Frontline Toyota HiAce H30 6 Gen Campervan 2022 Review

User-friendly compact campervan is perfect for first-time van lifers

First-time RV buyers have flooded the market since the pandemic started, driven to road-going holiday escapes by repeated lockdowns and local and overseas travel restrictions.

For those new to RV travel, nothing could be easier or safer to drive for long distances than a compact campervan, especially one based on the popular Toyota HiAce medium van, which doesn’t take up much more space on the road than a seven-seat SUV and is just as stress-free to drive and park.

Sydney-based campervan conversion specialist Frontline was one of the first to convert the latest HiAce van and remains one of few specialists in Australia to offer ‘turn key’ production versions of the top-selling Japanese medium van.

In business for nearly 35 years, Frontline currently builds around three vans a week at its Brookvale factory in north Sydney, based on either HiAce or the slightly more upmarket Volkswagen Transporter.

It also keeps it simple for entry-level campervan buyers, with just a handful of layouts and interior decor options available and a limited number of optional accessories for those who want a bit more comfort or free camping capabilities when touring the countryside.

Ready to roll

Pricing kicks off at $85,500 for Frontline’s HiAce camper, with our ‘try before you buy’ demo vehicle from Frontline’s Melbourne outlet, fitted with the six-speed auto transmission mated to the standard 2.8-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, priced at a still reasonable $87,500.

It’s a ‘bog standard’ vehicle, highlighting all the things you get (and don’t get) with a Frontline camper before feeling the need to tick any of the 30-plus option boxes.

“As a van aimed at people just trying out campervanning, we’ve kept this van very simple and haven’t added any options at all,” explained Frontline’s Melbourne manager Jason Magee.

“But it also serves as a great example of the minimum standard inclusions that go into every Frontline camper, even before people look at the options list.”

The review van is fitted out in four-berth ‘Adventurer’ spec — a popular choice among five layouts available — which includes a compact kitchen, external shower and a forward-facing rear bench seat with two seatbelts to go with the driver and passenger front seats.

The rear seating is quickly converted into a double bed at night, and there’s the option of adding a rooftop double bed to turn the van into a somewhat squeezy, four-berth camper.

Our black-bumper review van is based on the cheapest HiAce LWB variant, but you can pay another $1000 for the sleeker GL version with its colour-matched bumpers, door handles, fog lights, and second rear camera.

You can also add side stripes, a front nudge bar and roof racks to jazz up the ‘stealth’ look, although Frontline does an excellent job of retaining the original ‘factory look’ during the camper conversion, including new tinted side windows and a flush-mounted pop-top roof.

SUV-like driving

We weren’t fans of the previous HiAce, cab-over van due to its squishy behind-the-wheel feel, but the latest bonneted version is a big step up in cabin comfort and space, especially for drivers with longer legs.

There’s a clear view out front from the well-cushioned seats, and the rear-drive HiAce impresses with its relatively zippy, refined performance. The 2450kg (unladen) camper gets up to speed quickly in traffic and cruises comfortably on the freeway at 100km/h, thanks to plenty of low-down torque from the diesel engine and smooth, responsive gear changes.

It’s mostly quiet on the move, with the suspension soaking up minor bumps and only the occasional creak or rattle from the living space in the back.

The sharp turning circle makes it easy to squeeze into tight camping spots, with help from the front and rear parking sensors and a reverse camera. Not much larger than the latest LandCruiser, the van’s 2065mm travel height also allows it to slot into the garage at home.

Comfort-wise, the HiAce also boasts a leather steering wheel, air-conditioning, cruise control, and a colour touchscreen with inbuilt sat nav and smartphone mirroring. You also get the reassurance of a five-star safety rating, with disc brakes, seven airbags and vehicle stability control, advancing driving aids like autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and a blind spot monitor.

Fuel economy on the trip computer showed around 12L/100km during our test drive, which translates to a theoretical range of about 600km from the 70-litre fuel tank.

Simple set-up

The Frontline HiAce Adventurer also boasts flat-floor, walk-through access from the front seats to the living area, which means you don’t have to go outside to set it up if it’s cold or raining, with the pop-top roof raised from inside.

The main outside entry is through the onside sliding door, or if you’re feeling athletic, you can jump up onto the raised lounge/bed after lifting the top-hinged tailgate. The raised tailgate doubles as another shade cover with the Fiamma wind-out onside awning.

Raising the roof manually from the inside couldn’t be easier after undoing a strap in each corner, and there’s excellent standing room throughout, thanks to the sizeable pop-top roof.

There’s also plenty of natural light and ventilation available thanks to three flyscreen windows in the pop-top canvas and another sliding door and small sliding window on the offside that opens up for more cross-breeze ventilation.

However, you’ll pay more for optional, removable zippered flyscreen panels for the rear tailgate and sliding doors ($380 a pop), which will help keep the bugs out on balmy nights.

Externally, there’s a socket to plug into 240V power at a caravan park and an inlet to fill the 50-litre fresh water tank. A 22-litre grey water tank is optional.

There’s also a tiny external locker to carry spare bottles for the portable butane cooker that comes standard with the 240V induction cooktop, so you can heat things when free camping. Buyers can opt for a $1500 two-burner gas cooktop instead of the induction cooktop, with the larger gas bottles stored in the boot.

Accessible inside and out, the primary storage space in the rear ‘boot’ is large enough to carry the camp chairs, cords, hoses, a few tools and a portable toilet. Another option is a dedicated under-bed compartment for the porta-Potti, to make it easier to access and use at night.

Camping conveniences

The Frontline camper comes standard with a single 100Ah AGM battery and Victron 12V/15 smart chargers, which are located in the rear boot space, along with a solar regulator and Anderson plug so you can plug in an optional solar panel when off-grid camping.

The battery should run the fridge, lights, water pump and fan for a day or two before recharging. You can pay more for another AGM battery or an up to 200Ah lithium battery system and 2000W inverter that will run the induction cooktop outside caravan parks. Still, the bulkier components will eat into valuable storage space in the rear boot.

The compact kitchen has a two-hob induction cooktop and stainless steel sink module behind the driver’s seat, with a 75-litre compressor fridge/freezer below. There’s an aluminium protective shield and light above the cooker, but no rangehood, so you’ll need to open the doors and windows to allow the cooking odours to escape.

For food prep, there’s the option of a narrow strip of benchtop on the right of the sink, an above-cab shelf up front, and a removable dinette table.

The tabletop and leg are stored behind the driver’s seat and slot easily into place for meals, with further adjustment thanks to a swivel-top and an optional base available to use the table outside. The front passenger seat also swivels around 180 degrees to face the living area when camping.

Pulling a couple of levers quickly converts the ‘Rock and Roll’ lounge/bed into a flat mattress for the night (or day!) use, although you’ll need to store the linen separately when in ‘seating’ mode. The foam cushion bases are comfy, but the 1860mm x 1400mm double bed could be too cosy for two larger adults. If that’s an issue, Frontline offers other layouts with a slightly larger bed.

There’s also the option to slot in a 90kg-rated rooftop bed above the main bed to accommodate a small child or two.

Other on-the-road comforts

Cold showers are outside, using the retractable shower hose with a faucet accessible from under the rear tailgate. If you plan to travel in cooler months, an optional ($2300) 240V heat exchange unit is available for warmer showers.

The interior also has a good array of 240V, 12V and USB sockets for powering a few gadgets, including a 12V socket in the control switch panel located under the kitchen bench. There are also some LED roof lights, flexible stork reading lights, and a single 12V swivel fan.

There are block-out curtains on all windows and the front driving cabin windows, so the swivelled passenger seat remains within the camper space once you’ve closed up for the night.

There’s no option to fit an RV air-conditioner, but buyers can add a diesel space heater, microwave and TV, and canvas outside ‘rooms’, although the more stuff you fit, the less dedicated storage space you’ll have. However, there’s more than enough payload at 850kg, and you can tow a trailer up to 1500kg with the auto transmission.

There’s a surprising number of (compact) storage options inside, built into the light ply cabinetry on the offside wall, including six small drawers and cupboards around the kitchen and a good-sized cupboard/wardrobe alongside the bed for clothes and towels.

Frontline offers a limited palette of interior colour options. The review van sporting a more traditional look of beech ply cabinets, Baltic blue cloth upholstery, sand curtains and pebble lino.

Summing up

While it may lack the ‘bling’ of some of its rivals, the Frontline HiAce Adventurer is hard to fault as a well-designed, practical and user-friendly campervan. It all looks built to last, using lightweight, durable materials, including marine-style carpet and moisture-resistant furniture ply.

Depending on your needs and budget, you might want to add a few options, like hot water and removable fly screens for the entry doors. Still, otherwise, it’s an appealing, affordable entry-level campervan that doubles as a family-friendly daily driver when you’re not on holiday.

How much does the 2002 Frontline HiAce Adventurer cost?

Price: $87,500

Credit: Caravan Camping Sales
https://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/editorial/details/frontline-hiace-2022-review-134626