Dethleffs 4-travel T 6966-4

Berths: 4 Travel seats (inc driver): 4 Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato Camping-Car Chassis-Cab

The advantage with drop-down longitudinal beds is that their top lockers do not have to descend, while the beds can drop down lower. That’s the theory, then, but how does it work in practice with the ‘baby’ of Dethleffs’ 4-travel range – the 6.99m-long T 6966-4?

With its smart graphics it looks upmarket. The 150 Multijet engine is a £1,095 must-have addition. Our test ’van also sported the £1,595 Comfort-Matic gearbox. The cab spec is generous, with cruise control, passenger airbag and cab air-conditioning as standard. No radio was supplied, but the wiring and speakers are installed.

On arrival at our site we jabbed at the controls for the 6kW Truma Combi and were soon enjoying the heat from the well-sited vents. Thanks to a 50mm-thick floor and 30mm sides and roof the ‘van retains heat well.

The seating area is spacious with an L-shaped settee on the nearside and a two-seater settee on the offside. With a moveable table, it’s easy to access all the settees and the cab seats. The standard bi-colour Noce Palermo/Noce Champagne cabinets, offset by the Macchiato soft furnishings, create an inviting interior. The extra-wide entrance door and large windows make you feel more connected with the greenery outside. All the lighting is hidden.

The drop-down bed measures 2.00m by 1.35m, is extremely comfortable, and doesn’t move at all. If someone is sleeping below, there is a compromise to be reached on the height of each bed. But even still the upper bed wasn’t too high.

The lower bed, which is made by easily dropping down the dining table and rearranging the cushions, is flat and comfortable. Even with the ladder in place, you can still get out of the lower bed to access the washroom.

The kitchen is an L-shaped layout with a circular sink and a three-burner Smev hob and low-level oven/grill. There are storage areas in all shapes and sizes and an impressive 146-litre Dometic fridge/freezer. The area has lots of LED lighting, as well as a handy mug/herbs shelf and a clear-doored glassware cabinet with recesses for your wine glasses.

The washroom is massive and combines a separate shower cubicle and a toilet area with a gigantic wardrobe and changing area. The shower not only has a pair of drain holes but also has three storage shelves and a proper aluminium and frosted plastic door. The toilet/changing area works well, with a long worktop and a pair of deep mirrors. But the sliding wardrobe doors pushed themselves open whenever the vehicle went around a corner.

The high-level cupboards include a dedicated TV bracket that slides down, and there’s a separate wardrobe next to the entrance door. But you can’t get at all the roof lockers with the drop-down bed lowered.

End washroom motorhomes usually give you no garage storage. Happily, not here. The passenger side has a large door, and there’s a smaller hatch on the driver’s side.

This is an abridged version of the full review appearing in the August 2016 issue of What Motorhome. Buy it now.

The massive lounge is every bit as good as in a (more expensive) A-class, while the huge washroom/changing room is brilliant.