Full review
THE beauty of Romahomes, old and new, is their compact size. You can take them anywhere, and their car-like drive will appeal to those who aren’t happy driving larger vehicles.
In fact, the Romahome is based on the commercial version of a car, which explains the car-like driving position, controls and general familiarity of the cab.
But of course the Romahome is a lot heavier than the Berlingo Multispace car and it feels quite top-heavy when cornering – a relaxed style of driving becomes essential.
It’s no ball of fire anyway, with the 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine straining a little when accelerating away in the face of pulling along this 2-tonne motorhome.
But who needs to rush? This R25 will reach a 70mph cruising speed easily and stay there all day and it’s also a comfortable vehicle to be a passenger in. Previous generations of Romahomes had a fixed backrest on the cab’s passenger seat but you can recline the seat in the R25, which is a big improvement.
Perhaps the biggest improvement over the old Outlook model is the ‘washoom’ now there’s a proper Dometic cassette toilet, a large washbasin (still really the kitchen sink), hot water, and even a shower complete with curtain and tray!
The latter is a £450 option, but this seems a bargain when the package is explained. You get a shower tray fitted into the floor in front of the toilet, with a removable floor panel that hides it from view during the day. There’s a shower curtain, a vanity locker complete with mirror, upgraded fresh and waste water tanks (70 litres apiece – 35 litres as standard) and an extendable showerhead that pulls out so far you can use it outside the rear door for muddy boots.
You do have to sit on the toilet when showering, a small inconvenience for an addition that makes you completely self-contained.
Some may not approve of a toilet within the kitchen area, but compromises have to be made in such a small vehicle. And the R25’s kitchen really benefits from the new layout – that large fold-up work surface over the toilet is a boon when preparing meals.
Cooking is done on a two-burner hob with flush glass lid and a grill that’s now complete with hinged door.
These fittings coped admirably at mealtimes, and afterwards I closed the lid and put a tea towel on it to catch the drips from the washing-up, as there’s no draining board.
The R25 uses the cab area at night for the first time in Romahome history. First, the driver’s headrest has to be removed and the cab seats are pushed back, before the backrests are collapsed into a horizontal position.
Then the tall backrest cushions from the rear travel seats are turned over and put onto the cab seats to create two single beds. I found these to be quite narrow, although very flat, and the bulkhead surrounds dug into my knees when I turned over.
Also, the cushions need some Velcro to make them secure on the bed base, particularly for wrigglers like me.
Despite being alone, I also made up the extremely comfy double, using the table. And it will be even better once Romahome have made the insert that will go over the handbrake and fill the gap between the cab seats.
In the meantime, as I’m a shorty, I was able to sleep across the vehicle. It’s worth noting that I didn’t lower the rear steadies to keep the ’van stable as it was calm and wind-free outside, but with two adults on board it would be essential to avoid feeling ‘sea-sick’ every time the other person rolled over.
Verdict:
There are a few teething problems with this new Romahome, but nothing that can’t easily be rectified before production gets into full swing.
It needs a much deeper lip on the luton storage area, a smaller table, and a radio that doesn’t have a mind of its own. But would I buy one? I’d have one in a jiffy! And if you liked – or own – its predecessor, the R25 has improved to such an extent that I dare anyone to make fun of it.
Bigger manufacturers of bigger motorhomes could learn from ideas like those dramatic coloured kitchen doors and the stylish moulded furniture. And despite the inclusion of the toilet and shower, the living quarters are a better place to be than ever before.
Whether you’re on your own or in a couple, the Romahome has matured into a fabulous little motorhome.
A full version of this reveiew was published in the January 2010 issue of Which Motorcaravan magazinContent continues after advertisements
Offering a unique design combining a car-like drive with the luxury of a coachbuilt the R25 is a great concept that works well - minor niggles aside.