Caravan review: Option RV Traction 20ft Mid Door

Malcolm reviews the Option RV Traction 20ft Mid Door model and discovers there’s a lot to like about this distinctive looking van.

In brief

• 6.12m (20ft) mid-door van
• Tandem axles with airbag suspension
• Island bed layout
• Designed for exploring outback Australia
• External battery management system panel

Boutique caravan manufacturer Option RV could almost get lost in the crowd within the multi-brand Australian caravan manufacturing industry, particularly as it comes from Victoria. However, it’s something of a quiet achiever. A family-owned business, Option RV produces the Tornado, Distinction and Traction models of caravans suitable for sealed road and off-the-beaten-track travel.

The Traction models sit at the most adventurous end of the range, and while layouts are to suit all tastes, the 20ft Mid Door is undoubtedly a popular choice for many travellers, combining a practical towing length and an interior design with room to move, which is something that Cameron Jordan, marketing man from 7th Street Caravans was keen to point out. 7th Street is the NSW dealer for Option RV and is located at Heatherbrae (Newcastle), a couple of hours north of Sydney. Heatherbrae has, in recent years, become the caravan dealer hub of the area.

A handsome exterior

Like all the Option RV vans, the Traction has a distinctive and stylish look, both in body style and colour. Of note is the lower waistline and drawbar storage boxes, all made of alloy checkerplate and matching the grey body colour. The front, rear and side walls are all made from aluminium composite cladding, while the roof is a fibreglass sandwich panel.

The body and colour of the Traction are distinctive and stylish

The windows are the familiar Dometic double-glazed acrylic variety, and the entry door is an Aussie Traveller with a separate security screen. The door is hinged on the right and doesn’t interfere with any opening windows. Orange and white scene lights are fitted all around, including three on the nearside wall, plus the usual grab handle lights. Under the awning is a picnic table and two external speakers.

Built into the offside wall is the Arizon electrical panel. It’s an easy-to-reach location for the pre-wired power board, which includes the Victron 12V 2000VA MultiPlus inverter/charger, 30A MPPT solar charger controller and 30A DC–DC. It’s all neatly laid out and great for system checking and fault-finding. Powering the electrics are 300Ah of lithium LiFePO4 battery capacity and three 200W solar panels.

The Gusto dust reduction system (DRS) is unobtrusive because it’s wall-mounted rather than on the roof. Designed to pressurise the van and eliminate dust ingress, it is powered off 12V DC. A benefit of the wall mounting is that it leaves roof space for features like solar panels.

External storage and protection

In addition to the front tunnel boot and a smaller offside rear storage bin, the storage box on the drawbar considerably increases the external storage space. Conventionally, it has compartments, but it also has a lower drawer on both sides. That’s different from the usual, and it’s a plus point.

The usual items are also on the drawbar: two 9kg gas cylinders, a mesh stoneguard, a water tap and the usual towing essentials, including a Cruisemaster DO35 hitch. Using the handle close to the stoneguard can be awkward, depending on the jockey wheel height.

Generous external storage

As with any well-built structure, the SupaGal box section provides a solid foundation. 150mm x 50mm (6in x 4in) is used for the drawbar rails and 100mm x 50mm (4in x 2in) along with a 50mm x 50mm (2in x 2in) raiser, is used for the main chassis rails. The optional Alpha independent suspension with airbags and twin shock absorbers gives the smoothest of rides. For adjusting the airbags, the control panel is located in the mid nearside wall, and the compressor is in a box fitted to the rear nearside rail. It’s easily accessible if needed. Between the chassis rails are two 95L fresh water tanks (on either side of the axles) and a 95L grey tank at the rear of the caravan. All the tanks have galvanised sheet protection.

Alpha airbag suspension with dual shock absorbers

A closer look at what's on offer inside

Inside the Traction, the mid-door van oozes with luxury. Everything from the angled kitchen design to the opulence of the leather cafe dinette creates a quality impression. The monochrome colour scheme has a contemporary look, and the large window area creates the desired spacious effect without too much trouble.

Mid-door caravans with front island bed can be a little unpopular with some because of the proximity of the door to the bed. However, the Traction 20ft has a wider than usual partition adjacent to the doorway, which offers privacy and room for a small corner cupboard — there’s a similar but full-height cupboard on the opposite side too.

The mid-door entry creates a spacious front area

The bedroom area is up to expectations with a 1.9m x 1.53m (6ft 2in x 5ft) pillow-top mattress bed and a bedhead array of bedside cabinets, overhead lockers, wardrobes and drawers. In addition, there are pillow cubbies on either side and an extra shelf under the overhead lockers. A switch on the right-hand side of the bed controls the optional diesel heater. Ventilation around the bed is excellent, with windows on either side, a large roof hatch and a Sirocco fan.

The wide area near the doorway allows for two angled cupboards on each side of the bed

Cooking and dining

The angled kitchen is an underused cabinetry feature. It removes the boxy look of a kitchen bench and adds some precious storage and bench space. In this case, more cupboard area and longer drawers. There’s plenty of space for the sink/drainer and four-burner cooktop/grill/oven. Above the sink, the overhead locker containing the NCE microwave oven sits at the same angle as the cabinetry below. Across the aisle, the Dometic 216L compressor fridge butts up against the bathroom wall but on the other side, a full-height, two-door pantry offers a generous storage area.

Sitting mid-van, the leather-upholstered cafe dinette comes fitted with wall-back support and hinged footrests. All the seats are contoured for maximum comfort, and the multi-fold table can be extended or folded back as required. There’s storage space under the seats, but there’s also the usual overhead lockers and a small cupboard under the table. Above the table are a mains power point and a USB charger hub.

The angled kitchen creates extra bench space

Bathroom facilities

Across the rear, the bathroom layout is pretty much a standard layout. It’s quite spacious for a bathroom and the shower cubicle is larger than usual. All the cupboards are shelved and the top-loading washing machine sits adjacent to the pedestal wash basin. The wall mirror and towel rails are standard fittings, and the power point is located well out of the splash range but still practical. The bathroom area is well-ventilated, with a fan hatch above the shower cubicle and a fan hatch and a small window above the cassette toilet. On both sides of the toilet, the elbow room is quite good.

Extra shelf space in the bathroom

What tow vehicle should you pair the Option RV Traction 20ft Mid Door with?

On the road, the Traction is a simple pleasure to tow. Its tare weight of 2580kg and ATM of 3500kg not only give a good payload of 920kg, but also make the review van suitable for a range of tow vehicles. Keeping the loaded weight to around 3100kg means a vehicle like the Ford Ranger I was using is quite suitable. However, if it is more heavily loaded, then it is more in Toyota LandCruiser or Nissan Patrol territory. It depends somewhat on driving intentions.

What did we think of this Option RV van?

Option RV’s Traction 20ft Mid Door is quite an attractive van, inside and out. Its length means a very comfortable interior with room to move for two people. For an extended trip around Australia, that’s definitely a strong consideration.

Suitable for a range of tow vehicles if you keep the weight down

Measuring up

Pros

• Spacious layout
• External storage capacity
• Lithium battery/solar panel setup
• Gusto dust reduction system (DRS)

Cons

•  Limited underbed and under seat storage

OPTION RV TRACTION 20FT MID DOOR RATINGS

VALUE FOR MONEY

It’s not a budget van but it doesn’t pretend to be. The price reflects the quality of the build

TOWABILITY

Great for a selection of tow vehicles, depending on how the van is loaded

SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING

It is designed as a rough-road tourer

BUILD QUALITY

All the bits and pieces look well-fitted together

LIVEABILITY

Great for a couple

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

The lithium battery and solar panel capacity are good for quite a few days off-grid travelling

CUSTOMER CARE

Twelve months manufacturer warranty

INNOVATION

The Gusto side-fitted dust reduction system is a little different

X-FACTOR

The angled kitchen layout catches the eye and is quite practical

OPTION RV TRACTION 20FT MID DOOR SPECS

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

EXTERNAL

INTERNAL

Option RV Traction 20ft Mid Door price from $118,490

OPTIONS FITTED

• Alpha airbag independent suspension
• Webasto diesel heater

Option RV Traction 20ft Mid Door price as shown $128,990

MORE INFORMATION

7th Street Caravans

11 Clayton Road

Heatherbrae NSW 2324

P: 02 4987 5288

THE NEXT STEP

If you want to learn the latest caravan news, find the most innovative new caravans and camping gear or get inspired to plan your next road trip adventure to some of Australia's best getaway destinations, subscribe to our weekly newsletter. We promise to send you only the best content.

Related articles:

Caravan review: Option RV Distinction 18'6

Caravan review: Option RV Distinction

Caravan review: Option RV Tornado Equippe Family