CI Magis 82XT Review

Introduced in 2016, the Ci Magis 82XT has evolved over the past five years to become a best seller for their New Zealand agents, Walkabout Motorhome Sales. It’s a medium-sized RV, 7.45-metres long, requires a warrant of fitness (WOF) and at 3500kg Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), can be driven on a car licence.

The white body shell remains the same as previously, but the graphics have been remodelled. The style and the colours – light grey, gold and charcoal – do a good job of blending together the cab and motorhome body.

Inside, the layout sleeps four, with single beds for two, and two in the dropdown bed over the lounge (‘XT’ in the title indicates this bed). Just as the exterior presentation has been refreshed, so has the interior, the ‘charcoal’ black and white theme a striking contrast to the previous year’s light, almost white interior.

The seating fabric is a very durable ‘eco’ leather

CAB

Upholstered in black and white to match the lounge/dinette seating, the cab seats, when rotated, bring the cab and the lounge space together. A small step where the lounge floor meets the cab is not a problem. Otherwise the floor is the same level throughout the RV. The driving controls and instrumentation are all standard Fiat Ducato. A single, very large shelf – suitable for most things, from phones to jackets – occupies the space above the cab doors and windscreen. Over the cab is a large panorama hatch that floods the interior with light on even the cloudiest days.

LOUNGE/DINETTE

Masterfully upholstered, the two-seater settee, on the right, faces an equally striking L-shaped dinette mounted kerbside. The fabric is a very durable ‘eco’ leather that Ci offer as an option, and Walkabout choose it for all the motorhomes they import. The Magis’s monochrome theme continues, with most of the cabinetry in black, and the doors and drawer fronts white.

The crisp ‘Charcoal’ black and white theme is a striking contrast to the previous year’s almost white interior

Offset so it doesn’t impede access from the cab to the kitchen, the table’s pedestal base is recessed into the floor and out of the way. With a slide/rotate mechanism that moves the table top every which way, all those seated at the table can reach their meal. This model sleeps four, and there are four belted travel seats: two in the cab, with the forward-facing dinette seat providing the other two.

DROPDOWN BED

This east–west bed (1900x1280mm) lowers so the top of the mattress is about 1250mm from the floor – a ladder is needed for getting in or out of bed. This leaves room to use the lounge seating, albeit with reduced headroom when the bed is lowered. The mattress and base are the same as for the single beds – cold foam over sprung wooden slats, so it’s very comfortable. It’s raised and lowered on four straps (as for a seat belt) and steadied by two alloy guide rails set into the bulkhead behind the cab seats. It’s a well-proven, robust system. And you don’t have to remember any special steps before lowering the bed. All the built-in bits and cushions are clear of the bed’s downward plunge.

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A pair of belts each side raise and lower the bed, and the bulk-head mounted alloy tracks hold it steady

ENTRY

The 82XT, like other Magis models, is easy to enter because the lowest step is almost level with the bottom of the bodywork ‘skirt’. A retractable step and an extra handrail are still offered as extras, but most buyers find they are not necessary. Above is mounted an Avtex 9 Pro Series 19” TV with DVD player. Both cab doors and the habitation door respond to the central door lock remote.

KITCHEN

A typical compact Euro kitchen, this one is L-shaped, giving the cook a corner to work in, uninterrupted by passers-by. It has a three-hob LPG cooker on the left and a circular stainless steel sink on the right, leaving good workspace in between. There is decent storage for supermarket shopping, crockery, cutlery, pots and pans.

Behind the cupboard door, under the sink, are two slide-out trays and a cutlery drawer. Above the bench is a large shelved locker.

The ‘cook’s corner’ in the well equipped but compact kitchen

A Thetford Duplex oven resides under the hob. Under the oven is a locker for stopcocks that isolate the LPG appliances. Opposite the kitchen is the Thetford 140L 3-way fridge/freezer – the model with the large bin at the bottom that takes heaps of veggies and the odd bottle of wine … or the other way around; take your pick. Note that hot water is assured from the highly rated Truma Combi 6Kw water/ space heater.

A very effective splashback protects the wall, blinds, and windows behind the bench. There is a small sauce bottle rack, wall-mounted above the hobs. Overall, a well thought-out kitchen that disciplined cooks will enjoy using.

BEDTIME

Most interior layouts have the washroom beside the kitchen, with the bedroom at the back. But with twin single beds it’s more space efficient to put the washroom at the back. A generous size at 2040/1930×800, the twin singles, as noted, have a foam mattress over slats. The driver’s side bed is the longer of the two. A little too high off the floor to serve as settees, they make wonderfully comfortable beds that will suit taller buyers. And the extra height makes for good storage below. Like the lockers each side, accessed by a door from inside and a hatch from outside, as well as drawers inside, one kerbside, two the other. Lifting the bed base and mattress (gas strut assisted) gives access to storage under the bed.

The bedroom ticks all the boxes: twin single beds, each with a roof hatch, padded bed head, three overhead lockers, a reading light and good storage under the bed

Each bed is well set up with a reading light, padded headboard, a window and three shelved overhead lockers each side. A pair of sliding doors close off the kitchen and a single solid hung door shuts off the washroom. Overhead is a central hatch. Two of the four sound system speakers are wall mounted above the head of the bed; the other two are mounted in the lounge.

Sliding doors close off the bedroom, allowing for a wider opening and more spacious feel

BATHROOM

A large hanging locker driver-side reduces the washroom width, but this is still more than adequate. To the left under the window the Thetford swivel toilet sits in the corner, with ample room to use it. On the back wall the handbasin sits on a storage cabinet and above is a small locker. To the right is the shower, closed off with a pair of clear acrylic doors. There is a towel rail, glass holder and clothes hook, but no toilet roll holder or ceiling hatch.

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A functional washroom with room to stand or sit

A mirror-doored medicine cabinet alongside an opening window on the side wall

FREEDOM CAMPING

A number of features make the Magis an ideal choice for going off-grid. Long excursions during sunny summer months are possible thanks to the combination of a 120watt solar panel, 100amp/hr AGM house battery, a solar regulator and a 15amp smart charger – along with LPG capable appliances (fridge and water heater), powersaving LED lighting throughout and 100L fresh- and grey-water tanks.

The standard Fiamma 4 metre awning will come in handy on hot summer days, too. If you need video entertainment, the 19” Avtex LED TV and the Alden Auto satellite dish aerial should do the trick.

All Magis models come with the following included:

• self-containment certification, LPG compliance, NZ Electrical complied with an electrical WOF
• an initial 2000km road user charges and 12 months’ registration.

THE DRIVING FORCE

This Magis is built on a Fiat Ducato cab chassis. It’s the 140BHP model with the 2.3L turbo-diesel motor driving the front wheels through the new ZF 9-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. Courtesy of the 9-speed automatic, it’s a lively combination. The wheels are upgraded to 16” alloys and a full-sized spare is included.

Also included are cab aircon, traction control, hill hold, ESC, ABS brakes, cruise control, driver’s and passenger airbags, LED daytime drive lights, Fiat’s two-year warranty and Ci’s five-year body water ingress warranty. Dual reversing cameras are also fitted, which is a real benefit for newcomers not used to driving what they see as a big rig. Altogether a nicely balanced package of safety features and driver comforts.

The dual bike rack on the back is just one of the many ‘extras’ that are standard fittings

SUMMARY

Like all the new motorhomes Walkabout Sales offer for sale, the Magis 82XT is comprehensively specified. Proprietor Shane Smale has been in the industry 20 plus years now, and in his view the final specification he offers is pretty much what all buyers want. And it pays off when the buyers become sellers, because they are offering a well-specified package at a fair price. Right now the motorhome market is pretty busy. Walkabout Sales can still offer delivery of the 82XT before Christmas 2021. But the opportunity won’t last long.

Floorplan: CI MAGIS 82XT

For more information, visit cimotorhomes.co.nz.

PROS

• Very high spec represents good value.
• Twin bed layout.
• Well equipped kitchen.
• Excellent storage.

CONS

• Extra towel rail and a toilet roll holder in the washroom would be nice.

CI Magis 82XT

Price as reviewed: $147,900

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