Caravan review: Jayco Discovery 21.66-4 Outback — Australia’s next best seller?

The range of Jayco Discovery caravans replaces the Journey, Jayco’s most popular family vans ever, so it has big shoes to fill. Does it have what it takes to become the best-selling caravan of 2025 and on?

In brief

• New look for Jayco’s most popular range
• Lounge slide-out offers extra space
• Semi-offroad van

Our test van — the Jayco Discovery 21.66-4 Outback — ticks so many boxes I really do expect it to be one of if not the most popular vans in Australia for the coming few years. It is 21ft 6in (6.6m) long, the most popular size, features a north bed, centre dining and rear ensuite, one of the most popular layouts. Plus, it’s a Jayco with the popular Outback upgrade option. It has everything going for it.

A famous name reborn

The Discovery is not a new range to Jayco but one we have not seen in some years, and it replaces the Journey, which once replaced it.

The Journey and now Discovery are in the sweet spot of ranges available from Jayco. The Discovery sits above the Starcraft, which is very budget friendly and new-to-caravanning focused and below the more offroad, off-grid All-Terrain and luxury Silverline ranges.

The Journey was the best-selling range; the Discovery will no doubt follow on thanks to its blend of quality looks, feel and inclusions yet modest and affordable power and appliances used in its fit-out.

The Jayco Discovery is shaping up to be Australia’s most best-selling van

To slide-out or not?

We had a slide-out variation of the Discovery 21.66-4, which for some is a no-go, but I think it should be a go-to. The slide-out is above the lounge, opposite the kitchen, so you can tuck it away on windy nights to avoid the sound of canvas flapping, and it adds oodles of space where it matters — where you entertain.

It does add a bit of cost, weight and complexity, however. The driveway price of the 21.66-4 you see here is $92,990, including the slide-out and Outback options, while its tare weight is 2450kg or about 90kg more than the most similar non-slide-out variant, the 22.68-3. The 22.68 will also save you $3000 on the 21.66 with its rear club lounge and centre ensuite layout. Remove the Outback option, and you can have this same layout for $86,990. (Head here to see the variety of floor plans available for the Discovery range)

What would I do? I’d choose between the Outback 21.66-4 (with the spacious slide-out club lounge) and 22.68-3 with the rear club lounge, both in Outback and here is why.

The slide-out creates a lot more internal living spaceThe slide-out allows for a spacious club lounge

Why Jayco makes the best first van

Jayco will build in the region of 22,000–28,000 units in 2025. That’s according to Jayco founder Gerry Ryan who hosted us for lunch a few months back and although a far call from the record-setting years of 2022 and 2023, it still represents the most caravans, campers and motorhomes from one brand in the country, and by some margin.

Jayco also nails the simple stuff. The floor is a polyethylene terephthalate or PET plastic for us dyslexics. The roof is one-piece fibreglass, the frame is aluminum and the power systems are basic but scalable as your needs arise and from a household brand (Projecta). When people ask me what makes a good van, especially novice caravanners, it’s the above that matters.

With a PET floor, there is no chance of dreaded rot. The alloy frame is light but tough and also will not rot while with the Projecta PM535, you can add another lithium battery and inverter if you cannot justify the cost on order (there is a good upgrade option dubbed the Power Pack that does exactly that, I would order it).

The Outback pack adds a touch more exterior protection by way of additional checkerplate and JTECH 2.0 suspension, which raises the body higher from the ground (without going extreme) courtesy of its independent trailing arm suspension.

JTECH 2.0 independent trailing arm suspension

The Outback option gives you a caravan capable of going that little bit further. Add on a grey water tank, and you’re set for national park overnighters and a weekend getaway.

Why all of that matters is resale and support. Buying from a brand with the reach of Jayco (more than 130 repair agents and retailers nationwide) is important, and couple that with buying one of the most popular models and it’s a safe bet you will always have a good van to trade in when it’s time to upgrade to that Silverline you have been eyeing.

How did the Discovery tow?

With a tare of 2450kg and an ATM of 3050kg, you should look at a vehicle with a 3500kg max-braked tow capacity for a comfortable tow. You could limit your loading to under 3000kg and use an older Toyota Prado or ute, but you would likely be at the limit of both the tow vehicle’s GCM capacity and capability. A good fit would be what we used, a Ford Ranger with its 3500kg tow capacity and 6350kg GCM. Towing the Discovery 21.66-4 at full weight, the Ranger would still have almost a tonne for fuel, a load and accessories — a perfect result.

Our Ranger was the Wildtrak 2.0L Bi-Turbo, one of the best-selling models in the best-selling vehicle in Australia. Some will wonder if the small capacity engine has the guts to haul 3000kg; it does. You can read more about it in Tony O’Kane’s excellent review here.

Towing along the Great Ocean Road, Vic, with the Ranger Wildtrak 2.0L Bi-Turbo

The Wildtrak carries a sizable RRP due to a couple of options and the steady rise in prices. At $73,140, plus on road costs as seen in Tony’s review, it is a big chunk of change, and you could suffice with less but with the Wildtrak you get what I think is the best interior in a ute plus features like a lockable tonneau cover, which I really rate.

In terms of fuel consumption, the 2L Bi-Turbo is hard to beat. We saw around 16L per 100km travelled over 550km of spirited driving down Victoria’s iconic Great Ocean Road. More sensible towing would no doubt get that down a litre or two which would have it best in class.

My experience suggests you would get about the same or a litre more per 100km from an Isuzu D-MAX or MU-X and the same again more from a new LandCruiser or V6 Ranger.

For feel on the road, the Discovery 21.66-4 is boring, which is great. It is not too high off the ground as to have it lurch in turns and it showed no vices at speed; it’s also good to see that a sway controller comes standard.

Updated looks

Some people do not like the new Dune exterior colour of the new Discovery range, and I am not sure why. It looks fantastic in person and is different from the masses of grey and off-white we commonly see. I have yet to see one that is not Dune, but you can order a Discovery that way; Jayco will charge you for the privilege, however — $1500, I believe, for a less-interesting off-white.

The new exterior ‘Dune’ colour is a standoutThe interior has a very Euro feel about it

Inside is where the Discovery 21.66-4 really stands out for looks. There are a number of options for the upholstery, with ours covered in Lola Grey. The cabinetry was the star in Reed Green, which offset nicely against the Stone Grey benchtops and a pale mint green subway tile in the ensuite and on the splashback. The look has a Euro feel about it yet there is substance behind the smooth surfaces with the seat framing all aluminium and decent latches throughout.

Complete with a classy black sink and tap, the 21.66-4 has the largest single benchtop in a Jayco to date, which, for those of us who love a coffee and air fryer, makes a real difference. I should flag that the microwave is mounted above the bench, which is not ideal for lifting hot meals from. In terms of appliances, the Discovery 21.66-4 is well adorned.

Appliances

The microwave is a Sphere unit which I’d like to see mounted under bench height to reduce burn risks from hot food spills. The oven is a combi-unit from Thetford, a Triplex Plus with four gas hobs, grill and oven. Hot water comes from a Suburban Nautilus continuous gas system (the stove and HWS are fed by two 9kg gas bottles). For comfort and ease of use, the awning is electric while a Slumberest Cloud 9 pillowtop mattress should see you sleep well at night.

The full ensuite is as elegant as the rest of the interior

There is a top load washing machine with 3.3kg capacity tucked under the rear bench beside the cassette toilet and, most importantly, there is a massive fridge/freezer featuring a compressor able to run on either 12 or 240V; a Thetford 224L (my favourite large upright fridge).

The large 224L compressor fridge is a favourite

Self-sufficiency

This is still a Jayco and only a mid-tier model, so it is not designed or fitted out as an off-grid powerhouse. It has a modest 200W solar panel on the roof (a second is optional) and a single 100Ah lithium battery that will keep the aforementioned fridge running and lights on a day or two in inclement weather and longer if you park in the sun (my experience with the same setup in another trailer has been indefinite in good summer weather).

Under the chassis are two 95L freshwater tanks and provision for a grey tank (I would always opt for the grey tank to gain access to NSW and WA national parks). This volume of water should last you a week or two, depending on how much use you make of the shower.

I mentioned the optional Power Pack earlier which will take the Discovery 21.66-4 to a level where you could run a small air fryer, coffee machine or charge laptops and so on without issue. It comes with a 2000W inverter, twin 120Ah batteries and a second 200W solar panel. The Power Pack might fire up the roof-mounted air-conditioner, but it will not run it for long, so it is best to consider using the air-conditioner only when connected to mains power.

Value for money

Only a year ago, a similar layout Jayco Journey Outback of the same size was $3000 cheaper than what you see here. It did not come with the same lithium battery or fridge and was dated internally. Is the price jump worth it? I think so, the 2025 Discovery caravan is a better looking, more modern feeling van with a touch more value in the larger fridge and battery. I’m honestly surprised the price didn’t go up more with the constant pressure of suppliers and wage price rises.

In terms of competition, there is pressure from the imported Snowy River Caravans SRC-22S that has the same layout (and slide-out) which when optioned with a similar sized fridge (the only real appliance difference) comes in at around $81,000. The price difference might seem great, but it is a dedicated on-road van that rides on torsion suspension, which from experience is far less capable or compliant than the JTECH 2.0. Snowy does not offer an SRT (all-terrain) van with the same layout and independent suspension. From local builders, Crusader Caravans does not appear to offer a slide-out with the same layout and nor do New Age Caravans, making an apples-to-apples comparison hard.

The new Discovery with the Outback package is great value for money and has the potential to become the most popular model in the Jayco range

So, will the Jayco Discovery be Australia’s best selling caravan in 2025?

You will have to be the judge on the value, but I would suggest, like I always do, if you are new to vans, buy Jayco and buy a popular model, as they are well supported with the largest support network of agents and their resale value is predictable and solid. The Discovery will likely be the most popular series of vans in Australia, so it is unlikely you will go wrong with one.

Measuring up

Pros

• Slide-out gives you more space
• Reliable if basic Jayco fitout
• Standout colour
  

Cons

•  Prices keep rising

JAYCO DISCOVERY 21.66-4 OUTBACK RATINGS

VALUE FOR MONEY

Jayco’s ability to keep prices competitive with less well supported imports is impressive

TOWABILITY

I’d suggest a vehicle capable of 3500kg towing for the 3050kg ATM Discovery 21.66-4

SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING

As a ‘holiday park to holiday park’ long-distance cruiser, it fits the bill well

BUILD QUALITY

Reliable and simple are what best describe Jayco’s build

LIVEABILITY

The extra space at the slide-out adds a lot of liveability, as does the massive bench

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

It’s not designed for weeks off-grid, but it will give you a few with the inclusions shown here and more if optioned up

CUSTOMER CARE

A two-year warranty on the body and five years structural warranty coverage is decent, though water crossings and damage from corrugations are excluded even on the Outback models

INNOVATION

Steady as she goes with new design and better appliances

X-FACTOR

The new colour stands out as does the bigger bench and slide-out positioning

JAYCO DISCOVERY 21.66-4 OUTBACK SPECS

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

EXTERNAL

INTERNAL

Jayco Discovery 21.66-4 Outback price from $92,900

OPTIONS FITTED

N/A

Jayco Discovery 21.66-4 Outback price as shown $92,900

MORE INFORMATION

Jayco

1 Jayco Drive

Dandenong South Vic 3175

P: 03 8792 2000

E: info@jayco.com.au

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