Knaus Van I 600 ME
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Description
Prices from: £59,995 Price as tested: £62,250 Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4 Type Approval: European Whole Vehicle
Key Features
Model Year
2013
Product Class
A-Class
Product Model Base
Fiat Ducato
Price from (£)
£48995
Length (m)
6.68
Berths
4
Belted seats
4
Main Layout
Fixed Single Bed
Full Review
As part of the appeal, the new Knaus Van I is a bit narrower than most A-classes at 2.20m, and the models are not particularly lengthy either, with the 600 ME measuring a reasonable 6.72m long.
For their right-hand drive UK models, available from this summer, Lowdhams has put together a standard specification that includes air-conditioning and captain's chairs, plus airbags for the driver and passenger.
Exterior DetailsThe garage on the Van I 600 ME is suitably large, with tie-down rails and large doors on both sides. It's also properly supported by chassis extensions, which isn't always the case, so you should be able to store a reasonable load here, and the space is ideal for bikes or awnings.
Another great exterior feature is the Knaus 'Service Box'. Simply by opening a hatch on the nearside reveals drain taps for the fresh and waste water tanks, as well as a hook-up connection and the filler for the fresh water tank.
Seating Area
When the cab seats are swivelled, they face a seating area that consists of two forward-facing seats as standard.
To aid dining, the tabletop can be adjusted in all directions, and has a telescopic base to lower it if required - potentially making space for a small seating-derived bed.
It's a comfortable place both to sit and dine, plus a large Haki rooflight and opening side window make for a bright area during the day.
The Kitchen
The lengthy kitchen occupies space in the middle of the layout, to the rear of the side entrance door. It offers good storage, with four large soft-close drawers - the top one housing a large cutlery tray.
There are also a few roof lockers, good worktop space and a 110-litre Dometic AES fridge.
Cooking facilities hinge on the Smev three-burner gas hob with electric ignition. There won't be an oven option as Lowdhams admit there's no space in the layout to house it.
The Washroom
One of the best features of this motorhome is the clever washroom design. The compartment occupies space in the centre, opposite the kitchen, and boasts a domestic-sized door with a magnetic catch that jumps across into its sliding plate when you close the door.
The washbasin is mounted on rails, so that it can be slid back across the toilet when the shower is being used, then pushed back into the shower area when the toilet is being used. It's a great use of space.
The shower is reasonably large, with folding plastic doors. It has a chrome-effect mixer tap, as well as plastic-lined walls, though the flat floor space is reduced slightly by the wheel-arch cover.
Sleeping Areas
The master bedroom in the 600 ME is at the rear, where there are two large single beds mounted above the garage, with an infill that turns them into a huge double is you'd like. It's very comfortable too, with a convenient shelf.
The second sleeping area is the pull-down double bed at the front. Once the cab seat-backs have been quickly flipped down, a central roof catch can be turned to release the roof bed, which lowers manually.
To read this review in full, order a digital edition of the August 2013 MMM issue here.
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Our Verdict
A good looking, compact A-class with a quality feel and a good-value price tag. For those who don’t want twin single beds, the other models in the Van I range include the 550 MD and the longer 600 MG.
Advantages
Large rear garage supported by chassis rails
Comfortable, large rear beds
Easy-to-use pull-down bed
Clever washroom
Water tank drain points grouped together
Disadvantages
Hard-to-access fuses
Cab entrance door on UK passenger side
