GORV - Digital Magazine Issue #13 | Page 15

RV REVIEW At various speeds, from a crawl along Rosebud’s main street to 100km/h as we opened the throttle on the highway, the Cadet II XLi Platinum tracked steady and true, as we expected. We didn’t experience any strong crosswinds on the day but we see no reason the van wouldn’t perform well, especially when you consider it’s fitted with Al-Ko ESC. Up front, the van is equipped with two 9kg gas cylinders, in front of a checkerplate storage box. Just behind is a tunnel boot with access either side; however, our review van had a slide-out barbecue on the nearside within the tunnel. The van also has an external entertainment hatch, a fold- down picnic table, a couple of speakers, and a roll-out awning. When you’re touring with your family, safety matters more than ever. Aside from sway control, the Cadet II XLi Platinum has a gas detector and a reversing camera – particularly important in caravan parks and other places where kids are bound to be running about. I appreciated, too, the 12V setup, which is comprised of dual 100Ah deep-cycle batteries and 300W worth of solar (two 150W panels). The Cadet II XLi Platinum even has a bike rack with clothesline fitted to the rear. IN D E TEST SEBUD RO WELCOME ABOARD The interior is tasteful but not garish, and the layout seems quite practical, especially considering the van could theoretically sleep six people: two in the main bed, two in either rear corner bunk, and two kids or young teenagers in the converted dinette. I have, over time, come to admire the interiors of Kokoda caravans, and this one lived up to expectations. While any family van could always use more storage, the Cadet II XLi Platinum uses its space efficiently. The twin bunks rest in the offside rear corner, and there’s even a front-loader Dometic washing machine beneath. I did wonder if these bunks would each benefit from inbuilt DVD players… but the world is moving on from DVDs. Let’s not forget, this van has RV wi-fi, so wherever you have reception, gorv.com.au 15