Sunland LTD ADU Edition 23.6 reviewed at Caravan of the Year 2025 presented by MSA 4X4 Accessories

The reputation of the Aussie Destinations Unknown custom-built Sunland LTD 23.6 preceded its arrival at Caravan of the Year 2025 … and it didn’t disappoint.

Winner — Best Build Quality 

Sunland Caravans returned to Caravan of the Year with a van designed by the online influencers Aussie Destinations Unknown (ADU), Chris and Miriam. The new van is an ADU limited-edition special with a new layout and new construction methods. And sitting behind the ADU Chevrolet Silverado 2500 monster truck, the van looked amazing.

JOHN FORD — CARAVAN WORLD EDITOR

Build quality

Now under new ownership, Sunland is a Queensland builder of high-end caravans with a strong following and a reputation for quality and superior engineering. The new owner has moved to a new factory and modernised the production process for better efficiencies while retaining the brand’s DNA.

The body is now composite construction with 32mm panels from Queensland manufacturer Link Composites, forming the walls and a single-piece roof and ends. The shell bonds to a composite floor into a robust monocoque construction. This van is the first in a line of special builds inspired by the ADU team and the gelcoat was specially sourced from Germany to match the Slate Grey colour of their Chev Silverado 2500 tow vehicle.

The Sunland is the first in a line of special builds made in conjunction with the ADU team

A signature feature of Sunland is that it is one of only a few manufacturers that uses a hybrid aluminium/steel chassis. It was developed with the help of aircraft engineers and is a standout feature under the van. The chassis saves several hundred kilos in weight over an equivalent-length steel version. It’s matched to a heavy-duty A-frame and comes with a 20-year warranty.

Custom roto-moulded water tanks integrated into the chassis are seen from the sides and the location adjusts for optimum weight distribution. Cruisemaster’s ATX Unleashed airbag suspension has M60 shock absorbers, and the van is rated at 4500kg ATM.

Exterior features on the LTD ADU Edition 23.6 include a beautifully finished custom storage box with chargers and cooling fans, a rear bar with storage options, a carpeted tunnel boot, custom streamlined hatches and a carbon pole for Starlink.

The fitout inside is beautifully finished cabinetry with intricate leather trim at the lounge. The combination of a stunning interior and the proven composite aluminium/steel chassis convinced the judges that the Sunland was the winner of Best Build Quality this year.

Massive front storage box for all the tools and toys

Suitability for intended touring

Destined for offroad travel, the sizable 23ft 6in (7.19m) couples van is built for long-term living and has the comforts and self-sufficiency to sustain camping off-grid. A van of this size offers plenty of room to move without feeling confined. The combined ensuite and butler’s pantry adds lots of cooking and meal preparation space and increases the already generous storage options, making space for four seasons of clothing. And there’s plenty of spots outside to store your adventure gear, fishing tackle and tools.

Towability

You do not need the massively modified Chev Silverado 2500 of the ADU crew to tow the big LTD ADU Edition 23.6, but you need one capable of its 4500kg ATM. Because the Chev Silverado 2500 is modded up, a light truck licence is required to get behind the wheel. The Chev is a good 300mm higher than standard, so visibility from the custom driver seat is excellent. The Chev torque performance is great, and it pulls steadily away from rest to its cruising speed. It took a few kilometres to feel at home behind the wheel, but I soon felt comfortable with how the van felt. In reality, it’s no wider than a stock Chev, which is wide enough, mind you.

The Sunland LTD ADU Edition 23.6 looks imposing behind the Chev 2500 truck

The Gen-Y hitch meant no lurching or shock through the drawbar and the van.

It was a fun ride. Like all these big US rigs, once you are on the open road, it’s so comfortable and low revving that you feel like you could easily travel many hundreds of kilometres in a day. However, you will never see me trying to get into a Coles car park in a rig like this.

ALLISON WATT — CARAVAN WORLD DEPUTY EDITOR

Self-sufficiency

As their name would suggest, the ADU crew travels far and wide on roads less travelled, so being fully self-sufficient is paramount. The LTD ADU Edition 23.6 was another of the completely gasless vans judged at COTY this year.

As you would expect from a van of this calibre, its solar and battery capacity is huge.

On the roof are 10 220W solar panels for a combined 2.2kW of solar energy feeding into three 300Ah Enerdrive B-TEC lithium batteries. There are twin 40A solar controllers and two 50A DC to DC chargers.

Ten solar panels on the roofEnerdrive electrics

Learning from previous experience, Chris and Miriam have opted for two inverters in their van so they can run more than one appliance at a time — one 2600W for running kitchen appliances such as the Thermomix and air fryer, and one 3000W for the air-conditioner and washing machine.

The LTD ADU Edition 23.6 carries a staggering 580L of fresh water, 60L of filtered drinking water and a 130L grey water tank — all cleverly stored in plastic moulded tanks bolted into the C-channel rails in the sub chassis. It’s very neat.

The composting toilet is a Tiny by Separett and is a bit different to conventional composting loos in that it separates urine, but number twos are secured in a biodegradable corn starch bag which can then be composted. Heating and hot water are both diesel and all cooking options are electric.

Liveability

Chris and Miriam have many years of travelling under their belts already, so they know what works for them and what doesn’t.

Externally, all bases are covered. There’s a place for everything with ample storage bins built into the front and rear as well as standard slide-outs and tunnel boots for all their toys. I especially liked the little step on top of the hitch so Chris can reach the winch to get his boat off the roof of the truck.

The interior decor is beautifully done

Inside, the decor is described as industrial cigar room. Think dark brown cow hide upholstery, brushed metal sinks and tapware, polished concrete-look benchtop and flooring, timber panelled cupboards and drawers. It’s classy and luxurious and every bit of available space has been used to its fullest.

Just inside the front entry door the main bed is set very high off the floor and deliberately so. Miriam didn’t want to lose any of the storage space taken up by the tunnel boot underneath so raising the bed has given her back all the underbed storage. You can’t walk around the bed either, as there are storage compartments either side and at the end of the bed for shoes and the like.

The bed is raised to allow for storage underneath

The spacious L-shaped leather lounge is located on the far side with the kitchen opposite. The kitchen has plenty of bench space, overhead and under-bench cupboards and drawers, a half-height cupboard and a full-height pantry. The door on the compressor fridge opens both ways, which is a nice touch in the liveability department.

The fridge door opens both ways and there’s plenty of pantry storage

The ADU crew have plenty of options in the cooking department, with the portable inducton cooktop (which can be neatly tucked away in its drawer inside), air fryer, multi cooker, Thermomix for indoor meal prep and the electric Traeger smoker outside. The LTD ADU Edition 23.6 wins the prize for having the biggest bathroom we saw at COTY this year — it’s huge and as well as incorporating the usual things you would find in a bathroom it’s dual function as a butler’s pantry is handy for Miriam when she wants to cook for prolonged periods. The area would also be big enough for a home office, if you’re so inclined.

The massive bathroom doubles as a butler’s pantry

Value for money

The LTD ADU Edition 23.6 is priced from $249,990, but the van we judged had been customised for full-time life on the road and included an additional $50k of optional extras.

These included bespoke rectangular external hatches, brushed sinks and tapware, Starlink attachments, a slide for their electric mountain bikes in the front storage locker, bespoke external composite panel colour to match their big Chev Silverado 2500 tow vehicle and a woodgrain veneer for the internal cupboards which alone is valued at $4500. At that price, it’s clearly not going to be within the budgets of most caravanners, but Chris and Miriam are not your average caravanners. They live in their van full-time, travelling to all the far-flung corners of the country sharing their travels — and promoting the Sunland brand — to their hundreds of thousands of social media followers. So, it’s all relative.

Slide-out storage for mountain bikes

MALCOLM STREET — CARAVAN WORLD FIELD EDITOR

Ease of use

Given the van and tow vehicle’s combined length of 15.4m (50ft 5in), it’s no small towing proposition. However, with the right vehicle up front, like the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 we were using, there were no problems. In this case, given the Silverado’s 6000kg GVM, an LR truck licence is required, which is a little unusual.

Inside the LTD ADU Edition 23.6, the raised bed height does require a small step. The L-shaped lounge and height-adjustable table are great for two, and we’ve extolled the virtues of the kitchen storage and bench space. There’s always plenty of debate about the most user-friendly microwave oven location — in the overhead locker area or below the kitchen bench. There’s a nice compromise here: above a cupboard but below the overheads.

In the rear, the larger-than-usual bathroom is first in class for its roominess, storage and bench space. The 12V electrics with enough capacity for sustained off-grid living are controlled by the Simarine Nereidi Digital Monitoring and Switching System by Enerdrive | Dometic, with the touch panel located by the entry door. This system allows full control and visibility over all the onboard systems and remembers previous settings even after the master internal switch is turned off.

A huge shower in the huge bathroom

The charger/inverter units and MPPT controllers are in the purpose-designed offside cabinet behind the fridge. A van like this will be travelling on many dirt roads, and the interior looks designed to be very easy to clean.

Innovation

I’ve seen several Sunland innovations before, and although they are not commonly used by industry, they are still relevant. The standout feature in the COTY-reviewed van is the hybrid aluminium/steel chassis, designed for lighter weight and strength. Of note are also the purpose-designed water tanks. Roto-moulded, they fit neatly along the chassis rails and look like part of the structure, not an add-on.

Moulded water tanks fit around the chassis rail

The wing/air foil at the rear of the van might look like a gimmick, but it is designed to allow for extra solar panel capacity. I like to ride a bicycle when I can, so I was particularly impressed by the drawbar-mounted bike storage box. Complete with a slide-out tray, it made getting the bikes out relatively easy.

Inside the van, the large bathroom is the standout feature. It is not for everyone, I know, but it adds a new dimension to caravan design, particularly for those who are on the road full-time. It also greatly increased the internal storage capacity of the van.

Customer care

Sunland is a Queensland-based (Caboolture) manufacturer. Its warranty is well laid out on the company website. Sunland offers a five-year manufacturer’s warranty and 20 years on the hybrid aluminium/steel chassis, which shows great confidence in the product. Items like the fridge, portable induction hob, microwave oven and air-conditioner are covered by the respective OEMs.

The warranty only applies to the original purchaser. Like many manufacturers, Sunland requires regular servicing as a condition of the warranty and won’t honour any warranty where the van has been used for rental hire or commercial use. Sunland doesn’t have dealers in all states and territories, but warranty matters can be handled by approved repairers. Sunland’s factory facilities are quite extensive and include a well-set-up service and repair centre.

The Sunland LTD ADU Edition 23.6 won Best Build Quality

X-Factor

In many ways, the LTD ADU Edition 23.6 is a standard Sunland product, meaning it stands out in the crowd. Its unique construction won it the Best Build Quality award this year, and some other X-factors that draw attention are the external storage bins on the front drawbar and the bespoke storage box on the rear side. Inside, the interior has a very stylish look, and the raised bed is a little different, as is the storage box at the end of the bed. The overall look has a fit-for-purpose look about it. One intended for travellers who intend to be on the road.

SUNLAND LTD ADU EDITION 23.6 SPECS

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

EXTERNAL

INTERNAL

Sunland LTD ADU Edition 23.6 price from $249,990

OPTIONS FITTED

• Veneer woodgrain cupboard door pack
• Separett Tiny composting toilet
• Recovery tow points
• Non-standard vinyl flooring
• 40L diesel tank
• 5 x Yokohama Geolandar MT GO03 295/70R17 tyres
• MAXTRAX upgrade
• 3kg NCE front-loader combo washing machine and dryer, wall mounted
• ADU composite panel colour and entrance door
• Flip down kick panel doors
• Bike slide in toolbox
• SpaceTek Starlink Gen 3 attachments
• ABI Design sinks/tapware
• Lined entertainment hatch
• Water tank stoneguards
• ADU rectangular hatches

Sunland LTD ADU Edition 23.6 price as shown $299,990

MORE INFORMATION

Sunland Caravans

59 Alta Road

Caboolture Qld 4510

P: 07 5499 2250

E: sales@sunlandcaravans.com.au

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