So, you’ve decided to buy an A-class motorhome, but where should you start?
ANA-class is often seen as the type of motorhome you aspire to, something you’ll perhaps purchase as your third or fourth ’van as you move upmarket, having gained experience with conventional coachbuilts.
But that’s not always the case and there’s no reason you can’t jump in with an A-class as your first ’van if you know it’s what you want. After all, an A-class need not be any bigger than a low-profile and it doesn’t need to cost the national debt of a small country; new they start at under £80k, while you might find an older used model for half, or even a quarter, of that. If you’re buying new, reckon on a £10-15k premium for an A-class over an equivalent low-profile from the same maker.
First, though, we should explain what an A-class is. These motorhomes start with a chassis-cowl (basically just a bare frame with its engine exposed and seat bases and dashboard out in the open air). This is normally supplied by Fiat (Ducato) or Mercedes-Benz (Sprinter), or Iveco (Daily) for the largest models, but it has no external bodywork from the base vehicle. All of the exterior bodywork is manufactured by the motorhome company.
That, of course, means that an A-class looks more like it was designed to have a leisure role, rather than being an adaptation of a light commercial vehicle. The body will be the same width all along the sides, not wider behind the cab as with a low-profile or overcab coachbuilt.
Inside, therefore, the cab area is wider and will feel more of an integral part of the living space, while front seats will usually swivel more easily. Above, there’s typically a drop-down bed that lowers over the cab seats (without interrupting the rest of the lounge, which can be a big plus over low-profiles that have a drop-down bed). Some models offer extra cupboards instead of the front bed but having the drop-down is sometimes seen as desirable for future resale.
Some find the idea of driving an A-class daunting but, once you’ve got used to one, the fact that the width is the same all the way along the flanks can actually make life easier. And, if you’re travelling through stunning scenery, the huge windscreen will make for epic views out.
Almost all A-classes come from Europe (amongst mainstream makers, only Auto-Trail builds them in the UK) and most keep their doors on the continental side even when right-hand drive (so the cab door is on the left/passenger side and the habita
