Avida Busselton Motorhome 2021 review: Camping test

The three-variants in the Avida Busselton motorhome range are C Type motorhomes, which denotes that there is a double bed over the cabin as part of their design.

The Busselton is built on a rear-wheel-drive Iveco Daily chassis.

Our test vehicle, the C7544SL Busselton, has a double bed over the cabin as well as a double bed towards the rear of the motorhome, and its bathroom (with shower and a toilet) are at the rear. So, it differs from the other two variants in the Busselton range in terms of interior layout: the C7814 has a separate toilet and shower near the mid-section of the motorhome, and its island bed at the rear; and the C7824 has a separate toilet and shower near the mid-section of the motorhome, and two single beds at the rear.

It also has a radio, a smart TV with DVD player.

Most noteworthy here though is the fact the C7544SL has a powered slide-out section that the user can open and close via a wall-mounted control when the motorhome is stationary, so there's even more useable space inside the motorhome than there is in the other two variants.

Pricing for the C7544SL starts at $176,070 plus on-road costs, with models expected at Avida dealers in early 2021.

Our Busselton, as tested, is $191,288 drive-away and that includes the additional two seats belts which are an option.

It also has a microwave and a two-door fridge/freezer.

As standard, the C7544SL is a fully self-contained motorhome with a kitchen (including a sink, and a stove top with two gas burners and one induction hot plate, and fold-down bench-extension), microwave, two-door fridge/freezer, a fully upholstered dinette (with table and seating for four), the aforementioned bathroom (with shower, toilet, raised porcelain basin on the vanity and towel hooks) at the rear, the two double beds, roof-mounted air-conditioning, interior LED mood lighting, electric roof hatch, plus 100L fresh-water and 100L grey-water tanks and more. It also has a radio, a smart TV with DVD player, soft-close drawers, handle-free overhead cupboards, louvre windows, roller blinds, cabinetry, an entry door with a four-point security screen and more.

Basically, anything you imagine you might ever need in your mobile accommodation is in here.

The Busselton is built on a rear-wheel-drive Iveco Daily chassis.

Safety features include ABS – Antilock braking system, driver and passenger airbags, entry door grab handle and light, electronic stability program control, onboard fire extinguishers, LP gas-leak detector, and smoke detector.

Obviously there's a plethora of other features onboard the Busselton – some of which you only discover while living in it and we'll get to a few of those soon – and there are numerous colour options for this motorhome's benchtops, splashbacks, upholstery and cabinetry, so for even more detail on standard features and options, contact Avida.

The Iveco Daily 50C17 has a 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine, producing 125kw at 2900-3500rpm and 430Nm at 1500-2600rpm.

It has an eight-speed automatic transmission and is a rear-wheel-drive variant.

It's nice to drive and very comfortable on a variety of road surfaces and well-maintained, light-duty gravel tracks. As covered above, the motorhome's size – any motorhome's size – adds a degree of complication to manoeuvring your way along streets and, as we discovered, through a busy campsite, but ultimately those things can be easily overcome ... and we managed without too much fuss.

Once we had pulled into our campsite and set up, the appeal of a motorhome became blatantly obvious – it's an all-in-one home. Everything is onboard, either fixed to the vehicle already, or you can pack it inside and bring it with you.

There's a set of power-operated stairs that are extended – and withdrawn – at the touch of a button located just inside the door and reachable from outside the motorhome. Suffice to say, getting in and out of the Busselton is quick and simple.

Once you're on level ground, and completely stopped, it's time to open the slide-out section to ensure you can enjoy the full interior of the motorhome. The slide-out section is operated via a button on the interior wall near the entry door. Tip: before you do that, check outside for any obstructions (trees, fellow campers' vehicles or tents) on the right-hand side of the motorhome to make sure the Busselton's slide-out wall won't bang into anything.

The Busselton can be driven on a standard car licence (Class C), but if you opt for a GVM upgrade (more than 4500kg) on the Busselton you must have a Light Rigid licence.

This motorhome does have aircon, but my family and I like to retain some sense of roughing it when camping, so we chose instead to use the screened doors and windows for a welcome touch of fresh salty ocean air in our beachside campsite. The entry door has a solid flap on the outside and that can be left opened so the mesh in the main door will prevent mozzies getting in, but still allowing fresh air in. Same goes for the windows, which can be left opened but the screens remain closed so you can benefit from fresh air without suffering a mozzie invasion.

The main bed is comfortable, and so is the bed over the cabin, by all accounts. (My kids – 10 and 12 – slept up there. There is a 150kg limit for it, so go for your life.)

Other than that, the cooker does the job, as does the fridge, and everything else also works well.

The dinette with table and comfy chairs serve their purpose – and make a handy reading or games area for the kids – but we preferred to eat our meals outside on our camp table.

There are numerous nice interior touches such as a slide-out pantry, soft-close drawers, magazine holders, USB charging points and dimmable lighting in the cabin.

The awning, which extends from the left-hand side of the motorhome (same side as the entry door), is easy enough to set up and pack away, but, as with any awning/canopy/tent, it's easier and faster to accomplish this sort of task with two people rather than just one. Rest assured: you get better at it, the more times you do it.

It's good to know that the Busselton's exterior has a dent- and hail-resistant fibreglass finish, especially in campsites where a falling branch, wayward footy, or drunk backpacker might smack into your accommodation of choice.

There are two significant downsides to a motorhome though, beyond the steep initial price: 1. there is some rocking and rolling when you move about inside the Busselton and when you shift in bed while you sleep but you can't escape that; and 2. if you decide you'd like to go for a drive somewhere after you've stopped and set up camp, you have to pack away your awning, retract the slide-out section, make sure everything onboard is stowed away safely, make sure anything you're leaving behind – for example, a table, chairs, surfboards etc – is protected from weather, theft etc ... and only then can you think about heading off in your motorhome. A small price to pay – and you do get better and faster at packing up and setting up as you spend more time with a motorhome – but it's a price nonetheless. Something to keep in mind. It's understandable that motorhome owners tow a small car behind because then when you're at camp, you don't have to pack everything up to go on a short trip – you just crack out the hot hatch and off you go.

Towing capacity is listed as 3505kg (braked), gross vehicle mass (GVM) is 4495kg, and Gross Combined Mass (GCM) is 8000kg.

An ANCAP safety rating does not apply to this vehicle.

Safety features include ABS, driver and passenger airbags, electronic stability program control, and reverse camera.