C16 Is Cub Campers' Luxury Caravan Flagship: Perfectly Balances Off-Grid and Fine Living

Folks, take a nice long look at the images in the gallery. There, you'll behold none other than the C16 luxury and adventure-ready caravan or travel trailer from Cub Campers, an Australian crew that's been active since 1968. With that much history under their belt, you can understand why the C16 is an award-winning machine; it won the Good Design Award for Product Design for 2023. As for what makes it so special is the reason we're here today.

To kick things off for the C16, allow me to point out that these babies aren't cheap, at least not when compared to other units coming out of the Australian sun, but there are clear reasons why we're being asked to drop $130K Australian on one of these habitats. That's roughly $87,400 American (at current exchange rates).

At its base, the C16 is fitted with a Cruisemaster ATX 2.8 coil spring suspension, the one they say is designed for a "lifetime of adventures." From there, a Bluescope Steel chassis is welded for the utmost strength and performance. It needs to be since the whole unit weighs 2,100 kg (4,630 lbs), dry.

Now, at this stage, I'd typically point out all the features that make up the rest of this unit's exterior, but being a luxury camper and an attention-grabbing one at that, let's head inside to get a taste of the living space. Oh, and don't be afraid to bring some friends or family members; this one can handle up to four guests. However, this does depend on which of the three layouts you've chosen.

Yet, it won't matter which floorplan you end up going for; your first step into this unit is bound to feel as though you've just stepped into the ritziest of Class C RVs, maybe even a Class A. Spaces are well-defined, clean-cut, and boasting very European-inspired features and cabinetry. Semiprecious metal accents only seem to bring out the use of wood and composite, not to mention mirrors, giving us a feeling that the space is much larger than it really is.

The layouts are important, too, as each one affects the spaces and features like the bathroom, galley, dinette, and even bedding. My favorite is the standard layout, the one with the galley and bathroom at one end of the space, and a beam-to-beam bed at the other.

Personally, I find it an amazingly beautiful space, and one that I invite you to indulge in, if only for a moment. Imagine waking up next to your significant other, leaning over for a kiss on the cheek, and then crawling out of bed to whip up a pot of coffee and breakfast. Once you bang a few pots and pans, your mate is awake, and soon, the covers on all the side windows are up; natural light fills the unit, illuminating it in the dawn's early light.

Breakfast is served, but outside, because that's why we do it: the whole off-grid lifestyle. Once you're done with all that, throw the dishes in the sink, and for the remainder of this imaginary experience, explore what this puppy's exterior has to offer.

Like most other Australian campers, the C16 also invites its owners to enjoy the greater outdoors with a large galley hidden within its body. There's a cooktop, sink, and faucet, and more storage options than you can shake a stick at. The latter also ties in nicely with all the off-grid features this machine has in store.

For starters, Cub Campers straps 720 W of solar panel array to this beauty, and with a Redarc BMS and 3,000 W inverter, you can recharge up to 600 Ah of battery power. Depending on any options you choose, even more solar panels can be brought along, not to mention a BBQ, airbag suspension, and even a water tank protector if you're planning on roughing things up a bit.

Oh, and be sure to let Cub Campers know of anything else you have in mind; even if their features and options list don't show it, they may still be able to work in things like bike racks and a few others. After all, you don't stay in this business for decades by not giving customers what they want.

But, there's one big hurdle in the journey toward owning a C16. Since this unit is built by Australian hands and for Australian landscapes, you technically have to move to the land down under to own one of these babies. Honestly, if you've got the bucks to own one of these beauties, you have the cash to make such a move. As for everyone else, the C16 can stand as nothing more than inspiration for a camper done right.