Caravan review: Victory Trophy Series 146 offroad van

We took the Victory Trophy Series 146 single-axle van out for a spin, and as they say, good things come in small packages.

Not so long ago, I was making my way around a regional caravan show, looking for caravans that didn’t require a larger tow vehicle. There were certainly quite a few in the 6m to 7m (19ft 7in – 23ft) range but not so many in shorter lengths.

However, on the slightly hidden away Fair Dinkum Caravans stand, I did find a Victory Trophy Series 146 single-axle van. Having an external body length of just 4.9m (16ft), it certainly looked good for my criteria. The nameplate revealed a few other essential details like a tare mass of 2195kg and an ATM of 2800kg, giving a decent payload of 605kg (ATM minus the tare mass).

According to Fair Dinkum Caravans’ Justin Pisaruk, the Trophy Series 146 was designed to have all the essentials for caravan travel but in a van that doesn’t require a heavy-duty vehicle and is very easy for the driver to tow.

On the road

Considering all of the above, towing the van wasn’t hard yards at all. It’s well suited to the current selection of dual cab utes that abound in Australia, including the Volkswagen Amarok I used for the tow test. And being a relatively lightweight van, it shouldn’t be a problem for anyone who is still getting their head around the gross combined mass (GCM) calculation. In addition to that, the relatively short length of the Trophy 146 made it an easy van to manoeuvre when parking or reversing.

The build

Victory caravans come out of the same Victorian factory as those built by Network RV, so there’s plenty of experience that comes with the caravan construction. The manufacturer offers a five-year chassis and a three-year structural warranty.

Underpinning the bodywork is a Permagal box section chassis that comes with 150mm (6in) main rails and drawbar. Being designed for offroad use, the Trophy 146 is fitted with TuffRide independent suspension, with coil springs and two EFS shock absorbers. Completing the offroad package is the Cruisemaster DO35 hitch up front. A look under the van reveals the chassis and underfloor work that is done quite well. Both of the 95L fresh water tanks are mounted forward of the suspension system, leaving the area behind the wheels free for the grey water tank.

Out of sight is the Meranti timber frame, and that’s all covered by composite aluminium for the walls and one-piece fibreglass for the roof. Being an offroad caravan, all the lower areas are protected by black alloy checkerplate. The framed mesh guard provides additional stone protection on the drawbar. Also mounted on the drawbar is a large alloy checkerplate storage box with the two 9kg gas cylinders on the nearside and a slide-out for a generator on the other side. At the rear, the spare wheel and two jerry can holders are mounted on the bumper bar.

Wall lights are fitted on both sides of the caravan. That’s in addition to the door grab handle light and the orange/white lighting fitted to the Fiamma awning.

Generous storage

A notable feature of this van is its external storage space capacity. In addition to the front boot, there’s a substantial two-door compartment mid-nearside. It’s not just empty space; there’s a small slide-out designed to accept a Weber barbecue. In case that’s not enough, there’s also a smaller external bin on the offside, which is also accessible from inside the van. The two battery boxes are mounted on the chassis rails either side of the wheel on the same side.

Compact layout

Given the length of the Trophy 146 body, the layout of the interior space is a little different to the usual. An east-west bed takes up the entire front area and the rear wall is filled by a kitchen bench and a bathroom cubicle. Occupying the mid-nearside wall area is a sideways-facing lounge and table, leaving the opposite area for a fridge and cupboard space.

Like the outside, there’s plenty of storage inside the van. Overhead lockers run all down the nearside and across the front of the van. In addition to that, the four-door cupboard located mid-van has double hanging space above and shelf space below. A floor locker gives access to the under-bed area, which as previously noted, is also accessible from the outside. Finally, there’s a pair of blanket boxes at the base of the bed. But with all this storage, one of the only things I’d suggest being careful of is overloading the van!

By night

Across the front, the 1.87m x 1.53m (6ft 1in x 5ft) east-west bed is well-ventilated with windows on both sides. There isn’t a roof hatch because a Dometic Dust Reduction System takes up that space. Two reading lights are fitted to the nearside wall area, and on the opposite side, there’s both a Sirocco 12V fan and a swivel-mounted TV. It can be seen from both the bed and the lounge.

Dining

The 1.3m x 0.5m (4ft 3in x 1ft 7in) table is single pole mounted, which means it can be turned around but backwards and forwards. Two people can easily fit on the seat and there are reading lights on either side. Under the seat, the floor locker door gives access to yet more storage and there’s both a 240V power point and a 12V outlet.

Staying clean

A van this size doesn’t come with a full-sized bathroom, but the combo arrangement does work quite well. There’s enough space to turn around under the shower cubicle and still fit in a bench-style Thetford cassette toilet and a small wash basin. Instead of chrome, all the fittings have a black powder coat finish for a contemporary look.

End kitchen

Despite its relatively short size, the kitchen fittings include sink and drainer, alongside a four-burner hob, grill and full oven. The kitchen benchtop space is very minimal, but the cooktop does have a flush lid. In keeping with the rest of the van, the storage is good, with a selection of overhead lockers, drawers and cupboard space. It’s a well-vented area with a rangehood, rear wall window, and is situated right by the entry door. The remaining kitchen items, the Dometic 173L three-way fridge with NCE microwave oven above, are located on the other side of the bathroom cubicle. It might be due to component shortages, but the fridge was hinged on the wrong side.

Power matters

For those who like to get away from it all, the Trophy 146 is well equipped. Two 200W solar panels can keep the pair of 105Ah AGM batteries well charged. Should a battery upgrade be necessary, the Projecta charger is lithium battery compatible. A benefit of the chassis rail mounted batteries is that they are easily accessible.

The bottom line

Victory’s Trophy Series 146 is a little different to the usual layouts, but it certainly ticks several boxes. The X Factor is its compact size and light weight, which make it ideal for a number of tow vehicles. Despite its small stature, it’s fully equipped for both blacktop and offroad touring. The compromise is a more compact internal layout; however, it is still practical for adventurous couples who might prefer a smaller van or solo travellers.

Measuring up

Pros

• Not an excessively heavy caravan
• Generous storage inside and out
• Good ground clearance
• Ideal for solo traveller or couples who prefer a smaller van

Cons

• Minimal kitchen benchtop space
• Fridge hinged on wrong side
• Lacks USB charger points

VICTORY TROPHY SERIES 146 RATINGS

VALUE FOR MONEY

It’s not the cheapest van on the block but still offers good value for your dollar

TOWABILITY

Quite an easy towing van, but there’s plenty of storage capacity and a temptation for either poor or excessive loading

SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING

Designed as an offroad van, it’s of a size that makes it ideal for bush tracks and undulating country

BUILD QUALITY

Attention to detail was quite good, a few minor things could have been better

LIVEABILITY

Compact interior, but that’s the price of a smaller van with all the expected comfort items

SELF SUFFICIENCY

With a pair of 105Ah AGM batteries, two 200W solar panels plus the water tank capacity, this van is ready to go

CUSTOMER CARE

There’s a five-year warranty on the chassis, three years on the body structure and the usual on the OEM components

INNOVATION

There’s some thought in this design, a little different to the usual layouts

X-FACTOR

Small offroad van yet with the expected capability and room to move

VICTORY TROPHY SERIES 146 SPECS

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

EXTERNAL

INTERNAL

Victory Trophy Series 146 price from $79,990

OPTIONAL EXTRAS FITTED

Nil

Victory Trophy Series 146 price as shown $79,990

MORE INFORMATION

Fair Dinkum caravans

39 Camfield Drive

Heatherbrae, NSW 2324

P: 02 4002 7245

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