New Age Road Owl Pop-Top Review

New Age Caravans Family Pop Top

New age caravans tell us that their Road Owl RP18PE pop top is “the ideal starting point for anyone wanting to travel in style at a very competitive price.” I think it’s more than that; this unit isn’t only a great start, but it’s a caravan that can be with you for the rest of your life! She’s a comfortable portable nest with easy towing dimensions, is full of creature comforts, has bunks for the family, a beaut ensuite, and still fits under my carport for storage. Our tested unit wasoutfittedp with the Adventure Pac,k giving it strong off-road credential,s making it a “hooter” for your family to get out and enjoy.

The Road Owl range from New Age comes in both 16 and 18’ versions and offers many options to customise to your personal taste and budget. Furthermore, there’s a choice of either a Comfort or Adventurer upgrade pack, allowing you and your companions to be perfectly equipped for your intended travelling style. Combine all those goodies with DNA spawned from the famous Walkinshaw engineering stable, and the result is the birth of New Age from some very wise owls.

Road Owl Adventurer

The Road Owl RP18PE is an 18’ pop-top with the family layout. It is a handy size for travelling and storage with an overall length of 7850mm and a height of only 2650mm, whilst still giving plenty of headroom with an open internal height of 2030mm. At a tare weight of 2200kg, an ATM of 2800kg and a tow ball load (average) of 17 kilograms, she’s quite easy to tow with larger family vehicles or mid-range 4X4s. The lighter the weight and height, the greater advantage it will be when exploring those inviting secluded campsites at the end of a rough, perhaps overgrown road. The Cruisemaster CRS2 suspension, combined with 6" main members and a 2" raiser in the chassis and drawbar, plus high impact protection and 16” wheels and tyres, all combine to give terrific wheel clearance and added confidence.

The plumage is fully insulated silver, with hi-profile Stucco aluminium cladding plus Raven coated trimming on front, back, and sides (approx. 600mm) for tough abrasion resistance. New Age has developed an all-new roof construction that features a domed insulated composite with a durable aluminium top and unique roof surrounds. This provides insulation from the elements and promotes greater run-off, dramatically reducing the opportunity for water ingress even in harsh tropical downpours.

She has a set of attractive decals with a bold colour scheme, premium Euro style windows, wheel spats, full width tunnel boot, twin 9kg gas bottles, 50mm ball coupling, fold down picnic table, a full length pull out awning, illuminated boarding handle, extended folding stairs, a great array of LED lighting, rear bumper with spare wheel, reversing camera and even the added confidence of BMPRO Sway Control for maximised towing confidence.

You will stay cool with a reverse-cycle air conditioner. When off-grid, the large capacities of the 150W solar panel, 2 x 9kg gas bottles, 2 x 110L water tanks, 110L grey water, and 100amp AGM battery will keep all the necessities of power and water satisfied; however, I would personally add an optional extra battery.

Comfortable Accommodation

I just love the comfortable accommodation New Age has fitted into this 18-foot nest. She is a visual delight with finishes, materials, layout, and surfaces that will please all of your senses. She has an ensuite at the rear with a full-height shower in a moulded capsule, a vanity with a large dressing mirror and cabinetry, a ceramic toilet with elbow room, plenty of natural light, and ventilation from the ceiling exhaust hatches.

There’s a full Queen bed up in front running east/west for space efficiency. Yes, you may have to occasionally crawl out over your loved one for a night visit, but is that so bad considering you have the whole family in an 18-foot pop-top? There’s some drop in cabinets at the bed head for storage and a limited amount under the bed as it houses the air conditioner, plus overhead cupboards.

What About The Kids?

The kids or visitors have a set of full-length bunks at the rear, and they are surprisingly roomy and comfortable. A twin-door cabinet on the rear wall has a large dressing mirror above. It serves well, and the mirror adds to the sense of spaciousness. Yet I’m sure if you wished to extend the cabinetry, New Age would be amicable as an option.

The L-shaped lounge is perfect for eating, playing a game, or relaxing. The table has a fold-down side that extends the upper surface when needed. The premium linen upholstery is thickly padded and extremely comfortable.

The kitchen is reasonably compact, being an 18-foot pop-top caravan, but it is surprisingly well fitted and beautifully presented. It has a 164L 3-way fridge, 4-burner gas cooktop with grill and range hood, microwave, stainless steel sink and mixer, and a reasonable selection of cabinets, including overheads. You will need to be a little selective about the number of pots and pans to allow for pantry storage for a family with hungry, growing kids, yet it is still a well-appointed base.

Speaking of layouts, this 18-foot pop-top is surprisingly spacious. Our demonstration package included a 24" Smart TV and DVD player with Winegard antenna, a BMPro digital monitor for battery voltage and charge status, aux and solar control, tank level status, pump status, and more. The rocking sound system includes Bluetooth, internal and external speakers, a gas/electric hot water system, and a terrific array of LED lighting options. 

If your family wants to live the high life but with low overhead clearance, purchase price, and towing weight, then take a good look at the New Age 18’ Road Owl pop-top. It will have you hooting with freedom and pleasure—just don’t fall off your perch!

Specifications

Tare: approx. 2200kg (as displayed)

ATM:  2800kg (as displayed) 

Body: Insulated, hi-profile Stucco aluminium cladding plus Raven-coated trim

Chassis: Walkinshaw 6” heavy-duty galvanised chassis with a 5” A-Frame and 2” riser

Ball Weight: 170 kg 

Suspension: Cruisemaster CRS2 coil and twin shock independent trailing arm

Tyres: R16 General Grabber All Terrain tyres & 16” alloy wheels

Sleeps: 4

Water Capacity: 2 X 110L with electric water pump plus 110L grey water (all shrouded)

Battery & Charger: 150w Solar and 100-amp AGM

Fridge: 164L 3 Way Fridge/Freezer.

Cooktop: 4-burner gas cooktop with grill, microwave, and range hood

Hits

• Good off-roader

• Sensible range of accessories

• Walkinshaw engineering

• Comfortable flow and head height

• Family friendly

Misses

• No oven

• East/west bed

• Only one battery

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