Caravan Review: Jurgens CI Exclusive Deluxe

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The caravan industry has been buzzing with the news of the new range of Jurgens Ci models that were revealed last month.

Words & Pictures by Richard van Ryneveld

But, while Caravan & Outdoor Life has been bringing you every scrap of information available, from pictures to inside information and even the first look at the newly-designed interiors, these models are all still just prototypes, and nobody can say when they will actually be on the market.

Meanwhile, the brand new Jurgens Exclusive Deluxe was launched earlier this year, and it is actually available for purchase. We took it out to see whether it lives up to its promise of providing “unlimited luxury”.

I had the opportunity of spending three nights in what truly is Jurgens’ top model, the Exclusive… and that was not just any exclusive, but the limited edition Exclusive Deluxe. The name says it all. This caravan is for the discerning camper. From the big kitchen, sleeping area and loads of packing space inside, to the sunroof, outside gas stove and expensive windows on the outside, this caravan is made for those who love to camp in luxury.

I collected my unit from Tygerberg Caravans and Campworld. My heart was in my throat when I hitched up and moved off, because the dealer is extremely popular and it is often a tight squeeze when getting out of the gate. Luckily, the off-ramp is just around the corner, and I was soon humming along at 100km/h on my way to the Berg River Resort in Paarl.

The Exclusive Deluxe is almost seven and a half metres long, and weighs over 1.5 ton even when empty; but, with the powerful Toyota Fortuner I had for the weekend, this was no trouble. I quickly adjusted to towing the big double-wheeler and cruised on to my destination.

Outside

From your first cursory glance at the outside of the Exclusive Deluxe, you’ll note that it is big! With a Tare of 1574kg and GVM of 1850kg, it’s fitted on a double axle.

It is also quite tall at 2.72m, with a conventional fixed roof (there’s standing room from front to back) with a Dometic aircon attached on top. The standard model does not come with the aircon in the roof.

Another difference between the Deluxe and standard models of the Exclusive is that the limited edition model has an outside kitchen with a two-plate gas stove (with glass-top cover) and space for a stainlesssteel bowl.

One also notes the obviously large, expensive cassette windows which are level with the body. These windows, which are double insulated, can open and have an adjustable gauze screen and blinds. Very fancy. But, if you are wondering why there is only one window on the left side of the caravan, right at the front, just know that the entire inside of this wall is covered by a kitchen unit. In the front, the nosecone houses a spare wheel and two gas bottles.

Inside

When you open the door, which is situated on the left side at the back behind the wheels, you realise that this is a caravan made exclusively – if you’ll forgive the pun – for a couple.

The interior with its two-tone finish has the feel of an upmarket home. The first thing that strikes you is the massive counter space, almost two metres long, immediately on your left and opposite the café-style dinette area. The kitchen section has no fewer than 13 cupboards and drawers: more than enough for all your groceries, cutlery and more. There are also four rows of shelves for your cups and spices. Honestly, it’s like having a proper kitchen!

However, the microwave is builtin, below the counter, at about knee height, which makes it a little uncomfortable to use. Across from the kitchen, on the right-hand side of the caravan, is the dinette, with two seats (for up to 3 people) and a table. The table is about 70cm in width, and can fold out cleverly in concertina-style to different lengths.

Above the table is a big window, almost two metres wide, which ensures that there is lots of light inside. And there are even more cupboards and shelves above the sitting area.

Next to the dinette area, to the front, is a 228L Dometic fridge/ freezer. The upright unit has a fridge area at the bottom and a freezer on top; both doors can be clipped shut with a plastic clamp for when you are towing. Your caravan has to be connected to a 220V power supply for the fridge to work.

Jurgens CI Exclusive Deluxe Images

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Bathroom

The bathroom is situated in the back of the Exclusive Deluxe to the right of the door, and stretches the entire width of the caravan. While this might mean a bathroom over two metres long, it’s still a bit narrow in the back.

As you enter the bathroom, you face a mirror, under which is a small stainless-steel basin with running water. The toilet is situated to the right. Next to the mirror are cupboards, with a few shelves below.

To the left is the shower, measuring about 73cm x 74cm. There isn’t a fixed shower, but rather a loose, handheld shower head on an extendable water pipe which can be mounted to the wall.

Bedroom

In the front of the caravan is a bedroom fit almost for a king. A divider separates the bedroom area from the back of the caravan, allowing you some privacy… although from whom, I’m not sure.

The comfortable island bed has a really good-quality mattress, with a comfortable amount of space on the left side; however, the right side has a smaller gap, which can be a bit awkward. The bed can be lifted to reveal a storage space for your tent.

The large windows on both sides have built-in shutters and mosquito nets, and as there is another window above your head, there’s an abundance of light in the bedroom.

On the left, above the window, are two cupboards, with another one on the right. There’s even more packing space above the head of the bed. There is also a small cupboard on each side of the bed, and convenient little shelves. The aircon is situated in the roof right above the bed, and will make staying in warm areas a pleasure.