Full review

A key aspect of the Rapido 80-Series is its double floor. With transverse storage across the full width of the vehicle, wide external loading hatches and a flat floor throughout the living area, this feature also improves insulation for winter use. And, of course, the fresh water tank is in a fully winterised location between the floors.

Furthermore, this 8065dF model is the only one (of six) which comes with Alde heating as standard (three more can be upgraded to Alde as an option).

The 2018 version of this line-up also gets a restyled front, which is still clearly a Rapido – just a much more contemporary one. LED daytime running lights are built in and cab soundproofing has been improved. As part of the redesign, skirts and bumpers are white, the grille wraps around into the headlight surrounds and graphics have been refreshed.

This 8065dF model also gets a revised floorplan – it is one of 12 models this season to gain the side settee lounge and ‘reversed L’ kitchen, which creates such an open feeling up front.

Other new features this year include the upholstered underside of the drop-down cab bed and speakers set into the side of the bed base, chrome surrounds for light switches, a backlit spice rack and new worktop edging in the galley and a dual-function cab blind which can be pulled up from the bottom for privacy or down from the top to act as a sunshade.

New, too, is the NovaBox which groups the motorhome’s service functions together behind a single external flap.

Access to the vehicle is easy, thanks to a new wide electric step. The cab seats swivel easily to create a roomy six-seater lounge and the table folds in half, so it’s either unobtrusive and ready to act as a coffee table or huge and ready for serious gastronomy.

The L-shaped kitchen comes with a three-burners-in-line hob, Baraldi extractor hood and – for the UK – a low-level oven/grill that’s not shown in the French spec photographed here. Opposite is a 160-litre AES fridge/freezer – one of the more traditional wider versions – with a TV cupboard above.

The bedroom, beyond, can be properly closed off from the lounge/diner/kitchen with an excellent sliding door. But this bedroom’s so good you might not want to hide it away! Twin beds sit at a comfortably low level and measure 1.96m by 0.73m each (our measurements, not those of the brochure), so there’s no his and hers shenanigans here. Better still, the bedroom comes with its own, separate Alde heater controls.

There’s a small step up into the end washroom, which comes with a second wardrobe, separate shower and good worktop around the basin. And despite this layout precluding the inclusion of a garage, storage space for anything but bikes is exceptionally well catered for. Not only is there the double floor storage but huge uncluttered lockers (easily accessible from inside and out) under both single beds.

If you enjoyed this review, you can read more in the December 2017/January 2018 issue of What Motorhome magazine.

You can get a digital version of this latest issue of What Motorhome magazine here.