Review: Crusader Musketeer

Flooding rain never brings a smile, especially among caravanners. That sort of rain can even unsettle the keenest plans to check out a Crusader Musketeer Warrior single-axle caravan.

The idea was to take a short adventure from the Brisbane Holiday Village, put the van through some paces on the RACQ mobility training track on Brisbane’s south side, then hit the highway to the Sunshine Coast. Isuzu had made the test track available to GoRV as part of a Isuzu i-Venture club training activity.

We arrived at Brisbane Holiday Village and shortly afterwards it started raining, very innocently at first. But from a sky that hung heavy and grey, the drops fell until the torrent came. The torrent trying to smudge out every prospect of properly reviewing this caravan. But we pressed on, and this is what we found…

OUTSIDE THE CRUSADER MUSKETEER

Brisbane Holiday Village, a park known for a level of hospitality and generous welcome that is matched only by its first-class facilities, provided a great base to check out the Crusader Musketeer Warrior.

Weighing in with a Tare of just over 2000kg, this is not a heavy rig. It was not surprising that our 3L Isuzu MU-X tow vehicle, with its 3500kg towing capacity, handled this van easily.

The review van was fitted with a standard ball hitch and beam-axle leaf-spring suspension. While I crouched down to get a look at the suspension, sheets of water rolling through the campsite made photographing them not an option.

To aid hitching up, the Musketeer has been fitted with a reversing camera. Construction-wise, the van benefits from a 6in chassis and drawbar with 400mm-high checkerplate all round, a composite one-piece roof and floor, and smooth, composite Alupanel sides. The underside of the van is even protected by fibreglass.

Although it’s not an offroad/rough-road caravan, I’d have liked for the A-frame tap to be protected by a stoneguard – it looks quite vulnerable in its current location. 

Two 9L gas cylinders up front mean plenty of gas for a week away to fire the hot water system, the stove and run the fridge. Crusader has provided a separate gas bayonet coupling so that you can hook your barbecue to the van’s gas system.

The twin 95L freshwater tanks, meanwhile, provide water storage for up to a few days away from mains.

I found that the Crusader Musketeer’s single-axle configuration gave the van very responsive manoeuvring characteristics, especially when working the van into tight areas and around difficult obstacles. That was born out on the RACQ Mobility Centre’s obstacle course during an Isuzu tow education day.

The van seemed surprisingly willing to pivot and turn in tight situations. The same trial day allowed us to test the 10in electric brakes in a simulated emergency braking situation. We took the Isuzu-Crusader combo onto a wet skid pan and hit the brakes looking for an emergency stop at around 70km/h. The combo stopped rapidly, straight, and true, first time – every time.

By way of storage, the external storage options are limited to a tunnel boot.

INSIDE AND OUT OF THE RAIN

The Crusader Musketeer offers a tried-and-true layout. It had a familiarity about it that many are likely to find reassuring. Although not austere, it is a conventional design with a value finish that probably surpassed its price tag, which rolls in below $75,000. 

There are sufficient storage options, from overhead lockers to plenty of cupboards and drawers. Being CNC-cut plywood, all were finished well – nobody will find themselves sporting a splinter when rummaging around in a kitchen drawer.

All the essentials are covered in the kitchen, with sufficient bench space, a flick-mixer tap, fan-forced oven, microwave, and a 190L three-way fridge. Beyond that, a slide-out pantry might have been a worthwhile addition.

The dinette sports a pedestal table with an adjustable leg. It’s a little tight between the table and seating area, but it is a comfy space just the same.

To wash off the road dust, just step into the stylish ensuite, which fills the rear of the van and provides ample room for a shower, vanity, toilet, and top-loading washing machine.

The bed, meanwhile, seems spacious. It comes with convenient bedside storage and reading lights.

Piano hinges are used for the locker doors throughout, and all windows are fitted with flyscreens with integrated block-out blinds. The van gets a reverse-cycle air-conditioner,  a 24in LCD TV with digital aerial, as well as a Bluetooth sound system with speakers.

This rig boasts a 170W solar panel and controller. While up-market rigs nowadays crow about lithium batteries, a price-conscious rig such as this has a quite-acceptable 105Ah deep-cycle battery with battery management system. The battery is housed in a protective checkerplate box mounted to a chassis rail on the offside.

GORV’S VERDICT

The Crusader Musketeer Warrior is far more than just a shelter from the rain. It is a modestly priced, single-axle highway tourer with genuine appeal. It has a decent array of fixtures and fittings housed on a sturdy chassis that add up to a comfortable tourer for weekend or long-term adventures.

While I personally would like additional exterior storage space, there’s not much else that needs tweaking on this van.

If you are looking for a reliable, affordable unit, take a look at the single-axle Crusader Musketeer. Just like its Musketeer namesake suggests, for those in the right market – it is one for all to consider.

THE SCORE

FIT AND FINISH –

LAYOUT –

INNOVATION –

HITS & MISSES

COMPLETE SPECS