The new generation Roadstar Little Rippa is bound for a bright future!

Tested
Roadstar Little Rippa
The new generation
Roadstar Little Rippa is
bound for a bright future!
Born
a g a in
In brief...
Semi-offroad van
Designer interior
Improved manufacturing
techniques
Standout interior finishes
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Tested
Roadstar Little Rippa
M
aintaining a competitive edge is one
of the toughest challenges facing
caravan manufacturers today. Just
ask Ken Nizam, director of Roadstar
Caravans, who spent two years in research
and development reworking Roadstar’s entire
caravan range from the ground up, introducing
new materials, manufacturing techniques and
finishes to keep Roadstar’s products at the top of
the game.
We had our first look at one of the new
generation vans in issue 521 (CW Jan ’14), when
the Roadstar Safari Tamer picked up our Best
Aussie Vans award in the $80k-plus category,
shining brightly with its exemplary fit and
finish, improved sealing and excellent storage.
So it was no surprise to see the same qualities
in this van – the Roadstar Little Rippa.
The foundations of the van are a SupaGal
chassis with reinforced drawbar, punched
C-channel cross members and beefy Simplicity
independent suspension rated to 2500kg. The
package runs on 16in alloy wheels shod with
all-terrain rubber. Still at chassis level, twin
shielded water tanks are mounted between
the chassis rails fore and aft of the suspension
mounts and four drop-down supports provide
additional stability when at rest. The wiring and
plumbing is well-sheathed. In most cases, it is
fixed to the punched holes in the chassis cross
members, but I wondered whether it could be
tucked up tighter against the chassis rail for
some added protection in places.
Up front is a standard ball coupling,
handbrake, removable jockey wheel, twin 9kg
gas cylinders, a large checkerplate toolbox
and a drawbar-mounted tap with stone shield.
Charcoal checkerplate rides up to the base of the
front window, shielded by an adjustable awning
and two handles provide assistance for moving
the van around the garage or van park site.
The generous amount of checkerplate
continues around the van, interrupted only
by the door and the various fittings and
compartments, which are finished in white to
match the rest of the body.
On the nearside, a gal-lined tunnel boot
provides plenty of forward storage. A Camec
door secures the entrance and a large Dometic
awning shades the external area, covering
a fold-down picnic table. Additional features
include dual stereo speakers, a 240V socket and
LED lights mounted above the window line.
At the rear, a bumper bar supports the
spare wheel while protecting the tail – the LED
taillights are recessed. Complementing the front
pair, large purposeful grab rails are positioned
for easy use.
WORDS AND PICS
MIKE AND ANITA
PAVEY
Measuring up
I liked...
Quality furnishings,
fittings and colours
Fit and finish
New sealant properties
Simplicity suspension
I would have liked...
Greater payload
More enclosed storage in the
bathroom
Clockwise from top left: The van is
wrapped in charcoal checkerplate stone
protection; the van sits on a SupaGal
chassis with independent suspension;
twin gas cylinders ride in front of the
A-frame toolbox; a front tunnel boot
looks after storage.
“The time and effort invested in rebirthing the
range has paid dividends”
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Tested
Roadstar Little Rippa
Roadstar
Little Rippa
Weights and measures
Overall length 7.37m (24ft 6in)
External body length 5.22m (17ft 2in)
External body width 2.39m (7ft 10in)
Travel height 2.92m (9ft 7in)
Internal height 1.94m (6ft 5in)
Tare 2060kg
ATM 2360kg
Ball weight 180kg
External
Above: The standard 22in TV is paired to an entertainment
system that includes indoor and outdoor speakers. Left: The
nearside dinette is finished in leather.
Sealed for life
The Little Rippa’s bodywork
is now fully sealed with an elastic
sealant called MS22, developed by
Novatio. MS Polymer products offer
the broadest adhesion qualities of all
sealants and will keep out dust and
water over a wide temperature range,
regardless of the terrain.
Search for ‘Roadstar unique sealant’
on YouTube to see a short video
on MS22. Apart from the superior
water and dust sealing properties,
the product contains no dangerous
solvents, so it is safe and easy to use
and seals much quicker than other
sealants, speeding up the production
cycle.
Rather than just seal the main joins,
Roadstar seals all joins. The Novatio
product is exclusive to Roadstar and
carries a 10-year warranty.
TAKE YOUR PICK
The Little Rippa comes in a number of layouts
and, in this case, the layout comprises a northsouth bed at the front of the van, kitchen along
the offside, a good-sized L-shaped lounge on the
nearside and an ensuite across the rear.
Prepare to be delighted as you step inside. The
interior is divine and would rate up there with
some of the best we have seen, particularly at
this price point! It doesn’t rely on bold colours to
make a statement, just excellent fit and finish,
designer fittings and an exceptional execution of
the colour palette.
The island bed is surrounded by three large
tinted windows (with built-in blinds), giving a
good view of the outside world. The queen-sized
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bed with slatted base lifts on gas struts, offering
storage beneath.
The bedroom provides bedside tables with
dual powerpoints, bedside reading lights, large
wardrobes and overhead storage lockers. A 22in
LED LCD TV is paired to a Pioneer Bluetooth
multimedia system with radio, CD, DVD and
Clockwise from top: A pale but
contemporary colour palette and
high quality fit and finish; the kitchen
has compartmentalised drawers and
complete cooking facilities; sturdy
handles and latches fitted to every
cupboard.
Frame Meranti
Cladding Low profile aluminium
Chassis SupaGal
Suspension 2500kg Simplicity
independent suspension
Brakes 12in electric drums
Wheels Alloy, LT245/75 R16
all-terrain tyres
Fresh water 2x95L
Battery 1x105Ah AGM with 30A charger
Solar Pre-wired
Air-conditioner Truma Aventa
Gas 2x9kg
ESC Optional
Internal
MP3 player input, feeding through internal and
external speakers.
The kitchen features self-closing and locking
drawers, another quality touch, and the wide,
curved handles fall easily to hand.
As expected in a van of this size, bench space
is limited. The stainless steel sink with draining
board and large designer tap and a separate
water filter consume half the bench. But the
stove has a flush fitting lid to afford the best use
of available space when the stovetop is not in
use.
A microwave sits below the grill and a 180L
three-way Thetford fridge butts up against the
ensuite wall.
The splashback, which has a washboard
texture, works well with the other high gloss
finishes and is replicated in the bathroom.
A good sized L-shaped lounge, finished with
quality leather, provides seating for four. The
cushion shape is designed to provide increased
bolstering under the thigh and lower back area,
which was evident during testing. There is
storage beneath the dinette seats, although the
battery and associated hardware is located at
one end. A 105Ah AGM battery is provided as
Cooking Four-burner Swift
Mini Grill and oven
Fridge 180L Dometic three-way
Microwave Standard
Toilet Thetford cassette
Shower Separate fibreglass
Lighting LED
Hot water 22.6L gas/electric
Options fitted
None
Price as shown
$59,990 (Vic)
Supplied by
ROBE
TOILET
Roadstar Caravans, 4-6 Lisa Place,
Coolaroo, Vic 3048, 1300 762 378,
www.roadstar.com.au
Presented by
FRIDGE
OHC
The site for all RV specs,
tests and video features.
QUEEN BED
TABLE
ROBE
The caravan you want is now easier to find
DINETTE
SHOWER
ENTRY
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Tested
Roadstar Little Rippa
Clockwise from left: The front bed is surrounded by large
windows and cupboards, some with a high-gloss finish; the
rear bathroom has a modern vanity with open storage and
timber-look benchtops; the bathroom also features a full-height
shower cubicle with ventilation hatch.
Ratings
1. Value for money
2. Towability
3. Setting up and hitching up
4. Suitability for intended touring
5. Layout
6. Quality of finish
7. Build quality
8. Creature comforts
9. Innovation
10. X-Factor
standard, assisted by a 30A 240V charger and
battery protector. The van is prewired for solar
and an LCD battery monitor is fixed to the entry
wall, next to the water gauge.
Weight saving techniques have been applied
in the timber work, with MDF and chipboard
relegated to history. New lightweight but durable
plywood is used for all the furniture, processed
using CNC cutters, time-proven mortise and
tenon joinery and fixing hardware.
The Little Rippa’s lighting is all LED. The
head-high cupboards feature concealed
strip lighting along the top, supplemented by
downlights and wall fixtures. A Truma Aventa
air-conditioner takes care of climate control.
The ensuite makes good use of the available
space. A pedestal supports the hand basin, with
open shelves on either side set further back.
I’m not a huge fan of open storage, particularly
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when exploring off the blacktop and I can’t
help but feel interior designers often let their
artistic flair get the better of them. That said,
it is limited to the bathroom in this case and
does look good. There is some enclosed storage
beneath the sink, though.
A wide mirror, overhead storage, large
fibreglass shower, extraction fan and a Thetford
C-263CS china bowl toilet rounds out the main
features. The shower has a hinged door but
Roadstar can option a sliding door for those who
would prefer one.
The Little Rippa’s main options are an
external barbecue, roof-mounted solar panels
and Electronic Stability Control.
With a Tare weight of 2060kg and an ATM of
Tested
Roadstar Little Rippa
Above: Mike Pavey (left) gets the
rundown on the Little Ripper from
Roadstar’s Ken Nizam post-test.
and the relatively compact size meant the
switchbacks were managed with ease.
THE BOTTOM LINE
It’s hard to fault the Little Rippa. The time
and effort invested in rebirthing the range has
paid dividends. The enhancements in design,
materials and manufacturing techniques have
yielded a quality product immediately evident to
those who take a closer look.
CVW-HH-5195529-CS-522-XCC
2360kg, the Little Rippa is best suited to larger
family vehicles or medium-to-large 4WDs. The
payload (300kg) is limited if carrying full tanks,
but that’s a common complaint with many vans
in this size category.
The Little Rippa wasn’t phased during our
test run north of Melbourne and through the
unsealed Lerderderg State Forest, despite the
choppy terrain. The Simplicity suspension
massaged out the corrugations without flinching