Caravan Review: On the Move Galaxy

We’ve been seeing some interesting things from On the Move Caravans lately. Last year, the company re-launched the Grenade, turning it from a stick and tin construction into a full fibreglass sandwich panel van with all the gear, including a drop-down bed. 

In March, One the Move Caravans held a special launch to introduce the public and caravanning media, including yours truly, on the Gold Coast, with a number of vans on display. One van was an all-new model, the Galaxy. 

This little guy becomes the smallest van in the On the Move Caravans’ range. With a body length of 4.8m, this compact caravan might be small in size but its big in heart. You see, it offers a point of difference the likes of which I haven’t seen before. This feature brings the outdoors inside in a way that should bring a smile to all vanners. Intrigued? So was I…

NOW THAT’S A WINDOW!

Stepping inside the Galaxy 4.8, I was met with a compact but functional layout that I believe would work well for two people. Does it have acres of living space? Well, no. But what do you expect in a van that’s only 4.8m long? It does, however, provide the sense of space. And therein lies the key to this van.

The cafe dinette sits in the rear offside of the van, adjacent to a large section of wall that literally lifts up on gas struts, creating one of the largest ‘windows’ I’ve ever seen on a caravan before. Imagine sitting at the dinette, by the beach, with an ocean breeze gently wafting through. Imagine how quickly the van would cool down in the evening after a hot day after opening that window.

Speaking of windows, this section of fibreglass sandwich panel contains within it a more conventional caravan window, which means you don’t need to open up the entire section if you want to enjoy a breeze.

I did, however, notice that no flyscreen was fitted to this large window section. On the Move co-owner Robin Harris, however, was way ahead of me. He already has an idea on how screen it off to keep the bugs at bay, and we could expect to see that in the Galaxy 4.8 soon.

In the front nearside corner, On the Move has located a queen-size bed hard up against the wall. The bed has a split mattress – the two halves can be folded to allow you to lift up a section in order to gain access to the storage space beneath. 

While the bed area does have a reading light and 240V powerpoint, there is no bedside table as the mattress fits in the corner, between the nearside wall and the bathroom. Perhaps a shelf could be fitted above the padded bedhead, between the mattress and the overhead lockers?

The bathroom is combo unit that contains a cassette toilet, stylish black tapware and showerhead, and a clever fold-out washbasin. This fold-out design isn’t unique to On the Move per se, but it works very well in terms of saving space. Just undo a clip and the basin folds out from the wall above the toilet. It’s amazing how some caravan manufacturers can make small spaces so functional. I like this design.

Other features include a ducted air-conditioner, a 185L compressor fridge, and an induction cooktop. Now, upon hearing the words ‘induction cooktop’, you might assume this was an off-grid caravan intended to reach far-flung offroad destinations. However, that’s not the case. The Galaxy 4.8 is built specifically for blacktop adventures and holiday park stays.

To that end, the 12V system is kept relatively simple. A 100Ah deep-cycle AGM battery is provided, as is a single 100W solar panel. There’s no you-beaut battery management system or DC-DC charger either. After all, when you’re plugging in at a caravan park, such features become unnecessary.

However, because of the fact the van doesn’t have a gas system, and it uses a compressor fridge, I suspect you’ll be limited to just one night off grid here and there. I don’t intend that as a criticism, by the way – this is what the van is all about.

The same can be said about the fresh water capacity. A single 100L fresh water tank is provided, but no grey water tank. Again, with this van, you’re mostly staying at caravan parks. The result, however, is a lighter van – not lugging around hundreds of kilos worth of water has its advantages.

The On the Move Caravans Galaxy 4.8 offers a very good spread of internal storage options, too. I particularly liked the large wardrobe that sits between the rear door and the fridge. You’ll have no difficulty storing your clothing and bits and pieces here – it’s very generous. 

Overall, it’s an interesting layout. In a market saturated with big vans designed to be hauled into the bush for weeks on end, I found this little guy quite refreshing. Love that big window too!

HOW THE ON THE MOVE GALAXY IS BUILT

On the Move Caravans prides itself on its chassis setups. It doesn’t use the RHS steel you’ll find on many vans. Instead, like all its vans, On the Move Caravans uses an ‘automotive style’ chassis made of high tensile with lightening holes – an engineering principle in which strength is gained and weight is reduced.

No timber is used in the construction of the van either. Instead, there are three one-piece composite fibreglass panels, one for each wall, and one for the floor, front, roof and rear sections. It all appears nicely done and finished off. All fixings are stainless steel, and 400m of body protection to the panels is provided.

The underside of the van looks pretty clean too. Nothing hanging or appearing vulnerable. A torsion bar suspension system with one shock absorber per wheel is used – fairly simple, but nothing extravagant is needed for a van of this nature anyway. A set of leaf springs would have been perfectly fine as well.

As for external storage, On the Move Caravans has given the Galaxy 4.8 a tunnel boot up front, while on the offside towards the rear, you’ll find a locker that can be also accessed by lifting up the mattress inside. However, given it’s much easier to access it externally, I doubt you’d want to go through the hassle of lifting the mattress to access it.

There’s also a roll-out awning and external speakers (internals speakers are provided too) linked to the supplied stereo system.

So while the exterior of the van may sound a little sparse, it’s important to remember the context. Not only is this van intended to spend most of its time in caravan parks and the like, there is the price and weight to consider too.

The Galaxy 4.8 has a Tare of 1506kg and an ATM of 2200kg. That’s not only a very generous payload capacity for a van of this type, it means you’ll likely be able to tow it with the family sedan (always check your weights though). And that alone is a big tick in this rig’s favour.

GORV’S VERDICT

What did I think? Actually, I really liked this diminutive tourer. I towed it around Mt Tambourine, Qld, for a few hours, chatting with Robin Harris as my co-pilot. While the Ford Ranger tow vehicle was overkill for this van, it was the 2L bi-turbo engine (and frankly, with that engine, anything heavier and the car would’ve struggled, especially ascending those hills). 

The Ranger nonetheless offered plenty of wheelbase and mass to provide a stable towing platform, and the On the Move Caravans Galaxy was a pleasure to tow.

This van is built for couples who are happy keeping to the hinterland roads and the holiday parks, and it presents as a very neat proposition for doing exactly that. Further, at $54,990, it offers excellent value for money. Almost unbeatable in today’s market. I love the large ‘window’ section, as well as the fact it offers in the one small package everything you need.

Sometimes, we get a bit carried away with dreams of 24-footers with endless lithium power. It’s great to see there are still manufacturers catering for a more sedate style of touring. What a good little rig!

THE SCORE

FIT AND FINISH –

LAYOUT –

INNOVATION –

HITS & MISSES

COMPLETE SPECS