Caravan review: Vision RV Elysium 19'6 offroad van

Vision RV has a new model lineup, with the larger versions now included under the Elysium banner. We check out the 19’6 offering of couples and family offroaders.

Earlier this year we introduced the Nirvana, a 16ft van from Vision RV that was destined — according to Eastern mythology — to take you to happy places. How do we top that? Well, how about we flip the culture to ancient Greece’s equivalent and introduce the Elysium 19’6 for a touch of true happiness? Vision RV now brings the compact 14ft and 16ft Nirvana versions and the larger 19ft 6in and 21ft 6in Elysium models for enlightenment according to your destiny.

Spend an hour with Vision’s mastermind, Chris Michel, and his enthusiasm for offroad adventure and the search for the perfect caravan is infectious. Michel has a mechanical background and a thorough understanding of how caravans work and how best to put them together, with years of experience developing his Sunseeker and Marvel offroaders. In four years, he has taken Vision RV from concept to reality, and these latest models establish the brand to a new level of sophistication and capability. As Chris told me, the vans represent his vision to drive the industry forward with the highest quality materials and engineering.

The latest range took 14 months of design and testing to perfect. The team has three full-time Solid Works digital designers at its Coolum factory in Queensland, who continually bring new ideas to the process. Months more went into working with the offshore factory with Vision staff on rotation to ensure a reliable and accurate build process goes into the delivery. This effort shows in the new vans, which blend impressive offroad prowess with contemporary good looks and improved ergonomics.

The build

Vacuum-bonded composite panels are CNC-shaped to form the side walls, single-piece roof, and ends, while the floor is a single-piece honeycomb sheet. The wall panels are high-density foam inside 2mm German fibreglass layers permanently sealed with high-quality European polymer adhesive. A wide aluminium right-angle extrusion bonds over the joins, eliminating screws that can cause leaks and adding to the solid construction. The process and the way internal furniture connects to the shell result in a powerful monocoque entity.

The van body sits on a heavy-duty 150mm x 50mm chassis with a 75mm reinforcing beam that’s then all hot dip galvanised for optimum protection. The suspension is a track-tested tandem trailing-arm independent setup with remote-controlled and self-leveling airbags and two ARB shock absorbers at each arm. Ventilated discs with hydraulic override provide stopping power. The heavy-duty parallel bearings are LandCruiser 200 spec and you can match the wheels with five or six stud to suit most tow vehicles.

The Elysium continues the Vision boast of a completely timber-free construction, including furniture with weight-saving, exotic materials. Cupboards and drawer facias are crafted from perfectly straight honeycomb-cored aluminium panels that are powder coated to a perfect finish. You can feel the difference in lighter weight when you lift cupboard doors.

Looks the part

With a body nearly 6m long, the van had an imposing presence behind Chris’s 300 Series LandCruiser. Low sections of black Raptor protection and large tinted windows break up the large areas of white fibreglass. The van rides high on chunky 285x70/17 tyres, so even with a low-profile air conditioner up top, the ride height is 3.12m (10ft 5in), meaning it needs care getting down some tree-lined tracks.

The standard connection is a Cruisemaster DO35, but van is ADR approved to be rated at 4500kg from the standard 3500kg by swapping the hitch to a DO45. An extended A-frame has a tapered large toolbox that acts as a stone shield and houses two 4.5kg gas bottles. A handy water manifold here lets you fill or drain independently and places the inlets high out of harm’s way. A passenger side slide-out takes a Weber for cooking outside, and there’s provision up top for firewood or bikes. Along the side are two full-width boots to take advantage of the space under the bed for a vast amount of storage. The solid aluminium framed hatches have oversized hinges and locks and use automotive-style triple rubber seals.

Instead of a slide-out external kitchen, Vision opts for the simplicity of a drop-down bench with shelves for condiments and utensils. A stainless-steel sink is heavy and bulky, so having your choice of a removable folding sink makes a lot of sense. An induction cooktop slots in, and there are the usual 12V and 240V outlets.

What’s unusual, though, is a place for an 8in Garmin screen that controls the electronics and systems throughout. You can take the screen into the tow vehicle to control things like the ride height through the remote airbags or turn on the dust reduction system.

A roll-out awning covers the outside area, and I noted that the electric Thule step tucks up high and out of the way. At the back, a single spare tyre sits high on the new modular rear bumper, and there’s an option for an outboard bracket, jerry cans or a range of handy mounts. The 300A worth of batteries live in a sealed driver-side hatch, so everything is compliant and easy to reach for maintenance.

Classy interior

I half expected the timber-free interior to sound slightly tinny, but that’s not true. Perhaps the rich, soft furnishings temper the sound. The impeccable glossy white cupboards and beautifully completed upholstery create a bright and upmarket space with a modern zing.

The Elysium models are available in either couples or family versions. The family version has the entry and an east–west queen bed at the front, leading back to a central living space with a roomy kitchen bench opposite an L-shaped leather lounge and dining area. A choice of double or triple bunks runs north-south in the driver-side rear corner, with the ensuite opposite and a storage cupboard and front-load washer on the back wall.

The couples van version follows the popular rear door/front bed layout. In this case, the bed is a 6ft 6in (2m) queen and runs north–south for walkaround access. Both beds are super comfortable, with quality pillowtop mattresses and electric lifters for easy access to the storage space, and double as a day bed for extra seating.

Each style shares a long kitchen bench with a black sink and tapware and a twin-burner inverter cooktop built into a commercial-quality acrylic benchtop. Appliances include a four-in-one Panasonic microwave with convection, grill, oven and steamer and a Vitrifrigo fridge with 190L cooler and a 65L drawer freezer. Ample 1000W of solar power and the 3000W inverter should make these appliances available when you need them off the grid.

Both models have bathrooms that are roomy, well-ventilated and decorated in the same breezy colours as the living area. Vision has its own version of a composting toilet, which separately collects solids in sealable, biodegradable plastic bags and liquids to a separate holding tank under the van. This user-friendly and odour-free system has a 12V fan constantly venting outside though a charcoal filter making it one of the best options I have seen.

A Gusto dust reduction system is built into the driver’s side midsection of the van, and the main controls, along with much of the hard-wired electronics, live in a high cupboard. Locating the system at the side is smart as it frees up valuable roof space for solar panels. The Gusto DRS also vents to the ensuite to dehumidify the wet are ad dry towels as you drive.

Roughing it

Vision caravans are all about getting away to remote places, so they are set up with a good supply of off-grid power. Four 250W solar panels feed a 300Ah Enerdrive lithium battery through a 3000W/100A Enerdrive inverter/charger and a pair of Enerdrive MPPT solar controllers. A second 300Ah battery is optional. An Enerdrive DC/DC charger tops up batteries while driving. Much of the electronics are accessed under the lounge, and you will find a second tablet for the Garmin Connect 50 digital switching system at the dining table.

Most families will find the standard setup suitable in most weather, and you can always charge from the tow vehicle alternator if needed.

Three 90L freshwater tanks can be optioned with an extra tank, a water capacity increase which larger families might appreciate, while the waste tanks include a separately plumbed 75L grey water tank section and a 14L black tank for urine.

Towability

For our review, Chris led us through the hills and motorways west of the Sunshine Coast over a broad mix of roads and landscapes. The van weighs 2830kg empty, and that’s a hefty amount, reflecting the over-engineered design built to last many hard miles of rough travel. Chris also reminded me the van has many standard features like big chunky tyres, a high-end solar array, big battery power, galvanised chassis and a heavy-duty airbag suspension that all add weight to the well-equipped van.

We had about 70L of water in a forward tank, so we were close to tare weight for the review. The ATM tops out at 3500kg, leaving a payload of 670kg, less about 280kg with full water and gas tanks. The 300 Series LandCruiser proved a good match, and I saw no vices throughout our travels. I’m particularly impressed with how smooth the van rides and the consistent strong stopping power from the disc brakes.

Anyone seeking a bigger payload can opt for the 4500kg upgrade, where, naturally, you need a more appropriate tow vehicle like the mix of American rigs or a small truck.

Customer care

Chris’s retail business has been operating on the Sunshine Coast for 11 years. He commissioned Melbourne manufacturer Titanium Caravans to build his Sunseeker range with models like the Desert Storm and Wild Child. He told me his Vision range reduces human input into the build process as much as possible with the clever engineering and machine fabricated parts leaning more towards advanced vehicle manufacturing for ever improving reliability.

Vision build quality is high, and the appliances and fittings are all top-notch, so they should see years of happy service. The Elysium has a seven-year warranty, comprising a two-year manufacturer and five-year extended warranty with regular servicing that’s among the best in the Australian caravan market.

The bottom line

I’m impressed by this latest generation of Vision RV vans, and I hope it shows in this review. I like the thorough engineering that delivers a very durable and capable design. We must applaud the timber-free composite construction that suits a van that owners will test to the limit. Chris has been quoted as stating he would rather overbuild his vans than see an owner break one through misuse, and that seems to be a mantra he has followed.

So, while the Elysium 19’6 is built for the hard road, once you jump aboard, it feels contemporary and edgy, with impressive fit and finish. A high-quality and usable solar and electronics package rounds out the deal and adds to a buy price of $159,000 for the couples or family van, which seems like exceptional value.

Measuring up

Pros

• Well-insulated composite construction
• It is precisely engineered for offroad travel
• Keenly priced for a high-end product

Cons

• I struggle to find anything to criticise

VISION ELYSIUM 19'6 RATINGS

VALUE FOR MONEY

Keen price for a well-equipped, high-end van

TOWABILITY

Well-balanced and superb suspension makes it a pleasure to tow

SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING

Models to take couples or families into the wilds

BUILD QUALITY

Quality inclusions with superb engineering and high attention to detail

LIVEABILITY

An on-trend interior that makes the most of the available space

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

Quality Enerdrive system brings enough power for most situations

CUSTOMER CARE

A team dedicated to service and a class-leading seven-year warranty (two-year manufacturers and five-year extended)

INNOVATION

Vision is always looking for new tech and products to improve the range

X-FACTOR

Looks the part, and it’s the real deal 

VISION ELYSIUM 19'6 SPECS

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

EXTERNAL

INTERNAL

Vision RV Elysium 19'6 price as seen $159,000 (both couples and family versions)

MORE INFORMATION

Vision RV

290 Nicklin Way

Warana Qld 4575

P: 07 5491 1888

E: sales@visiongroup.au

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