Avan Aspire 555: Lightweight Touring Without the Price Tag
Avan Aspire 555
Anyone attending a current Australian caravan show might get the impression that a prospective caravan owner contemplating a trip around and across Australia may well require a caravan with enough steel in the chassis to build a small bridge, a suspension system to handle the Gibb River Road, and enough battery and solar capacity to run a house.
The reality, though, is that if you're staying mostly in caravan parks and only leaving the tarmac for the occasional national park gravel road, something much lighter, less expensive, and not requiring a heavy-duty tow vehicle is eminently practical.
The problem, though, for someone less than fully familiar with the Australian caravan industry, is finding a road touring van with a GVM under 2000kg and an affordable price for someone on a tight budget. At a caravan show, the lighter-weight tourers are often hidden behind the more glamorous vans.
Unfortunately, some brand names like Swift, and Adria, whose speciality was imported lightweight caravans, have gone. However, manufacturers like Avan, based in Pakenham, Victoria, are still very much in business, and they offer a good range of lighter vans. A question for many, though, is often: is there much of a compromise? To find out, I picked up an Avan Aspire 555 hardtop from Avan Sydney and took it for a spin.
The Van
Avan's Aspire is 5.36m (17ft 7in) long, is a single-axle van, and has a Tare mass of 1566kg and an ATM of 1995kg. That means vehicles like a Mazda CX-60, Kia Sorento, and Subaru Outback are all contenders for towing. In my case, I was using an LDV T60 dual cab ute. With its 160kW/500Nm turbo-diesel engine and a maximum towing mass of 3500kg, it was a bit over-capacity for towing the Aspire. However, towing with a ute that’s well within weight limits makes for a very easy, no-stress drive. Although the Aspire has a width of 2.39m (7ft 9in), I did find the LDV's mirrors didn't quite give me a good rear view, so I fitted my Milenco extensions, which clipped neatly onto the LDV mirrors.
Under the Skin
Avan uses a different construction method than more traditional manufacturers. Almost all of the company's manufacturing is done in-house. The chassis is made from hot-dipped galvanised steel, with the main beams in RHS steel, but the C-section cross members use a punched-hole design to save weight.
Keeping things simple, the suspension is a basic leaf spring and beam axle arrangement, and a standard 50mm ball coupling is used for the hitch. Both 90-litre water tanks have gal sheet protection. At the rear of the van, the bumper bar mounts an easily accessible spare wheel.
In a departure from many vans, a minimum of timber is used in the body construction. The walls and roof are a sandwich panel construction, with an aluminium sheet exterior, structural foam in the middle, and a ply sheet interior – a tried and trusted technique that Avan has used for many years. Large double-glazed acrylic windows are used all round, and the security door is an hourglass style. There isn't a stone cover on the front wall, so anyone contemplating gravel roads might like to think about aftermarket protection. The alfresco area is covered by a wind-out Thule Omnistor awning.
For a relatively small van, there's excellent tunnel boot storage. It’s well-lit, and the essential caravan tools – winders for the awning and AL-KO stabilisers, etc. – are all neatly clipped to the front wall. There’s no separation between the tunnel boot and storage area under the front double bed, so you can access it from inside the van as well.
Protect Your Caravan
A long touring trip can expose your caravan’s tow hitch to dust, road grime and the elements. The Navigator Tow Hitch Buddy is a simple way to help keep hitch components clean and protected between trips or while your caravan is parked. Made from durable PVC and designed to fit most caravan hitches, it’s a handy little addition to your touring kit.
Inside
The Aspire 555 has a forward door entry and a familiar layout – a front island bed, a full-width rear bathroom, with the kitchen and dinette in between. In the 555 range, there are several layouts, including one with single beds. The cabinetry has a slightly Euro-layout look about it – the curved doors on the overhead lockers and the curved table edges do a great job of distilling the square cabinetry look. Avan's colour scheme mixes glossy beige, brown, and grey, which might sound dull, but it's easy on the eye and not jarring.
A forward door entry means you step straight into the bedroom area, which not everyone appreciates, but it does give the front area of the van an unconfined feel. That’s aided by the generous front window area, which is slightly asymmetrical because the windows on either side are different sizes. The bed, measuring 1.83m x 1.43m (6ft x 4ft 8in), has the typical bedhead of side wardrobes and cabinets, plus overhead windows above the front window. Pillow cubbies are installed on either side, along with the all-important charger sockets. Lifting the gas-strut-assisted bed base gives access to the underbed area. It’s mostly empty storage space, except for the 100Ah Lithium LiFePO4 battery and accompanying Projecta PM335C power management system.
Catering
The kitchen is a mix of conventional and not-so-conventional. The benchtop contains a four-burner cooker/grill and a stainless-steel sink and drainer. Built into the cabinetry are a couple of cupboards, one with built-in drawers, a pots and pans drawer, and a wine bottle rack. At the rear end of the bench, the Thetford 175-litre, three-way fridge has a Whirlpool microwave and a cupboard above both. At the bed end of the kitchen, there are open shelves above, smaller compartmented shelves below, and a slide-out extension to the kitchen bench in the middle.
Facing the kitchen bench is an L-shaped dinette. It’s quite a comfortable setup with easy access from either side – the table isn’t fixed in place. Storage doors are at both ends of the seat base. Above the dinette, the overhead lockers are compartmented, with open shelves at the forward end.
ONBOARD AMENITIES
Although not an oversize van, the rear bathroom is fully equipped and doesn't feel cramped. There's an offside Thetford cassette toilet, a decent-sized nearside shower cubicle, and a vanity cabinet across the rear wall. The latter is fitted with cupboards, drawers, and shelf space, plus a pedestal-style wash basin. The large window is an unusual touch, but it provides decent natural ventilation when needed.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Avan has been producing caravans (and motorhomes) for a long time, so the brand has plenty of experience behind it. The Aspire is a sensible van that doesn't have too many pretensions, but it's great for a couple who wants to travel in a fairly simple style, with all the basic comforts. Compromises are few; it's nicely priced and is neither excessively heavy nor oversized. Anyone looking for a road tourer should certainly have the Aspire on their potential purchase list.
IN BRIEF
5.36m (17ft 7in) external length
Road tourer van with a Tare Mass of 1566kg
Leaf spring single axle suspension
Front bed/rear bathroom layout
PROS
Great as a road tourer that isn't overweight
Well priced
Relatively roomy interior
External and internal storage
CONS
No solar panel as standard
Lack of front window protection
RATINGS
VALUE FOR MONEY 9/10
Priced for a buyer on a budget
TOWABILITY 8.5/10
Easily towed by a variety of mid-sized tow vehicles
SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING 7.5/10
Great for blacktop touring and caravan park use.
BUILD QUALITY 7.5/10
Everything operates as it should
LIVEABILITY 7/10
Despite being only a 5.36m van, it has a decent living area.
SELF SUFFICIENCY 6/10
Has a 100Ah Lithium battery but no solar capacity. Good amount of water,
CUSTOMER CARE 8/10
Avan provides a 24-month warranty and has dealers in all states but not the Northern Territory. Some manufacturers are offering longer terms these days.
INNOVATION 6.5/10
It's built very much in the Avan style, but there's less innovation and more continuity of style.
X-FACTOR 6/10
It's not a particularly heavy van but still offers a comfortable interior
Avan Aspire 555
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Body length 5.36m (17ft 7in)
Overall length 6.9m (22ft 8in)
Width 2.39m (7ft 9in)
Height 2.75m (9ft)
Interior height 1.92m (6ft 9in)
Tare 1566kg
ATM 1995kg
Payload 429kg
Ball weight 135kg
EXTERNAL
Frame Composite sandwich panel
Cladding Aluminium external
Chassis Hot-dip galvanised, 130mm x 50mm
Suspension Leaf spring & beam axle
Coupling 50mm ball
Brakes Electric drum brakes
Wheels 15in
Water 2 x 90 litre
Battery 1 x 100Ah
Solar Optional
Air-conditioner Houghton Belaire 2400E
Gas 2 x 4.5kg
Sway control No
INTERNAL
Cooking Hawk 600 4 burner & grill
Fridge Thetford 175 litre 3-way
Bathroom Separate shower cubicle, Thetford cassette toilet
Hot water Swift 28 litre gas/electric
PRICE FROM $69,990
OPTIONS FITTED
Nil
PRICE AS SHOWN $69.990
MORE INFORMATION
To enquire about this caravan,
Avan Sydney
97 Glossop Street
North St Marys NSW 2760
Ph: (02) 9833 9737
