Marquis Lifestyle 622

From: £38,495 OTR As tested: £38,495 OTR Type Approval: European Whole Vehicle Berths: 4 Travel seats: 2

Marquis Lifestyle motorhomes are based on Swift's entry-level Escape range, but crucially, provide desirable standard-fit kit that is not available on the standard range.

Where other budget motorhomes of this size have been fitted with less powerful engines, this one gets the entirely capable 130 horsepower unit with six-speed gearbox. This transmission gives a high top gear – 70mph sees the Euro 5 motor turning over at 2,500rpm for relaxed motorway cruising. Fiat claims improved fuel consumption – higher fuel pressure and other modifications are fitted to achieve the latest emissions standard. However, the test ‘van seemed to quaff just as much diesel as older 130 horsepower Ducatos we’ve driven, but this engine seemed to be rather tight and will probably reach its diesel-drinking best only after 30-odd thousand miles.

Well-equipped cab

The latest-model status is easily recognised in the cab, as good-looking black plastics have replaced the grey of old. There’s a new stereo – gloss black and sporting Blue&Me (Bluetooth), it can ‘talk’ to your phone and satnav, while controls are steering wheel-mounted.
In the central locker below, there’s a (rather hard to get at) USB socket. Badged as designed for Windows Mobile, it allows the plugging in and playing music from MP3 players, phones and memory sticks.

The Lifestyle kit list adds cruise control, cab aircon and a passenger airbag, all useful and desirable kit. There’s no fitted spare wheel, just a 12V compressor and can of tyre sealant goo.

Lounge

The spacious, U-shaped lounge is popular and the main reason to buy this Lifestyle model. The Lifestyle package gets you a pair of generously-sized scatter cushions and a 'neutral' Tundra upholstery design. I’d prefer to see more colour, but which ones? The table emerges from its neat niche behind the driver’s seat, but neither cab seat swivels. In spite of the table store behind, there’s plenty of room to slide the driver’s seat back to its stops and room to recline the seat to achieve the best possible driving position. Back in the lounge, there's space for four to dine, or even six at a pinch.

Kitchen

The kitchen’s star turn is Thetford’s half-height Triplex stove. This is my favourite version, as it features a large – wok-style – ring on its three-burner hob. The sink is a Swift-specific GRP bowl, used in conjunction with a drop -in chopping board and a removable plastic drainer to maximise the small work area. The fridge is best described as adequate, being a basic model and quite shallow inside. Above, a roof-mounted extractor fan offers a total of 12 speeds – this is a superb feature.

Washroom

Modernity is almost left behind in this Lifestyle’s ablutions. It features white plastics and the washbasin unit especially is a rather old-fashioned item, although undoubtedly practical. Placing the tooth glass holder directly above was a design mistake, it seems, as I couldn’t get my head down over the bowl.

Berths and travel seats

This motorhome has four berths, but only two seatbelts, so guests will have to arrive in their own transport – perhaps it might appeal to a couple who want a double bed each, although the lounge offers the choice of a double or two single beds, both made in the time-honoured fashion. This layout might work much better as a two berth low profile – the advantage might be improved handling (especially in high winds), performance and fuel economy. One advantage of the set-up is the massive amount of stowage space provided by the overcab when not being used as a bed.

Equipment

The brochure boasts about the LED-strip awning lamp, but most of the other lighting is from power-sapping, heat-creating halogens. The kitchen lamp, however, is a fluorescent and just as efficient (no matter what LED bulb salesmen might tell you).

Hot water is provided by the usual Truma boiler and space heating by a trusty Truma convector, both with dual-fuel operation and blown-air. All kept me cosy, happy and supplied with hot water, but mounting the controls low down on a sofa base proved less pleasing – especially as the adjacent wardrobe wall seems to be an ideal-and-convenient place to locate them.

If you’re trying to decide whether to buy a motorhome from the Marquis Lifestyle range, it’s a good idea to use your calculator. The 622’s Swift Escape sibling comes in at £34,835 and another £499 adds electric step, flyscreen door, mains operation for the space heating, windscreen blind and a pair of cushions.

So, the Escape is cheaper, but the Lifestyle includes desirable-and-expensive options such as a passenger airbag, cruise control and cab aircon. My gripes number just two: the manually-adjustable wing mirrors and the unnecessary, intrusive wheelarch moulding in the washroom that really annoyed yours truly.

Aside from the one or two details, it’s actually difficult to criticise. So much better than an archetypal budget Italian, this Lifestyle is very well equipped and with an interior that mostly belies its entry-level status.

This motorhome review of the Marquis Lifestyle 622 was published in the June 2012 issue of MMM
You can download a full copy of the magazine from HERE

A well-equipped Brit for the price of a budget Italian coachbuilt is an appealing prospect. A sound budget but with only minor gripes.