Review: TrailLite Oakura 354

TrailLite has been in the business of creating dream lifestyles since 1954. As the demands of the motorhoming explorer change, this Kiwi business has continued to evolve alongside, creating an impressive legacy of multi-generation customers who travel New Zealand in TrailLite motorhomes and caravans. Jill Malcolm visits for a closer look at the TrailLite 300 Series, the most popular motorhome model the company builds in its Pukekohe factory.

The story of TrailLite Group is one of those memorable ‘can-do’ tales on which this nation was built: of small beginnings ballooning into something extraordinary.
TrailLite has been building high-end caravans and motorhomes for an impressive 70 years. The business remains family-owned today, and the TrailLite name has become synonymous with combining world-class design, luxury, and superior functionality – all designed and built by master craftsmen and women right here in New Zealand. With service centres in both Pukekohe and Christchurch, both islands are supported with aftercare service and access to experienced, knowledgeable staff.

In 2016, the first motorhome of the TrailLite 300 Series hit the market. The model’s layouts proved so popular that it has changed little ever since. Of course, as technology continues to evolve, present-day fittings, electrical systems, and materials have been modernised and upgraded. The result is a state-of-the-art, skilfully configured motorhome, which is so sought after it makes up over half of the sales of the TrailLite-built motorhome range. For this visit, we spent some time taking a deep dive into the Oakura 354 model.

Storage

Recognising that New Zealanders take freedom camping seriously, the designers have concentrated on TrailLite’s off-grid features, increasing the capacity of its water tanks, solar system, fridge/freezer, and storage battery. Then there’s the generous rear garage, which is 980mm in height. All of this combines to allow owners to stay off the beaten track for longer.

Driving

“The 300 is our most popular model,” says Sam Jamieson, the TrailLite product specialist assigned to show me the Oakura 354. Like others in the 300 Series, it’s built on a Volkswagen Crafter base vehicle. This delivers a strong, stable chassis, dual rear-driven wheels, hill-hold assist, lane assist, and an automatic, eight-speed gearbox. It can be driven on a car licence and is widely considered a dream to drive.

Factory tour

To allow a true ‘behind-the-scenes’ experience, Sam toured me through the Pukekohe factory, the company’s powerhouse, where I could observe the production line first-hand. This was fascinating and impressive. At each workstation, the skill and attention to detail were evident. Sam demonstrated one of the important features of a TrailLite motorhome: the insulation system for walls, floor, and ceilings, comprising extruded polystyrene sandwiched between fibreglass layers. This construction not only protects the interior of the motorhome from temperature fluctuations but improves the stability of the motorhome’s structure. For extra sturdiness, a sub-chassis is bolted on top of the existing chassis. At the rear of the vehicle, leaf blocks are inserted under the leaf springs to increase road clearance and reduce the likelihood
of scrapes on ramps or road bumps.

Living

Parked in pride of place on the TrailLite yard was a newly complete Oakura 354, ready to take to the road and explore. I stepped up into the lounge and immediately recognised the interior’s superior design and craftsmanship. The lounge area is spacious with a generous skylight hatch over the cab and several large windows letting in ample daylight.

At night, windows are covered by blackout screens and Roman blinds.

Owners have a choice to personalise their model from four interior finishes or can opt for a Landmark to upgrade features and personalise their motorhome with interior-designed décor. The soft furnishings in this one were upholstered in harmonious tones of smoky grey and taupe. In between the comfortably padded couches is a sizeable swivel table, and the layout can be re-configured to turn into a double bed. You could comfortably drink your coffee in peace in the stylish-looking cab seats, which can be turned to face the lounge.

There’s a deep, full-width storage shelf along the cab ceiling, which is a great asset for any bits and pieces you need close to hand when travelling. Above the home entrance doorway is the easy-to-fathom Redarc redvision management panel, displaying the status of all the motorhome’s systems and a smartphone control. The 27-inch, 12-volt Smart television screen is set into the wall.

Kitchen

There’s no scrabbling around for pots and dishes in this culinary department. The kitchen is thoughtfully designed, functional, and devoid of clutter. For a messy cook like me, this is very appealing.

The roomy space has clean lines and is well-lit in the daytime by a Midi Heki skylight and a picture window over the bench.

At night, as in the rest of the interior, light is provided by LED downlights, and recessed LED lights at ceiling height add a softening ambience.

The amount of storage space in the kitchen is significant. Large drawers mostly replace cupboards to maximise the space. Drawers are metal-sided, soft-closing, and easy to reach. All drawers and cupboards in the kitchen are electronically locked when the vehicle is in motion.

In this motorhome, the cabinetry doors were lacquered in matte charcoal grey. Space is further enhanced by an extra-long bench of solid, white composite. This is inset with a three-hob gas top with a stainless steel rangehood above and a compact Thetford oven with a built-in grill below.

The square kitchen sink accommodates larger pots and pans, and the tap is set high for good clearance. A water filter is a bonus. Wine buffs will be happy to
see a sizeable vertical wine rack next to the fridge.

Bathroom

A separate shower is cleverly concealed behind the fridge wall and enclosed by aesthetically curved glass doors. Further evidence of the many thoughtful details throughout the motorhome, it has a concertina drying rack high up on one wall. The hatch in the ceiling is a decent size and a latch secures the doors when travelling.

On the opposite side of the motorhome is the bathroom. The first thing I noticed here was the extensive wall mirror, as this visually doubles the space, giving the illusion of double basins. There is, of course, only one (but I did have a moment where I had to double-check).

As in all other areas, storage space has been carefully considered. Perhaps the most useful feature is that the bathroom can act as a drying room, with warmth ducted from the internal diesel heater. Given how unpredictable the New Zealand weather can be year-round, this is a definite bonus. Experienced motorhomers will appreciate how important this is when you’re on the road. A hand towel holder is set above the basin and there are two towel rails.

Bedroom

Set snugly behind the shower and bathroom, the bedroom comprises a queen-size bed raised to accommodate the external garage beneath it and accessed by steps on both sides. Insomniacs can rest easy, as the mattress is the height of luxury (it comprises three layers) and so inviting that when Sam left me to take photographs, I was tempted to lie down for a nap.

A 25mm Visco gel topper pad rests on 45mm of memory foam, which lies on a 70mm layer of support foam. If you can’t sleep on this, you won’t sleep anywhere. The gap between the foot end of the bed and ablution areas is narrow but TrailLite designers have used an ingenious solution. The bed’s foot end can be pushed forward to raise the bed head into a ‘sitting up’ position and at the same time widen the gap.

Bedroom storage is plentiful. Large overhead lockers are complemented by six pull-out drawers at the foot end of the bed. On either side of the bed is a wardrobe, a bedside shelf embedded with a wireless charging pad, and two drawers, one of which contains a USB port and an electrical plug.

Up-to-the-minute electrical systems in an RV are a bonus for trouble-free modern motorhoming. TrailLite uses components from the reputable electrical company Redarc. As well as the 540-watt solar power, these include an alternator charging system, a 30amp battery system, a vehicle management system, and with options to upgrade solar and batteries to stay away longer.

A beauty of a motorhome with all of the added extras built in, the TrailLite Series 300 is an elegant and exquisite example of just what all the fuss is about when it comes to celebrating this iconic New Zealand brand.

Base vehicle

• Volkswagen Crafter, 130kW/410Nm torque, 2.0L, 174hp 8-speed
• Big Foot’ stabiliser legs
• Overall length 8100mm
• Drive on a car licence
• Garage size 1010W x 2230L x 980H
• 7-inch reversing screen with dual cameras
• Electronic stability control and anti-lock braking (ESP and ABS)
• Front collision warning
• Front assist with emergency braking
• Post-collision braking
• Lane assist
• NZ sourced vehicle with full manufacturer-backed warranty of 5 years or 250,000km
• Rear dual-driven wheels 5500kg GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass)

Functional features

• Bluetooth stereo and speakers
• An automatic 60cm satellite dish
• Upgradeable 540W solar panel
• Upgradeable 270amp hour AGM battery
• First-aid kit, smoke alarm, fire extinguisher, gas, and CO2 detection
• A 2kW diesel heater, with ducting to the bathroom
• Two 9kg gas bottles
• A 14L gas/230V Truma hot-water heater
• 300L fresh water
• 250L grey water
• USB A & C charging outlets for electronic devices
• Energy-efficient LED lighting
• External waste hose locker
• External mobile data aerial and booster (NZMCA data ready)
• Self-containment certification
• Keyless entry with a digital keypad on motorhome entry door
• 2200L capacity rear garage
• LED exterior light
• 4m wind-out awning
• 12V and 230V power point in the rear garage
• Oven with grill
• Separate full-size shower and toilet
• 4 berth
• 190L fridge/freezer
• 27” Smart TV