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RV Daily – Atlantic Endeavour Review

Words and Images by: Anthony Kilner

Atlantic Caravans is making a splash with its new generation Endeavour, but will it last the distance and manage to stay afloat among the sea of competition? Let’s have a look through the spyglass and see if the Endeavour is up to the rigours of travel.

OUTSIDE

On the outside, the Endeavour is a neat-looking package with silver cladding and a black chequer plate front, back and sides, accented by the bright orange stripe and logo. The particular van we tested was the 19ft rear-door model featuring  the Bush Pack.

The Bush Pack upgrade will get you a six-inch Road Runner chassis with six-inch A-frame that  has been extended to fit a toolbox on the front, plus Dexter Torflex suspension and slick-looking 16-inch alloy rims.

From the ground up, the Endeavour features a one-piece floor and a meranti and baltic pine frame with full insulation. There’s a full-width boot for long items and the usual vents and hatches for the toilet and other appliances around the body. Standard features include an eight-inch jockey wheel, electric brakes to all wheels, two 9kg gas bottles with rubber cradle rings, drop-down legs, mud flaps and a rear bumper complete with spare wheel. Twin 95-litre water tanks are fitted underneath the van, as is the battery box complete with 100Ah deep-cycle battery, which is managed by a BMPRO RVView battery monitor system.

Atlantic has kitted out the van with a picnic table, drop-down step, rollout awning, double-glazed windows and a couple of hatches in the roof for light and ventilation. A Dometic IBIS low-profile air-conditioning unit is also mounted on the roof along with a 120W solar panel and a Dometic digital aerial system.

INSIDE

The rear door access allows entry into the van between the kitchen dinette and the full-width ensuite across the back. The ensuite is tidy, featuring a Dometic toilet, a Daewoo 2kg mini-washing machine, vanity unit with cupboards, storage shelves and a ceramic basin, and a reasonable size shower. The LED lighting in the ensuite, which flows throughout the van, adds an element of modern elegance.

The dinette is a comfortable two-seater with a tri-fold table that allows for more kitchen space when folded up. There’s plenty of room for storage in overhead cupboards and under the seats. Opposite the dinette is the kitchen. While there’s not a lot of bench space, the kitchen is practical enough and offers a great deal of storage, with cupboards, slide-out drawers, and a slide-out pantry. There’s a Thetford 3-in-1 cooker with
grill plus rangehood, and above this is a Sphere microwave. Between the nice large sink and the ensuite wall is a Dometic 184-litre, two-door fridge mounted above a cupboard, which offers extra height and ease of access.

At the front of the van is the bedroom, complete with an island style queen-size bed. There are wardrobes either side of the bed and overhead cupboards – all standard fare. I was, however, amused to find that mirrors were fitted on the inside of the wardrobe doors – totally impractical, as the doors don’t open wide enough for you to actually be able to use them! When I checked in with Atlantic, they acknowledged the problem and have moved the mirrors to the outside of the doors. There’s storage in a corner cupboard bordering the dinette as well as under the bed. This room is neat, tidy and bright, thanks to the large windows either side of the bed that let in the natural light. Aside from the dust-prone high gloss finish, I was impressed by the interior of the Endeavour – ‘practical’ and ‘classy’ just about sums it up.

VERDICT

I towed this van to Warrnambool RV & Caravan Centre on the coast, roughly 350km from the manufacturers in Campbellfield, Victoria. This van towed amazingly well across all types of surfaces, from smooth highways to bumpier roads, and from low to high speeds. The gloss interior was not a favourite for me because it easily shows up dust, however, it is a classy look that many people love. Our talent on the day, Bruce and Wilma Pollock, Atlantic owners themselves, absolutely loved the interior – so chances are, you will too! For under $60,000 (ex. Melbourne), this Endeavour is a smart-looking van with plenty of gear to make touring the coastline easy and smooth as can be.

SPECIFICATIONS
BODY LENGTH: 5.8m (19ft)
BODY WIDTH: 2.4m (7ft, 9in)
TARE WEIGHT: 2270kg
ATM: 2870kg
BALL WEIGHT: 220kg
PRICE AS TESTED: $59,375 drive away ex Melbourne

PROS
• Towability
• Storage
• Spec level
• Price

CONS
• Gloss finish shows up dust
• Mirrors inside wardrobe doors