Full review

THIS is, quite simply, a brilliant family ‘van. And yet, despite its billing as a six-berther, it doesn’t pass muster for a family of this size. We can explain, just bear with us. . .

New for 2009 – we reported on it back in our September issue, listing it alongside 15 other new Bürstners – we feel this really does bring something new and exciting to the family market.

However, few would describe the outside appearance as anything other than business-like. No amount of subtle graphics can get over the fact that here is a very flat-sided vehicle with a considerable lump of an overcab pod.

Don’t under-estimate Ford’s latest Transit, though. We haven’t: in fact, in latest guise, it was a strong contender for our Base Vehicle of the Year accolade.

Here, it’s the ladder-frame chassis with power to the twin rear wheels set-up. Despite a considerable tail overhang, rear-wheel drive and a 2000kg maximum towing limit bode well if you’re considering lugging anything behind you. Note also that, although the construction allows for the fitting of a bike rack, it’s an optional extra.

Nevertheless, we noted some buffeting in particularly windy conditions – albeit with an unladen vehicle; with more weight on board, especially low down, the ride characteristics should actually benefit.

We’d definitely go for the positively sporty 140bhp engine over the standard 115bhp offering which, frankly, will feel under-powered in a unit like this, particularly if it’s filled to full family capacity. It’s a £1380 extra, but well worth every penny.

A definite trend is to provide options packs with new motorhomes. These often see major savings compared to buying selected items individually. In the case of this Nexxo, only a Chassis Pack is offered.

At £1,145, it includes cab air-conditioning, electric door mirrors and a passenger airbag. It’s certainly a tempting package, considering the air-conditioning alone would already set you back considerably more than that.

Thereafter, and again in keeping with current trends that literally allow you to tailor your motorhome to exact individual order, there’s an extensive options list, although do remember the more you ask for, potentially the longer the time you’ll have to wait for delivery.

We’d certainly consider corner steadies, for example. Again, however, do bear in mind with every option ordered you’re eating into available payload.

Ah, payload. As standard, Nexxo’s all-up maximum weight is 3500kg, so there are no issues with driving licences. The downside is a load margin you’ll need to keep a close eye on – it’s just 360kg. You have been warned. One consideration has to be the chassis upgrade to 3850kg, for a far more suitable 710kg load allowance. This is only some £336 more and will be essential for most families to stay within the law when touring.

Back to the cab. Standard luxuries extend to cruise control, floor carpet, armrests, central locking and electric windows, although one strange provision is the swivels for both front seats – they’re not really needed in this layout.

The outside may not be anything more than purposeful, but in the main living quarters there’s some real flair. The layout is promising, starting with a lounge comprising double and single dinettes.

Other options on this model were an oven/grill at a rather pricey £446 and Bürstner’s unique Novalife upholstery, a must-have at £229. The latter was one of a number of key fittings that went such a way to making this our Family Motorhome award winner: it’s not just easy to clean, it’s virtually dirt-repellent.

Not only that, it feels great, too. And, just as important, the rear seat backrests are actually angled to offer a far better seating position, especially for travel. Go on, sit on those seats – you need to feel the difference for yourself!

We expected Bürstner to have fitted two three-point seatbelts in the living area, but in actual fact they’ve gone one or two steps further and fitted four, hence its six-berth designation.

The Nexxo’s beds could be the final selling point on a list of many. They’re on sprung, slatted bases with top-quality sprung mattresses. Don’t even pretend to conceive of the lounge seating making into your main bed – instead, it’s the overcab for mum and dad.

This is not normally considered the best location, but here there’s sprung slatting and a more than generous amount of headroom. There’s even enough head height for sitting up in bed. More of an issue will be whether the reading lights are in the right places; they are on rails and so can be adjusted to suit, but the outermost one looks a bit tricky to adjust to suit.

That leaves the kids with the bunks at the far rear. There’s no chance of falling out of the upper bed – there are even bars across the bunk window.

Those all-important bed sizes are 2.02m by 1.52m (luton); 1.86m by 0.76m (both bunks); and 1.98m x 1.55m and 1.88m x 0.52m for the lounge beds.

There’s a good, solid feel to the furniture, too, in its pearwood finish. Plus, there’s another mighty bonus, namely that every overhead locker features fully adjustable shelving.

Specification runs to further family essentials such as a mounting bracket for a flatscreen TV and not one, but two ladders. Proper ladders they are, too, with a solid wood construction, and not the metal that is still used by some manufacturers, and which is always so cold and uncomfortable for your bare feet.

The kitchen, too, is likely to have a harder life when coping for a family. The fridge is 104 litres in capacity, the freezer compartment 10.5 litres. The hob is gas-only with three rings (most would consider that sufficient, to be fair) and the grill/oven, as mentioned, is an option that surely should be considered as essential with a family on board.

Here, it sits over the fridge/freezer – not an ideal location, but at least it’s not so high as to be considered a potential danger.

In truth, the kitchen is a little cramped. Only the best of the imports can match a UK-built motorcaravan kitchen for equipment and versatility. Not that we were complaining about the solidity of the construction here: there are steel runners for the drawers, and the drawers themselves have a substantial feel to them, and not the ‘floppy bottoms’ you get in so many vehicles. Enough said. . .

The washroom similarly, isn’t overly generous on space. Nevertheless, it has the attraction of a separate shower cubicle, plus plenty of storage.

Other aspects you just might want to query include the fact that it only has a 60-litre fresh water tank as standard, although this can be upgraded to 120 litres; however, again bear in mind that payload. In reality, though, you’ll definitely need both the fresh water and 3850kg chassis upgrades.

Functional, with more than a liberal dash of style, this is also, arguably, not quite a full six-berther. Still, look at it this way: for a family of four there’s a huge amount of flexibility in terms of the travel seats, lounge seating and sleeping options. Remember, too, the network of dealers throughout Europe.

Putting the word ‘family’ in this model’s name showed Bürstner’s intent right from the start. And yet, it also made our judges all the more critical as we searched out the little anomalies as proof of it failing to live up to its name. It certainly saw us asking, not for the first time: ‘Just how do Bürstner do it at the price?’

This article was first published in Which Motorcaravan magazine.