Malibu T450 RB-LE Lightweight motorhome

Can you build a premium motorhome on a Mercedes chassis and keep it under 3,500kg without compromising on the layout? Malibu thinks you can…

On the face of it, the Malibu T 450 RB-LE looks like yet another German luxury low-profile motorhome with rear single beds over a garage. But this new-for-2025 model sets out with a specific brief – to show that reducing overall length need not impact on your comfort inside if the space is used wisely. In Malibu’s words, it still has ‘a luxury bathroom, lengthways single beds and a comfort corner kitchen.’

Choose a Fiat-based T 450 RB-LE and its overall length is only 7.00m, but you can also have this premium motorhome on a premium chassis for a modest, err, premium. So, the example you see here is on a front-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with Al-Ko low-frame chassis and wide-tracked rear axle, which makes it 7.16m overall.

This is also a Lightweight model, so it has a 3.5-tonne maximum gross weight and you can drive it on a standard Class B car licence. That’s a rare find for an upmarket, Mercedes-based motorhome and the quoted payload of 633kg is impressive for such a model. However, in typical Teutonic fashion, you’ll never see a Malibu without a selection of options packs and extra-cost additions, all of which add weight. Nevertheless, as tested, this T 450 RB-LE, supplied by Malibu’s newest UK retailer, River Motorhomes at Hereford, still boasted a highly respectable payload figure of almost 500kg.

Of course, the extras add noticeably to the price as well as the mass, so you can completely ignore the base figure of £86,270 – for a start, there’s a delivery charge of £2,893. Go onto Malibu’s configurator and the Chassis Package (£9,735) and Comfort Package (£3,240) are also pre-ticked. It won’t be long before you’ve ticked a few more boxes for yourself and ended up with a bill for £120k or so (as here), but that’s not surprising for a motorhome of this ilk and it’s probably around £10,000 less than an equivalent Carthago.

The branding on the sides makes no secret of this motorhome’s parentage, stating ‘Malibu – a company of Carthago’ – but why would you hide the link to such a successful parent? Malibus are built in Slovenia alongside Carthago’s own motorhomes and, while this is the sub-brand, the T 450 RB-LE – like all Malibu coachbuilts – still comes with a full heated double floor and other premium features. The parentage is obvious to anyone who knows their motorhomes.

New-look rear for Malibu

As well as a new layout, the T 450 boasts a new-look Dynamic Design rear end with curved corner pillars and shapely tail lights. I was most pleased to see that it is made up of several sections, so a small bump shouldn’t result in a big bill.

There’s a three-pointed star on the back as well as on the grille and, here, the Sprinter cab had the optional (£1,405) Obsidian Black paint. The alloy wheels, in matching black, are part of the Chassis Plus Package that also uprates the engine to 170hp and adds the nine-speed automatic transmission. Here, the Mercedes cab also benefited from LED high-performance headlights, at £2,240, while the fuel tank here is reduced (as standard) from 92 to 65 litres to save weight and no spare wheel is provided.

The test motorhome also has the Driver’s Assistance Package (£1,135), which provides auto-dipping headlights, tyre pressure monitoring, adaptive cruise control and a quite aggressive lane keeping system.

On the road, the uprated 2-litre CDI diesel engine makes for lively performance, while the Al-Ko chassis gives an extremely surefooted feel in the corners. It was a real pleasure to drive this motorhome – or it was once I’d silenced the key offenders in the rattles department, the hob and shower doors. Driver comfort is good, too, with plenty of adjustment on both the seat and steering column and, of course, the familiar 10.25in MBUX display does a great job of radio, phone (Bluetooth), sat-nav and reversing displays.

Externally, it’s a good-looking motorhome with the typical Carthago/Malibu curve at the top of the side panels, where they meet the roof. It also has a taller, flatter overcab moulding than most rivals, so much so that the optional (£1,215) and near-horizontal Skyview sunroof is not really visible from outside.

Of course, at this price point the framed habitation windows are expected and the garage comes with two full-sized loading doors, each opening with assistance from gas struts. It’s a huge space – 1.30m wide at floor level and 1.18m high – and it’s heated. There’s a mains socket here but only minimal lighting – a small LED strip on the offside. Clipped to the wall is the manual winding handle for the optional (£390) rear corner steadies.

While the garage is the main course in storage terms, the double floor serves up a substantial hors d’ouevres. A hatch on the nearside opens onto a heated space that stretches right under the living area, with a height of between 21cm and 54cm. 

With no opposing hatch on the offside, you’ll want to ensure that things don’t slide out of reach but you can always access this basement space from the large internal trapdoor just inside the entrance to the living area (where the boiler and waste water drain valves are also located in a frost-protected environment). The water tanks (150 litres fresh, 140 litres waste) are also housed within the double floor area.

The gas compartment is mounted low for easier cylinder changes and, on the offside, an additional (£790) storage compartment in the skirt is ideal for smaller gear, like your levelling wedges, hose, mains lead, etc. The habitation door’s central locking is another extra that you’ll want (£310), but its two-point locking, flyscreen and window are standard. The electric step doesn’t auto-retract but has a warning buzzer and a remote switch on the dashboard.

If you’re considering other options, such as the 4m awning, bear in mind the extra weight. You can see the effect on the payload as you add options on the Malibu configurator but remember that this is only a 3,500kg vehicle, so you may have to compromise. One of the heaviest options (65kg) is the drop-down bed over the lounge but the test motorhome was specified, more realistically, as a two-berth.

Other options not fitted to this model but which you may wish to consider include the lithium battery upgrade, inverter and the exterior shower (in the garage). Solar panels are a dealer-fit item.

Malibu's double floor highlights

The double floor doesn’t just ensure that you have plenty of storage but it creates a stepless interior from the cab right back to the bedroom and, as it’s heated, the Malibu is better for winter camping, too. One trapdoor we’ve already mentioned but there’s another in the kitchen area giving access to extra storage and, beyond that, a third hatch allows you to service the water tanks.

I’ve already mentioned the external shape of the overcab and inside this also creates more headroom as you walk through into the cab. The opening Skyview sunroof lets lots of light into the area, too, while the proper cupboards here on three sides are vastly more useful than the usual open shelves.

Headroom is generally generous in this Malibu, at up to 1.98m, and this, along with a further large wind-up Heki rooflight over the lounge, help with the impression of space. Even the subtle concave shape to the top lockers helps to make this motorhome feel roomy. Artificial lighting is good, too, with a wide range of downlights and ambient illumination.

The lounge layout is typically Carthago/Malibu with an L-shaped settee and swivelling Aguti captain’s chairs but the side seat here is about as small as it could be and still accommodate an adult. In reality, though, it’s more likely to be occupied by the feet of someone sitting in the driver’s seat than another derriere. The rotated front seats also make the best place to view the 32in Alphatronics telly – a screen so big that it has to tip on its side for travel.

The L-settee is firm but very comfortable and its seatbelts neatly hide away out of sight when not in use. The table (91cm by 61cm) seems quite large but it’s very sturdy and slides easily via a foot-operated pedal. A wide choice of alternative upholsteries is available, including full and part-leather.

At night, blinds cover all the windows (including the cab) but, if you prefer a more homely look, there are also net curtains and drapes at the lounge and bedroom windows and, unusually, full curtains around the cab.

Cooking capability of a T450

If the lounge isn’t compromised by the T 450 RB-LE’s reduced length, what about the galley? Well, as long as you’re not expecting a UK-style cooker (with mains hotplate, separate grill and oven) and a microwave, there’s nothing to disappoint here. The fridge (opposite the main kitchen) is a slim model but it still has a 139-litre capacity and automatic energy selection.

Cooking is on a three-burner hob or in the Duplex oven/grill (£930), which is mounted just below. Even with the optional oven fitted, there’s plenty of storage in four large soft-closing drawers and more in the top locker above, which also hides a slide-out Krups coffee machine (another option).

Worktop space might seem a tad sparse but the sink’s lid becomes a useful shelf and the serving counter between the galley and lounge is a great feature (especially as there’s a convenient three-pin socket here).

Malibu T450 washroom

The real surprise in this layout is that Malibu has still managed to incorporate a full en suite with shower on one side and toilet room opposite, the latter’s door closing off the whole washroom/bedroom zone. There’s no additional separation of the bedroom here but a sliding door is available at extra cost (and, of course, weight).

The toilet area is particularly good as, unlike so many, it is comfortably big enough to use with its door closed – there’s no shortage of leg or shoulder room on the cassette loo. I liked the white, deep oval basin, too, and the fiddle rails in the tall cupboard to keep your toiletries from tumbling out. Another plus is the SOG system for the toilet, vented out through the floor.

Opposite, the shower has a step in its tray but that doesn’t seem to matter much if you stand facing the wall. Water pressure is good, the suds flow away well via twin drains and there are recesses for gel and shampoo. A rail for wet gear is also incorporated into the roof vent.

And so to bed – singles above a garage

Beyond the washroom, the bedroom is the final area where space could have been saved but, apart from one bed being shorter than t’other (1.86m plays 1.95m), there’s no compromise here, either. The single beds are exceptionally comfy and even have tip-up head sections to create a chaise longue effect for breakfast in bed. Reading lights and USBs are fitted for both beds and, again, there’s a great selection of LED lighting.

Top lockers on three sides provide plenty of room for your clothes (all the furniture feels solidly made and there are nice sprung hinges), while hanging space is found in wardrobes under the foot of each bed. The offside wardrobe is slightly the larger of the two but both have surprisingly good hanging space (a 1.04m height from the rail) as they drop down into the double floor.

Malibu has done an excellent job of reducing the length of this new model without compromising living space or comfort on board. It has also created a premium Mercedes motorhome on a 3.5-tonne chassis with a realistic payload for two people (as long as you don’t add too many options or load it to the gunwales). It’s a class-leading model if you have £120k to spend.