If you're looking for the true campervan road trip adventure in Australia, you're going to need a 4WD campervan. We compare the Apollo X-Terrain 4wd Campervan against is biggest rival, the Britz Safari Landcruiser campervan, head to head.
There’s no better way to explore Australia then by renting your very own campervan. But, most campervans are purely designed for the open road and city streets, and don’t do too well if you want to get off-road and explore some of the stunning landscapes this country has to offer. If you’re hoping your Australian road trip is going to be more ‘off the beaten track’ rather than ‘city hopping’, you’ll definitely want to consider getting a 4WD vehicle so you can tackle various terrains with ease – and maybe try out this Northern Territory bucket list while you’re at it!
Apollo X-Terrain vs Britz Safari Landcruiser
In this article we are comparing two 4WD rooftent campers from two of the most well-known campervan hire companies, as these are the only real ‘apples for apples’ 4WD type vehicles across the different fleets.
The Apollo X-Terrain has sleeping capacity for 4 adults, and the Britz Safari Landcruiser has capacity for 5. Tents attach to the vehicle for sleeping (different configurations for each vehicle) and cooking gear is provided. These 4WD vehicles don’t have bathroom facilities, so you’ll want to check in at holiday parks or campgrounds for a shower every now and then. The Britz Safari Landcruiser vehicles are up to 6 months old, whereas the Apollo X-Terrains are somewhere up to 3 years old. Whichever brand you choose to go with, it’s good to know that the vehicles are relatively new and will get you through your adventure with ease. Both vehicles are automatic and take diesel, with a consumption of around 12 litres per 100 kilometres. Being 4WD, they are designed to get you off the beaten track and really explore all the nooks and crannies that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to. When going on a 4WD road trip, you should check in with the rental company about recommended travel routes and roads that require special permission to drive down. Some roads in Western Australian, Queensland, Northern Territory and Central Australia are strictly prohibited so you’ll want to plan your journey around these.
Rental Costs
The daily base rate that you’ll get for both of these campers can vary depending on the time of year and seasonal promotions or discounts that are available. You’ll most often get better rates in the low season compared to the high season, so you should look into when school and public holidays are and consider adjusting your travel dates if you want the best price. The Safari Landcruiser is only available for travel from the 15th of April to the 13th of November 2019 from select Britz branches. The X-Terrain may only be available from certain Apollo depots as well. For this article, we did a booking enquiry for the 1st October 2019 to the 15th October 2019 (2 weeks) picking up from Darwin.
| Price | Apollo X-Terrain | Britz Safari Landcruiser |
|---|---|---|
| Total | AU $2743.12 | AU $2664.05 |
| Daily | AU $195.94 | AU $190.29 |
Both companies include a standard insurance excess of $8000 in their pricing.
What’s included in the price?
| Item | Apollo X-Terrain | Britz Safari Landcruiser |
|---|---|---|
| Entertainment | CD/radio with Aux/USB | CD/radio with USB |
| Cooking | Single Burner | Dual Burner |
| Fridge | 34 litre fridge/freezer | 40 litre fridge/freezer |
| Water Tank | 26 ltr | 20 ltr jerry can |
| Sleeping | Bedding/linen | Bedding/linen/towels |
| Mileage | 300km p/d | 300km p/d |
| 24-hour assistance | Yes | Yes |
| Air Conditioning | Yes | Yes |
| Cutlery | Yes | Yes |
| Tourist info and maps | Yes | Yes |
The Apollo X-Terrain includes bedding for 4 people, whereas the Britz Safari Landcruiser includes bedding for 5.
Optional Extras
| Item | Apollo X-Terrain | Britz Safari Landcruiser |
|---|---|---|
| Camping Table | $24 | $25 |
| Camping Chairs | $17 | $18 |
| GPS | $10pd (max $100) | No |
| Additional Driver | $3pd | $2 |
| Booster Seat (14-26kg) | $35 | $36 |
| Child Seat (8-15kg) | $35 | $36 |
| Heater | $15 | $16 |
| Satellite phone | $20pd plus call charges | $20pd plus call charges |
Please note: Prices are one time unless otherwise specified Apollo has other optional extras, which may make your road trip around Australian more enjoyable. These include a toll package ($39), toilet chemicals ($2.50), 4WD kilometre packs ($188 each), gas bottle ($25), pet fee ($200), chair and table bundles ($40 or $60), and a BIG4 Int Pass ($315 or $490). You can also get Extended Roadside Assistance. Britz also has a few handy additional items which may be useful to you including a high chair ($23), 5GB Wi-Fi Hotspot data ($65), prepaid gas bottle refill ($18), an awning ($5pd), first aid kit ($35 if opened), extra duvet/doona for cold nights ($16), and an esky/cooler bin ($23). You can also purchase an Express Return Pack for $225 or ‘The Bundle’ for $10 a day which includes Wi-Fi, extra driver fees, linen exchange, table, chairs and a booster/baby seat.
Apollo X-Terrain vs Britz Safari Landcruiser Costs Winner:Britz
Apollo 4WD Rooftent vs Britz 4WD Rooftent Design
It might be hard to imagine how you can have space for 4 or 5 people in these 4WD rooftop tent campers, so let’s take a look at how it works.
With the Apollo X-Terrain, inside you’ll find a driver and passenger seat, as well as a bench seat in the back for the extra two people. Behind this, you have your cooking gear (which slides out the back when you want to cook) and space for your personal belongings and essentials. Now when it comes to sleeping, everybody is on the roof. The X-Terrain has two rooftop pop-up tents as well as a 270-degree awning from the side around to the back of the 4WD. It takes a little bit of effort to get the tents set up each night, but with everyone above the ground there is less need to worry about snakes and other creepy crawlies climbing into bed with you during the night. You can access the tents easily by ladders.
In the Britz Safari Landcruiser, only 2 people can sleep on the roof, and the other 3 (total 5 people in this one), will sleep on mats in the attached annexe. Like with the X-Terrain, there is a passenger seat, driver seat and seating for 3 extra adults behind. Cooking gear is in the back, and you get a picnic table included to help make food prep easier. Britz includes an Outback safety kit with the tools you need to signal for help or get yourself out of a bogged position, and the annexe, rooftop tent and sleeping mats in the Safari Landcruiser are made by camping equipment experts Darche. When it comes to cooking, you might have to be a bit more creative when renting the Apollo X-Terrain as it only comes with a single burner gas stove compared to a dual in the Britz. Both come with cutlery, plates, a fridge/freezer and a small water tank. Apollo also has a solar hand held shower, which will come in use for rinsing off in between pitstops.
Apollo X-Terrain vs Britz Safari Landcruiser Design Winner: Apollo
Company Reputation
Recently we did a comparison article between Apollo and Britz, and looked in to the reputation of each from the feedback and reviews left online. From what we saw on each of the company’s websites as well as here on Hit the Road, it was clear that Britz had a better reputation overall with some awesome reviews. Apollo is still a solid company as one of the biggest in Australia, and they definitely have a lot of happy customers as well.
Apollo vs Britz Reputation Winner: Britz
Insurance Matters
In our Apollo vs Britz comparison article, we also dove into what each company offers in terms of insurance, which is definitely something you need to be fully aware of before driving off to start your adventure. But since this article covered details for standard campervans, we’ll give you a quick rundown of what you need to know for these 4WD vehicles: •Both Apollo and Britz offer a standard excess of $8,000 on these vehicles, which is higher than the $5,000 excess for standard campervans.
•Both companies allow you to pay an extra premium per day to reduce your excess.
•With Britz you can reduce your excess to $500 by choosing the Liability Reduction Option, or by purchasing the Britz Inclusive Pack that also includes things like Wi-Fi, chairs and tables, linen exchange and extra driver fees.
•Apollo gives you the chance to reduce your excess to either $2,500 or $500, and has a Value Pack that includes some extras for your journey.
•Apollo also has a Windscreen and Tyre Protection Plus add-on.
Apollo vs Britz Winner: Apollo
Anything else worth knowing?
When renting a 4WD Rooftop tent vehicle from Apollo or Britz, it’s good to know that both companies give you access to apps that allow you to connect with other travellers while on the road. Britz were the first Australian campervan company to gain Eco accreditation, and Apollo are currently developing an environmental plan to help preserve the planet. Apollo allows you to take your pet with you for an extra fee so you don’t need to worry about leaving your beloved pooch back at home, and Britz has a special Travellers’ Hub where customers share stories online to give you inspiration for your journey. Both companies are pretty even when it comes to the extra details, but since Britz has some great optional extras and bundles to purchase, we are going to give this category to them.
Apollo vs Britz Extras Winner: Britz
Overall Winner - Britz
This race was almost too close too call, but Britz just takes it out. We do prefer the double tent rooftop design and the 4WD reliability of the Apollo X-Terrain, but when you factor in other things like costs, reputation and optional extras, Britz comes out on top. If you are looking to get off road on your next adventure, both of these 4WD rooftop tent models are definitely worth checking out.
