Review: On the Move Caravans Adventure 5.5.

As 2025 wound to a close, I received a call. Caravan HQ in Pakenham, Vic, had an Adventure 5.5 available with which I could have some pre-Christmas fun. This van was built by On the Move, a brand that has earned considerable respect on the Australian caravan scene over a 15-year period or thereabouts.

Nowadays, On the Move’s caravans are built in China to our standards, and I have spent enough time with these vans, as well as the people at the company, to form the opinion that they’re to be taken seriously, both in terms of their build quality and their price point.

All structural components, from the automative-style Desert Master chassis to the wishbone suspension, are designed and fabricated in-house, which provides the company the flexibility to build cohesive vans without having to factor in requirements from third-party component suppliers. Essentially, from the ground up, the structure is completely built by On the Move.

Further – and I might be talking slightly out of school – the company is driving towards completely timber-free vans. Though you won’t find timber in the structure of this Adventure, or other On the Move caravans, it’s still used for internal furniture. But I’m told big things are about to happen on this front.

What about the Adventure 5.5? How did it stack up as I hauled it around Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges in search of a place to park up?

BENEATH THE SURFACE

To understand On the Move’s caravans, it’s important to dig a little – much of the benefit of these vans lies beneath the skin. 

First, the Desert Master chassis. This is made from high-tensile steel that’s laser-cut and CNC punched and folded. Look closely and you’ll notice the perforations in each steel member. These ‘lightening holes’ are an engineering principle in which weight is reduced and strength is added. The holes also facilitate service lines. The various chassis components are hot-dipped-galvanised, powder-coated, and fastened together with automotive-grade rivets. Ultimately, On the Move reckons the design saves about 200kg when compared to an RHS chassis of the same size.

The wishbone suspension features dual airbags and here’s something you don’t see on your typical Australian caravan: the poly water tanks are mounted up within the suspension subframe, out of harm’s way. The Adventure 5.5 gets a decent 240L worth of fresh water and a 100L grey tank. I dare say that raising all that weight to floor level aids in the van’s handling, too.

Let’s return briefly to the chassis, specifically at the rear. Again, you need to look closely. The rear bar ‘slots’ into the C-channel main rails, essentially becoming an integral part of the chassis, rather than being U-bolted into place, as is standard practice among other players.

The 30mm-thick walls of the van are comprised of one-piece fibreglass sandwich panels with an XPS foam core providing structural rigidity and insulation. The walls are fixed to the waterproof 40mm ‘honeycomb’ polypropylene floor using a Z rail, and connect to the roof using a hidden dovetail ‘lock and block’ system and aluminium channel, patented by On the Move. I happen to know that this build method is a point of pride for the company.

Finally, the roof. This is also a one-piece fibreglass structure, 55mm thick, stretching from the very front of the van to the very rear.

No screws pierce the outer skin. Instead, On the Move uses high-strength adhesives where necessary.

That’s a brief overview of the build, but let’s turn to some of the features. One that immediately caught eye was the spare wheel carrier on the aforementioned rear bar. Specifically, I was drawn to the curved section of steel that keeps the spares in place. At first, I thought this doubled as a ramp to aid with lowering the wheel to the ground. I’d seen this system on the On the Move Grenade and thought it was great. But in the case of the Adventure 5.5, it’s only designed to secure the wheels in place. Either side are some lockable compartments, and if you look up, you’ll note the rear spoiler with in-built rear-view camera. This spoiler, by the way, is fitted on top with a solar panel. The van comes with 540W of solar as standard linked to a 200Ah lithium battery. The 12V system also incorporates a Renogy battery management system, a DC-DC charger, and a 2000W inverter.

On the drawbar, the Adventure 5.5 is equipped with a powder-coated storage box complete with numerous storage compartments. Two 4.5kg gas cylinders live in the nearside section, while the offside slide-out tray houses a jerry can holder, with space left over for a small generator or perhaps a portable fridge.

Before we step inside, let me point out one rather cool inclusion to this van’s exterior: a nearside locker that contains a spare airbag along with other parts, including a Desert Master vehicle jack that closely resembles a corner stabiliser but is in fact rated to lift 2000kg.

INSIDE THE ON THE MOVE

The fit and finish inside the Adventure is certainly done to a high standard and tight tolerances. Let’s start in the nose of the van, where you’ll find a queen-size north-south bed surrounded by overhead lockers and wardrobes. The small bedside tables each have a wireless charging pad, and the wardrobe niches come complete with 240V and USB charging points.

If you were to look under the bed, you’d find something so logical that it’s almost surprising that it isn’t standard fare on all caravans: a storage tray that sits above two ‘his and hers’ drawers – such a good idea.

A small observation about the kitchen: On the Move has placed the convection microwave below the bench rather than in the overheads – from a safety perspective, this is a welcome touch. The kitchen also gets a four-burner cooktop, a griller and a 188L compressor fridge.

Between the kitchen and bedroom, though, is a tall cupboard housing the van’s electrical gear, things such as fuses, the BMS and DC-DC charger – everything is easily accessible from inside the van.

An L-shaped dinette upholstered in faux leather sits opposite the kitchen, with a footrest on one end that flips up to allow you to stretch out.

A small but useful inclusion: the switch panel beside the door, which allows you to isolate various 12V circuits, or simply kill all 12V power while you’re away from the van.

The bathroom gets a wall-mounted washing machine and all the usual equipment; however, the Adventure 5.5 has also been fitted with an anti-fog mirror (just press the touchscreen button on the glass). It’s certainly an attractive space, well fitted out and nicely balanced.

In fact, ‘attractive space’ is a good way to describe the rest of the interior. Small details such as the round LEDs in the cabinetry baseboards, and the strip lighting between the ceiling and the overheads, add a certain warm elegance. The black tapware, the filtered drinking water, the entertainment options, including a Fusion sound system… it all adds up to a fairly compelling package, especially when you factor in the price of $89,990.

GORV’S VERDICT

What did I think? Well, it’s an On the Move, so that’s a solid start. I do rate these caravans, from both a build and value for money perspective. The Adventure 5.5 fulfils the promise of the brand, with a long list of standard equipment, thoughtful touches, and easy towing characteristics.

THE SCORE

FIT AND FINISH –

LAYOUT –

INNOVATION –

HITS & MISSES

COMPLETE SPECS