Laika Ecovip 645 high-top

Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato Price from: £61,155 Berths: 2 Travel seats: 4 Length: 6.36m Width: 2.05m Height: 2.70m Gross weight: 3,500kg Payload: 597kg

Words & photos: Rachel Stothert

The Laika Ecovip 645

When a major European manufacturer launches a new Fiat-based campervan, you pretty much know what to expect – either fixed single beds or a transverse double at the back and a half-dinette up front. However, this year Laika decided that it didn’t want to create a campervan that was essentially just bedroom transport; it wanted to explore the space at the rear and create something different. What it came up with should go down well in the UK.

The layout

Up front, the new Ecovip 645 is pretty much the same as the existing 600 model and fairly typical of continental campervans, with a half-dinette lounge and kitchen opposite. At the back, though, instead of fixed beds, you get a rear lounge with sofas long enough (1.92m and  1.75m) to be converted into single beds or a giant double.

The front lounge offers belted travel seats for two extra passengers (one with Isofix), but this is a pure two-berth camper (for sleeping) as the dinette doesn’t make into a bed and there is no pop-top roof option.

In the front lounge, the seat does slide to create a more comfortable sofa for lounging, or for those with longer legs.

And there is an excellent folding table attached the wall, making this area feel more spacious than rivals with an intrusive table leg. As befitting the premium status of this campervan, there is an option for two TVs, one in the rear lounge and one in the front.

The rear lounge is set higher than the rest of the layout, with a false floor to support your feet. This allows for the gas locker to be located underneath, along with the fresh water tank (100 litres). It creates useful extra storage below the floor, too. There are hatches for access and a door to slide long ‘n’ thin kit, like skis, in.

The table stores underneath one of the lounge seats, but it can be a little awkward to access – make sure you try this before buying. To be fair, if you choose to dine in the front seating area, you may never actually need this table and could even leave it at home.

The kitchen

The kitchen offers a two-burner hob in a combined unit with the sink; below is a good selection of drawers. Laika’s Head of Product Management, Michel Vuillermoz, informs us that a kitchen with integrated oven is in development, but this isn’t yet listed as an option.

Adjacent is a tall fridge (90 litres) with a further storage locker below.

The washroom

The washroom may be an all-in-one room, but it has the full dose of Italian style that we’ve come to expect  from this marque; crisp white wall mouldings and basin contrast well with the dark wood. A mirrored door hides storage and the basin swings around to create a separate shower – no clingy curtain here!

Fittings

It’s not just the inboard fresh water tank that makes this a perfect year-round camper, as the winterisation is said to match that of Laika’s Ecovip coachbuilts. The roof is lined with an eco-fibre fabric for enhanced insulation and  reduction of road noise, while the rear doors are also insulated.

You can choose between two interior décor styles; a dark Mocha Oak (shown here) and the lighter pear wood, while there are also up to 55 combinations of fabrics for soft furnishings. Then there is an extensive options list.

Summary

The 645 layout is only available in the upmarket Ecovip range, not as a more entry-level Kosmo campervan. The starting price is £61,155, but the Düsseldorf show model had over £30k worth of options. You won’t need   to go that far, but this is a stylish newcomer that can easily justify a premium price tag.

Where to buy

Laika has five dealers in the UK, plus one in Ireland (Ballybrittas Motors in Portlaoise). Its English outlets are Chelston in Somerset, Camper UK in Lincoln, Choose Leisure in Kent and Emm Bee Motorhomes near Manchester. In Wales, Laika is represented by 3 A’s Leisure in Dyfed.