Forget the upholstery, the décor and the latest gadgets, it’s the layout that is key to choosing the right ’van for your needs
The layout is the easiest aspect to get wrong if you’re new to motorhomes, so don’t rush in. Ever wondered why you see almost-new ’vans traded in with a handful of miles? Those buyers probably bought the wrong layout for their needs – and may have paid dearly when part-exchanging for something more suitable.
Unless you’re looking at small campervans, the first question you must ask yourself is: fixed bed or not? You can find fixed beds in campervans and motorhomes that are less than 6m long. Then, as you head into larger ’vans typically measuring around 7.5m, it becomes harder to find layouts without a fixed bed.
A compromise can be a drop-down bed. If this is the main bed, it won’t take up any floorspace in the day but will still give you a proper, ridge-free, one-piece mattress at night. However, remember that, except in an A-class, you’ll lose your lounge when the bed comes down for sleeping.
If you’re undecided on the fixed bed conundrum, it’s sensible to hire a ’van first. In layouts without a fixed bed, you’ll certainly enjoy the extra living space (especially in bad weather), but having a permanent bed isn’t just about sleeping comfort – and not having to rearrange cushions every night and morning. It’s also about the large storage space beneath the bed – often a garage for your bikes. Storing bulky outdoor gear is harder in most layouts without a fixed bed. If you have a fixed bed, or even a drop-down bed, you’ll usually also store your duvet there, ready for use – if your seats become beds then you’ll also need to consider where to keep bedding in the daytime.
There will be pros and cons to any layout, so it’s important to work out what will work for you. Consider how many travel seats you need. What’s the maximum number of sleeping berths you’ll require? Decide, too, whether you need a double bed or separate sleeping – or even the option of both, depending on who’s travelling, or the time of year. Be wary of buying a bigger ’van than you need, as it’ll be harder to manoeuvre (and perhaps have less payload, too, unless you go for a heavy chassis that requires a C1 driving licence). Six metres is compact in coachbuilt terms but anything under 7m will be more manageable, more of the time.
Here, we cover the two main types of layout for small (pop-top) campe
