It does quite well in the self-sufficiency stakes.
Two 100Ah AGM batteries are mounted to the
offside chassis rail behind a protective ‘door’
of checkerplate, and one 150W solar panel
comes as standard.
Two 95L water tanks are also standard
fitment; however, because they are mounted
forward of the axles, they will contribute
somewhat to the ball weight when full.
However, the unladen ball weight is a relatively
low 120kg, so I personally don’t foresee any
issues here, considering the required tow
vehicle is likely to have a towball maximum of
about 300kg.
As expected, the 19ft 10in Kokoda Aussie
Spirit van rides on tandem-axle leaf-spring
suspension, and it comes standard with dual
9kg gas cylinders on the drawbar. No front
boot is fitted. Instead, Kokoda has opted for a
decent tunnel setup at the front.
The fitout beneath the van is as expected, too.
Yes, there is exposed grey water plumbing,
etc., but given the nature of this van, it didn’t
bother me. I was pleased to note, though, that
the wiring to the electric brakes is very neat.
GORV’S VERDICT
Given its very generous load-carrying
capacity (Tare: 2180kg; ATM: 2880kg), the
Aussie Spirit really calls for a mid-range 4WD
tow vehicle, most of which have a towing
capacity of around 3000kg. The 2500kg-rated
Prado would be out of contention when
making full use of the ATM.
Overall, I liked this caravan. It is a good,
honest rig that should provide years of
faithful, comfortable and reliable service.