Caravan review: Coromal Soul Seeker 16ft

Coromal Caravans is not a new name in the industry, but what is different about its latest van range is that the Walkinshaw Group builds it.

The Walkinshaw Group isn’t a name that might be associated with Coromal Caravans. However earlier this year, Tourism Holding Limited (THL) signed a deal for THL to manufacture Coromal vans on its behalf.

This is why the new Coromal Soul Seeker range is familiar, but there are some obvious signs of a new manufacturer. A good example is the Soul Seeker 16ft, from Penrith NSW dealer, Sydney RV. It was fresh out of the factory door, along with several longer models with different layouts.

A look under the Soul Seeker reveals a hot dipped galvanised steel chassis, but it is not built in the conventional box section style. It’s all CAD designed and has a Mandrel bend drawbar that gives the chassis a distinctive look. The chassis is robotically welded, and the C-section cross members have Dimple Die press holes. AL-KO stablilisers are fitted to each corner. The Soul Seeker is a road tourer fitted with conventional AL-KO eye-to-eye leaf spring suspension. The 15in alloy wheels are fitted with 12in electric brakes. There isn’t a grey water tank but the 110L fresh water tank, protected by galvanised sheeting, is mounted well forward of the axle.

Staying with tradition

Although the chassis may be different, the body construction uses the more conventional approach with a 19mm meranti timber frame that is finger-jointed. All the exterior cladding is 3mm aluminium composite and, even though it’s not an offroad van, there’s a lower waistline of black alloy checkerplate. Ranger double-glazed acrylic windows are fitted on both sides of the van, and the door is a Milenco Columbia fitting with a security mesh. Across the front, the tunnel boot offers a standard amount of storage space, and both it and the picnic table have LED scene lights above them.

Coromal offers a three-year manufacturer warranty. It’s downloadable from the Coromal website, and it has plenty of reading material. Warranty repairs can be done by any Coromal dealer or authorised repairer. Among other provisos, the customer must maintain servicing requirements.

The Soul Seeker’s power system is simple but adequate for a van that will spend most nights in a caravan park but also spend short periods off the grid. The 240V mains supply is suitable for items like the microwave oven, washing machine and air conditioner, while the 100Ah AGM battery and a 200W solar panel will easily cope with the water pump, lighting, and device charging. It’s controlled by a BMPRO BatteryPlus 35-II-HA Battery Management System (BMS).

A look inside

The colour scheme inside my review Soul Seeker is essentially monochromatic, primarily white with black cabinetry and grey upholstery. It’s an interesting mix of shades. All the cabinetry is constructed using lightweight Italian plywood.

Coromal calls this van a 16ft model but that’s a little deceptive because the external body length is 18ft (5.49m). That’s relevant because this layout, with a front island bed, wouldn’t fit in a 16ft van. It’s a forward door entry with an offside kitchen, nearside dinette and a full width rear bathroom. With all the essential features, it’s quite a practical layout for a couple.

Dominating the front area, the bed, when fully extended, has a length of 1.9m (6ft 2in). Even at its full size, there’s still a decent walk-around space at the base of the bed. The posture slat bed base supporting an innerspring mattress can be easily lifted to reach the storage space underneath. The bedside cabinetry fits together very well and includes a pillow cubby and drawer on either side. There are windows on either side, but the nearside one is smaller because of the large rollout awning arm location.

Sitting back

The cafe dinette looks very comfortable. The back and wall cushions are nicely contoured, and the squab invites you to take a seat without delay. There’s no footrest, but hey, you can’t have everything — there are floor lockers under the seats. A multi-fold table and cupboard underneath add to the fit-out level, as do the power point above the table and the USB slots in the reading lights.

Being creative with a caravan kitchen setup is challenging and Coromal, like many manufacturers, has opted for the tried and trusted. That is a Thetford four-burner hob and grill on the benchtop, along with a stainless-steel sink and, in this case, a small drainer. Benchtop space is almost non-existent but the black tile-look for the splashback is a little creative. A cupboard and three large drawers are fitted in below the benchtop, and while the drawers are quite large, smaller ones may be a more practical use of space. In the air space above the kitchen bench, there’s one overhead locker, the other is for the BMPRO BMS. It’s easily accessible for circuit testing, and the touchpad control is adjacent to the entry door.

Between the kitchen bench and the rear bathroom, the Thetford 170L three-way fridge is well-sized, and the microwave oven, another kitchen essential, is in position above the fridge.

At the rear

Getting into some caravan bathrooms can be a squeeze but the Soul Seeker’s does have room to turn around in the central area and the shower cubicle. Things are tighter around the Thetford cassette toilet but the shelf above the water heater is well positioned — as is the wall mounted washing machine above. Bathroom storage is reasonably sufficient with a couple of cupboards and overhead lockers. There’s a good-sized wall mirror, and like the rest of the van, the lighting is subtle but effective.

Road touring

With an ATM of 2420kg, the Soul Seeker 16ft is well suited to a wide range of tow vehicles, certainly a dual-cab ute but others with a lesser maximum tow rating as well. In that case, engine power and torque are also considerations. It travelled with aplomb on the freeway and minor country roads. Manoeuvring and reversing around in a car park on the single axle wasn’t a problem.

The bottom line

Since the merger of THL and the Apollo Group (owner of Coromal Caravans) in late 2022, some exciting developments have occurred. Getting another manufacturer to build your own range of caravans isn’t new but an interesting development in the industry. Walkinshaw has done a fine job with the Soul Seeker, particularly as it’s a single-axle van. It has much to commend for a couple who don’t want a huge caravan.

Measuring up

Pros

• Excellent towing prospect for a range of vehicles
• Simple suspension for easy repairs
• Walk space around the bed
• Single axle keeps the overall weight down

Cons

• Misleading nomenclatureon length
• Small kitchen area
• Toilet space is a bit tight

COROMAL SOUL SEEKER 16FT RATINGS

VALUE FOR MONEY

Being in a price bracket similar to several competitors might offer opportunities for pencil sharpening in these economic times

TOWABILITY

An easy towing van suited to vehicles with a maximum tow rating under 3000kg

SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING

Great for a couple looking for a road tourer

BUILD QUALITY

The Walkinshaw build looks good and everything opened and close as it should

LIVEABILITY

It is practical to use the popular front bed/rear bathroom layout for a van this length

SELF SUFFICIENCY

Okay for off-grid stays if the battery is used conservatively

CUSTOMER CARE

Coromal offers a three-year manufacturer’s warranty and a reasonable dealer/repair network

INNOVATION

There is not a great deal on the innovation front, but for Coromal, the chassis design is a bit different

X-FACTOR

Quite well set up for a single-axle caravan

COROMAL SOUL SEEKER 16FT SPECS

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

EXTERNAL

INTERNAL

Coromal Soul Seeker 16ft price from $73,790

OPTIONS FITTED

Nil

MORE INFORMATION

Sydney RV Group

9-20 Lemko Place

Penrith NSW 2750

P: 02 4722 3444

THE NEXT STEP

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