Laika Ecovip 309

Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4 Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato Camper Chassis Cab Payload: 599kg Maximum weight: 3,500kg

Laika is arguably the company that did more than any other to introduce us Brits to the concept of a low-profile coachbuilt motorhome with a permanent bed.

First impressions of this 309, part of the starter Ecovip range, are mixed: great bodywork, if not the most attractive body.

Laika successfully manages to offer an overcab sunroof along with more than generous interior headroom.

At the back, not only is there a motorbike-friendly garage with a higher than average 220kg weight limit, it’s also accessible from inside the vehicle.

There's also wood-free construction, GRP underfloor, aluminium sides, Styrofoam insulation (extending into the cab) and a double floor with insulation gap. That double floor means no step down from the cab into the lounge.

Truma’s more powerful Combi 6 is fitted with piping around the floor. This is a motorhome that takes its year-round touring seriously.

Lounge seating includes a flap to convert the rear travel seat to an L-shaped settee, plus there’s a fixed settee opposite that’s just about long enough for two to sit together.

Italian upholstery styling will work well under most lighting conditions.

The kitchen tends towards the basic, despite a stylish hob. The loose cover to the sink doubles up as a chopping board but needs somewhere safe to stow. The double drawer under the sink includes a cutlery tray and a section that’s just deep enough to house tins of food. There’s also a very small oven here (another optional extra), but it’s inconveniently low.

What a difference a window makes in the washroom, even if it is clear. There’s a part-circular cubicle here, plus good storage.

There’s a cut-away to the slightly longer offside rear bed, which helps overall access. Go for the drop-down over-lounge bed option and you have a vehicle capable of accommodating a family. But then you will have to consider a chassis upgrade. Even the options here add some 52.5kg.

Squeezing all of this into a sub-7m body length is the miracle of the 309. It just lacks the extra flair we’ve come to expect from a Laika.

There’s plenty of competition in this sector, so you’re going to need to get down to real details.