Jerba Sanna campervan

Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4 Base vehicle: VW Transporter Payload: 607kg

We must declare an interest here, being complete VW Transporter aficionados. So, imagine our delight when we were asked to test a Jerba Sanna, based on the VW LWB Transporter window van. Jerba is based just outside North Berwick on what is claimed to be ‘Scotland’s Golf Coast’ – sometimes a very bracing spot, but when we visited all was serene, with views out over the Firth of Forth, the North Sea, and the Bass Rock.

With the week ahead full of commitments, the Sanna was going to have to be flexible and fulfil a variety of roles, but first we enjoyed our trip back through the Borders, the VW waltzing effortlessly, and comfortably, down twisty, potholey roads. With just the bog standard, 2-litre, 102bhp engine, and a 5-speed manual gear change, this baby was a no-frills version (apart from twin airbags, reversing sensors and air-con – which, in the UK heatwave, was blissful), but the gear ratios were perfectly adjusted and flexible throughout, cruising down the M74 at 70mph, in fifth, at 2,500 revs.

What’s the first job when you park up? Raise the roof – otherwise you’re creeping around inside like a hobbit. Jerba use their own design of GRP roofs, slightly curved to shed water, robust enough to walk on (bearing at least 100kg), and raised by extra-strong gas struts. A special feature is the sidewall material – Ventile, a very high-grade, closely woven cotton from Switzerland, which here, as an extra weather-beating feature, also has taped seams. The roof had three zipped panels (two net, one a clear window), and was front-hinged, but can, alternatively, be rear-hinged – your choice. Further heavy-duty zips, all round, top and bottom, mean the sidewalls can easily be removed.

Internally, the Sanna has our favourite layout – two swivelling cab seats, two individual rear travel seats, a central aisle and, at the rear, the kitchen unit on one side, and furniture and fridge on the other. This means the van can be used as a car for four, but the central aisle allows you to carry long DIY materials; or even bikes, safe from prying eyes and out of the weather – one in the aisle, and one centrally and transversely, with the front wheel removed.

This layout gives two single, longitudinal beds (more on that later), but, as an option there’s a roof bed. Two of our grandsons thought this great fun, though with a maximum load of 150kg it could take two adults, cosily. The mattress itself is pretty good, comfort-wise, but is also helped by being on a sprung slatted base – unusual for a camper roof bed. Back downstairs, the rear seats, by French company RIB, fold out to meet the swivelled cab seats, making single beds. These measured 6ft 1in on the nearside, 5ft 11in on the offside, so a bit coffin-like for us, but Jerba can increase the bed length to 6ft 6in if desired – though you’ll lose that extra elsewhere, obviously – and you actually sleep on the underside of the seat squab and the back of the backrest.

The Sanna has a toilet, and, more to the point, a bit of privacy. In the rear offside corner, neatly boxed in, there’s a swivel loo – though without its own flush water tank, instead using the main fresh water supply, which, like the water filler, seems slightly ‘non-independent-camper’-ish and more ‘coachbuilt-motorhome-owner’. To use, it’s knees out into the aisle, after having opened out the wardrobe door, in sections, across the van and part of the kitchen unit. Being a rising roof camper, this screen cannot come higher than the natural roof line, but, it’s sufficient to preserve one’s modesty – just remember to draw the tailgate and kitchen curtains. Also, mind your head when you rise, because you are right beneath the rear roof overhang.

Unfortunately, that rear roof overhang also compromised the sink. In this Sanna the Smev two-burner hob was at the front of the kitchen unit, with the sink right at the back, opposite the loo. Nice idea, having loo and sink together. However, to use the sink you needed to perch on top of the loo ‘cupboard’ reaching right forward, or, standing, bend double as though in a Wendy house. However, the sink can be located wherever you like, within reason, or a combined sink/hob used, and Jerba would reconfigure the cupboards and drawers below accordingly – which they would do also if you were to opt for a combi oven/grill

The table clips on a wall rail beneath the offside sliding window but, unusually, instead of having a lightweight fold-out leg, it had a supporting pole – the idea being that, using the tripod supplied, the table could also be used outside. Which we did. There’s another small tabletop fixed on a hefty bracket-mounted swan-leg pole in the doorway, behind the front passenger seat, which spent most of its time tripping us up and generally getting in the way.

Throughout our tenure of the Sanna we appreciated the thoughtful, practical design, the care taken over construction, and the quality of materials used. Also, Jerba is always happy to tweak design to suit individual requirements.

If you enjoyed this review, you can read loads more like it in Campervan magazine. You can get a digital version of this latest issue of Campervan magazine here.

Coming from one of the best British VW converters, who now have NCC Approval, the Sanna is a very versatile, practical, economical, attractive and sturdily built campervan that can be used as a family’s sole vehicle.