The history behind family vans is an interesting one. They have always been around, however these vans were traditionally owned by grandparents who hosted the grandchildren for school holidays and special trips. For images and the full RV Daily experience,…
The history behind family vans is an interesting one. They have always been around, however these vans were traditionally owned by grandparents who hosted the grandchildren for school holidays and special trips.
For images and the full RV Daily experience, read this in our digital magazine.
Family camping holidays are on the rise and with the subsequent addition of two or three kids on regular trips, vans need spaces for them to sleep. In the past, annexes created rooms in which kids and guests could sleep. These days, with more mobile touring being popular, having bunk beds inside a van makes it easy to sleep the kids without the hassle and time required to set up annexes or tents.
This, of course, means having a slightly larger van to accommodate the bunks, the shower and toilet, and dinette seating for up to five people if the weather outside is not conducive to a family barbecue.
Add to that the need to have a bigger fridge than is needed for two, as well as cooking appliances and bench space to deal with a larger family. This then becomes an interesting challenge for manufacturers to build a family van in an affordable price range and without compromising on quality.
On first inspection the River Diamantina family van looks the goods inside and out. With more than 30 years in the industry one would expect just that from River and when an eye is cast around this van it’s hard to find faults, it’s as neat as a pin…
Outside
A big Effie towing the Diamantina is really overkill as far as tow vehicles go. With a tare weight of just 2440kg and an ATM of 2940kg, this van can be towed by pretty much any of the larger 4WDs on the market as well as quite a few of the new mid-sized 4WDs such as the Ford Ranger and its derivatives.
The River is based on a solid G&S Duragal chassis for durability. The A-frame, aside from the normal fittings, sports a mesh floor to deal with wet gear. River also offers an optional hot-dip galvanising service for buyers that are interested in the inherent anti-rust properties it provides.
Mechanical bits include a tandem leaf-spring suspension system, 10in electrical brakes, 15in alloy wheels and ESC as standard. Other features of this van include a drop step, twin 9kg gas bottles, a gas bayonet for the barbecue, drop-down stabilising legs, twin 95L water tanks that are shielded and a spare wheel which is mounted on the rear bar. Another 95L grey water tank is also an option.
A timber frame supports the aluminium body – complete with a checker plate front – and with the grey checker plate and contrasting black, it looks like a tough touring van. Full insulation is standard and so is the contrasting awning.
There are plenty of tinted windows around the body of the caravan, including one for each bunk which is a nice touch. There is a tunnel boot for long item storage, a picnic table, twin speakers and up on the roof as well as the roof hatches is an Ibis AC system to keep the temperature just right inside the van.
LED lights feature on the inside and the outside of this van, which is becoming the norm these days. There’s a battery system employed to deal with power consumption and it’s pre-wired ready for solar. A second battery and solar panels are optional.
As with the underneath, the exterior is very neat and practical for touring. It’s a package that’s going to work well across the board.
Inside
Moving to the inside and the first impression is wow! It’s neat, it’s big enough for four and with the exception of a bath, it’s got most of the mod cons from home.
The master bedroom is located at the front of the van and is amazingly light and airy with large windows on each wall. The bed is situated island-style off the front wall and there’s great storage in the wardrobes on either side, in overhead cupboards and under the bed. The wardrobe doors are mirrored, which creates more of a feeling of light and space.
The contrasting light colours used throughout the Diamantina create a soft feel to the interior and yet there is a depth of colour offset in the kitchen splashback, floor and walls.
In the middle of the van is the kitchen on the driver’s side and the dinette opposite. The dinette is a combo between an L-shaped and a club style the way it’s been fitted in and will seat four easily.
The kitchen is big enough to be practical and includes appliances such as a large two-door, three-way fridge/freezer, a deep sink with flick mixer and water filter, three gas and one electric stove top, a full-sized oven and grill, plus a microwave to help feed the masses. One really good example of clever design is a slide-out drawer that acts as extra bench space.
River has added as many cupboards and drawers into the vans as space allows to make touring comfortable for everyone.
The bunks are located on the passenger sidewall at the back of the van and would suit most kids as there is a good amount of room.
Opposite the bunks is the well-designed bathroom. The toilet, basin and cupboards are separate from the shower space, which is much better than having them in the same room when being used by multiple family members. The shower has a screen and door and is just the right size for the space available.
Between the bunks and the bathroom is a great storage space for clothes or linen with a front-loading washing machine underneath that will help keep the kids clothing under control; as all mums and dads know, kids can be grubby buggers.
Overall, the interior is very neat, practical and pretty close to ideal for mum, dad and a couple of nippers.
