Itineo SLB700 A-class motorhome

Berths: 5 Travel seats: 4 Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato Gross weight: 3,500kg Payload: 490kg

Itineo is an unusual brand. Not only is it firmly in the entry-level sector but it specialises in A-classes – a mix that seems contradictory in itself. New this year is the SLB700, a layout that takes the family approach and then goes up a gear. Here is the must-see new model of 2018 for anyone whose touring trips always include a couple of youngsters

The floorplan not only includes bunk beds running lengthways at the rear offside, but a whole bedroom that can be closed off with a sliding door. The kids get their own two-person dinette, with good storage for toys below the seats, plus a wardrobe that houses the ladder for the upper bunk. The bunks both measure 1.94m by 0.80m and each has an opening window and reading light.

Fold away the lower bunk and a dropped floor level here allows a small garage to be created with generous maximum headroom of 1.61m, plus tie-down hooks, lighting and a drain hole. The dinette, meanwhile, is large enough to cope with the lankiest of teenagers.

Added to this is the new Kiddy-Neo feature, standard here and on the SB740. The three-colour jigsaw-style carpet set is the most noticeable aspect but there’s also a blackboard on the bedroom door, a set of crayons and a box full of board and card games.

The rest of the layout of the SLB700 is relatively conventional, though it’s a pleasant surprise to find that overall length has been kept to a modest 6.99m. Access to the vehicle is very easy with an external and two internal steps at the habitation door.

The lounge feels bigger than it is, thanks to the huge windscreen and deep cab side windows. The L-settee is very comfortable, with padded contrasting backrest sections in a choice of colours.

The table slides out to serve the single offside seat and cab chairs, while the drop-down bed in the front has a Bultex mattress measuring 1.88m by 1.40m. Unlike lowerable beds in low-profiles, it leaves the lounge largely undisturbed.

The bathroom is a match for more expensive models and features the increasingly popular approach of placing the shower on one side of the vehicle and the loo and basin in a separate room opposite. A pair of sliding doors, fore and aft, close off the whole area to create a family-sized, full-width washroom. Designer-style recesses on the wall of the generous shower make for practical spaces for your shampoo, etc.

It’s no surprise to find that the galley is not gargantuan. However, a three-burners-in-line hob frees up some worktop in this compact space and drawers with central locking are certainly a surprise at this price level, while the fridge is a tall, slim version with a 142-litre capacity and automatic energy selection.

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