Full review

In recent years, the term ‘Sport’ seems to have become a popular automotive marketing tag for a lower-spec version of a standard car, and it’s this suffix that Autocruise have picked up on for the reduced-spec Rhythm van conversion.

But before you dismiss it as just a mere marketing ploy, look at the saving over the standard Rhythm – a remarkable £5000.

In this test, I set myself the task of seeing if that £5k saving has resulted in a model that’s just too basic to be enjoyable, or one that’s almost as good as the standard version, meaning that you’d be mad to spend the extra.

INSIDE the Autocruise Rhythm Sport

Lounge
The star feature in both the standard Rhythm and the cheaper Sport version is the large rear lounge.

Two long inward facing settees provide plenty of space to relax or entertain guests.

At a pinch you could seat four adults on each settee, though you’d have to be good friends!

If you want to watch telly, there’s a TV point on the wall of the wardrobe, so a flatscreen TV mounted here could easily be viewed by anyone in the lounge.

When it’s time to dine, an island leg table can be called into action. The leg stores in the wardrobe, while the top lies flat on the overcab storage shelf.

As with most island leg tables, it’s not the most stable of units, and there’s always the fear that a sudden jerk on one end of it might send your drinks flying.

Although a fair size, it seems short when you consider the length of the settees surrounding it.

If six are sitting on the settees, then only four of them would comfortably be able to reach the table.


Beds
While talking about the rear lounge, it makes sense to mention the bedroom.

The twin settees here make up into either two single beds or one large double.

Both settees measure 1.91 metres (6ft 3in) long – and this becomes the length of the single beds at night.

As an alternative, you can pull out the settee bases to make a huge double – a whopping 1.91 metres by 1.83 metres.

It’s longer if you use it as a lengthways bed, rather than a transverse one and because of the joins between the settee squabs when they are combined as a mattress, it’s more comfortable like this as well.

When not in use, bedding can be easily stored in the base of the nearside settee. The offside settee base is largely filled with the water heater and fuse box.

The concertina blinds to all the windows in the lounge/bedroom area make it dark and private when it’s time for bed.


Kitchen
Compared with the standard Rhythm model, the Sport’s kitchen is lacking one gas burner and an oven, but very little else.

In neither version is this the largest of motorhome kitchens, but it’s certainly not a basic campervan kitchen either.

The Sport’s two burner hob and gas grill will be fine for many people, plus you could always pack your own electric or microwave oven – think again about that £5k saving!

Opposite the main kitchen, is the Waeco 12V/230V compressor fridge.

The lack of gas operation will only be an issue for those who wish to stay in one place for longer periods without mains hook-up.

There’s a fair amount of storage in the kitchen, including a cutlery drawer and shelves, but worktop is very limited.

Kitchen task lighting is non-existent too, with only a central LED lamp in the roof providing illumination in this area.


Washroom
The ‘smallest room’ really is quite small, but necessarily so.

There’s no space for luxuries such as a separate shower, so instead the washroom has to cram quite a lot into a small space.

As a result, there’s just a basic tip-up plastic washbasin above the swivel cassette toilet, while showering requires use of a clinging shower curtain.

This is never an ideal arrangement, but at least the shower has its own dedicated showerhead, instead of relying on a pullout washbasin tap.

Storage is taken care of by a plastic wall unit with sliding mirrored doors. Again, it looks basic but it does the job.


ON THE ROAD
As standard, the Rhythm Sport is supplied with the 110bhp version of Peugeot’s 2.2HDi engine.

The test vehicle had the more powerful 130bhp engine, with a six-speed gearbox instead of the standard five ratios.

I suspect the 110bhp engine will be fine for this van conversion and the 130bhp test model was certainly pleasant to drive, with plenty of poke when needed.

The full version of this motorhome review appeared in the October 2012 issue of Which Motorhome magazine