Hymer B588 PremiumLine

Price from: £78,050 Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4 BAse vehicle: Fiat Ducato Al-Ko Length: 7.27m Gross Weight: 3,850kg (or 4,500kg with maxi chassis)

So keen was MMM to get this exclusive test that I was dispatched all the way to Bad Waldsee, home of Hymer in southern Germany, to take out the factory-fresh PremiumLine for a five-day excursion that saw me braving Bavarian rainstorms. Well, it was worth it.

To bring you briefly up to speed, Hymer – the big name in A-class motorhomes (it founded the sector back in 1972) – has just announced its 2015 ranges. This B588 is new enough to warrant further exploration.
For the season ahead, Hymer has introduced a new seven-model range under the PremiumLine name.

Unofficially, PremiumLine is expected to take over as the standard B-Class offering from 2016. This is an early taster, but it’s also a perfect indicator of the effort Hymer is making to fall into line with our British peculiarities. Interestingly, while it’s the large lounge B544 floorplan that has long been the most popular seller in the UK, the B588 – majoring on twin rear single beds over a substantial garage area – is the best seller everywhere else. I reckon we’ll fall into line with the rest of Europe. We just like a bit of time, that’s all…

As you’ve probably guessed, PremiumLine means a higher initial specification (and price). There’s plenty more that’s new, too. Inside, the Palatino Apple furniture finish is pitched just right (not too dark, not too light). Ditto the Messina soft furnishings, although the upholstery perhaps lacks the softer touch we seem to prefer in the UK. More later…

You might want to consider the larger picture here, too. It’s stretching things a little bit to say anyone can produce a top-notch motorhome, but it’s the complete package you need to consider, including aftersales, from dealer support all the way back to the manufacturer itself. Let’s just say Hymer is a market leader…

You certainly get a lot more opportunity to view Hymers in our country now. The past two seasons have seen the company establish a very strong network of dealers across Britain – with the northwest of England currently the only vacancy (though we know that a candidate is considering plugging that gap).

PUAL-ING POWER

All this recent talk of wood-free coachbuilt construction in the UK must be a bit of a surprise to Hymer. It’s been making its motorhomes using its own PU-AL construction technique for at least a couple of decades now (hence, no chance of the ‘teething problems’ some other makers seem to be experiencing).

There’s more, starting with different front coil springs, courtesy of Goldschmitt (a ride and handling specialist company now wholly owned by Hymer). There’s also a GRP underneath the double-floor – offering greater protection and insulation, but also sound deadening.

HIT THE ROAD, QUIETLY

This is a seriously impressive drive, by any motorhome standards. Put that down to the aforementioned PU-AL, which certainly helps to keep things creak-free, as well as the Fiat Ducato cowl and Al-Ko chassis extension – in a variety of engine and maximum weight formats – that’s the starting point for all PremiumLines.

What it adds up to is one of the best-handling, most rattle-free A-classes I’ve ever driven. Sorry, make that motorhomes, full stop.

Safety is higher up the priorities than some rivals, too. Twin airbags are standard, as are a whole host of Fiat acronyms, starting with ESC (electronic stability control) – see the data panel. Side mirrors are electric and heated, and there are, of course, the trademark Hymer triple windscreen wipers.

Those are Hymer’s own-design headlights, too, with integrated daytime running LEDs. Mudflaps front and rear are also standard-issue. Alloy wheels (again, a Goldschmitt product; also again, an optional extra), add the finishing touch to the exterior.

Views out from the cab area are pretty good, with large side windows and a slight curve to the windscreen. Front pillars aren’t too thick. But, of course, this is the very latest Ducato. The so-called facelifted model, not that you’ll see much evidence of that on the outside of an A-class like this. Inside, though, you’ll notice differences – the biggest one being the loss of the ‘laptop holder’, that large locking hole in the centre console ideal for stashing all sorts of kit. Indeed, there’s nowhere in the cab to stow your sat-nav out of view now. Instead, there’s a lower-level console moulded to house a couple of drinks (up to bottle size) and more. Still quite useful, admittedly.

Also new are the instrument surrounds, and a useful (annoying?) indicator to tell you to change gear.

Automatic air-conditioning (not the usual manual one) is standard in the PremiumLine, as are the excellent Aguti Ergoflex captain’s chairs.

Unusually, there are no added bits of trim to the dashboard itself, nor a padded steering wheel. Hymer does go as far as fitting a remote switch for the stereo so you can use it on-site, and it doesn’t cut off after 20 minutes, thereby sparking a scramble into the cab to turn the thing back on again!

While it’s an option, I did enjoy the Kenwood stereo set-up, with a total of six speakers, including discreet locations on the underside of the front bed and in the rear bedroom.

EASIER ACCESS

Yes, that is a wider habitation door, at some 70cm. You’ll see it on a large number of Hymer Group motorhomes for the season ahead, and it makes a big difference in helping you enter. The double electric step is of a complementary width, making that first step in just 23cm from the ground. There’s also a sturdy grab handle inside the doorway.

Turn right after entering and the lounge has plenty of seating, but it’s really set up for the swivelled cab seats and a chance to stretch your legs a bit (on the other seating, if you must), especially if you want to watch TV. Hymer fits a sturdy bracket for a flatscreen monitor that has a good range of height and integrates well.

But, it’s the table that’s the real joy here, because it’s so easy to adjust. Just a single lever releases it to move fore or aft, while a foot-operated button at the base swivels the whole tabletop around, making it easy to get from the cab seats to the habitation area. It can cope with four for dining, just about, and the only niggle is there’s no height adjustment.

As ever, the cab door, with its two locking points and reassuring solidity, will remain resolutely UK nearside on right-hand drive models. You’ll have to dig deeper if you want a retractable step here (it is quite a height from the ground) and/or central locking.

If you do go for the latter, it extends to the garage doors (you can even add a third garage door on the rear wall).

SLEEPING FOR FOUR

Quick question: by far the majority of motorhome users in our country are couples. So, why would you want sleeping arrangements like this, catering easily for up to four?

Flexibility, is the short answer. The side-by-side singles mean you can sleep together, but without one affecting the other if, for example, a night-time trip to the toilet is necessary. Alternatively, someone might just fancy the cab double to themselves. Or, it can be left up so the lounge is always available.

Then again, four beds always means the opportunity to bring along a couple of guests. Or grandchildren.

Those twin singles have steps up, and the only criticism (it bugs me, but doesn’t worry many) is the mattress height and overhead locker proximity mean you can’t sit up in bed.

There’s no criticism of the mattresses themselves, though. They’re ‘multi-zone cold-foam’, and superbly comfortable. It wasn’t until I’d returned the vehicle that I discovered what the extra boards here were for, either – they can be positioned over the windows for a bit of extra protection to the blinds.

The cab bed, meanwhile, is a one-piece manual drop-down unit, with wooden ladder (hardly needed with the side seat so near to hand/foot, and curtains for privacy. There’s a generous enough 64cm or so of headroom, maximum, and the bed itself is some 1.10m from the floor. Under the mattress, there’s a system of plastic supports that really does enhance the comfort (and maintain ventilation). With switched single dome lights either side, you can choose which way you want to sleep.

The bed measurements in the data panel are mine, by the way (as usual, they do differ slightly from the ‘official’ versions).

A GOURMET STORM

Well, you should try explaining to continental manufacturers that we UK motorhome users expect ovens in our vehicles – and whether we actually use them or not (evidence suggests not) – is a totally different matter!
So, here’s the standard kitchen, with a three-ring Dometic hob and a wonderful system of drawers – six here under the kitchen worktop. It’s an extra £630 (that’s a lot of take-aways/meals out) for a Thetford Aspire cooker (a full slot-in job with mains hotplate, three gas rings, separate grill and oven), and you also lose some drawer space.

Adjacent is also Thetford’s newest fridge/freezer: the 142-litre model NV300, dubbed Smart-Tower, with freezer box and a whole host of shelving and door pocket storage options. It’s not particularly deep, however. But, there’s a proper drawer on metal runners at the bottom, which proved very practical.

It’s an L-shaped kitchen and an ‘exaggerated rectangle’ for the smart sink that’s integrated into the Corian-style (Hymer calls it Mineralwerkstoff) worktop. Drawer and locker doors here are a solid gloss beige.
Again, the qualities shine through. I fully loaded most of those drawers and they didn’t flinch. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for the slot where you’re supposed to place the sink cover/chopping board (an idea I’ve seen on a couple of other upmarket motorhomes) – it soon worked loose.

Overhead, there’s a large double-door locker, with an adjustable shelf (as in all the other overhead lockers) plus a perspex-fronted cupboard to its right – it’s one of those with a lowerable interior and a mains socket – all primed for you to add your coffee maker or similar gadget.

WASHING AWAY

Directly opposite the kitchen is the washroom and, such is the use of mirrors and the larger than average rooflight, it was a short while before I realised there’s no window. What you do get is a swivel-bowl toilet – with plenty of legroom and more ‘elbow space’ than the pictures suggest – and a separate shower cubicle.

It’s not the most powerful of showers, but more than adequate, I’d argue, and certainly roomy. It’s a shame the optional duckboarding isn’t considered an essential, although it’s always good to see a shower tray with more than one drainage hole.

Storage is excellent in this washroom, with the cupboard under the basin also housing a clever toilet tissue dispenser.


STORAGE ABOUNDS

That under-bed storage area really will take your bike(s), admittedly only on their sides, but it will also store outdoor furniture, your barbecue and a whole lot more. The side doors are huge, too, for easy access, although the option of a third door – across the back, is also tempting.

Back indoors, there’s a full array of storage, ranging from floor hatches (into the double floor) to the usual overhead lockers. Each of the three steps up to the single beds is a little locker in its own right, too.
You still want more? The cubby inside the habitation door proved perfect for my dustpan and brush. Also at floor level, there’s a shoe locker directly opposite.

In the lounge, the L-shaped settee section also allows you to create all kinds of storage in the base – with exterior access and add-in panels, etc. There’s even room underneath the rear travel seat (unusual for any import), where a loose cover reveals a shallow, but useful nonetheless, tray area in solid plastic.

Seemingly, where there’s not space for a locker, Hymer is still determined to offer some storage. There are fabric pockets in the lounge and bedroom (one and two respectively). And there are two wardrobes, the second in the base of the nearside single bed.

All the drawers are soft-close, as is the norm in upmarket motorhomes these days. And all the overhead lockers have positive catches that are easy to use, too, closing with a thunk of quality!

DETAILS, DETAILS

You need to take the above as a mere overview. There are still plenty of smaller touches to admire throughout the vehicle. It’s probably unsurprising to hear, in these cost-efficient LED days, that the interior lighting is excellent. I counted some 33 separate lights throughout – not including those inside the wardrobes, fridge, garage – plus ambient lighting to all areas!

The heating system was not fully assessed in the relatively balmy times of this summer test in central Europe, but it offers more than just the usual blown-air outlets.

The Hymer bodywork construction method also promises excellent insulation, but there’s thanks also to the heated underfloor. This is all courtesy of a Truma Combi system that includes the CP Plus control panel (with timer so you can return to a cosy interior any time you wish).

There are plenty of other examples of the kind of touches that make things all the more practical. The abrasion strip to prevent the passenger’s seat scraping the side of the wheelarch when turning. The solid main switch on the easy-to-understand electric control panel.

Look anywhere and you won’t see much in the way of trailing wires, etc. And everywhere you go, there’s that feeling of a solid, reassuring quality of motorhome build.

The small door concealing the Truma controls and water pump switch is almost superfluous here – especially as it has a slippery handle that some hands might find too tricky to use. I can understand why it adds a neatness to the overall appearance, but maybe that’s a hatch too far…

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Hymer strikes again, setting the benchmark for ‘affordable’ A-class motorhomes. We use the term ‘affordable’ with caution, however. There’s an all-round quality to the way Hymer makes its A-classes that shouldn’t be dismissed. It’s not cheap. It never set out to be. The value is in the overall quality.