Full review

Kosmo is Laika’s new entry-level range, but it is more than that as it also has a much more contemporary interior than its Ecovip and Kreos siblings. There are four models (from 6.59m to 7.41m) and all priced between £51k and £53k.

It may be a different approach for Laika to offer a more competitively priced product, but this is still not a cheap motorhome. The roof and sub-floor are glass-fibre and the aluminium exterior walls cover extruded polystyrene foam (XPS) insulation. Flush-fit windows are also standard. The interior is decked out with Tuscan pear wood and pale upholsteries – while there are lots of options for two-tone fabrics or leather.

The 512 stands out from the other Kosmo models for one simple aspect, its lounge. Instead of the more traditional forward-facing travel seats (aka half-dinette), there are twin inward-facing sofas here, for a more British style. Usefully, and now quite a common feature in new continental motorhomes with this type of lounge, the sofas convert into two forward-facing travel seats.

As with everything, if you plan to use these as travel seats, check you are happy with the conversion process, as the seats will require extra cushions and accessories that need to be stored away when not in use.

The kitchen sits directly aft of one of the sofas but furniture stretches up to provide a splashback to protect the lounge seats from cooking activities. The hob offers three burners in a line – maximising worktop space in quite a compact area.

There is also a deep, round sink here, too, as well as a tall, slim fridge opposite, with a useful drawer beneath.
Entry-level this model may be but the fridge still has a 140-litre capacity and an automatic energy selection function.
Further back, the shower sits on the left, with a boarded floor (an option in the Kosmo Pack, which we’ll come to later), while the toilet compartment door swings across to shut off the rear from the lounge and kitchen.

There is also a sliding panel to provide night-time privacy when using the facilities. The toilet and shower areas each have small rooflights, while the toilet compartment also has a window. Cupboards, both high and low level, provide ample storage space.

The island bed sits at the rear, measuring a healthy 1.90m by 1.48m. The end of the mattress flips over and a slatted base lifts to get at the storage below. As is the norm with these layouts, there is a wardrobe on either side of the bed and a flat surface just in front of each – a convenient place for books, cups, phones and your specs.

There are reading lights, each offering a USB port too, fixed to the base of two lockers, which should be just high enough to allow sitting up in bed. A floor hatch gives access to the fuses as well as providing a little extra storage space.

The garage has big doors for easy loading, while the island bed’s height can be manually raised to create more storage space – which does, of course, mean a higher bed inside with less headroom. The space also has a power socket, light and access to the inboard water tank. A heater outlet finishes off the garage space.

The pricing is attractive but the Kosmo Pack (£2,800) is probably essential. This adds automatic air-con for the cab, ESP, Traction Plus, Hill Holder, Hill Descent Control, a passenger airbag, cruise control, electric/heated mirrors, a height-adjustable passenger seat, a radio aerial fitted in the door mirror, cab carpet, an insulated and heated waste water tank, cab blinds and the wooden duckboard for the shower.

You can also specify a reversing camera and a drop-down double bed in the lounge, while a further option will allow you to make the lounge into an extra single berth. Even with options, the Kosmo is a well-priced entry into the world of Italian style combined with impressive value.

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