Full review

Pilote has produced a ’van that introduces a true island bed in a 6.49-metre motorhome. Zut alors!

The P650C is the first of what should be a range of several 650 models, and comes (currently) only in entry-level Essentiel trim. This still includes air-conditioning, LED lighting, TV bracket, a Bultex mattress, an AES fridge/freezer and even a Truma Crash Sensor.

There’s also the GB Pack, included on all models sold in the UK. This adds over £2,500-worth of kit – GRP sides (instead of aluminium), a passenger airbag, an oven/grill, lounge carpets and mains (as well as gas) heating and boiler. And you still leave the forecourt with enough change from £50k to add an awning.

The base vehicle is the same post-facelift Ducato with 130bhp Multijet engine. You can upgrade the engine but the standard fare is good enough, although the firm ride does result in more rattles than we’d like.

At the rear, doors on either side open onto a heated, full-width locker with at least 790mm headroom, although taller doors and a height adjustable bed is available if you want to carry full-sized bikes.

The bed itself is a sensible 1.90m (6ft 3in) long and has perfectly place reading lamps. There are wardrobes on each side of the bed and a pair of large drawers under the foot, while a ‘secret’ under-bed area is good for cameras, tablets and laptops.

If you’re wondering how all this night-time luxury is possible in a vehicle this size, look at the washroom. When not in use, the shower tray is covered with a slot-in flooring panel and becomes part of the bedroom. The concept works, even if there is less than six inches between the tambour door and the mattress. There’s no compromise in terms of the washbasin or the bathroom storage and the shower cubicle employs a swing-wall to create a really good shower.

The galley, in contrast, is bijou. Squeezing in just a two-burner Dometic hob and a matching stainless-steel sink with glass lid leaves almost no worktop. But there’s a slide-out worktop under the hob, and with good drawer space and mains, 12V and USB sockets to hand, good LED lighting and even a spice rack, Pilote has made decent use of limited space.

The half-dinette offers two belted rear travel seats and twin swivel cab seats. Five can sit at the table, if you use the flip-up seat across the doorway. It feels more substantial than it looks and took my 12-stone weight without complaint.

There was an optional third berth fitted to this test model but we wouldn’t recommend it. The bed is flat and a good size but it does require the storage of two bulky cushions and feels flimsy.

This is an abridged version of the full review appearing in the July 2015 issue of Which Motorhome.