While Paradise Motor Homes’ Integrity Lite Deluxe sits at the lower end of the manufacturer’s range, it’s all a bit relative and the motorhome certainly has an impressive specifications list. So on a sunny Queensland day, I headed off to see how it all stacks up.

The Integrity Lite Deluxe is underpinned by Iveco’s Daily 50C210, which is a light commercial vehicle that has come on in leaps and bounds over the last few years. Powering the Daily is the same 3.0-litre turbo-diesel that’s in Iveco’s stablemate, the Fiat Ducato. The only difference (apart from the rear wheel drive train) is that the Daily comes with a twin-turbo, boosting the maximum power output to 150kW and the torque to 470Nm, offering a little more grunt than the more expensive Mercedes Benz.

Something that improved the driving of the Daily last year was the eight-speed torque converter automatic – a full automatic, not an automated manual. It’s found in a number of other Fiat products – everything from a Jeep to a Maserati - although, unfortunately for motorhomers, not in the Ducato. 

The one thing that Iveco has yet to improve upon is the handbrake location in the cab. To the left of the driver’s seat, it makes swivelling the seat a real wrestling match. However, Paradise solves that little problem by fitting its own patented electric handbrake, which is an easy on and off switch requiring no hand operation at all. Although there is a slightly delay when releasing the brake. 

An additional feature fitted as standard is the rear airbag suspension, which improves the ride comfort and reduces noise very effectively. The Daily cab is also fitted with comfortable air suspension seats.

CANNY CONSTRUCT

In many ways, the thought and quality behind the handbrake control and the airbags helps to sum up the rest of the Integrity Lite. Driving along the highways and byways, I noticed an almost disturbing lack of the creaks and groans that are characteristic of many motorhomes. The Paradise team spends a considerable amount of engineering time on the overall body structure. Rollover protection is built into the high tensile alloy frame, and composite fibreglass and Diab structural core is used for the wall and one-piece roof. 

Inside, all the cabinetry work is interlocked and that incorporates purpose-built mountings for the appliances and automatically-locking cabinets. The latter is not only convenient but also works as a safety mechanism, as it prevents drawers from coming open in an accident, or when you simply forget to latch them properly. 

There are a considerable number of external storage bins built into the outside of the Integrity Lite. 

They are all set very low, which on first sight might look inconvenient, but it’s actually really for good vehicle handling as it maintains a low centre of gravity. It also means that in the unfortunate event of an accident, heavy items like batteries, gas cylinders and toolboxes won’t become dangerous flying objects. 

Fitted into the mid-nearside wall is a bin that is large enough to fit both a Paradise mount-fitted flatscreen TV and a slide-out barbecue. Both items are optional and only the TV was fitted in our review model. 

Two 150W solar panels keep the two 100Ah deep-cycle batteries up to speed when not connected to mains power and there’s a 30A Smart Charger with 240V power available. Getting off the grid isn’t a problem given the 127-litre fresh water tank and, of course, a 95-litre grey water tank.

The slide-out has a very smooth operation.

SIGNATURE STYLE

Like just about every other Paradise motorhome, the Integrity Lite Deluxe is fitted with a slide-out. Measuring 3.9m (12ft 9in), this lengthy slide-out is designed as part of the overall structure and subsequently is very smooth to operate. 

The slide-out’s length creates a sizeable internal living area, which is fitted out in Paradise’s signature style – a bright and airy interior with a colour scheme that is easy on the eye and cabinetry work that is very well put together. 

The layout is similar to other Paradise models, featuring a full-width rear bathroom and an east-west bed with the bedhead in the offside slide-out. Also fitted into the slide-out is a 190-litre Waeco fridge and a sideways-facing lounge, complete with a removable table. Facing the lounge, between the front passenger seat and the entry door, is the kitchen bench. 

Both cab seats swivel around to provide extra seating, but given the location of the kitchen and the slide-out, they don’t fit into the dinette area as such. Both the cab seats, like the lounge are upholstered in Ultra Leather and, apart from anything else, are quite comfortable for sitting back and watching the world go by – definitely a bonus for long days behind the wheel. 

Paradise's electric handbrake allows the cab chairs to swivel easily. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT 

In the Integrity Lite, the kitchen necessities are spread across three different places – the kitchen bench is along the front nearside wall, the microwave is on a cabinet on the other side of the entry door and the fridge is located in the offside slide-out. While it might sound like they are a bit all over the place, I actually found it to work quite well. One aspect I particularly liked is that the microwave is at a user-friendly height, sitting above a convenient, shelved pantry area.

Fitted into the kitchen bench is a four-burner cooktop, grill and oven plus a stainless steel sink. It was nice to see a splash panel at the front end to minimise the possibility of a damp passenger seat! Four good-sized drawers are fitted under the bench, some of which are fitted with Paradise-designed flexible compartmenting, which is a useful way to keep your kitchen goods in place. 

Once you’ve finished creating your meal, the two-seater dinette lounge provides a comfortable place to sit back and enjoy your culinary delights. Although there’s a small step, getting in from either side is quite easy. Like the kitchen bench opposite, there’s a window behind the seat and overhead lockers above.

The kitchen has all the essentials but is a bit on the small size.

BED, BATH AND BEYOND

A key feature of the bedroom area is the considerable amount of wardrobe space along the nearside wall. It consists of a double cupboard with hanging space and a third cupboard fitted out with lipped shelves. 

When the slide-out is closed, the 1.88x1.48m (6ft 2in x 4ft 10in) bed butts up against the cupboards, but it has been designed in such a way that it can be lifted, more or less with a finger, to get access to the bathroom in the rear. Lockers are fitted above the head of the bed and there are bedside cabinets either side, which have hinged lids to get to the storage space underneath.

In my experience, Paradise bathrooms are usually very well fitted-out and this one is no different with its good-sized offside shower cubicle, mid-station Dometic cassette toilet and a sideways-facing vanity cabinet that includes a pedestal-style washbasin and an optional front-loading washing machine. Three variously-sized drawers are fitted into the vanity cabinet and there’s a good-sized shaving cabinet above. 

Bathroom ventilation is ably handled by a vent fan hatch in the ceiling, a decent-sized window in the rear wall and a SOG venting system on the toilet cassette.

Considerable storage is fitted along the wall at the foot of the bed. 

VERDICT

Even though the Integrity Lite Deluxe sits at the bottom end of the Paradise range, it is hard not to be impressed. It’s well-appointed, drives very smoothly and quietly, and it certainly has the capability for extended remote travel without any difficulty. All in all, I’d say it stacks up quite well! 

Category: Reviews
Written: Wed 01 Feb 2017
Printed: February, 2017
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