Compass Nautilus

Essential living

It's all too easy to pick out the caravan of your dreams with absolutely everything included. Trouble is, this top of the range van with all the bells and whistles is bound to cost in the six figures. But do you really need the solar panels, fine leather suite and five-star hotel-like ensuite? It would be nice of course, but for most, the answer is no.

To keep costs down some of the more luxury options are kept to a minimum, but what about doing away with something as seemingly integral as a shower and toilet? This can prove a very sensible option for those who only go from park to park where all your needs are provided. The benefit is you get a roomier layout in a small, light van.

The 5.35m (17ft 6in) size Nautilus - internal measurements - offers four different floor plans by Compass Caravans; two with a shower, two without.

Our test van, with a double bed no shower/toilet, costs under $40,000 - around $5000 less than the equivalent unit with the WC facilities.

"For the price," says Ben Mays Maytow Caravans' sales and marketing manager, "you're getting a good value van with the entry level into European furniture."

CONVENTIONAL BUILD
With an ATM of 2174kg, the Nautilus can be towed by most medium-sized 4WDs, but the likes of RAV4, Outback and Forester owners would need upgrades. A Ford Falcon Sedan or ute fitted with the Ford heavy duty tow pack could tow this van, and on our test - with a Toyota Land Cruiser provided by Maytow - it was no trouble at all as we headed off into the wilds.

The Meranti-framed Nautilus is built on a conventional heavy duty boxed steel SupaGal chassis with a SupaGal A-frame featuring a tap, single 9kg gas cylinder and centre-mounted 6in jockey wheel. It rides on a beam axle with leaf springs and basic Delta Sports 14in light truck wheels and tyres.

The body is of corrugated white aluminium and fitted with a large, easy to use 8500 awning as standard to greatly increase living space. The boot is of good size with a handy powerpoint a feature on our van, and the 565mm lid on gas struts is coated in a very ocean blue material. The same colour is used for the padded pebble guard that runs the length of the front end up to the top of the boot.

This pebble guard and its choice of colour don't look as robust or as stylish as the likes of checkerplating, and on the whole, the exterior look of the Nautilus with its bright graphics does appear somewhat dated. This won't bother a lot of potential buyers of course, and we have to remember we're dealing with a van under $40,000 here.

MOVING INSIDE
For the money, the interior gives plenty to cheer about. The lack of shower and toilet gives a good feeling of roominess inside what is a relatively small van, and the space has been used well. As Ben May says, it features entry level European furniture, so while it obviously isn't of the quality of a van costing double this price, the general feel will be more than adequate for most.

As you enter the Camec tri-lock door with security grille you are presented with the substantial L-shaped dinette covered in macro-suede. The table is of a good size and will fit a family of four around, but with a lounge this big, an even bigger table could have been possible. That said, it easily swivels round for comfier use, and can also be quickly lowered.

You get the feeling this van would be great not just for travelling couples, but for families with a couple of young kids. The lounge is big enough to sleep two children quite easily while mum and dad retire to the double bed, and the internal features ensure a good weekend or holiday could be had with ample storage and all your kitchen needs.

The bench top, as with the table, has a nice faux marble finish with rolled edges, while the kitchen sink, stove, microwave and fridge are all conveniently placed to make cooking and cleaning up easy. A Dometic three-way fridge and Swift four-burner stove (one electric, three gas) with range hood are good spec for a van at this price, as is the waist-height mounted Sanyo microwave.

Because the Nautilus doesn't have the separate toilet and shower area, fitting your clothes, everyday goods and equipment all in is easy for two people or even a small family. The cupboards are all at an easy-to-reach level, while deep wardrobes feature either side of the bed with an additional one at the end of the bed. At the other end of the bed (which is reasonably easy to navigate around) is a corner dressing table with vanity mirror.

There are of course some luxury feature omissions with the Nautilus that you'd expect in vans a bit higher up the price range. The curtains and pelmets are very much in the old style of caravanning, as is the lack of LED lighting with 12V fluoros to the ceiling and around the bed.

That said, the finish on the furniture, while still quite basic, is more than enough for most people, plus the likes of a hidden Pioneer CD/DVD player and roof air-conditioner as standard shows there is plenty in here to enjoy. There's space for a TV above the microwave, plus the external TV point on our van will again prove popular for families to occupy the kids out of doors.

EVERYDAY LIVING
Obviously with this Nautilus, its lack of shower and toilet means you'll want to be at a caravan park pretty much all the time. Even so, an external shower for a quick rinse at times would make an appreciated and useful upgrade. On the subject of water, the van comes with a 60L (13 gallon) water tank, and if you go for the Nautilus shower model, this amount would be doubled.

The principle concern for many when buying a van in this price range, especially if designed for family use, is the safety aspect. The good news is Compass seems to have put a lot of thought into this. As standard, the Nautilus is equipped with a pressure relief valve on the gas cylinder, smoke detectors, fire safety kit (1kg extinguisher and fire blanket) and a water purifying filter.

THE BOTTOM LINE
A positive with the Compass Nautilus is its eleven different floor plans over five different caravan sizes, so if the range appeals to you, it should be simple to find the length and layout most relevant to your needs.

The Nautilus's exterior design may not be cutting edge, but the inside - where you'll be doing all the living - does make up for this. It is specced well for its price, it is nicely laid out and the living space will prove agreeable for four people comfortably.

At a price of under $40,000, it is obviously going to appeal to those on a budget who want to take caravan park holidays; be it young families or couples of any age.

I LIKED

• Spacious interior
• Large dinette
• Value for money

I WOULD HAVE LIKED

• An exterior shower in lieu of an internal one
• Exterior design and colour scheme could use some modernising

Maytow Caravans
602-606 North East Road
Holden Hill, SA 5088
1300 629 869
www.maytow.com

For more information, including your nearest Compass dealer, visit www.compasscaravans.com.au