Romahome R50 Génération 194 campervan

Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4 Base vehicle: Citroën Dispatch Gross weight: 3,100kg Payload: 805kg

Aside from items on the options list, the conversion stays the same no matter what version of the R50 you go for – model upgrades enhance only the Citroën Dispatch base vehicle. Engines on offer are all diesels (no hybrid or even a petrol option) and the standard model – at £39,995 – comes with the 1.6-litre, 95bhp, 210Nm motor driving through a five-speed gearbox.

The cab’s kit list includes almost all the features – twin airbags, cruise control, DAB radio, Bluetooth – that most people take for granted in a modern car, apart from air-conditioning and electric mirrors. Next up is the Exclusive (£44,995), which adds air-con and electric mirrors, plus another nine items including an alarm, remote locking, rear parking sensors and automatic lights and wipers. The engine gets more powerful, too, with 115bhp, now driving through a six-speed gearbox. Finally, there’s range-topping Exclusive Plus. The engine now benefits from 120 horses, but has grown to a 2-litre lump and the all-important torque figure rises from 300Nm to 340Nm. Kit also stretches to front parking sensors, alloy wheels, front foglights, a reversing camera, folding mirrors and metallic paint.

Your first two jobs, once pitched, are to raise the roof and swivel the cab seats. The roof is held down by the usual set of two straps with gripper buckles, here obscured a bit by the drop-in board section that hides the canvas. Push the board up and back and they’re easy to get at, while a good shove sees the roof provide lots of headroom once the roof bed has been raised on its gas struts.

The passenger cab seat proved easy to swivel, but I can’t comment on the driver’s seat as it was fixed. Production examples will swivel, helping to create a spacious lounge with the rear bench seat. The rear bench seat is a high-quality unit from French firm, RIB, and provides two belted travel places and head restraints that sit flush with the top of the backrest – adjusting upwards to suit.

One of the great things about this layout is it provides a spacious lounge in a small camper and, in spite of the Dispatch’s short rear floor, that’s true here. So good lounging is possible for four, with the caveat that the rear bench might prove to be a touch high for those who are short of leg. Dining relies on just one table that’s rail-mounted to the kitchen and supported by a folding leg – it’s perfect for two on the bench, but a bit far away from the cab seats.

Kitchen appliances are much the same as many other rising roof campervans: a two-burner hob/sink combo and a compact 12V fridge. The hob/sink has a pair of glass lids that can provide some useful surface when just one of the appliances is in use. A cook will normally work seated and the table will do its thing as a good slab of worktop. The galley also provides a home for the fresh water container and the gas locker. 

Romahome has aimed to keep the R50 as car-like as possible, so it’s low enough to beat car park height barriers. To help achieve this, the roof bed mattress is stowed in the boot until the pop-top is up. Access to the bed is through a slot just behind the cab, created when the aforementioned board section is moved. Next, the rolled-up mattress is placed on the bed and unfurled. Made by Vango, it’s of the self-inflating variety and opening a valve allows it to expand spring-like, increasing its thickness.

Downstairs, bed-making is simple as the whole seat slides on its fixed base, the squab flips forwards, the backrest hinges down to fill the gap and you’re done. The result is a firm, but quite comfy, bed that’s flat, thanks to the fact that the sleeping surface does not use the sculpted front faces of the seat.

If you enjoyed this review, you can read the full version and more in the November 2018 issue of MMM magazine. You can get a digital version of this latest issue of MMM magazine here.

This camper’s biggest strength is the Citroën base that can double as a daily driver. Furniture is made to Romahome’s usual high standards and tough as nails. The main negatives are limited storage and a roof bed that’s only suitable for kids, while its mattress needs more thought. This is an early model and Romahome is working on solutions to some of the R50’s shortcomings.