When is a Millard caravan not quite a Millard caravan? When it’s a Rhapsody, built especially for Qld dealer Brisbane RVs. It comes with all the usual Millard features but with some additions that provide a different look and feel.

Built in standard Millard fashion, the Rhapsody has a hot dipped galvanised chassis, aluminium frame, and aluminium-clad walls and roof. To enhance its offroad appeal, aluminium checkerplate panels embellish the van’s lower front half and sides.

HEAVY DUTY

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 Our Rhapsody is best described as a rough-road van, but there’s also an offroad model available. A glance underneath reveals a heavy duty suspension – the Rhapsody is fitted with a Cruisemaster independent setup with coil springs, shock absorbers and trailing arms. Also of note are the two galvanised sheet-protected 70L water tanks.

Up front, the drawbar is built using 6in x 2in (150m x 50mm) rails, just like the rest of the chassis, but the hitch is only a standard ball coupling. Two 9kg gas cylinders sit between the drawbar rails, leaving the front boot empty save for the house battery.

At the rear, the bumper bar sports not only the spare wheel but a couple of jerry can holders as well, adding 20in (500mm) to the external body length.

Windows are Camec tinted hoppers, except for the slider behind the triple-locker security door. And for the outdoor enthusiasts, there’s an A&E awning, a wall light and a grab handle light.

Inside the Rhapsody, things are different to the conventional Millard fitout. High gloss laminates are used and the timber look on the cabinetry and most of the walls dominates. The layout is a standard design incorporating a front bedroom, nearside dinette and offside kitchen. The rear full width bathroom, however, is slightly larger than usual. This is to accommodate, amongst other things, a washing machine. As a result, a compromise is made – the kitchen and dinette areas are a little smaller than they might otherwise be for a van of this length.

NEAT, PETITE KITCHEN

 Arguably, the most important feature in any caravan is the kitchen. This one has a single benchtop layout with the Dometic 186L fridge at the front end, sink/drainer in the middle and full oven at the rear end. The latter is set at an angle for a better use of kitchen bench space. A microwave is found above the sink in the overhead locker area.

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Set into the kitchen bench area are a two-door cupboard, cutlery drawer, small slide-out pantry and two overhead plus two floor lockers. Neither storage nor benchtop space is overly generous since part of the cupboard space is occupied by the wheel arch. Powerpoints are conveniently located at either end of the kitchen bench, as are the water heater controls.

Opposite the kitchen is the dinette with conventional seats and a contemporary tri-fold table. There are the usual overhead lockers above and under-seat storage areas below. Two halogen reading lights supply the illumination and, conveniently, there is a powerpoint beside the forward seat.

Up front, the double bed measures 5ft 4in x 5ft (1.6m x 1.5m). If that’s a little short, an extendable piece of mattress adds another 8in (200mm). The extendable base has a steel frame and ply timber slats with a compartmented storage area underneath, which is where the Dometic Eberspächer diesel heater lives.

Overhead lockers, side wardrobes and bedside cabinets make up the bed head. In addition to the small bedside shelves, there is an under-window shelf. In the corners at the foot of the bed are diagonal cupboards, the nearside being full height, the offside half height to accommodate the flatscreen TV. This is mounted on a swivel arm and can be seen from either the bed or the dinette around the corner.

BATHROOM

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 There was once a time when caravans had just a ‘bucket’ for emergency ablutions. Well, things have changed and one of the growth areas (literally) in caravans over the last few years has been bathrooms, and the Rhapsody’s is a case in point. It has a separate shower cubicle, Thetford cassette toilet and a large vanity cabinet across the rear, which has enough storage space to fit a washing machine – beside the loo in fact, so you can sit on one and load the other. The ‘twos’ have it in the bathroom storage department – two overhead lockers, two cupboards, two drawers and two towel rails! Exhaust fans supply ventilation above the shower and toilet, in addition to the window above the loo.

Outside the bathroom, beside the entry door, is a cupboard. Narrow and un-shelved as it is, it would be best used to store brooms and other items with long handles. Narrow shelves to make it a second pantry might be a better space use.

With an ATM of 2663kg and a Tare of 2263kg, the Rhapsody isn’t a bad weight for a reasonable selection of tow vehicles. Certainly our Land Cruiser had no trouble on the rough roads we towed it over.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Although our review Rhapsody isn’t a full offroad van, it has been designed with a bit of rough-road work in mind. The van is very comfortable as well.

It’s interesting what can be achieved when you take a standard van such as the Millard, and add a few design touches of your own, as Brisbane RVs has done.

Brisbane RVs, 194 Bruce Highway, Burpengary, Qld 4505, (07) 3888 3273, www.brisbanervs.com.au

I liked

• It’s a bit compressed, but the general kitchen design with the angled stove provided more room for the kitchen bench
• Wide shelf and adjacent powerpoints at the back of the bed
• TV location – convenient for watching from bed and dinette
• Tri-fold table at the dinette
• 12V fuse panel conveniently located close to the door

I would have liked

• The squared-off frame at the rear bumper may be vulnerable in undulating conditions. Curved frames might be more practical
• Shelves for the broom cupboard
• A mirror on the same wall as the vanity sink, although the position of the window would make that awkward

By Malcolm Street, as featured in Caravan World issue 456, August 2008.