Review: Wonder Roo Caravans XX4 Pearl Off Grid, Off Road Air

INTRO: A unique, heavy-duty chassis. An extensively-equipped exterior. A smart interior. And one young family about to have the time of their lives. This is Justin and Carissa Morgan’s new caravan, a Pearl XX4 Off Grid, Off Road Air by Wonder Roo Caravans…

Queenslanders Justin and Carissa Morgan were in Victoria to pick up their brand new caravan: a Wonder Roo Pearl XX4 Off Grid, Off Road Air. From there, they were heading almost immediately out on their big trip around Australia with their two daughters. Was I jealous? Just a little. But the circumstances allowed me a chance to check out their new pride and joy before their departure. And I have to be honest: it’s a beauty.

Towed by a 300 Series Land Cruiser, the Morgans’ new Wonder Roo is a 19ft 6in bunk van on a one-of-a-kind chassis inspired by the heavy vehicle industry. Two laser-cut, folded 12in steel rails complete with lightening holes run the length of the van, tapering at the front to form the drawbar. This chassis is known as ‘The Beast’ and it isn’t difficult to see why – this is not your conventional RHS caravan foundation.

THREE WAYS TO COOK!

Justin and Carissa set out to build a van that would cover every base, and I think they – along with Wonder Roo – have achieved that. Let’s start at the front. The drawbar is equipped with a DO35 coupling, stoneguard, gas cylinders, storage box, and even a Black Jack electric trailer jack with jockey block. The offside slide-out tray is currently used for general storage, while the nearside is home to a portable barbecue.

Now, the Morgans have given themselves three ways to cook: the portable barbecue, another slide-out barbecue built into the van’s nearside, and of course the stove inside the van.

The second barbecue is a Can unit, a relatively new barbecue that includes a sink and two gas burners. But a big point of difference is that it can be easily detached from the tray and carried with you in the 4WD when you need a way to cook while away from the van.

Another highlight: the Pearl’s rear bar. This is a custom design that includes built-in storage spaces, a couple of lockable jerry can holders and a wood carrier, allowing Justin and Carissa to collect firewood one their way to their destination. The bar is designed in such a way that the spare wheel sits a little lower and is easily accessible. 

There’s also seemingly no end to the storage options, both inside and out. As Carissa said, there is so much storage space that the very act of filling it all would probably make their van overweight.

This rig rides on sizeable 18in alloy wheels and Cruisemaster ATX airbag suspension with Level 4 control unit – premium stuff.

The electrical system is pretty special, too. Take a look inside the tunnel boot and you’ll see an expertly arranged system comprised of the Projecta Intelli-Grid power management system as well as a 3000W inverter. It’s protected behind clear plastic but still easily accessible when required. Meanwhile, the van has been given two 200Ah lithium batteries, stored in an offside locker, as well as 750W worth of solar. The Intelli-Grid system incorporates an internal display that, among other things, even shows whether the van is level, the amount of gas left in the cylinders, and the pressure of the tyres (via Bluetooth sensors screwed to the tyres’ valve stems).

As for security, the Morgans opted for the excellent RVSecure system, which involves adding sensors to various lockers and the door, so that if they’re opened when the system is armed, the van’s owner will receive an immediate alert to their phone.

While Wonder Roo can frame its vans in different ways, including using 18mm CNC-routed plywood, this impressive van is framed up in 25mm TIG-welded box-section aluminium with XPS foam used for insulation. This is the same material used for fibreglass sandwich panels – it’s strong, light, and has excellent thermal properties. The interior walls are a timber-free Celuka composite.

Regarding this caravan’s exterior, I was left with one lasting impression: this Pearl XX4 Off Grid, Off Road Air is about as tough as they come. This is not some el cheapo build. It’s reinforced, sturdy and rigid, and it’s finished to a high standard.

Speaking of finishing the van, before being handed over, it received a special ‘OptiVAN Exterior’ protective ceramic coating to help keep it in showroom condition.

GORGEOUS WONDER ROO INTERIOR

That same high standard is on show inside, too. The layout doesn’t break new ground; however, there’s no doubt it will serve the Morgan family well.

In the rear are two bunks on the nearside, a large wardrobe on the rear wall, and a beautiful bathroom on the offside. Now, I loved this setup for two reasons, and the first isn’t even a Wonder Roo design but a Justin and Carissa thing. You see, they intentionally omitted the bathroom door. The effect is to open up the rear space of the van significantly and to give their girls more room back there.

Second, the bathroom feels in no way cramped. I’m not sure if that’s because of the lack of a door, but it could be. Either way, despite having everything you’d expect, including a washing machine, it feels spacious and looks great, too.

The L-shaped dinette is good and comfortable, and seats two adults and two children nicely. Between the fridge and bathroom you’ll find a 175L compressor fridge – a great choice. If you’ve got the power to support a compressor fridge off-grid, they’re the way to go.

The kitchen, aside from the usual features, gets a 23L flatbed microwave. Why is this special? Well, these microwaves don’t require a turntable, meaning anything you can fit inside that space can be heated.

In part, the secret to this van’s layout is the east-west bed. While it does mean no bedside wardrobes, there are under-bed drawers and overhead lockers. Besides, the space it has created for other things, seems worthwhile, especially since the Morgans will be on the road full time with their daughters.

This Wonder Roo Pearl XX4 Off Grid, Off Road Air has also been equipped with a 3.5kW inverter air-conditioner, a diesel heater, an NCE wi-fi router, and a Gusto dust suppression system. This unit has easily-accessible, washable filters, and there’s even a ‘dirty filter’ indicator.

Could I fault the interior? Not really. Like the outside, it’s properly finished off and well thought out. Together with Justin and Carissa Morgan’s input, this is one serious caravan.

GORV’S VERDICT

There’s a school of thought that says the right van for you is the one you have now. There’s truth to that, but in this case, that would be dismissive of the excellent workmanship, the care and attention to detail on show here.

True, the weight of it all adds up. In this case, the Tare is 2945kg. But with their 300 Series, Justin and Carissa will no doubt have no trouble hauling this van wherever they choose. 

Wonder Roo is a boutique manufacturer in an unassuming factory north of Melbourne… but the quality of the work is right up there with the best. I’m pretty sure Justin and Carissa agree.

COMPLETE SPECS