The Avida Fremantle stands out as one of Australia’s larger motorhomes.
The Avida Fremantle stands out as one of Australia’s larger motorhomes, measuring 9.2 metres in length. In this review, we take a closer look at its impressive features –exploring why Avida’s slightly shorter alternative to the Longreach still offers plenty of space and comfort for serious road adventurers.
Large motorhomes, that is, those with an external length over nine metres (30ft), are a little unusual in the Australian motorhome scene. Australia’s largest motorhome manufacturer, Avida, has not one but two in its extensive stable. One is the 9.85m (32ft 4in) Isuzu-powered Longreach, and the other is the Fremantle, slightly shorter at 9.2m (30ft 2in). For this review, I was after either; and it was the Fremantle that happened to roll off the production line first.
The Fremantle has Iveco Daily underpinnings and a GVM of 7,000kg, but it requires a Light Rigid (LR) truck licence to drive. Potential owners shouldn’t be fazed by this necessity. Getting an LR licence is simple enough, and it does remove a few restraints brought about by keeping under a GVM of 4,495kg (for a car licence).
Driving the Avida Fremantle
Powered by a 3.0 litre 155kW turbo diesel, the Fremantle isn’t a difficult motorhome to drive at all. Its 9.2 metre length requires remembering to allow for extra clearance when overtaking or parking; and keeping up with the traffic flow isn’t difficult. Being a larger vehicle, the dual rear wheels offer better stability. The external driving mirrors provide a good view down both sides and the reversing camera is a bonus when manoeuvring around. Generally speaking, the road noise wasn’t too bad, and there were minimal squeaks and creaks from the rear, which are often noticeable features in motorhomes with slide-outs.
Room to Move: Spacious Interior Design
One of the benefits of a motorhome this length is a considerable amount of interior space, especially as it comes with not one but two slide-outs. There’s plenty of living and storage capacity, and the C-class style offers a double bed in the rear and another in the Luton peak. Of course, there’s seating for four, with the two driver’s cab seats and the lounge behind the driver’s seat fitted with seat belts.
The Fremantle layout is user-friendly, with a rear bedroom incorporated into the rear slide-out. There is a split bathroom in front of the bedroom, a nearside kitchen, and an offside lounge/dinette that utilises the front slide-out. Both slide-outs operate quite smoothly with just the press of a switch. To get to the bathroom from the front, the forward slide-out has to be opened at least slightly for ease of access. All the drawers have a soft-close feature, and the overhead lockers are handle-free.
Bedroom and Bathroom Comfort
In the rear, the bed measures 1.9m x 1.53m (6ft 3in x 5ft). It tucks neatly into the slide-out and both sides of the bed get a USB hub for device charging. There’s plenty of storage space along the nearside wall, with two good-sized wardrobes, three cupboards and six drawers. The 27-inch TV is mounted in a position for easy viewing. The disadvantage of the cupboard space at the foot of the bed is that the mattress bolster at the bed head has to be lifted out of the way to shorten the bed so the slide-out can be closed properly. A benefit of the slide-out fitted bed is the result of a bedroom area that isn’t cramped.
In the split bathroom, the shower cubicle and the toilet cubicle on the opposite side are very well-sized. The toilet area is easily large enough for the Dometic cassette loo, wash basin, vanity cabinet and a large wall mirror. The shower cubicle has a fan hatch, while the toilet cubicle just has a ceiling hatch. For a bit of privacy, the toilet door can be fully opened to close off the rear section.
Well-Equipped Kitchen and Pantry
There’s nothing unusual in the kitchen. A stainless-steel sink/drainer and a Mobicool four-burner hob with a separate grill and oven are fitted into the bench top. There’s a nominal amount of bench top space and the cooktop lid can be used when nothing is cooking. Drawer space makes up most of the kitchen bench storage but there’s also a cupboard and a couple of overhead lockers. Although there’s a rangehood, and the window behind the kitchen and the adjacent door are great for removing cooking odours. The kitchen storage includes a full-height pantry with triple-wire baskets.
On the other side of the doorway, behind the passenger seat, a ceiling-height cabinet serves several functions. It holds the microwave oven and wine cooler (a great feature in any motorhome) and is a mounting point for a second 23-inch TV – one that can easily be seen from the dinette. In addition, a hinged flap makes a neat kitchen bench extension. The caveat is that a little care is required when using the habitation door!
Comfortable Dining and Relaxing Lounge Area
Set in the forward slide-out, the black leather upholstered dinette is the epitome of style and comfort. There’s a small step up, but it’s larger than the usual motorhome dinette. It’s asymmetrical in shape and will easily seat four around the table. Drawers are fitted into each seat end.
In the nose cone, the Luton peak offers the alternative of a bed/storage area or a more open area above the cab seats, with the bed lifted. It can be left made-up without a problem. When moving to and from the cab on a regular basis, the raised bed is much easier on the head and back. For sleeping, the Luton bed is quite well equipped. The ladder is the barefoot-friendly variety; there are windows and roof-mounted reading lights on either side, and the ceiling is a decent height so you don’t bump your head.
Innovative Body Structure and Off-Grid Capability
Avida uses a timber-free construction for its motorhomes. The composite wall structure has a fibreglass exterior, a polyurethane frame, high-density polystyrene insulation, and an aluminium extrusion that joins the floor to the roof. NCE double-glazed acrylic awning windows are used all around, and the door is a Dometic fitting.
There are plenty of external bins along both sides, mostly low down (except for those in the slide-outs and the washing machine bin between the cab passenger and habitation doors). Some are dedicated to items like the battery management system and Onan generator, but the rest offer an adequate capacity for all camping essentials. However, none of the storage bins in the slide-outs or along the lower edges are large enough for items like golf clubs or folding bikes.
Avida’s electrical set-up is quite well done without going to extremes, which adds to the price tag. In the manufacturer’s style, the control panel is located above the entry door and is easy to reach. The Onan generator and Redfoot levelling controls are also found there. All the major electrical components, batteries, charger and inverter are easily accessible in the lower bins. I like the hinged mounting panel that makes testing wiring and components that much easier. For instance, the Victron Multiplus II 3,000W inverter is not visible, but readily accessible without using tools.
There’s an excellent battery and solar panel set-up for off-grid living. The four solar panels are rated at 170W and the three Lithium LiFePO4 batteries are 120Ah each. Water capacity is quite generous too, with 200 litres of fresh water and a 100 litre grey water tank. For the LPG system, there are three 4.0kg cylinders. That’s quite enough for the cooker, fridge, water heater and BBQ.
The Bottom Line: Is the Avida Freemantle Right for You?
Avida’s Fremantle, with its double slide-out, will be attractive to anyone looking for a larger motorhome with plenty of storage capacity inside and out. With a couple of extra seat belts, it’s also handy for a small family or grand family, depending on how you travel. Whichever way you do, the Fremantle is designed for the long haul – both on and off the beaten track. Although only a two-wheel drive vehicle, there’s no shortage of places to explore throughout Australia in a very stylish fashion.
SPECIFICATIONS
Vehicle
MANUFACTURER AVIDA
MODEL FREMANTLE C9224SL
BASE VEHICLE IVECO DAILY 72-210
TARE WEIGHT 5,212KG
GVM 7,000KG
LICENCE LR
PASSENGERS 4
Mechnical
ENGINE 3.0 LITRE TURBO DIESEL
POWER 1155KW @ 3,500RPM
TORQUE 470NM @ 1,500RPM
GEAR BOX HIMATIC 8 SPEED
BRAKES ABS DISC
Dimensions
EXTERNAL LENGTH 9.2M (30FT 2IN)
EXTERNAL WIDTH 2.46M (8FT) (INCL AWNING)
EXTERNAL HEIGHT 3.39M (11FT 1IN)
INTERNAL HEIGHT 2.02M (6FT 7IN)
REAR BED SIZE 1.9M X 1.53M (6FT 3IN X 5FT)
UPPER BED SIZE 1.96M X 1.35M (6FT 5IN X 4FT 5IN)
Equipment
COOK TOP MOBICOOL 4 BURNER, GRILL AND OVEN
FRIDGE DOMETIC RUA 8408X 216 LITRE
MICROWAVE NCE
LIGHTING 12V LED
BATTERIES 3 X 120AH LITHIUM LIFEPO4
SOLAR PANELS 3 X 170W
AIR CONDITIONER WEBASTO
TOILET DOMETIC CASSETTE
SHOWER SEPARATE CUBICLE
HOT WATER NAUTILUS INSTANTANEOUS
HEATER WEBASTO DIESEL
WATER TANK 200 LITRE
GREY TANK 100 LITRE
GAS CYLINDERS 3 X 4.0KG
PRICE (STANDARD) NSW DRIVE AWAY FROM $345,300
PRICE (AS VIEWED) $355,180
Options Fitted
ELECTRIC AWNING AND HYDRAULIC STABILISERS, AUTO LEVELLING
Warranty
3-YEAR MANUFACTURER WARRANTY AND 5-YEAR STRUCTURAL WARRANTY
Both slide-outs have inbuilt external storage.
Supplied by:
Avida RV
