Jayco Optimum IV.25-5B Review

With a host of nifty extras included as standard, the Jayco 2022 Optimum IV.25-5B is all about comfort and luxury. Claire Smith takes a closer look.

Australian RV manufacturer Jayco offers two models of motorhome, the Conquest and the Optimum. They’re both popular models here in New Zealand, each designed for a slightly different buyer.

Built on a Renault Master, Mercedes Sprinter or Fiat Ducato, the Conquest is aimed at first-time buyers, with all the must-haves but without the nice-to-haves that demand a more premium price tag.

The Optimum, built on an Iveco Daily chassis with a silver enhanced cab, is based on the Conquest’s design but comes with a bunch of next-level extras that deliver on the ‘wow’ factor to offer “the ultimate in luxury living”.

To make driving luxurious too, the Iveco Daily includes all the bells and whistles such as traction control, ABS braking, active lane keeping, Al-KO Comfort Suspension, cruise control, crosswind assist, Bluetooth handsfree, and GPS navigation.

LAYOUT

The 2022 Optimum is available in two lengths: 7950mm (IV.25-5B) or 8995mm (IV.29-5). Each offers the option of a 2-berth L-shaped dinette, or a 4-berth café-style dinette. The model reviewed is the 7950mm, 2-berth option.

As you enter through the passenger-side habitation door, first impressions are of a modern, spacious interior with handsome décor that combines soft creams and timber tones. The kitchen and dining area is up front, the full-width bathroom is at the rear, with an east-west fixed island bed in between. To dial up the sense of space, a 3555mm slide-out, which encompasses the dinette and island bed, opens up the interior to allow plenty of room to move about.

SLEEPING

As mentioned earlier, the main sleeping quarters are located between the dinette and bathroom with a fixed double east-west bed. At 1450mm wide with a deluxe innerspring mattress, it promises a comfy night’s sleep. Because the bed is within the slide-out, it includes an extendable mattress to provide an additional 200mm of length – 1830mm in total – once you’re parked up. For storing big and bulky items, the mattress lifts to provide plenty of storage. For everything else, there are two overhead lockers plus drawers and cupboards opposite the bed. A benchtop over the cupboard unit provides a useful space for storing those bits and pieces you like to keep close at hand.

With wide windows at either end of the bed, the bedroom gets plenty of light and fresh air, supplemented by generously-sized overhead skylights in the bedroom and living kitchen. A nice addition is the two 12V Sirocco fans which generate a gentle breeze, ensuring optimum comfort on sultry nights.

For extra sleepers, an additional bed is tucked into the Luton, and of course if the bed isn’t needed, this space provides a valuable amount of storage.

DINING AND COOKING

Finished in lovely plush cream leather, the L-shaped lounge wraps around a telescopic, removable table with room for four adults. The seats are as inviting as they look – just the right level of softness to be comfy while still offering good support.

Opposite the dinette is the cooking zone, and with a Dometic four-burner hob, grill, oven, rangehood, and microwave, it’s well set up for those who like to have a few pots on the go and enough room to create some good, tasty cuisine. There’s a good amount of bench space too, with covers over the sink and cooktop to allow extra prep space when needed.

A selection of big drawers and cupboards will hold everything required for extended holidays, and a pull-out condiment pantry is a handy addition for keeping spices and bottles at hand. In terms of practical functionality, the kitchen gets a big tick. But it also gets a tick for the little stylish additions that give that modern apartment-like feel – black tapware, a water filter, a square black sink, and the subway tile-look splashback. My only suggestion for improvement would be to relocate the kitchen window from its current location behind the sink to sit behind the cooktop, where the extra ventilation and light would be more useful.

BATHROOM

Running the full width of the vehicle, this very luxurious bathroom is set up with a central vanity unit, toilet on the driver’s side, and shower opposite. The stylish square black sink, black tapware and fittings, and tile-look splashback adds a touch of class and creates a nice cohesion with the living space.

The shower is generously sized with all the comforts of home including a slide tap, overhead extractor, and shampoo caddy. And with a 225L freshwater capacity and Nautilus instantaneous hot water, you don’t have to worry quite so much about how long you take.

A notable extra in this space is the addition of a 240V washing machine. It’s one of those appliances that divides motorhome travellers – some love them and make good use of them over extended periods of travel, others just don’t see the point in taking up space and water consumption with a machine that can only manage small loads anyway. If you’re the adventurous type, or have small kids, however, it can be a godsend.

TECHNOLOGY

Exclusive to Jayco, and standard in the Optimum range, RVConnect is a collection of lifestyle technology with some pretty nifty features:

• Lippert OneControl: This lets you monitor everything from water, battery, gas levels (optional), and even your tyre pressure from your smart interface. Or if you’d prefer, connect with Bluetooth, and use your smartphone instead.
• Amazon Alexa: Bring your personal voice assistant with you as you travel. Alexa can turn your lights on or off, open the awning and slide-out, give you the latest weather forecasts, or tell you how long to cook your eggs for.
• 360-degree cameras: For a complete view of your motorhome to make parking and reversing safer and easier.
• Winegard Wi-Fi extender: Stay connected with increased range and mobile internet speed with 4G capability.

CONSTRUCTION

Jayco motorhomes are built with an aluminium frame rather than timber to provide extra strength. The internal walls use 3mm plywood board with polyester coating and high-density polystyrene foam insulation, with an exterior of aerodynamic fibreglass with a high gloss finish.

EXTERIOR

The Optimum has been designed to make it easy to enjoy the outdoors as much as the indoors. For those evenings when drinks and nibbles are at your place, you’ve got the option of setting up the TV on the exterior mount so that everyone can enjoy the big game or a movie. Or if you’d prefer a bit of ambient music, you’re all sorted with the Furrion entertainment unit’s exterior speakers. Hook the barbecue up on the exterior gas port, fold down the exterior-mounted picnic table to store the drinks on, and you’re set for the evening. And for relaxing during the day, the electric awning extends at the push of the button.

There is a generous amount of storage within the lockers. On the passenger’s side there’s a wet locker and two standard lockers. The driver’s side, which is home to the slide-out, has three additional lockers, plus the gas bottle storage locker.

Optional extras for the exterior include a black alloy bull bar, black alloy nudge bar, and black side steps for the cab.

OTHER NOTEWORTHY INCLUSIONS

The Optimum also includes two 200W roof-mounted solar panels, two 120amp lithium batteries for those off-grid adventures, a 240V roof-mounted air conditioning unit to cool the interior down during summer, a Sphere 12V 24” LED TV, and an automatic satellite dish.

SUMMARY

Jayco motorhomes have a reputation for quality and value. The 2022 Optimum IV.25-5B delivers on both with plenty of niceties and home comforts thrown in for good measure. I’d see this motorhome ideally suited to a couple who might have spent a few years travelling and are ready to upgrade to the extra luxury and convenience this model affords.

Jayco Optimum IV.25-5B Specifications

Price as reviewed: $262,990

For more information, visit jayco.co.nz