Swift Monza S rising roof campervan (2025)

With 19in wheels and black leather, there’s a racy side to the new Swift Monza campervan but is it practical, too?

The Swift Monza S campervan

I’d barely pulled onto the Ferry Meadows Caravan and Motorhome Club site when a fellow camper strolled over to admire the Swift Monza campervan. 

It’s that sort of campervan – from the Grey Matter colour (one of four no-cost options) to the 19in Lustre Nickel alloy wheels, it looks like the latest thing. Which, of course, it is. 

Based on the brand-new Tourneo Custom, the Monza was one of the first conversions of the new Ford to hit the market. 

It represents an investment of over half a million pounds in an effort to create the sort of OEM look found in a Mercedes Marco Polo or Volkswagen California.

But with a slightly more affordable cost, its £73,495 list price also including a very comprehensive spec.

The Monza name isn’t new, the first generation of Swift’s campervan having arrived in 2021. This one moves the game on, especially in terms of the sophisticated base vehicle, while retaining the top-quality German fittings like the Reimo Variotech seat system and SCA elevating roof. 

It won’t be short of competitors, either, as converters rush to launch new Ford-based models in the changeover period between T6.1 and T7 Volkswagens. 

Few rivals, however, will be able to boast Whole Vehicle Type Approval, a network of 19 dealers around the UK and being produced by an approved Ford Pro converter.

The drive

The Monza is the sort of campervan that’s designed to fit into your everyday life. It’s a little wider and longer than the old Transit/Tourneo Custom but still fitted (just) into a parking bay at the local Tesco. 

And, while I was initially surprised to find a manual gearbox in the test vehicle, the Ford’s shift quality is so slick that I really didn’t mind.

Of course, an automatic is available, too – and sensibly priced at £1,995, especially as that also includes an upgrade from 150hp to 170hp, as well as a slightly higher maximum gross weight. 

The standard motor offers more than adequate performance, if not the sparkling acceleration of the previous 170hp model. 

Those wanting a truly cutting-edge camper, however, may want to wait for the Monza PHEV, the plug-in hybrid (petrol/electric) version that’s coming, albeit at a substantially higher price (£84,995).

The Tourneo spec

In the meantime, you can enjoy the Tourneo’s up-to-the-minute spec, from different drive modes (Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery) to a raft of assistance and safety systems, including Speed Limit Assist, Lane-Keeping System, Pre-Collision Assist, Driver Alert and Hill Start Assist. 

There’s a fully digital dashboard and a 13in touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, sat-nav and a reversing display, but all this tech isn’t foolproof – the Monza thought it was in Downham Market when parked up in Peterborough… 

More welcome in soggy September were the superb headlights with automatic main beam and cornering function. 

The cab chairs have three-stage heating, along with excellent lumbar support and twin armrests, while the electric parking brake makes for easier seat swivelling as well as an unobstructed corridor through to the rear of the campervan.

The exterior

As well as providing a remarkably car-like drive, the Tourneo has the looks of an MPV, with its flush, tinted glazing (only small openings, though) and colour-coded details – not just bumpers and mirrors (which automatically fold when you lock the campervan), but even the mains hook-up flap.

Another surprise is the external barbecue point (under a matching cover), while an outside shower (cold water only) is also fitted as standard.

To find that, you’ll need to open the right-hand sliding door, which doesn’t offer access to the vehicle but allows you to service the portable loo without dragging it through the campervan.

Also outside (underslung) are the fresh and waste water tanks, both tucked under the back where a spare wheel would usually go (so a fix ‘n’ go kit is provided instead). 

The water filler is inside, in the boot, so you’ll have to be extra careful when filling up to avoid flooding the interior! 

And while we’re on the downsides, I’m not sure that the exhaust for the Eberspächer diesel-fired heating (another standard feature) is sensibly placed (under the front nearside door) – its fumes won’t be welcome in a drive-away awning!

The roof

I’m always pleased to see manufacturers turning to the best brands for fixtures such as the pop-top and, here, Swift uses renowned German brand, SCA. It has belt ‘n’ braces catches on either side to secure it down and an upholstered flap to provide a tidy headlining in the cab when you’re motoring. 

The top lifts manually but requires no real effort and, once up, you can unzip a huge section, encompassing the front and maybe a third of each side, to reveal a bugproof mesh instead. Great if  you’re in Portugal, not so great in Peterborough, especially with biblical rain forecast, rain that flooded our pitch!

The weather didn’t give us much hope of solar power, either, but the 200W panel on the roof is a great addition for off-grid use, even if its fitment is not the neatest.

There’s an LED strip around the top of the roof for artificial illumination but the only other daylight comes from a small window on the offside. 

Unusually, there are no reading lights or USBs in the roof but the upper bed is included and it’s a really good one – 1.96m by 1.18m on Caraflex plastic springs.

There’s a folding ladder to aid climbing aloft, which you can store in the boot.

The boot

In any side kitchen campervan, you should take a look in the boot before being wowed by the interior décor. 

This aspect is just so crucial to the practicality of these vehicles as it’s such a large proportion of your overall storage capacity. 

Lift the large tailgate here and you’ll find a corner cupboard on the offside that’s big enough to house a mains lead, hose, two levelling wedges and the exterior shower attachment.

Under that is the gas compartment – an unusually generous one, taking a 6kg Calor cylinder. That should last an eternity as it’s only for cooking (heating is by diesel, the fridge is electric and there’s no hot water). 

In ‘camping mode’, you’ll usually have the rear section of mattress in the horizontal position, creating room underneath for outdoor gear like chairs, boots, etc, and space on top for bedding and  perhaps soft bags for extra clothing. 

Both areas are a good size and you can vastly increase boot space because the Variotech seat slides forward on rails. 

You can also tip the boot area mattress to vertical if you have taller items to carry and, as you lift this up, you’ll spot the table stored on the underside. 

It’s a free-standing unit, so there’s no need to carry another for al fresco dining, but it seemed rather heavy and you might want to stow it more accessibly on top of the mattress if the Met Office is suggesting inclement times.

There are also 12V (nearside) and 230V (offside) sockets in the boot area. 

The décor 

While there’s a range of colourful options for the exterior of the new Monza, the interior offers Hobson’s choice. The original Monza came with light or dark furniture finishes, where the new one mixes the two. 

Mrs V described the interior as ‘very manly’, I retorted that it’s very automotive. It’s certainly clear to see that a huge investment has gone into tooling up for plastic trim panels around the windows, etc, to blend the Ford finish in the cab seamlessly with Swift’s treatment in the rear.

Yes, this is another classic side kitchen layout but, with the black half-leather upholstery, duo-tone furniture and cassette blinds throughout, it has a premium feel. 

The lighting impresses, too, with ambient light under the kitchen counter and at floor level, blue  strip lights alongside the floor rails and a dimmable LED strip that circumvents almost the whole roof cut-out.

The seating 

Access to the campervan is another aspect that’s improved, the new Ford having a lower floor and a step just inside the sliding door. 

Then, once inside, the SCA roof gives up to 2.40m of headroom (up front) and the Reimo sliding seat adds versatility. Kids can be brought closer to the cab for travel and there are two Isofix positions, three seatbelts and adjustable head restraints. 

The bench is at a comfortable height ( far better than most RIB installations) and it has USB ports adjacent on both sides. 

Just don’t allow the little ones to eat crisps – crumbs show up terribly on that black seat trim…

The bed

You don’t sleep on the leather as the squab cushion flips over and the backrest then falls forward in its place. 

There are just three sections to this bed and it’s flat and very long (2.01m). There are rear speakers (but no reading lights) over the head of the bed. 

In the morning, a brew is possible but you’ll need to lift the end of the mattress in order to access the fridge. 

The kitchen

Whether or not you like the black and white finish of the galley, you’re sure to find the curves at the front end of the worktop and the rear, where it sweeps up into the side of the wardrobe, appealing.

You might also like the fact that you can have a grill (not always possible in this size of camper) – it’s a £195 option that, personally, I would live without to gain an extra cupboard.

There’s a range of storage provided here, starting ( from the cab end) with a hidden pop-out shelving unit that can house small items like condiments, bread rolls and biscuits, but not tins of soup or cereal packets – those have to go, instead, lying on their sides in the top lockers above the hob and sink.

Next, there’s a cutlery drawer (without utensil holder) and under that is a drawer-style compressor fridge. Its 42-litre capacity is easily accessed and there’s a tiny freezer compartment inside.

The storage

Under that optional grill is the largest cupboard, designed to hold a Dometic 972 portable toilet. I used to own one of these and found it flimsy, so soon swapped it for a Porta Potti but I’m not sure if one of those would fit. 

In any case, Swift supplies the Dometic loo as standard. Above it, a shelf provides space for pots and pans. 

Moving rearwards, there’s a small cupboard that actually proved big enough for all my crockery set and under that is one of those compartments that always seems to be blocked by the seat, although here you can fumble into the side of the space via the bottom of the wardrobe.

Above here are the controls for lights, water pump, etc – all easy to use – and a single three-pin socket. 

Then, finally, behind a tambour door is the wardrobe. It has a generous drop of 87cm from its front-to-back hanging rail but is probably more useful for folded garments with the mid-height shelf left in situ. 

Further storage is found in a supersized drawer under the back seat but it was a surprise to find no magazine pockets on the backs of the cab seats (you could always add one of those organisers that’s suspended from the head restraints).

The first-generation Swift Monza was the 2023 Pop-Top Campervan of the Year. The new one is a little bigger, as well as being better equipped and better to drive. 

It manages that OEM-style look of a VW California, while still being competitively priced, but it will also face stiff competition from numerous other new Ford campervans that are hitting the market for 2025.