Pilote Expression G740FGJ

New interior design gives a fresh look to this spacious A-class

rThe big news from Pilote this year concerns its interior décor, shown here in the Pyla trim. So, the exterior of this A-class motorhome is very recognisably from this French brand but, inside, it’s been given a fresh new look.

Tailored spec

This is an Expression model, too, so you can tailor the spec to your needs, with various options and packs (unlike Évidence vehicles which come with a fixed spec). That starts with the Fiat chassis, with a 140hp motor and manual gearbox as standard and a 3,500kg maximum gross weight, but 180hp, automatic transmission and 3,650kg or 4,400kg Heavy chassis options are available.

Exterior features

The bodywork is polyester with framed habitation windows and a 15cm-deep double floor. A lidded drawer in the nearside skirt is a useful option to store smaller outdoor gear, while the rear garage takes care of the big stuff. This space is 1.15m wide and 1.19m high, comes with a light on the offside, a mains socket and adjustable lashing points on floor rails; an external shower can also be added here. The leisure battery (95Ah AGM) sits in its own exterior compartment and a slot in the floor here allows the mains cable to be connected.

Alloy wheels, solar panels (up to two 100W), a lithium battery, awning and rear steadies are all offered as options. Standard heating is Truma’s 6kW gas-fired Combi, which can be upgraded to a gas/electric unit or swapped for an Alde ‘wet’ central heating system with heat exchanger and engine pre-heater pump.

Spacious feel inside

It’s the open and spacious feel of this motorhome that will mark it out in a sea of similar single bed layouts. The size here – a fraction under seven and a half metres – is typical of the breed. There are various upholstery options but I was particularly taken with the contrasting blue/green backrests (cushions attached magnetically to the wall) and off-white faux leather bases here. A push-up Heki sunroof above adds to the daylight flooding in through the big windscreen, while net curtains add privacy and there’s good ambient lighting, including four spots in the base of the cab bed. The table folds in half to take up less space and the TV bracket (in the entrance area) is height-adjustable. Only the lack of reading lights lets it down.
 

Kitchen facilities

The kitchen comes with just a two-burner hob, like an increasing number of continental motorhomes, even premium ones. There’s a useful amount of worktop in front of the hob and an oven and extractor hood are both available as options. Fitting the oven means losing one of the two large drawers but there’s a pair of smaller drawers here, too. Opposite is a 141-litre Thetford two-door fridge/freezer with automatic energy selection.

The Pyla interior shown here comes with attractive slatted panels both in the doorway and the bedroom and mixes pale woodwork with white top lockers. The alternative Annecy atmosphere has wood on the upper cupboards and grey for the lower kitchen doors.
 

En suite bedroom

There’s a small step up from the galley into the en suite bedroom area, where the toilet door closes off the zone and a sliding door separates the bedroom. The shower is a good size, with an optional duckboard that evens out the slightly stepped floor (with a single drain). The toilet area works well, too, even with its door closed. Storage is especially good, with straps to keep your potions in place.

In the bedroom the twin mattresses measure 2.06m (nearside) and 1.93m (offside) and there are reading lights, USBs (two) and a mains socket, but the top lockers stop you sitting up.

As a four-berth, this Pilote’s lounge converts easily into travel seating, while a drop-down bed (1.85m by 1.35m) in the cab has ambient lighting and a shelf but no roof vent or reading lights.

A very attractive and open-feeling motorhome with a popular layout and good price for an A-class.