REVIEW WORDS BRENDAN BATTY PHOTOGRAPHY ANTHONY WARRY
THE
BALANCING
ACT
Horizon’s Waratah is all class, but does
it balance function and value too?
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MOTORHOME | HORIZON MOTORHOMES WARATAH
TIGHTROPE WALKING
Taking a page out of
Horizon’s book, Brendan
shows his own balancing
skills (we promise it’s not a
Photoshop trick).
I
t’s a balancing act filling a small space
with all the comforts the modern
campervan buyer expects, without
compromising on usability. The
industry, for the large part, has got
its head around it and it’s rare we’ll
find a recreational vehicle that’s even
slightly uncomfortable. The game is
now about style, quality and value.
The Horizon Waratah is a Mercedes-Benz
Sprinter based van conversion that carries
the mantle of Horizon’s most expensive
(when bought with the 4WD option). It’s
available with two engine and transmission
combinations and up to three GVM options.
That variety is one of the reasons the Merc
van is the best in the business.
Our tester is fitted with the smaller of
the two engines – a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder
turbo diesel. It produces 120kW and 350Nm
of torque. The engine is quiet and smooth
and has more than enough getup to keep
the campervan moving at any speed. Best
of all, though, is the optional seven-speed
twin clutch gearbox. Unlike the popular
Fiat Ducato or Volkswagen Crafter, both
which feature clunky automated manual
gearboxes, the Merc’s shifting is silky
smooth and almost unnoticeable.
In fact, the Benz is nicer in almost every
aspect than any of the large commercial vans
converted into mobile homes. There’s a more
solid feel to the front doors and a smoother
slide action of the side one. The dash is
better laid out with a superior information
display, and preferred storage options and
cup holders. The other vans are nice, but
step from one straight into the Sprinter (we
did), and the step up in quality is distinct.
If the 2.2-litre diesel sounds too small,
there’s also a 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel that
we’ve driven on other tests and which
is excellent. With 140kW and 440Nm of
torque, the van is enthusiastic as well as
strong. In automatic form, it can even be
upgraded to 4WD, complete with lowrange transfer case, which can really see
you explore hard to get to places.
For the driver and passenger, comfort
is excellent. The seats don’t feel as high in
the air as you really are and there’s a suite
of modern aids we expect in cars but don’t
always see in commercials. Bluetooth, cruise
control, heated mirrors, power windows,
air conditioning, steering wheel height and
reach control and central locking are all
standard. Horizon can up the comfort ante
more by upholstering the seats in leather.
The long wheelbase, high roof van has
14 cubic metres of usable load area that is
made larger with the swivelling front seats
specified by Horizon. The 316 and 319’s
GVM is lifted 4495kg, although the 516 and
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REVIEW FOLD AWAY
TABLE
The Benz is nicer in almost
every aspect than any of the
large commercial vans
converted into mobile homes
KITCHEN
ENSUITE
OVERHEAD STORAGE
SINGLE BED
SINGLE BED
OVERHEAD STORAGE
BEDSIDE
TABLE
HORIZON
MOTORHOMES
WARATAH
VERDICT
+ The Sprinter, the
kitchen, the small details
- It’s not cheap
= Classy and functional
tourer
FAST FACTS
MODEL: Waratah
CHASSIS: Mercedes-Benz
Sprinter
POWER: 120kW
TORQUE: 350Nm
EXTERNAL LENGTH: 6945mm
WIDTH: 1993mm HEIGHT: 2740mm
BERTH: Two
TARE: 3300kg
GVM: 4490kg
WARRANTY: Three years
RRP: From $123,500
CONTACT
Ballina Campervan and
Motorhome Centre
299 River Road, Ballina,
NSW, 2478
02 6681 1555
BALLINACAMPERS.COM.AU
1
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MOTORHOME | HORIZON MOTORHOMES WARATAH
519 are specified with 4495kg or 5000kg
GVMs. As standard, Horizon upgrades the
Merc fuel tank to 100 litres. All that makes
for a fine motorhome base.
If you love the floor plan – but want to save
some money – Horizon will build this into
the Volkswagen Crafter. However, you miss
out on the flawless Mercedes gearbox and
engine package, and lose a lot of the driver
comforts and advanced safety systems. As
such, not many bother.
The Waratah floor plan features two single
beds to the rear, separated by a narrow
walkway and small bedside (more like
bedcentre) drawers. Cushioned walls ensure
this area is comfortable during daylight
hours also. A table, big enough for two, on a
swivelling base fits in here nicely, making
it the most versatile area in the whole van.
There is a lot of room here for just relaxing,
and that’s a very attractive proposition with
the back doors open allowing, perhaps, a
sea-breeze to float through.
Further forward, a smart kitchen runs all
the way to the sliding side door and features
a handy bench extension that pulls out
from under the stovetop. The three-burner
stove and stainless steel sink is a combined
unit, saving space where it’s needed. And
although the kitchen lacks a grill or oven,
it still has gas hot water, a 108-litre, 12/240volt fridge and a microwave. There’s no
range hood, but the hatch above the kitchen
is fitted with a fly screen and an extraction
fan, which is a quieter and more versatile
solution, anyway.
Storage around the van is good, without
being extensive. There’s a small pantry
in the kitchen, as well as a stack of four
drawers. Overhead cupboards surround
the bedroom and sit above the dinette and
there’s a long, shallow drawer under the
raised floor between the beds. There is also
a good amount of boot space, although it’s
not the largest of the Horizon range.
Opposite the kitchen is the van’s
impressive ensuite. It’s as big as a van this
size will allow. The area houses a Dometic
toilet with a remote-mounted cistern to save
space, stainless steel tap wear and a small
2
SWIVEL ME TIMBERS The front driver and passenger seats (1)
can be upholstered in leather as an optional extra and swivel to
join the small dinette area (2) so four people can happily nosh a
meal together. A narrow walkway and drawers divide two single
beds at the rear (3). There’s no oven in the kitchen area (4) but a
three-burner stove and microwave handle your cooking needs
and there’s a nifty pull-out bench.
4
3
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REVIEW MOTORHOME | HORIZON MOTORHOMES WARATAH
Back in 2013, Horizon Motorhome’s owner Clayton Kearney took a Waratah all the way across Australia
and through the Kimberley – with our special on the Kimberley starting on page 62 we wanted to ask him
about his trip.
“We had a very fast trip through the Kimberley in the Horizon Waratah 4WD. This was a vehicle that
I customised with two fold down bunk beds in place of the overhead cupboards above the rear single
beds. This was done to accommodate my two teenage children, 14 and 16. It cut into our storage space
but was worthwhile as it gave us a lot of mobility given the limited time that we had to do the trip.
This trip was a real adventure; the whole family absolutely loved it. This is a beautiful piece of our
country. One of the most memorable places for us was Middle Lagoon on Dampier Peninsular. After a
couple of weeks driving and desert crossing, this was an isolated little seaside paradise for us where
we were able to spend a couple of days chilling out, swimming, walking and relaxing.”
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basin with its own cupboards underneath. But
there’s no curtain to screen the toilet.
Forward of the ensuite is a small dinette
area. Combined with the swivelling driver
and passenger seats, the small space can
accommodate four for dinner. The two dinette
seats are also fitted with seatbelts so, with the
table removed, you can pick up hitchhikers or
give friends a lift into town.
Some of the best aspects of the Waratah
are only small – like the USB charging points,
or the electric slide-out step. We’re really
impressed by the large, hatch-mounted fan
which draws just 0.1amp per hour on low, and
the easy-to-use – but extensive – electrical
system. There’s a 200amp/h battery hidden in
the camper, which is managed by a 40amp,
three-stage charger from the alternator or a
similar one by 240V mains. The van is also
solar compatible, although it’s somewhat
expensive for the 160W or 200W options.
The only thing it is really missing are proper
shutout blinds on the rear windows, but that’s
because Mercedes Benz won’t supply the van
with solid rear doors that Horizon could cut out
and fit regular RV windows to.
Yes, it’s a balancing act fitting all the modern
luxuries into a van-based package, but
Horizon has managed it. This is a comfortable,
well-featured van with real performance.
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