The 12 best motorhomes that money can buy

Our pick of the best motorhomes and campervans of 2022

Season 2022 might have been blighted by delivery delays and poor chassis availability, but that didn’t stop manufacturers from developing some exciting new models. We were especially impressed when we tested the all-new Coachman motorhome – the Travel Master looked good at its NEC show debut, but it was only after a couple of days of real use that we appreciated just what a luxurious motorhome this is to live in.

Another model that easily exceeded our expectations was the Ford Nugget Plus, which proved to be so much more than just a Nugget with a loo. On the other hand, we just knew Murvi’s latest campervan would be great – they always are. Then, with an eye on increasing prices across the market, we’ve been impressed by the value offered by both Rimor and Itineo.

If you’re researching the secondhand scene, don’t forget that we offer a fully searchable digital library of every road test we’ve published since 2012. (link to Exacton MMM and What)

We have put together our list of the best motorhomes and campervans in a useful guide, which takes a closer look at some of the best motorhome brands, the ones to buy and some of the most popular motorhomes and campervans in the UK. From the best four-berth campervan to the best motorhome brands, this guide will give you all the answers you need.

Motorhome and Campervan Awards 2023

The 2023 awards for motorhomes and campervans are now live! After an intensive period of judging, we have compiled a list of the best that 2023 has to offer with a range of winners in multiple categories, in association with leading consumer finance provider, Creation.

The only OEM pop-top camper with a loo, the Nugget Plus also has twin sliding doors it is one of the best four-berth campervans there is.

If you have even a shred of knowledge about campervans, you probably know the name Westfalia. This German company not only builds the Nugget and Nugget Plus for Ford but also the Marco Polo for Mercedes-Benz. It has been building campers since the 1950s – the days of the splitscreen VW – and, today, is part of the Rapido Group. Whilst the original short-wheelbase Nugget has plenty to commend it, not least top-notch build quality and a layout quite unlike its rivals, it also has enough demerits to keep it off our shopping list.

Add an extra 367mm of length, though, and it becomes sufficiently enhanced to go to the top of the increasingly busy class of Ford Transit Custom-based campervans. The Nugget Plus still has the twin sliding doors, superior roof bed, hot water system and unique layout of its little brother.

It mostly solves the issue of inadequate storage and retains Westfalia’s superb build quality. But it also becomes a campervan better suited to off-grid life, thanks to the cassette toilet. There’s nothing else quite like it and we like it – a lot!

With this cost and size, it is one of the best campervans we have seen.

A bigger bed and plenty of kitchen worktop are the details that count...

So, you’ve decided you want a campervan with a fixed bed. You’re not alone – this type of camper accounts for a huge sales volumes across Europe and, while it’s not as much of a whitewash in the UK, there’s still plenty of support for campers like this. So much so that all the big brands sell them here. Knowing your Knaus from your Hymer or picking a Pilote over a Bürstner is more of an issue as most of them look much like one another.

Dreamer launched its D51, part of the more upmarket Select range, into this overcrowded sector in 2022. It’s not as much of a game-changer as other offerings in the range, but it has enough qualities to beat off established competitors.

You’ll probably need to look at a few of its rivals before you understand what makes the Dreamer D51 special. But, when you’ve done your homework, you’ll realise that this Gallic kid in town has more than just a big bed and a good kitchen on its side.

Murvi has won so many awards that it wouldn’t seem right for this company not to be here...

Murvi is not a large company, nor does it introduce new models with great regularity. But what it does – Fiat and Ford-based front lounge campervans – it does exceptionally well. And it has been collecting gongs in all the main motorhome awards competitions since the 1990s. One day, perhaps, it’ll need to move to a bigger factory, just to accommodate all the trophies...

So, it was no great surprise to find that this new Fiat Ducato-based Pimento XL SB has a side sofa lounge, or a rear L-shaped kitchen with washroom adjacent – because that’s the oh-so-successful Murvi formula.

And nor was it a shock to discover that this latest model is an absolute joy to use – because it’s the result of decades of gradual development. With the usual Murvi build quality, it’s clear that the latest Pimento is quite an all-round package. One that really deserves to increase the company’s impressive tally of awards – even if that means that it’ll have to invest in more space to keep them all...

The best high-top campervan for families of 2022

Dreamer Camper Van XL Limited

(Photo courtesy of Dreamer)

A drop-down bed and clever washroom featured already; now this model has been enhanced for 2022.

Whilst nearly every small campervan has berths for four, finding a larger panel van that’s family friendly is much more difficult. Recent trends towards the option of a pop-top on existing models has gone some way towards changing this, but it also takes away all-season touring capability.

Wouldn’t it be better to have all the beds within the steel confines of the base van? Yes, of course, but there’s only so much that can be fitted into even the extra-long (6.36m) vans. It’s surprising then that others have not followed the lead of Dreamer which, for a number of years now, has offered a drop-down bed in some of its campervans. Up until now this has been manually operated but, for 2022, the Camper Van XL gets an electric bed.

Cleverly, the Camper Van XL Limited avoids all the usual downsides of downsizing from a coachbuilt – fridge size, storage, and a separate shower. That it’s also a practical four-berth should make you question whether you need, or want, a bigger campervan.

Petite A-classes are few and far between, especially at this price point...

Many motorhomers aspire to own an A-class. The fully integrated design of the body, the panoramic windscreen, the spacious full-width cab and the drop-down bed that doesn’t rob you of all your lounge – all are reasons to want one. But the painful truth is that many of us will only ever be able to dream of an A-class on the drive.

Unless, perhaps, your lottery numbers come up – or you visit your nearest Itineo dealer, because this French brand offers a range of models with uncharacteristically reasonable prices. Few A-class motorhomes are so compact in length or width and even fewer are so keenly priced. But the new CM660 is neither cramped nor compromised as a result.

It’s got a generous garage, too, and the payload to use it – unlike a lot of larger, 3.5-tonne motorhomes. In fact, this interesting new model is one of our favourite newcomers this season.

At an affordable price and a good size, this one of the best four-berth motorhomes you can buy.

The best fixed bed motorhome £70k-£100k of 2022

Weinsberg CaraCompact Suite MB 640

(Photo courtesy of Weinsberg)

Thought you couldn’t afford a Mercedes-based motorhome? Maybe now you can...

The Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star has long been a feature on a select band of upmarket motorhomes. Since the arrival of the latest generation of Sprinter, with the availability of front-wheel drive, its popularity has blossomed – but, even with more choice, you still needed a very healthy bank balance.

Buyers now have to find over £80,000 for an Auto-Sleeper Mercedes and probably more still for a Hymer wearing the star, by the time you’ve added all the essential options. It was a breath of fresh air, then, when Weinsberg debuted its Pepper Edition on a Merc chassis for the first time. The standard two-berth CaraCompact model starts at just £68,470, but we’ve gone for the more versatile Suite model, which adds a drop-down bed, taking the total to £70,240.

That’s only just into our mid-range £70k to £100k price band, where Fiats and Peugeots still dominate, so the Weinsberg certainly plays the value card. There’s nothing new about the layout here, but the detail design seems generally well thought out. What makes the latest Pepper Edition so appealing is the Mercedes chassis, without the usual hefty price premium to go with it.

Read our review here 

A classically British rear lounge, plus the driver appeal of Ford’s Transit motorhome chassis

What could be more British than a spacious rear lounge two-berth motorhome? Even better, if it’s priced right. And yet Swift, Britain’s proclaimed largest leisure vehicle maker, doesn’t have this format anywhere in its 2022 coachbuilt motorhome portfolio.

Nor does the Erwin Hymer Group UK, which makes Elddis motorhomes, have a rear lounge version of the Autoquest or Encore (or their Compass-branded equivalents). And, Bristol-based Bailey only has an end lounge two-berth in its most expensive Autograph range. Fortunately, however, for those conservative consumers who still love what you might term the ‘pie and mash’ of motorhome layouts, one manufacturer is keeping the faith.

In fact, Auto-Trail offers a selection of rear lounges, including this entry-level F-Line. There is nothing especially innovative about this Auto-Trail F-Line, but it’s just what some UK buyers will want – a spacious rear lounge two-berth motorhome that won’t break the bank. The inclusion of a separate shower and good external storage are big pluses, while the Ford cab is the icing on the cake.

Read our review here  

A classic rear lounge, but without the faff of making up beds.

This isn’t the first continental model to try the UK favourite format of a rear lounge, nor even the first from Pilote. But, when we compared it head-to-head with another new end lounge model from across the Channel, it came out as the victor.

It’s not hard to see it pinching sales from British motorhomes, too, as it has features you will not find from the home teams. With a wonderful washroom and luxurious lounge that just begs you to put your feet up and stretch out, this Pilote is sure to find friends with ease. Add in the Évidence spec and it seems great value, too.

Read our review here  

Two lounges, two drop-down beds and a great price tag put this Italian motorhome in pole position if you’ve got kids.

With motorhome prices having soared of late, many families will feel that they’ve been priced out of the market. If that’s you, don’t turn to the pre-owned market until you’ve seen the latest family motorhomes from Rimor. Prices for the Evo range start at under £60k and all Brit-bound models come with an Enhanced UK Pack, which includes £4,200-worth of additional kit as standard.

It’s the 77 Plus that is one of the best sellers in the line-up and we can see why. It fits front and rear lounges into a sub-7m overall length. Great value for money is just one aspect of the Rimor Evo range, as this 77 Plus model has a powerful Ford chassis, two electric drop-down beds, a great washroom and a practical galley. The twin lounge layout will work well if you have kids of any age and this isn’t even a huge vehicle to drive as its length has been kept under 7m.

Read our review here  

The motorhome that thinks it’s a campervan could, perhaps, be the best of both...

Genre-busting campervans and motorhomes don’t come along very often. And some, like the original Hymer Exsis, are simply too far ahead of their time. Or, like Pilote’s City Van, they’re just a bit too out there to catch a wide enough audience of buyers. But if anyone was going to come up with a revolutionary motorhome/campervan crossover that really works, then it was probably going to be French firm, Chausson.

This Gallic brand aims to combine the best of both types in its X550 – and it’s added a bit of design flourish, too. Here’s something genuinely different. If you’re not sure whether you want a campervan or a motorhome, check out this clever little Chausson before you decide.

Read our review here  

Combining Swedish know-how on winterisation with British design and a Mercedes chassis.

When a new marque enters the motorhome world, we’re sure its marketing department and customer surveys say ‘play it safe’ in unison – and the result is often something predictable. Predictably unexciting, that is.

However, Coachman’s aspirations to become a motorhome manufacturer were realised alongside the acquisition of the company by a new Swedish parent. And that Scandinavian influence has brought with it a major emphasis on heating and insulation, as well as safety. This is not just a copy of a top-of-the-range Auto-Trail or Swift, but something much more interesting.

In fact, the very first Coachman-branded motorhome is built by Kabe in Sweden. But it’s not a rebadged continental model. The Travel Master has been designed to suit the UK – from NCC approval to its habitation door on the left.

This is a class act. For a first motorhome from Coachman, that’s impressive, but less surprising when you factor in Kabe’s experience and expertise. With class-leading winterisation, a great spec, UK-style layout and Mercedes chassis, it is without doubt one of the most exciting newcomers of 2022.

Read our review here  

(Photo courtesy of Chausson)

It’s no surprise that this French firm picks up the gong for innovative design.

When it comes to designing new motorhome layouts or developing entirely new concepts, one marque stands above the rest – Chausson. It could have taken the title for its X550, which combines campervan and motorhome into one vehicle, but that model had already bagged the compact category. In any case, this 660 model is newer to the market and, possibly, even more different from anything else on the market.

The 660 Exclusive Line might look like a fairly standard low-profile motorhome from the outside, but step inside and you’ll know this is something unique instantly. Quite simply, you won’t find a layout like this anywhere else. Check out the ‘boot room’ and the one-of-a-kind lounge to see if it’s just what you’ve been looking for.

Read our review here