THE GREAT OUTDOORS
The word ‘hybrid’ means different things to
different people but one commonality is outdoor
amenities. Our 1500 had a Dometic slide-out
kitchen, an external hot shower, a spot to hang
the TV with additional power outlets and one of
the biggest map tables I have seen.
On the drawbar live two 9kg gas bottles
to service the twin kitchens and hot water, as
well as a toolbox that could, at a pinch, house
a portable fridge – the only extra thing you
might want outside, but that’s being picky, as
you shouldn't need more with a mammoth 164L
internal fridge.
I particularly appreciated the over-sized map
table, as it doubles as a great servery under the
shade and shelter of the awning. The Dometic
kitchen is a common sight now and for the right
reasons; it offers plenty of cooking space, does
not need a support leg, and has a decent cutlery
draw and prep station.ROUGHING IT
Underway, the 1500 Remote’s travel height is
only 2.5m – a great relief for people wanting to
follow their nose into the bush – however, the
2.43m width (including awning) will require some
extended mirrors and a careful approach on
tighter tracks.
The rear positioning of the entry-step is ideal
for offroad work as it is less likely to catch a
drainage hump along a track. Same with the rear
bumper; the makers chamfered the rear of the
hybrid a touch and in doing so set the twin-spare
wheel carrier at a decent height to avoid too
many scrapes. The body of the hybrid is set high
on the chassis and, in the case of our test 1500,
had an extended A-frame.
Although extended A-frames can make
backing a trailer easier and often give a better
on-road tow, they can be a burden off the road
when the extra length hits the ground or stops
you from turning a tight corner. We were lucky“I PARTICULARLY APPRECIATED THE OVER-SIZED MAP
TABLE, AS IT DOUBLES AS A GREAT SERVERY UNDER
THE SHADE AND SHELTER OF THE AWNING”
The Dometic slide-out kitchen,
with the oversized map
table to the right