Side kitchen campervan
Great value Renault-based camper
The most common campervan interior
In the true campervan sector, this layout probably accounts for 90% of the market; you’ll find it in base vehicles like the VW Transporter, Ford Transit Custom, Mercedes Vito, Renault Trafic, Toyota Proace and Vauxhall Vivaro.
The cab seats often swivel (not always the driver’s seat) to face a bench seat in the rear. However, some models (especially those based on a pre-owned panel van) have a double passenger seat which, if it swivels, will be much more awkward to rotate and a lot less comfortable to relax or travel in.
The rear bench seat can be fixed or on rails to slide fore and aft, allowing it to be closer to the cab when driving (ideal with young kids) or dining and also increasing boot space behind for larger loads. Check for crash- testing accreditations and approved installations of any seat system. If you’re tall, also check that the
kitchen unit doesn’t restrict rearward movement and reclining of the driver’s seat.
The rear seat will flatten to form the main bed – different seat systems work in different ways to do this and some are easier to use than others. The width of the bench depends partly on the width of the base vehicle (the Ford is wider than the VW) and partly on the depth of the kitchen units alongside it. Narrow furniture units can result in a double bed that’s much closer to domestic dimensions and often three belted seats on the bench. A wider back seat is a much better solution than a double cab passenger seat if you need five seatbelts.
Wider side kitchens have more storage, more often a traditional front-loading fridge, and a grill might now be available. The bed is likely to be narrower and the rear seat will be for just two people. Slimmer kitchens tend to adopt top
Rear boot space can make the difference between a camper for days out and one for two-week holidays
loading fridges, which can often hold more than you think and lose less coolness when opened (but lifting the lid disturbs the worktop).
Look carefully at storage space in the rear boot area (above and below the mattress); this is key to the camper’s practicality, especially for longer trips and for family use.
Some converters also offer a ‘weekender’ type conversion with a compact kitchen behind the driver’s seat, rather than down the side. Longwheelbase versions (around 5.3m to 5.4m, instead of 5m or less) are routinely available, giving more floorspace and extra cupboards but these are less easy to park in bays designed for saloon cars.
Campers like these are designed to double as everyday vehicles, a role they fulfil effortlessly. You’ll be reliant on campsite showers but these vehicles have enduring appeal and are a big step up in the comfort stakes for former tent campers.
If you’re looking at campervans in this sector, you may have already decided that you want a Volkswagen roundel on your new ’van; after all VW has dominated this niche since, well, forever. However, a high-spec Transporter T6.1 with a good-quality conversion can now easily cost £60k, which is just too much for some buyers.
One answer, of course, is a new conversion on a pre-owned VW van, but then you’re usually looking at less well-known camper brands and vehicles that may have had a harder start to their life. Another option is to switch allegiance to another marque of base vehicle – most offer a saving against a Volkswagen and the best value of the lot is surely the Renault Trafic. Concept Multi-Car offers its Escape conversion (with slight differences) on Ford, VW and Renault vans, with the last starting at a tempting £45,950.
It’s not even as if the French panel van lacks kit, in fact the Trafic Sport’s standard spec increases its appeal. You get a 7in touchscreen with sat-nav and DAB radio, automatic lights and wipers, metallic paint, 17in alloy wheels, rear parking sensors and more. The latest Trafic is even – at last – offered with an excellent automatic transmission.
Switching from VW to Renault has little effect on the conversion, where this British-designed camper uses top-quality German components (including a crash-tested sliding seat system and elevating roof) from Reimo. The bench seat comes with three three-point seatbelts, while an extra single seat can be added to make the Escape into an occasional six-seater.