Bluewater Campers Xtraveller: Australia's Best Hybrids 2024 presented by Tough Dog 4WD Suspension

Hybrids are becoming a popular choice for Aussie adventurers who want the perks of a caravan with the rugged offroad readiness of a camper trailer.

Our sister-brand Caravan World held the inaugural Australia's Best Hybrids 2024 presented by Tough Dog 4WD Suspension event late last year, with 10 fantastic hybrids on display.

Here's a wrap up of one of the top contenders, the Bluewater Campers Xtraveller, which took home the Best Value for Money award.

To find out more about the event, what we defined makes a hybrid and to read the full reviews, head to the Caravan World website.

BLUEWATER XTRAVELLER

Awarded Best Value for Money, the Bluewater Campers Xtraveller had several smart innovations that made it stand out from the crowd.

Build quality 

The Xtraveller has a hot dipped galvanised Q345 steel chassis, which is powder-coated and protected by an underbody sealer. The fresh and grey water polymer tanks have alloy checkerplate protection. And the suspension is RidePro independent with coil springs and twin shock absorbers to ensure a stable ride on rough bush tracks.

The body structure is fully TIG welded aluminium and includes a purpose-built box in the underbed storage area to accommodate the two 135Ah lithium LiFeP04 batteries in the required manner. It’s a neat protective idea yet still gives easy access to the batteries. The pop-top roof is aluminium, the gusset uses a heavy-duty close weave (440g/m2) and all YKK zippers are self-repairing.

Liveability

This is a hybrid designed for families. There’s a queen north–south bed with all the usual accessories. The bunks are just inside the entry door and the top bunk folds down to make an extra lounge bench.

There’s no bathroom inside, but there is a Porta Potti under the bench seat which is also accessible from the outside so that you can easily move it to the shower tent.

The external kitchen is the only place to do cooking, and there’s a slide-out sink, three gas burner stove, 95L EvaKool fridge/freezer, pantry drawers, built-in shelving and the option of a Travel Buddy 12V oven. Connecting up is a breeze with the snake track containing the plumbing, gas lines and electric cables — a straightforward but effective idea.

There’s a full annexe, flyscreen entry door and the roof is electric, so no heavy lifting. The downside of the Xtraveller’s low profile is the limited internal storage, so some extra options will be needed for families of four.

Self-sufficiency

The standard 270Ah battery power and 400W solar will suit many for extended stays off-grid. An external point for a mobile panel is standard. But the option for an extra battery to 405Ah and a 2000W inverter with pass-through technology takes the remote experience to a higher level, allowing you to power the coffee machine or air fryer and recharge devices and computers.

There’s a 200L water tank for extended bush camping and 80L grey water for council and national park sites.

An 8.5kg gas bottle has a 3.75g backup supply — a sensible arrangement to save significant weight and plenty to run the kitchen for a month or more. The optional diesel heater is an efficient option.

Towability

The Xtraveller is a compact unit and rode smoothly behind the Nissan Navara, aided by the independent trailing arm suspension and RidePro foam cell shock absorbers, low centre of gravity, reasonable weight distribution and 1850kg tare weight. It’s relatively heavy for its size but will suit many mid-range 4WDs when loaded with a max 650kg payload to the 2500kg ATM.

A narrow 1.9m (6ft 2in) width lets the Bluewater sit neatly behind most tow vehicles, meaning you’ll get down most tracks without damaging or scratching the duco and you can get away with standard side mirrors and stay legal. The brakes are 12in electric drums and worked well. The travel height is 2.1m (6ft 9in), so there’s little worry about hitting overhead branches.

Value for money

Starting at $41,990 and tested at $48,440 (plus ORC), it was the most affordable hybrid at ABH, yet it comes with lithium batteries, 400W of solar and a REDARC BMS, plus plenty of standard inclusions. What brings the price up to the as-seen cost are the portable fridge, diesel heater, third battery and the inverter.

There are some concessions with the Xtraveller, namely the external ensuite which is uncommon, but there are also pluses to the compact design including the fact its low height allows it into most car-centric garages.

For more information head to the Bluewater Campers website.

And to read the full review by the Australia's Best Hybrids 2024 presented by Tough Dog 4WD Suspension judges, head here.

THE NEXT STEP

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