Benimar Mileo 301

Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4 Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato Gross weight: 3,500kg

The 301 is a reworking of the still-current Mileo 201, it’s just there’s a considerable lump at the front that hosts a double bed of adult proportions. Like all 2017 Benimars, the 301 starts with the more powerful 150bhp engine and six-speed manual transmission.

The latest graphics are just a bit smarter than previously, there are LED daytime running lights at the front, where you also get black grille trimwork, and the back end features LED strip lights as well as fittings for a bike rack. Equipment extends to a solar panel, external gas point, corner steadies, LED awning light, etc, and the habitation door is on our nearside.

In keeping with the rest of the vehicle, the cab comes with oodles of extra kit, all as standard: air-conditioning, stereo upgrade, reversing camera, etc. There’s the cup-holder centre console with USB socket and the vents have silver trims. These Ducatos seem to ride that bit better on the slightly bigger 16in wheels, too.

First stop, then, the lounge. You can turn the rear travel seat into an L-shaped settee for on-site living. The cab seats swivel easily enough but, despite coming with height adjustment, they’re slightly higher than the lounge seating. As you’d expect, given the 301’s overall dimensions, the lounge isn’t the biggest. It copes, though. The table isn’t height-adjustable and – to me, at least – it’s just a tad too high for the rear seating. It’s on a fixed pedestal, so it’s very sturdy and there’s good sideways adjustment. It also folds over, so it’s pretty unobtrusive when not in use.

Noteworthy details include the flyscreen for the habitation door and a TV bracket over the doorway. Nearly all the lockers and drawers have a soft-close function. Benimar still relies on traditional roller blinds for the habitation windows, while the cab gets Remis cab blinds and external screens as well.

For what looks initially like a compact kitchen, this is really rather good. There’s worktop, even when the drainer is in position. The hob has an electric hotplate and two gas rings. The double overhead locker, deep drawer under the oven/grill and decent-sized cupboard adjacent offer a good variety of storage. There’s a microwave, electric fan and a Dometic fridge with removable freezer.

The washroom tambour door is a great space-saver. Doors pull around to create a shower area, serviced by the mixer tap. The fixed basin is a usable size and it has Thetford’s latest swivel-bowl toilet. There are two towel rails, a shelved locker above the window and a deep shelf beyond the toilet, plus an opening rooflight overhead. It’s all rather good.

There’s a bit of space around the mattresses and access to the main bed is helped by a set of fold-out steps. Lockers line the back wall but you can sit up in bed when it’s at its lowest setting. This bed has some 20cm of height adjustment, via a crank handle. The overcab double is the bigger of the two.

The mattresses here aren’t the thickest, and are on solid boarding, whereas the rear bed has a thicker, one-piece mattress on sprung slatting.

Can things be improved? Whilst I like the catches for the external hatches, the habitation door’s feels a little flimsy. The rather straightforward furniture construction didn’t inspire and the seat coverings – especially the ‘suede’ inserts – strike me as paring the costs a little too much.

As ever, a single switch to turn off the lights from bed – there’s a generous spread of LEDs throughout, including blue ‘landing lights’ at floor level – would be a boon. Indeed, the switches for the ambient lighting are a bit basic – I’d say unobtrusive if I was being kind.

That garage is impressive, though. The offside door has a sturdy hydraulic strut. On this side, there’s the spare wheel, plus some inset shelving and 12V and 230V sockets. It wants only for some lashing points, or similar. The wardrobe, under the rear bed, is a piece of genius.

The heating’s courtesy of Truma’s powerful Combi 6, with outlets in the extended cab floor section (one each side, one in the centre), doorway, washroom and garage.

If you enjoyed this review, you can read the full version and more in the November 2016 issue of MMM magazine. You can get a digital version of this latest issue of MMM magazine here.

At these prices, it’s hard not to be impressed by what’s on offer with these Benimars.