Suncamper Sherwood E2: Your Off-Grid RV Awaits

In the caravan sector of the RV industry, the off-road component has expanded considerably in the last decade. There are caravans and hybrids of all lengths that are capable of handling all kinds of off-road travel. 

For motorhome travellers, the choice is more limited. This is mainly because of cost reasons – the price of some 4X4 base vehicles for larger motorhomes can be very high. However, for smaller motorhomes, there's a more affordable choice – usually an AWD van conversion or a coachbuilt motorhome on a Ford Ranger or Toyota Hilux chassis. 

Suncamper Motorhomes builds a range of coachbuilt motorhomes on Iveco Daily and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter cab chassis, but a core part of the business is the Sherwood range, which is built on the Ranger or Hilux. There are various Sherwood models. The R2 is the entry-level two-wheel drive. Offering an alternative bed arrangement with single north-south beds in the Luton is the T2. At the top of the tree is the Conqueror, which is slightly different from the rest of the Sherwoods and very much for the keen off-road traveller. In between all that is the E2 – it's similar in layout to the R2 but has extra features including four-wheel-drive.

Suncamper Sherwood E2 Base Vehicle & Off-Road Prowess

My E2 was built on a Ford Ranger XL. It's a very popular vehicle for towing caravans and is equally at home powering a small motorhome. It's 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo Diesel delivers plenty of power, and its torquey performance ensures smooth travel on the highway and off the track. The Sherwood E2 isn't a particularly long motorhome with an external length of 5.8 metres (19 feet), so it's well suited to manoeuvring along narrow and undulating bush tracks. I appreciated the large external mirrors that give a very clear rear view on both sides. Similarly, the rear-view camera is very useful when reversing around. 

The Ford Ranger's GVM is 3,500 kilograms in standard form, but this model was upgraded to 3,800 kilograms. That gives a payload of 1,000 kilograms, which is plenty of spare capacity. There are only two bins for external storage – one for gas cylinders and the other for essentials like hoses, power leads, and camping chairs. 

Powering Your Off-Grid RV Adventures

The Sherwood E2 is well equipped to stay off the grid. The solar panel capacity is rated at 260W, and the Lithium LiFePO4 battery at 240Ah. Victron equipment is used for the charger, solar panel MPPT controller and DC-DC charger. Slightly more limiting is the water tank capacity of 86 litres and the 43 litre grey tank, but having a pair of 4.5kg gas cylinders will keep the hob and water heater running for quite a while. There are plenty of outlets around the motorhome in useful places for charging portable devices. 

Suncamper Review: Interior Style and Practicality

The E2 has a simple layout. A transverse bed is above the driver's cab, and a small club lounge is across the rear. The bathroom is behind the driver's seat, and the remaining nearside wall area contains the kitchen bench. Suncamper has worked on its current range by updating the colour selection and adding European-styled timber. Overhead lockers will always look square, but the fluted look on the overhead doors adds greatly to the appearance, as does the effective use of semi-concealed lighting. It's surprising what a difference those simple touches make. 

In the Luton, the bed measures 1.92m x 1.53m (6ft 3in x 5ft) – it's quite generously sized, as is the ceiling height, which varies from 0.8m (2ft 7in) to 0.66m (2ft 2in). Also of note is the window and roof hatch area – it makes a surprising difference to the space perception of the bed area. The nearside wall forms the bedhead with two 'wand' reading lights. 

Suncamper has done a great job of improving the usual box step access to the bed. The simple folding aluminium steps are easy to use and fold away into a cupboard when not in use. Above that, the little compartment doubles as a device charging point and a small bedside shelf. 

As might be expected, the bathroom is a compromise design for this size motorhome. It combines the shower and cassette toilet into one unit. A feature of note is the Italian-designed flip-up wash basin above the toilet – much more stylish than previous designs I have seen. Notable for its usefulness is the extendable drying rack – great for towels if nothing else. 

A split kitchen is often seen in larger motorhomes, but the design is quite effective here. By the habitation door, the nearside bench has a three-burner hob above and a Thetford 105 litre compressor fridge below. Travellers in remote areas might find the fridge size lacking. On the opposite side of the motorhome, the slightly smaller bench area holds a microwave oven under the bench and a stainless steel sink above. On both sides, a limited number of cupboards and drawers make effective use of the space available – the wire basket pantry with the bench extension being a neat touch. On both sides, there's overhead locker space as well. 

Across the rear, the club-style lounge will appeal to anyone who likes to sit back and enjoy the view. There's plenty of room for two, and the Lagun-mounted table can be swivelled around as required or lifted out of the way. Under the rear seat, there's storage space for larger items, but the offside seat area is taken up by the water heater, batteries and Victron electricals. 

The Bottom Line: Why Choose This Suncamper Motorhome?

Suncamper's Sherwood is quite compact for those who prefer a smaller motorhome. Yet with its 4X4 drivetrain, the E2 is well suited for off-road adventures, providing optimal traction and stability on various terrain. Rough bush tracks are often the prime reason for 4X4 travel, but slippery gravel roads are just as common … where all-wheel traction is an asset. The Sherwood E2 isn't a new model, but the Suncamper team has done quite a few upgrades on the previous model, adding greatly to its appeal. It is quite a versatile motorhome.

Suncamper Build Quality

Suncamper's Sherwood is built using a fully composite construction, including the insulated floor and the nose cone. Suncamper uses the inside-out technique for constructing the motorhome interior, with much of the CNC-cut cabinetry installed before it's put on the cab chassis. The same applies to the motorhome bodywork. With the exception of the fridge, most of the body is built before it goes on the cab chassis. 

SPECIFICATIONS

VEHICLE

MANUFACTURER SUNCAMPER MOTORHOMES

MODEL SHERWOOD E2

BASE VEHICLE FORD RANGER XL

TARE WEIGHT 2,800KG

GVM 3,800KG

LICENCE CAR

PASSENGERS 2

MECHANICAL

ENGINE 2.0 LITRE BI-TURBO

POWER 154 KW @ 3,750 RPM

TORQUE 500 NM @ 1,750-2,000 RPM

GEAR BOX 10-SPEED AUTOMATIC

BRAKES ABS DISC

DIMENSIONS

EXTERNAL LENGTH 5.8M (19FT)

EXTERNAL WIDTH (INCL AWNING) 2.1M (6FT 11IN)

EXTERNAL HEIGHT 3.25M (10FT 8IN)

INTERNAL HEIGHT 1.93M (6FT 4IN)

BED SIZE 1.92M X 1.53M (6FT 3IN X 5FT)

EQUIPMENT

COOK TOP 3-BURNER HOB

FRIDGE THETFORD 105 LITRE 12V COMPRESSOR

MICROWAVE OVEN STANDARD

LIGHTING 12V

BATTERIES 240AH AGM

TO 600AMP LITHIUM BATTERIES

SOLAR PANELS 260W

UP TO 800W MPPT SOLAR

AIR CONDITIONER HOUGHTON BELAIRE 2400

TOILET THETFORD CASSETTE

SHOWER COMBINATION CUBICLE

HOT WATER HEATER SWIFT 28 LITRE GAS/ELECTRIC

DIESEL HEATER OPTIONAL

WATER TANK 86 LITRE

GREY TANK 43 LITRE

GAS CYLINDERS NO

PRICE $185,000

PRICE AS REVIEWED $195,580

Category: Reviews
Written: Tue 01 July 2025
Printed: July, 2025
Published By: