A forward bathroom and rear drop-down bed on the LDV Deliver 9
For much of the last two decades, most motorhomes built in Australia have used a European cab chassis – think Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Fiat and Iveco. However, in recent years, several manufacturers have tried the Chinese-built LDV Deliver 9, mostly for budget reasons.
Jayco is the latest to join the club, with the introduction of its Freedom LDV.20-5 motorhome. The chassis is a good fit for an entry-level motorhome.
The dealer principal at Jayco Sydney, Brad Slater, was kind enough to hand over the keys for a test drive. My destination was the Wallacia Caravan Park. It’s a great spot for taking photos and ideal for RV travellers who want a quiet location and a solid base for exploring the lower Blue Mountains.
Jayco’s Freedom LDV.20-5 has an external length of 6.66m (21ft 10in), ideal for those who don’t want a long motorhome but still desire a comfortable interior. The body is somewhat square but also streamlined, with a low-profile look and a short, low Luton peak.
LDV’s Deliver 9 comes with a 2.0 litre turbo diesel rated at 128kW and an eight-speed automatic gearbox. A combination that won’t set the world on fire, but powers things along well enough. The ride quality isn’t quite as good as the European trucks, but the vehicle handles well enough. All the controls and instrumentation are where they should be; the gear change is on the right-hand side of the steering wheel – à la Mercedes-Benz – and the touchscreen is within reach of both driver and passenger.
The build
For the body construction, Jayco uses its long-standing Tough Frame structure. It’s a vacuum-bonded construction with multiple layers, including a lightweight aluminium frame, high-density polystyrene foam, and a hail-and-dent-resistant fibreglass exterior. The body fittings include a standard security habitation door and double-glazed acrylic windows. The gas cylinder bin, with a single 9kg bottle, is located at the rear offside. Although the Freedom is a budget motorhome, Jayco has added a few goodies like external speakers and an electric awning.
The floor is one-piece composite, designed for both lightweight performance and strength. Like the externals, the cabinetry is made for durability, using an interlocking system for the base material that holds everything firmly together.
Overall look
For the living area layout, it looks like Jayco drew inspiration from a rental motorhome. In the rear, there’s a club lounge/dinette with a drop-down bed above. The kitchen takes up all the nearside wall, leaving the area behind the driver’s seat for a full ensuite. Neither driver nor passenger cab seats swivel, keeping the cab area separate from the living space (apart from the walk-through). Jayco has opted for a plain colour scheme, done very much in the company style. I liked the interior lighting, which is subtle, with the switches in all the logical places.
Rear views
A benefit of drop-down beds is that they’re a great feature for folks who want the asset of a rear lounge but not the hassle of making up a bed each night. The bed, which measures 1.95 x 1.45m (6ft 5in x 4ft 9in), is electrically driven and lowers to a level that still needs a ladder for access but provides plenty of in-bed headroom and enables windows to be left open for ventilation. Also worth mentioning are the lights. Not every manufacturer does this, but Jayco has installed a couple of reading lights in the ceiling above the bed.
When the bed is fully raised, the ceiling height under the bed is 1.72m (5ft 8in) – this is something taller people need to be aware of. There’s room for four people around the table, so a couple would be able to sit very comfortably with one on either side to watch the TV that’s mounted on the bathroom wall. A downside of the fixed table is that it makes accessing the under-seat storage a bit awkward. This is a problem because the only other storage in this area is a waist-height drawer cabinet on the offside. It would be good if the Jayco design team gave this a bit more thought. Whilst there’s plenty of under-seat storage, it’s not easy to reach, and there are no external access doors either – something worth considering as an after-market installation.
Compact catering
Given the space constraints, Jayco has opted for a minimalist kitchen, but it does have all the essentials. Built into the benchtop are a two-burner hob and a square sink without a drainer. Benchtop space is minimal, but storage isn’t. There are four drawers, a cupboard and a wire-basket pantry. The water heater takes up part of the lower cupboard space. A full-height pantry is built in behind the passenger seats. There’s also a bit of storage above the driver’s cab, but it’s limited because of the low-profile Luton design. Built into the overhead locker space is a Sphere microwave oven and rangehood. A feature I like is the opening window just behind the cooktop, which is great for extra ventilation.
Forward bathroom
The bathroom is behind the driver’s seat – which is a little unusual for a coach-built motorhome. It does look a little bulky, but that’s the compromise of having a lounge in the rear and an ensuite with separate facilities. Neatly designed in the space are a separate shower cubicle, Thetford ceramic toilet and a small vanity cabinet with wall mirror, wash basin and some cupboard space.
Power matters
For a budget motorhome, the Freedom is surprisingly well equipped in the power department. The 200Ah lithium LiFePO4 battery is topped up by 200W of solar power and managed by a Projecta PM53J charger. Off-grid living is likely to be more limited by the 120-litre water tank and cassette toilet.
The bottom line
Jayco’s Freedom is mostly aimed at first-timers on a budget. That doesn’t mean it lacks essentials; aside from the storage access, it’s a practical motorhome. The rear lounge with the drop-down bed adds layout flexibility, and the motorhome offers a fair amount of capacity for off-grid living. In today’s RV market, Jayco’s Freedom is an interesting step by the manufacturer using the LDV Deliver 9 cab chassis, a base that keeps the cost down.
Specifications
VEHICLE
MANUFACTURER Jayco
MODEL Freedom LDV.20-5
BASE VEHICLE LDV Deliver 9
TARE WEIGHT 3,432kg
GVM 4,495kg
LICENCE Car
PASSENGERS 2
MECHANICAL
ENGINE 2.0 litre turbo diesel
POWER 128kW @ 3500rpm
TORQUE 420Nm @ 1500-2400rpm
GEARBOX 8-speed ZF automatic
BRAKES ABS ventilated disc
DIMENSIONS
EXTERNAL LENGTH 6.66m
EXTERNAL WIDTH 2.46m
EXTERNAL HEIGHT 3.09m
INTERNAL HEIGHT 2.05m
INTERNAL HEIGHT (UNDER BED) 1.72m
BED SIZE (DROP DOWN) 1.95m x 1.45m
EQUIPMENT
COOKTOP Dometic 2 burner
FRIDGE Thetford 180L 12V compressor
MICROWAVE OVEN Sphere
LIGHTING 12V LED
BATTERIES 200Ah lithium
SOLAR PANELS 200W
AIR CONDITIONER Dometic Freshjet
TOILET Thetford
SHOWER Separate cubicle
HOT WATER HEATER Suburban Nautilus instantaneous gas
HEATER No
WATER TANK 120L
GREY TANK 45L
GAS CYLINDERS 1 x 9kg
PRICE (DRIVE AWAY) $132,489
