Paradise Motor Homes continues to lift the bar in functionality, practicality and build quality. Sure, it remains a relative newcomer on the Australian motorhome block yet it has forged a reputation within the industry for its smart designs and fastidious craftsmanship.

Operating since 2002, the company is flush with orders at its expansive base at Arundel on the Gold Coast, a stone's throw away from the near silent Swagman's operation.

Shielded largely from the economic downturn through its diverse and keenly priced model range, Paradise has put on more staff and its production line is running at capacity with orders for some models booked out until the first half of next year.

Paradise outlays $2.5million a year on research and development and aims to introduce up to two new models a year even if it means deleting older ones. The lineup numbers more than 12, stretching from the Advantage to the Independence.

A relatively recent addition to the family, the Free Time represents the company's first foray into the mid-sized motorhome market.

The Free Time we tested ($175,750 excluding on-road costs) uses the solid and reliable Mercedes-Benz Sprinter cab chassis as its base which is powered by a turbo-diesel four-cylinder producing 110kW and 330Nm which is more than enough huff and puff.

Outside, the Free Time body blends in well with the Sprinter's chassis, a design feature Paradise is meticulous about following. It features Du Pont two-pak, two-tone paint that gives the exterior a refined finish not unlike the hull of a multi-million dollar motor yacht.

A lot of thought and planning goes into Paradise layouts

Inside, the immediate impression is that the space is in conflict with what you would assume looking from the outside. It's like the TARDIS - there's more space on the inside than seems possible. A lot of thought and planning goes into Paradise layouts, which follow an apartment-style theme, allowing couples to shuffle about without having to arm wrestle each other out of the way.

The trademark island bed is positioned just forward of the rear-situated bathroom, toilet and laundry area. Underneath the bed there is a large storage area with the bed lifting from its base via two gas struts.

One of the clever space-saving features is the towel rack in the bathroom which is positioned inside the shower cubicle and cleverly folds back into itself, leaving nothing but a plastic panel flat against the wall when not in use. Also worth mentioning is that Paradise does not install toilet roll holders until the customer instructs them exactly where it should be positioned.

It's these attention-to-detail areas which Paradise has proudly used to leverage a sound reputation in just seven years of operation.

The kitchen is generous and functional with a deep sink that can accommodate a large electric frying pan after that traditional Aussie fry-up for brekky. In the pantry underneath, the sink wire baskets slide out and can be unclipped so you can take them into the house and load them up with supplies which is another clever little piece of user-friendly convenience.

There are two long strips of LED lights above the kitchen area which incorporate a stove top which sits above the microwave as tested on this model. Again, the customer gets the choice of up to three different positions as to where the microwave can be placed.

Directly opposite the kitchen and beside the entry door is the upright fridge/freezer. Atop the 175-litre capacity fridge/freezer appliance is a 22-inch TEAC flat screen TV with built-in DVD player which is housed on a sturdy mount that is fixed so securely that it is guaranteed not to drop off its perch, let alone yield to a would-be burglar.

There are up to 14 LED lights throughout including two reading lights behind the island bed and two up front in the lounge area near the dining table. The entertainment experience is enhanced by surround sound that is channeled via Eclipse speakers.

As well as the two leather-clad captain's chairs for driver and front passenger, there is a third captain's chair facing the table. Under the table nestled against the side of the motorhome there is room for up to eight wine glasses and another little nook to store six bottles of wine.

The use of lightweight nylon boards for all of the interior cabinetry exudes quality as well as helping to keep weight down. The flooring of the Free Time and, in fact, the entire Paradise range is vinyl sitting on top of a construction of composite materials using a combination of thermal properties and air-incapsulated sections.

The Free Time has 127L/100L fresh and grey water capacity, respectively and there are seven external storage bins with sealed swing away access doors. All water tanks are made of polyurethane and have no seams or joins.

The Free Time is convincing and can drag buyers into a $170k rig that has the features and feel of something almost twice the price.

On road the Free Time is easy to handle and maneouvre. It will come as no surprise to those who own one but after literally turning just one corner in the Free Time you feel so at home in the cockpit that you feel like you've been driving it for a year. The standard Mercedes auto is nicely matched to the sweet little turbo-diesel unit and it offers almost car-like response even from standing starts.

The Sat Nav cleverly unclips from its centrally mounted position on the console while a 7-inch screen mounted near the driver's side A-pillar gives you the picture out the back courtesy of a rear camera that offers an impressively wide and undistorted field of vision. In a word or two, the Free Time is Paradise found.