Auto-Sleeper Active KB 635 Campervan Review

60 years after reviewing one of Auto-Sleepers’ first Commer campervans, we hit the road in one of their latest models.

In this very magazine, 60 years ago, we reviewed an AutoSleeper Commer. That was one of the very first of its campervans, with the company now marking its sixty-fifth anniversary. Here, we’ve taken to the road in one of Auto-Sleepers’ latest models.

Based on the Fiat Ducato, it’s one of three models in the new Active range, all of which mirror layouts in the traditional line-up. Two models are based on the twin lounge Fairford, one with a rear lounge (FL) and one with a fixed bed and garage (FG).

This model, the KB 635, turns to the French bed Kingham model for its inspiration. Active is Auto-Sleepers’ more entry-level range although the team there are keen to stress that this is still a premium product, just pared back a little.

The Kingham gets a bigger screen in the cab, Glide-Rite suspension and a better cab spec.

But the Active still has the new Truma CombiNeo heating system as standard. An all-white exterior is standard, with unpainted bumpers and green accent graphics. For £795 you can opt for one of three shades of grey: Artense, Lanzarote or Expedition. 

Windows to the soul

On the outside it’s important to note the athermic glass side windows that stretch front to rear. These are a classic Auto-Sleepers campervan staple. While they look smart, they only contain one small opening section on each side – near the travel seats in the lounge and in the sliding door. However, because they slide they can be opened while travelling.

Externally, you’ll also find the barbecue connection and the gas filler for the 25-litre underslung  tank, equivalent to about 12.7kg of bottled gas. The barbecue point is one of the features of the £1,070 Tech Pack, which we wouldn’t be without as it also includes a 100Ah lithium leisure battery, 110W solar panel and the Avtex WiFi system.

This model also has the Truma Ultraflow connection as well as a normal water filler point. This allows you to pump water into the on-board tank from a carrier, so you don’t have to drive to the tap for small topups. Emptying the fresh and waste water requires unclipping pipes from underneath. 

Extra long Fiat Ducato

All of the Active range are based on the extra-long Fiat Ducato, which measures in at 6.36m long. You’ll find this vehicle too long for conventional supermarket parking spaces, but if you can reverse into a space with a grass border at the back, then it won’t cause an issue for other traffic.

It has the same wheelbase length as the 6m LWB model, but with a longer rear overhang.

That extra length is vital in this floorplan, however, as it allows space for a lengthways French bed with washroom alongside, a decent kitchen and a front lounge.

It’s worth pointing out that most Fiat Ducatos come with a rather firm ride, so while our test ’van had rattles (mainly from the kitchen), this could, perhaps, be addressed with different tyre pressures and an upgrade to the rear suspension. 

Step on it

You can hop in and out of the Active using the cab doors, but the easiest access is through the large sliding door. It has a single step that slides out at the touch of a button just inside the doorway.

There’s also a button for low-level pin lights, which light the entryway at night. The kitchen doesn’t intrude too much into the sliding door aperture, so access feels easier than in some other fixed bed campervan layouts. That helps the lounge area feel more spacious, too, with a forward-facing half-dinette arrangement replacing the Kingham’s side sofa here.

So, the KB 635 offers two extra travel seats with Isofix mounting points, handy for child/booster seats, or even for pet carriers. The table is quite narrow, but, with a swing-out extension, it is possible for four to dine once the cab seats are swivelled.

The two occupants of the cab will just need to have place settings slightly offset from the two folk sat on the bench. This lounge does not make a bed, so the model we tested was only a two-berth.

However, with the optional Sky-Up pop-top (costing £6,000), the KB 635 can become a four-berth. Note the handy USB-A and C points for charging any devices, as well as a mains socket in the lounge. Under-cabinet lighting and more above the cab help stop the area feeling gloomy – important with the tinted side windows.

The rooflights  provide more natural daylight, but there’s no overcab sunroof (a fixed shelf reduces headroom here) and we’d have liked some direction task lighting for the night-time. One annoying thing in this area is access to the fuses below the seat.

You have to remove the table to get at the door to the electrics. The storage under the seat is actually a good size, but access requires you to lift the seat base and to do that properly you need to remove backrest cushions.

My preference would be to replace the fabric pocket on the side of this seat with a door, or fit a much bigger door on the front panel. Above the cab is that shelf, which holds the table when travelling – there’s no bracket to keep it there but there is a lip.

Two further lockers above the lounge provide more storage for clothes. Their doors hit the rooflight when opening but they have positive push-button locks. 

In control

The Auto-Sleeper control panel is found above the sliding door, with the Truma Combi controls adjacent. Here, as already mentioned, it’s the CombiNeo, a new system that offers continuous hot water thanks to clever heat-exchanging fins.

The boiler also takes up less space and payload than previously, so it’s an unexpected find in a more entrylevel product. The main digital control panel shows readouts for lighting, power, water, gas and temperature.

What’s worth pointing out that is the gas supply automatically switches itself off when you start the ignition.

The side door has a full-height flyscreen, sliding in and out of a cassette. Perfect if you want the outdoorsy feel without the irritation of bugs joining you! 

Inside the kitchen

It’s a fairly compact chef’s space. There’s a small amount of worktop, with a pull-up tower containing three 230V sockets. It’s in the perfect location to plug in the kettle or slow cooker and the like.

Next to this, the square sink is a good size, with a central drain, a glass lid with rubber stoppers to reduce rattling in transit and a metal mixer tap that swings around and over the sink.

The cooker features three gas burners – a big one for larger pans and two smaller ones. It has pushbutton ignition, with a combined oven and grill below. Above the main galley area are two lockers, great for storage.

Or Auto-Sleepers says that the one on the left could be used tohouse a microwave as a dealer-fit option – the power has already been added to allow for this. Low-down storage is also ample, but I’d like to see more drawers; stooping down to root about in low-level cupboards is a young person’s game!

The locker under the oven is marked for pans or nonflammable items only as this is also the location of the gas taps. Under the sink is a double-door cupboard, including a tray for cutlery.

The taller locker here would, ideally, want retro-fitting with drawers or storage baskets to improve its functionality. And to vent cooking smells, you’ll need to open the rooflight or the side door as there is no opening window in the kitchen. A light will help with cooking prep on a dark evening. Directly behind the kitchen, you’ll find the fridge and wardrobe.

The latter has good-sized doors and two rails. I’d get some form of box or hanging shelf storage to better utilise some of this space unless you travel with a lot of clothes on hangers.

The Dometic fridge is a compressor model, running on 12V only – this is a good choice as you don’t need external vents, the fridges are often bigger inside and they do tend to run better in warmer temperatures. 

It’s a 98-litre unit with a small freezer unit at the top and its door opens from both sides. Between the fridge and wardrobe there is a handy slide-out worktop, possibly for helping prep in the kitchen. It is solid but the catch is quite sensitive and released when driving – I’d like to see a more positive latching mechanism here. 

French affair

It’s at the back where the KB 635 differs from many rivals – very few campervans come with French beds. It’s a double that runs lengthways and, opposite, there’s a great little vanity area.

There are cupboards above and below with decent lips for retaining items. The catches are simple metal ones that push in to lock – again positive locking would be my preferred option. There’s also a lot of lighting here, with a backlit mirror and spotlight, plus USB-A and C sockets to charge your gadgets.

The mattress itself is 1.21m wide by 1.89m long. That’s not super big, but for this type of camper layout it would be hard to beat. It narrows at the foot to provide access to the washroom, but not excessively so. The walls are all soft-touch carpet, which is nice but there isn’t a draught excluder for the gap between the rear doors.

The offside window makes sitting up in bed a little tricker on this side, but I just reclined against the corner. Three high-level lockers provide storage for clothes, but one also holds the Avtex WiFi router. In the rear corner, a small recess provides space for phones, but it was too shallow for my Google Pixel 7 Pro with a case.

The bed has a sensible access height yet offers good storage below – a tricky balance to meet. And that storage is likely to be one of the main reasons to buy this model. The space has insulation around the wheelarch moulding and it houses the Truma CombiNeo unit, lithium battery and water pump.

I’d like to see more of this boxed in, but it does make access for servicing and repairs easier. The under-bed locker could be used for folding bikes, outdoor furniture and more.

Its front wall does not support the frame and can be unbolted and folded back on itself to create through-loading. Also, the rear wooden panel with a small loading slot can be unclipped and removed for stowing gear from outside. 

The washroom

Finally, the washroom is a fairly narrow space adjacent to the bed. 

Access is via a tambour door, which does chatter on the road. The basin sits above the wheelarch, with a mirror above and a toothbrush holder. A neat touch is the moulded wheelarch liner with flat surfaces to use for odds and sods on site or maybe to rest a leg when showering.

The Thetford electric flush toilet is set at the right height and has plenty of elbow room, but the loo roll holder is tucked behind you where it’s hard to reach.

The toilet room doubles up as the shower, but there’s no curtain to protect towels and toilet roll, so you’d have to move these out into the vanity area when showering.

The towel rail is a good size and held my big bath sheet with ease. There is only one drain hole towards the front of the shower tray, which could work OK, as campervans like this often sit a little higher at the rear, so water will likely drain well. Completing the little room is a mirror-doored cabinet on the back wall, above the toilet, for your shampoos and shower gels.