Full review

Words & photos: Iain Duff

The Etrusco CV 600 DB Complete Type X

There a time – and it really wasn’t all that long ago – when a £60,000-plus campervan wouldn’t have been considered anywhere near a budget model. But that’s the reality of where we are now, and there’s no sign of it changing any time soon. 

So, what that means is that whenever a “bargain” comes along, you need to be quick off the mark, because it is going to be in big demand. That was certainly the case with this new Etrusco campervan. 

Etrusco is an entry-level brand from the Erwin Hymer Group, but, if I’m honest, I have a slight issue with that description. Entry-level can have negative connotations, implying that it’s somewhat lacking in quality or features, and that is far from the case here. 

Etrusco vehicles are built at the Laika factory in Tuscany, Italy, and when it debuted in 2016, were initially destined for sale in southern European markets alone. The brand arrived on these shores in 2018, with campervans being added to the range two years later. 

Choose Leisure in Kent is one of five Etrusco dealers around the UK, alongside The Motorhome Depot (Midlands) and SMC Motorhomes (Nottinghamshire) in England, 3 A’s Leisure in Wales and, in Scotland, Struan Motors. 

We were eagerly awaiting the CV 600 DB’s arrival at Choose Leisure’s premises, so we could take it out on the road for a full review. And when the call came that it was on its way, we immediately arranged a visit to the Garden of England. 

But less than 24 hours after it arrived at the showroom near Canterbury, a customer saw it, liked it and reserved it. Two days later they had bought it. 

Understandably, the new owner did not fancy the idea of us whizzing around the Kent countryside, racking up the miles in their new pride and joy. Which is why the closest we got to driving it was sitting behind the steering wheel in the grounds of the hotel across the road from Choose Leisure’s headquarters.

Luckily, the CV 600 DB is built on the Fiat Ducato, one of the most popular campervan base vehicles around, so we have plenty of past experience of driving it. This is a six-metre Fiat with the 140hp engine and manual gearbox – the nine-speed automatic is available for an additional £3,400. 

The manual gearbox is easy to use and the Fiat generally delivers a smooth and steady drive with firm handling. At 6m long, it’s still easy enough to manoeuvre around built-up areas but parking spaces will be more of a challenge than the smaller 5.4m version.

The spec

Standard features for this model include cruise control, a stop/start function, electronic stability control, hill start assistance, cab air-conditioning, heated electric mirrors, and much more. Both the driver and passenger seats have two armrests and are height and tilt adjustable.

Every cloud has a silver lining, and the upside of not being allowed to take the CV 600 DB on the road was that we had even more time than usual to have a good look around in the back.

And what we found certainly made the demand for the campervan understandable. The standard price of the CV 600 DB is just £52,600, but the spec’d-up version you see here comes in at a very competitive £62,450 with the addition of the Complete package. And you are definitely getting plenty for your money, here.

The exterior

Let’s start on the outside, because those first impressions are all-important. Rather than another boring “white box”, this comes in what Fiat calls Campovolo, a fashionable shade of light grey, with simple ‘Type X’ graphics on the side. 

The front bumper matches the bodywork, with the black radiator grille – bearing a Type X badge – breaking up the grey.

Like many European campervans, the sliding side door is on the driver’s side – or the ‘wrong’ side for UK drivers – but that’s not necessarily a major issue, with the obvious caveat that you need to be careful exiting the door on the traffic side. 

The Complete package also includes a nifty electric step to make access through the side door into the living area easier.

The 16in alloy wheels are part of the Complete package, as is the Thule wind-out awning, which gives you somewhere to sit outside, sheltered from the elements, whether it’s the midday sun or a typical UK summer downpour! 

The Complete package also comes with cable preparation for solar panels, which you could install to give you the option of staying off-grid.

The garage

At the back, the barn doors give access to a generous under-bed garage area, which measures 135cm by 90cm, and is 67cm high. 

It features four built-in eyelets which allow you to keep any items stored in the garage lashed down, to prevent movement while driving. 

Removing the dividing panel between the garage and the living area lets you store longer sports gear, like kayaks or surfboards, under the bed. A storage locker for two 11kg gas cylinders is also accessed through the back doors. 

The interior

Inside, the Etrusco is a typical example of the tried-and-tested transverse fixed bed design, popular both on the Continent and in the UK. Swivel cab seats, a forward-facing two-seater bench and an extendable table make up the half dinette, and, as befits the campervan’s Italian origins, the seating is a stylish light-coloured fabric/leather combination – with smart Type X embroidery on the cab seat headrests. 

Of course, as smart as it looks, light-coloured upholstery is always a risk, especially if you spend time getting muddy in the outdoors… or you’re a particularly messy eater. Only you can make that call!

What the pale décor certainly does help with is creating a brighter ambience in the lounge, with some added assistance from the rooflight fitted over the seating area. This is also fitted with an insect screen and blackout blind. The dinette has an overhead storage locker door in high-gloss magnolia and there’s open shelf storage above the driver's cab as well as in the floor of the lounge platform.

The beds

This is a classic two-berth camper but there are two belted travel seats in the lounge, which would be ideal if you’re taking kids or grandkids on holiday with you; perhaps to sleep in a pup tent alongside the campervan. Another option for the young ’uns would be to spend the additional £4,600 it costs for a pop-top roof, which would create a double bed measuring 2.09m by 1.43m.

The bed runs widthways across the rear of the campervan, its quality mattresses and slatted frame providing plenty of comfort. The bed lifts to give access to the garage area and to the 100-litre fresh water tank. There’s a large window stretching the full length of one side of the bedroom, which has a blind and insect screen. Likewise, both rear doors have opening windows with cassette blinds and there’s a rooflight above the bed, too. 

It all combines to create a bright and airy bedroom, and with the doors open you can laze around on the bed taking in the views. When night falls, you can quickly close the blinds to give you the privacy you need. 

There are two overhead lockers on both sides of the sleeping area as well as small storage compartments in the doors. Below the overhead lockers, there are two small spotlights – one at each end of the bed – that are attached to runners and can be easily moved along the strip to be positioned wherever suits you best, a neat little design feature that we liked a lot. 

You’ll find one of these lights above the lounge window, too. Probably the biggest issue with this layout is that whoever is sleeping on the inside against the back doors will have to clamber over their sleeping partner to get in or out of bed during the night. 

It may not be a major inconvenience but is something you should consider before making a decision on the type of layout you want to go for.

The washroom

The other potential layout issue is in the centre section, between the lounge and the bedroom, where you’ll   find the washroom and kitchen on either side of a narrow passageway. When we say narrow, we mean narrow – if you’re a camper of, ahem, ample proportions, you will find it a bit of a squeeze to get through.

On the other hand, and perhaps surprisingly, the washroom cubicle is a lot more spacious than you might expect. I was certainly fearing the worst, but this was actually a good-sized space, even for someone of my generous proportions. 

There was plenty of room around the cassette toilet, loads of cupboard and shelving space and a good-sized worktop alongside the corner basin. 

There are recessed LED spotlights and the frosted opening window is fitted with blinds and a flyscreen; the skylight has an insect screen, too. 

The showerhead extends out from the washbasin tap and fits in a holder and there’s a wooden duckboard. The only downside is the rather clingy shower curtain. 

The kitchen

Opposite the washroom is the galley, a standard side kitchen layout which, in fairly typical continental style, only offers a simple two-burner hob for cooking, without the oven or grill that lots of Brits like to have. 

That will be a disappointment for some. Alongside the hob is a decent-sized square sink and folding tap and the whole unit is protected with a glass lid when not in use. 

On the other side of the hob is a very generous  worktop, considerably bigger than you’d expect in a campervan this size. 

Below the cooker and sink are a couple of mains sockets and under those are a large drawer and two storage cupboards. Directly above the kitchen is a utensils rail and above that a large overhead locker. Overall, storage is pretty decent throughout.

The 84-litre Thetford fridge/freezer is a compressor model, so saves on gas. It faces forward at the end of the kitchen unit, so is easily accessible from outside as well as inside. Having the fridge at the end, and not opening into the narrow aisle, also makes access easier. 

The controls for the Truma Combi gas heating system and the electrics are also found in this area.