Full review

As I drive 2016 long-wheelbase Trafic with the 140bhp engine every day, I wasn’t expecting much difference with the newer 2018 model Trafic with the later Adblue-equipped Euro 6 engine. But it did drive differently. The ride quality was less harsh over bumps to such an extent that I went and checked my tyre pressures were not too hard. Even though it sported a slightly less powerful version of the twin-turbo diesel engine, the 125bhp engine had great low-down torque and pulled well. With comfortable leather seats and a smooth gearbox, it was a treat to drive. 

Inside the cab, the 2018 model has been updated mildly with a gloss fascia to the sat-nav system and the only other differences were a setting on the trip computer that indicated the level of AdBlue (which was on 100%) and an LED indicator in the instrument pod that glowed green when you were driving economically and then went through various shades of green until it changed to amber, meaning you’re driving it too hard.

The Adblue tank fitted to the Renault is located next to the diesel filler cap on the nearside B-pillar so looked easy to top up. It’s a 20-litre tank so it shouldn’t need refilling all that often but I doubt it would make the 25,000-mile service intervals. On the rolling Scottish roads, the Renault proved to be a very pleasant companion and made the whole trip an effortless delight. The only minor disappointment was with the stock Renault speakers which are paper cone items located low down in the door panels. 

Stepping into the rear of this Wee Camper is a delight, the style manages to be both modern, different and stylish all at once. The gloss white cabinets with gloss wood inserts contrast well with the black leather of the rear travel seat. This unit offers three three-point seatbelts and has been neatly trimmed to match the Renault-trimmed front leather seats.

I’d have liked the front passenger seat to swivel around and this is something that the firm are looking into. You could also get a swivel seat for the driver’s seat, but as the kitchen pod is a wide L-shaped unit, it would be pointless as there would be nowhere for your legs to go (plus it would risk ruining the excellent Renault driving position). So for lounging there’s only the rear bench seat to use, but happily it’s well shaped and comfortable. You can also lift up the rear tailgate and sit on the rear section of the bed when you’re on a campsite – this would be a great sheltered spot to watching sporting events from.

Each time The Wee Camper Co build a conversion they like to mix it up and do something different. Sometimes they’re rustic, sometimes they use a plank of natural wood for the worktops or perhaps a copper-coloured sink and tap. For this conversion they’ve mixed warm wood tones for the flooring with modern gloss white cabinets, edged in silver. Gloss wood-effect inserts then highlight the contrast between the stark modern white and the natural wood colours. The Krion worktop (it’s like Corian) is in a dark chocolate colour and has been made double-depth by the addition of a white lower edging strip (which also neatly hides a series of LED strips). 

A capacious 50-litre Vitrifrigo compressor fridge lives under the cabinet and there’s a cutlery tray mounted above this that opens with a push-and-lock catch. A neat enameled Wee Camper logo sits on the drawer front. A removable water tank with a submersible pump lives behind the tambour-door cabinet and there’s an angled shelf in here and masses of room for foodstuffs.

The dining table is clipped to the front edge of the kitchen pod and clips onto a rail in the side of the cabinets, with a single fold-down leg supporting it on the floor. It’s an intuitive to use set-up and works well. Above the kitchen area there’s a long and narrow shelf that would be ideal for smaller lightweight kitchen items.

Where the long-wheelbase chassis really starts to show an advantage over a SWB model is at night-time when the bed is made up. Rather than having a foot of floorspace to get changed in, you get around two feet of space and the access to the fridge is unimpeded. The bed itself is a sturdy crash-tested unit and the base folds through 180 degrees to form the bed, while two beefy levers release the backrest which simply folds flat. The rear section had to be positioned vertically or horizontally (creating a seat/shelf in the boot area).

You sleep on the rear of the seats and this has two benefits – it stops you sliding around on the leather face of the trim and also reduces the wear on the seats themselves. Best of all, the bed surface is formed of memory foam, making it very comfortable. Silvered screens seal off the cab area, while Van-X blackout blinds are used for the two side windows and the rear tailgate

The roof bed lifts skywards on powerful gas struts and the roof bed itself is 6ft long and wide enough for two adults. It’s a basic bed, though, with just a section of foam above a plywood base (rival pop-tops from SCA and Reimo now come with additional plastic springing for more comfort). The brown coloured canvas is of the blackout type and also houses mesh side panels on each side and a large clear plastic window to the front edge. As the front passenger side double seat doesn’t swivel (The Wee Camper Co plans to add a swivel base later) you’ll need to fold the centre seat flat and use it as a step to access the roof bed.

As well as the kitchen storage areas, to the offside rear of the worktop is a full height unit that houses two deep storage bins and a large tambour-door fronted wardrobe. This area also houses the mains consumer unit and the battery mains charging unit. There’s also a large drawer box built into the front edge of the rear travel seat. It housed the silvered screens for the cab, but could be used for all sorts of kit. The largest storage space in the van is behind the travel seat where you’ll find a neat white gloss storage box with an opening lid.

The rear section of the bed can either be positioned horizontally to create a parcel shelf / rear-facing seat, or secured vertically to create a full-height storage space. There’s plenty of room for outdoor chairs and a barbecue, but you’ll probably want to add a rear rack for bicycles if you don't want to have to remove the wheels.