In a world where caravans are either too soft or too serious, the Coromal Thrill Seeker 18ft Family strikes a rare balance. It's rugged enough to tackle gravel and red dust, and refined enough to keep the family comfortable when the weather turns.

Hooked up to our current model Mitsubishi Triton, we took the big grey and orange Coromal from the NSW Central Coast to Queensland's beautiful (and rainy) tropical Fraser Coast and back over a three week period.

Our journey took us to Coffs Harbour and XX, before prolonged stints at Hervey Bay and Tin Can Bay, working our way back down the coast to again stop in the land of the Big Banana, ahead of our return home.

Throughout the journey, the Thrill Seeker proved itself a pretty decent home away from home (despite some shortcomings - more on those in a moment), and all while having to cope with sweltering heat and torrential rain across our trip.

At 18ft plus a little extra, this tandem-axle rig is the smallest family layout in the Thrill Seeker range. Don't let that fool you though, it’s built on a Walkinshaw hot-dipped galvanised steel chassis, paired with Cruisemaster semi-off-road suspension.

Riding on LT235/75R15 all-terrain tyres, it will handle national park tracks and corrugated backroads without rattling your fillings loose. The exterior is clean and classic, with practical touches like a rear vision camera and external shower included.

There’s even a picnic table with LED lights for those sunset dinners under the pull-out awning. Its tare weight is 2390kg, with an ATM of 2990kg. Tow ball weight is 170kg and it features a DO35 V3 Plus coupling.

Step inside and you’re greeted by a layout that includes a queen bed with under and over storage, and three bunks that are roomy enough for taller kids. A separate shower and toilet comes complete with a ceramic hand basin.

The 3kg wall-mounted washing machine is an excellent addition, while the adjustable dinette is versatile enough for meals, as a place to work from, or playing board games with the family.

A 4-burner gas stove with a grill, a 23-litre microwave, a 170-litre 3-way fridge and freezer (with separate doors), and a bucket load of storage options feature. The impressive 6-foot 8-inch ceiling height means no one is ducking their head to walk around. 

The Thrill Seeker 18ft Family comes with a 200W solar panel, 100Ah AGM battery, and BMPRO BatteryPlus35HA management system. It's a solid setup for short stints off-grid. There’s also Bluetooth stereo connectivity, and 12V and 240V outlets.

A break-away safety system powered by the house battery. If you’re planning longer remote stays, you might want to consider upgrading the solar and battery capacity, which is one of a handful of downsides.

The others, well they're mostly water and waste related. There's no grey water tank for example, despite its semi-off road credentials, with the poor placement of the outflow pipe adding to the frustration.

The bathroom layout makes for a very limited space to sit on the cassette toilet. The latter means you'll have to find somewhere to empty regularly, limiting the range of the van should you want to exit the grid.

The L-shaped lounge also restricts bed access, a particularly annoying situation when you're trying to access under-bed storage. Sway control isn't standard either (although the Triton had our back on that front, as it were).

While it's funky on the outside, resplendent in its grey, black and orange colour scheme, some might find the interior styling overly neutral and a tad, shall we say, boring. Not everyone will love the fact Coromal has stuck with a traditional timber frame either.

All that aside, it’s towable by most mid-to-large SUVs and dual-cab utes, and thanks to its compact footprint, it’s easier to manoeuvre than many family vans in its class. It's not trying to be a hardcore off-roader either, and that's its advantage.

The Coromal Thrill Seeker 18ft Family is a well-built, semi-off-road caravan that delivers comfort, practicality, and value for money. With a starting price around $71,490, it’s positioned to appeal to families who want to explore, without sacrificing creature comforts.

You can find out more about Coromal Caravans via Sydney RV’s listings on OnlyVans.com.au 


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