It’s nearly impossible to visit Australia or New Zealand and not witness the iconic green and purple JUCY campervan rentals all over the place. Founded in 2001 in Auckland, JUCY is a dominate campervan and car rental company in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
When I backpacked Australia in early 2019, I spent five days driving from Adelaide to Sydney in a JUCY van. As my first time in a proper campervan, I had a fantastic experience. Below you will find my JUCY van rental review.
JUCY Campervan Models
While there are a couple different car models available, this JUCY review will focus strictly on JUCY van rentals. Each JUCY van rental comes with a gas cooker, sink with tap and drain, and air conditioning. In addition, all JUCY rentals have automatic transmission and unlimited kilometers which allow you to go wherever you please without worry. Also included are the following amenities:
- All cutlery, kitchen utensils, and dinnerware
- Linen, pillows, and duvet
- Bath and tea towel
- Frying pan, saucepan, kettle, and bowls
- Can and bottle opener
- Bucket and cleaning equipment
Here is an overview of the five models of JUCY van rentals available in Australia.
1. JUCY El Cheapo Sleeper
Built from a Toyota Tarago, the El Cheapo Sleeper sits two and sleeps two in a 1.8 x 1.3 meter double bed. While the El Cheapo Sleeper is a bit older than the other models, it offers travelers a budget-friendly option for campervaning around Australia. Even though the El Cheapo Sleeper is the only JUCY van that doesn’t have a refrigerator, it comes with a cooler to keep your food chilled on ice.
2. JUCY Crib
The JUCY Crib sits four and sleeps two in a 1.7 x 1.3 meter double bed. The Crib is a Toyota Tarago or similar van. Although it has a slightly shorter bed, you can think of the JUCY Crib as the updated version of the El Cheapo Sleeper. Unlike the El Cheapo Sleeper, the Crib features an 18 liter compressor refrigerator and dual 12 volt battery system.
3. JUCY Champ
Built from a Toyota Estima or similar van, the JUCY Champ sits five and sleeps four in a 1.9 x 1.3 meter double bed and a 1.98 x 1.2 meter penthouse bed. There’s actually pop up tent on the roof, hence the penthouse name; therefore, you have two sleeping inside and two sleeping on the roof in the tent. In addition to a dual 12 volt battery system, the Champ features a 18 liter compressor refrigerator.
4. JUCY Condo
The JUCY Condo is built from a Nissan Caravan. This van sits five and sleeps four in a 1.88 x 1.35 meter double bed and a 1.98 x 1.35 meter roof bed. With a custom built interior, the JUCY Condo is fully self contained and has a cassette toilet. In addition to a dual 12 volt battery system, the Condo features an 80 liter compressor refrigerator, 55 liter fresh water tank, and a 60 liter grey water tank.
5. JUCY Compass
Built from a 2018 Toyota Hiace, the JUCY Compass sits five and sleeps four in a 1.9 x 1.3 meter double bed and a 1.9 x 1.3 penthouse roof pop up tent bed. The JUCY Compass is fully self contained and has a portable toilet. In addition to a dual 12 volt battery system, the Compass features an 50 liter compressor refrigerator, 49 liter fresh water tank, and a 49 liter grey water tank.
JUCY Campervan Rental Review
Thanks to the rental car relocation service Transfercar, I got my JUCY Condo rental for free. Not only was I pleased with the service that Transfercar offered, but my experience with JUCY was fantastic as well.
Because I booked my campervan through Transfercar, I didn’t explore all the features and amenities that come with a JUCY van ahead of time. Instead, when I showed up to pick up my campervan, I was blown away by what was included with the rental.
Not only was the kitchen fully stocked with silverware, dishes, and cooking essentials, but it also had fours sets of bath towels, sleeping bags, pillows, and sheets. A tea towel and dish soap were also thoughtful touches.
Although I was only one person in a campervan designed for four, I felt like there would be enough room for everyone and all their stuff. What I like about the JUCY Condo is the fact that it’s the only JUCY van that sleeps four people inside the van. All the other JUCY vans sleep at most two inside.
Another great feature of the JUCY Condo is the 240 volt campground hook up. With an electric hook up, you can keep your refrigerator running, electronics charging, and water pump on while connected to external power. The only other JUCY van to have a campground hook up is the JUCY Casa.
Much Cheaper Option Than Jucy
Also while I was in Australia (specifically in Tasmania), I rented a car camper from Wicked Campers. If you can’t get a cheap/free rental from Transfercar and just don’t want to pay big bucks for a Jucy camper, Wicked Campers is a much cheaper option.
While Wicked Camper vehicles aren’t stylish or ticked-out like Jucy, they get the job done if you’re on a budget.
In either case, let’s talk about living out of cars/vans in the comments below!
