What's the difference?
Hybrid campers are no longer a new development in caravanning and camping. We've been seeing trailers like them, in some form or another, for nearly two decades.
The concept is straightforward: hybrid campers offer some of the best comforts of a caravan (solid walls, proper beds, little to no set-up time) with the best aspects of camper trailers (light, small, rugged and able to be towed nearly anywhere).
Although Blue Tongue Campers has been a leader in the traditional camper-trailer market for more than a decade, its first hybrid has been a long time coming. First chance we got, we hooked it up and headed out to Wee Jasper to see what it's about.
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has long been a formidable competitor in the Light Duty (3501-8000kg GVM) division of Australia’s highly competitive Heavy Commercial vehicle market.
The popular range offers a choice of panel van, cab-chassis and minibus body styles, four turbo-diesel engine variants (plus an all-electric drivetrain), three wheelbase lengths and for panel vans plus the choice of two roof heights.
An extensive overhaul of the Sprinter range in 2024 brought extra safety technologies, new comfort and convenience features and other benefits, which Mercedes-Benz claims can help drivers work more efficiently. We recently put one of the latest models to the test.
Given that Blue Tongue is a relative latecomer to the hybrid caravan market, it’s done its homework.
For $50,000, the HX15 is a great value, highly capable off-road camper with a comprehensive list of features to keep it self-contained and self-sufficient when you're camping.
That it includes an island bed, 2000-watt inverter, grey-water tank and enough battery capacity to free camp almost endlessly, is a testament to all that.
Given the original Sprinter was released in 1995, it’s not surprising the current third-generation model feels like it’s benefitted greatly from decades of continuous refinement. Although the list price difference between our test vehicle and its closest Chinese rival is substantial, the 417 MWB Panel Van is hard to fault in terms of driver comfort, safety and all-round competence. It really is very good.