18FT SPECS

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

EXTERNAL

INTERNAL

Coromal Thrill Seeker 18ft price from $71,490

MORE INFORMATION

Sydney RV Caravans & Motorhomes
9–20 Lemko Place
Penrith NSW 2750
P: 02 4722 3444

THE NEXT STEP

If you need help choosing your first caravan or are considering upgrading your existing one, check out the Coromal caravans available on TradeRVs today.

The sellers will be happy to help and answer any inquiries you may have about the products advertised for sale.

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