Prestige Discovery

• Prestige customers help design their motorhome
• Generous kitchen space and storage
• The bathroom is also a convenient size
• The lounge is cosy and spacious
• The construction is stiff and strong

'We don’t live in your motorhome, you do!' is the creed that underlies the Prestige philosophy. Prestige standard layouts are only suggestions, as each customer contributes their own layout, length, base vehicle and interior décor preferences. The Prestige Discovery reviewed is on a Ford Transit 2.4-litre turbo diesel engine, a six-speed manual transmission and a GVW under the 4500kg threshold, meaning it can be driven on a Class 1 (car) licence. Prestige find Ford Transits are the popular choice because they offer value for money, buyers perceive their rear wheel drive to be better suited to New Zealand road conditions, and they are supported nationwide by a network of service dealers. The kitchen in the Discovery has a generous amount of storage space. Below the bench are six large drawers and four small ones, plus a pair of cupboards. Above is a pull-out pantry and three large overhead lockers, while opposite the bench is a Dometic AES 175-litre fridge freezer, with a small locker above and a large drawer below. It features a three-hob Spinflo Triplex oven/grill combo. Excellent ventilation and lighting is provided by the large ceiling hatch, ceiling light, bench light under the overhead lockers, an opening window behind the bench and the Dometic range hood. The permanent rear double bed has a comfortable inner sprung mattress, but lacks side shelves and there is only a small amount of headboard room. A large Remis ceiling hatch and two opening windows offered excellent light and ventilation. There’s a reading light over each pillow. There are four overhead lockers and the storage below the bed was divided in two, with half accessed by lifting the mattress, and the rest through an outside hatch. The bathroom has generous width and length, creating a large shower cubicle behind its own retracting flexible plastic screen. The corner-mounted hand-basin is in the shower but does not noticeably reduce the space for showering. The Thetford swivel cassette is located in the corner to the left of the entry door. There is a ceiling hatch and light in the shower, and a small opening window above the toilet. The Discovery lounge is both spacious and cosy, with a warm timber finish, plenty of spacing between the large two-seater settees, and good ceiling height. There is a dropdown TV screen and a DVD/radio/CD player. Each settee has a seatbelt fitted. As an option, the settees can be made so they convert to a double bed. The ventilation in the lounge is excellent with a Remis ceiling hatch and two opening windows, and plenty of light. There are three overhead lockers each side and storage under each settee. If you need more storage there are four more lockers in the Luton peak. Outside, the fibreglass moulded rear panel looks crisp and stylish. The side panels are foam sandwich formed under vacuum in the Prestige factory. The exterior skin is 3mm thick fibreglass with an unusual ribbed finish, glued to 3.6mm thick marine grade ply. The interior skin is 3mm thick ply, pre-finished with patterned vinyl. Between these skins is a timber frame with infill panels of polystyrene foam. The completed panels are both stiff and strong. The 180-litre water and waste tanks are fitted on top of the chassis resulting in good ground clearance and a clear uncluttered underside to the vehicle.Its overall height of 3.1m is still the same as its competitors, and the higher floor means it has room for four large external lockers below floor level. At $165,000 inc GST, Prestige Discovery is very good value. For more information contact Lance, ph 07 871 6400 or email waikatocaravans@xtra.co.nz To read in-depth motorhome reviews, see the latest issue of Motorhomes, Caravans & Destinations magazine, on sale now.