Full review

FEW converters of compact vans dare to step outside the safe haven of the Volkswagen T5.

Wellhouse Leisure, on the other hand, has already shown a talent for taking a little-known vehicle and converting it into a sales success. The Hyundai i800 camper opened buyers’ eyes to the possibilities beyond T5. And Wellhouse is at it again with a new campervan, albeit from a bigger base vehicle brand. Enter the Wellhouse Terrier, based on the Tourneo people-carrier version of the new Transit Custom van.

GOOD-LOOKING VAN CONVERSION

Van conversions owe a lot to their looks and it’s no coincidence that the top-selling T5 is arguably one of the best-looking base vehicles going. But taking or leaving the optional (£1,200) 20in wheel and tyre package fitted to this test Terrier, the Tourneo still features some of the smartest lines to come out of Ford in decades.

The bulging wheelarches and rounded front end remind me of some of the mocked-up Volkswagen T6 designs that have been floating around on the internet for the last couple of years. Put simply, the Tourneo looks great, bang up-to-date, but with enough retro roundness to provide character.

The dash design is attractive and extremely user friendly; it makes the T5 layout look dated by comparison.

TORQUE TALK

The Tourneo uses Ford’s 2.2-litre Duratorq diesel engine and you can have a range of power outputs from 100PS to 155PS in the Terrier. A 125PS unit is fitted as standard.

Ride quality is as supple and comfortable as a big saloon, but with the added benefit of a raised driving position and terrific all-round vision. Vast areas of glass, relatively slim pillars and clever touches like the low-lying headrests in the Reimo Variotech rear bench seat all improve the view.

Fuel economy for the 125PS engine is quoted at 43.5mpg for the combined cycle. On my hilly test route I managed mid-30s mpg. That’s still a good figure for a camper and bound to improve over time with a looser engine and easier terrain.

FRONT-LIFTING ROOF

Wellhouse has opted for a front-lifting Reimo roof for the Terrier. Undo the straps and fingertip pressure is enough to send the roof skywards on a pair of strong hydraulic struts.

With the roof bed board sent in the same direction, interior height goes instantly from 1.40m to a lofty 2.31m.

CAMPERVAN STORAGE

The ability to store all the accoutrements required for a camping holiday is one of the key differences between a practical campervan and a plain annoying one. Wellhouse has – thankfully – gone down the practical route, providing the Terrier with a pair of deep tambour-door cupboards in the main kitchen unit and a generous multi-purpose drawer below the hob. A further tambour-fronted space at the base of the kitchen hides a Dometic 972 loo.

Above the kitchen there are two slimline cupboards for small tins, spices and teabags.  A drawer below the bench seat provides room for a soft bag or two, shoes or bulkier camping equipment like the hook-up lead.

At the end of the kitchen unit there’s a clever multi-purpose bit of storage behind yet another tambour door. At first glance it looks like a wardrobe with its hanging rail above, but at the back, two shelves lie flat against the wall; lift them up and clip in position and you have a shelved unit instead. Your choice.

CAMPERVAN KITCHEN

The Terrier’s cooking equipment consists of a two-burner hob and sink unit from high-end manufacturer CAN. There’s no grill, but this frees up valuable storage space, which is arguably more important in a conversion of this size.
Worktop space is surprisingly good with the hob/sink lids up, but it expands to 1.25m by 0.37m with the lids down. You could also use the table for more involved indoor food preparation. Combined with the deep cupboards below, practicality rules in the Terrier’s kitchen.

WELLHOUSE WOW FACTOR

Wellhouse has a knack for providing the wow factor when you slide back the door on its campers – and that’s certainly the case with the Terrier we tested. Brown and cream leather on the driver, passenger and bench seats combines with a light brown veneer on the units and a smart dark laminate on the floor.

The main lighting is from four LEDs, with additional blue ‘mood’ lighting below the worktop. It’s cool, comfortable, and in these colours, very practical for a camping trip on a traditional, muddy site.

The front seats swivel easily to face the living area, with both driver and passenger pews getting equal leg space in front of them. That’s not the case for a lot of campervans where the driver’s seat only ends up doing a half turn because the kitchen is in the way.

The Variotech bench seat can be brought forward on its rails with the table attached to it, making for a much more flexible internal layout. Table height is perfect for all the seats, and it doesn’t wobble. Meals for four won’t be a problem.

Webasto diesel-fed heating is fitted as standard, so raising the interior temperature in the first place is about as easy as it gets.

FOUR-BERTH TERRIER

This test Terrier is a four-berth, with the optional roof bed (priced at £395). The upstairs bed is 1.96m long by 1.19m wide. The bed-to-roof height tapers down to 0.26m at the ‘foot’ end. This low point aside, there’s enough room for a pair of adults, or acres of sleeping and play space for a couple of kids.

The bed is fairly firm but comfortable. For cooler season camping, some form of cap over the roof to give a second skin to the existing fabric would be a good idea. But on a good day, the lofty view from the front window is a reason in itself to bag the upper bedroom.

Back on the ground floor, the base of the Variotech bench flips forward, the backrest folds down to fill the gap and the bed is made. It’s 1.87m long by 1.08m wide, it’s more comfortable than the roof bed and still leaves more than half a metre of floor space in front to get ready for bed (or to use the loo).

This is an edited extract from the January 2014 issue of Which Motorhome magazine. You can download a digital version of the issue here.

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