Hillside Birchover Classic campervan

Base vehicle: VW Transporter Price from: £59,945 Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4 Length: 4.90m Width: 1.90m Height: 2.00m Gross weight: 3,000kg

Words & photos: Peter Vaughan

The Hillside Birchover Classic

Volkswagen campervans can often look much of a muchness, especially if you’re new to the market. Some converters will try to blind you with bling, but before you fall in love with leather or get attracted by alloys, look beneath the surface. It’s quality and safety that are the top priorities, followed by good practical design.

You can’t go wrong with a campervan that meets the high standards of Volkswagen’s own relatively recently introduced Motorhome Qualification Scheme.

Firstly, conversions must be type approved (to ensure they meet all of the legal obligations for road use and can be registered from day one as a motor caravan). Then, they must also have approval from the NCC (the industry’s governing body), have at least three years’ trading history and the conversion must match the base vehicle’s three-year warranty. Only five companies are currently listed by VW under the scheme, of which Hillside Leisure is one.

The spec

Its most popular conversion is the Birchover Classic, which is based on the high-spec Highline Transporter. That means the adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, Sidewind Assist, front fog lamps, Bluetooth connectivity, a 6.5in touchscreen and a leather multifunction steering wheel all come as standard.

The beds

Another area where some converters cut costs is with the roof but Hillside only uses top-quality German pop-tops from SCA (or alternatively a high-top from the same supplier). Up top, this comes with a 1.95m by 1.11m bed on a slatted base for extra comfort, while headroom towards the rear is better than in most rivals. Large, opening flyscreen panels at the front and nearside ensure that there’s plenty of fresh airflow.

Down below, it’s no surprise to see the RIB seat/bed system, which is popular with many converters. It’s a tested and proven unit that converts easily into a double bed (1.78m by 1.20m here) with the added attraction of a chaise longue position for lazy mornings with breakfast in bed and the Sunday papers.

Although it combines a completely flat bed with more shape as a seat, in day mode it does help if you have long legs.

The fittings

At night, long LED strips run down both sides of the vehicle to give plenty of illumination, while there are touch-operated spotlights (and rear speakers) over the head of the bed and a lollipop lamp (with USB) over the settee. Blinds and flyscreens are fitted (rather than curtains) but these do reduce visibility for the driver through the tailgate window.

The kitchen

You won’t be surprised to see a kitchen running along the offside wall, but the unit is deeper behind the driver’s seat (making a swivel fairly redundant on that seat). Here, there’s a hinged section that incorporates a little extra storage, while also concealing the fridge (larger than many, at 65 litres) and, unusually, a grill.

In the countertop is a more typical two-ring hob and sink combination but the worktop itself is a premium solid surface.

Storage

The galley lacks the convenience of kitchen drawers but doesn’t want for storage capacity. Neat details include a lip on the shelf in the cupboard under the sink and an extra locker and shelf above the kitchen. There’s more than adequate worktop provision and two 230V sockets (plus one 12V) are well placed.

At the rear, the boot area is a good size and there’s a corner wardrobe (which might be improved with a shelf). Don’t worry about where to keep a Porta Potti, though – it’ll slide into the generous under-seat space.

Upgrades

This show model had been upgraded with various options – 150PS engine, DSG gearbox, LED headlights, heated cab seats, a power latching sliding door, leather upholstery, 18in alloy wheels (not too big!) and side sport decals, taking the total to over £65k. That’s good value in 2023.

Where to buy

Hillside Leisure sells its campers direct from its impressively large factory on the outskirts of Derby, where you’ll always find a good selection of campers already converted and ready to go. Stock is predominantly VW T6.1s, but you’ll see short and long-wheelbases, pop-tops and high-tops.

If you’re not local to Derby, look out for Hillside at the NEC shows (February and October), as well as some outdoor motorhome shows.