Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2026 i What Motorhome

The appeal of an island bed motorhome is easy to understand, with a proper bedroom and access to your double mattress from either side. And yet, many are surprisingly compromised in the zone that is their whole raison d’être, the bedroom. Designers often tell us that it’s harder to get an island bed right than it is a twin bed layout. So, reducing the vehicle’s overall length from the usual 7.5m of an island bed model to a whisker under 7m should make the motorhome designer’s task much more difficult. Somehow, though, this new Rapido feels bigger inside than that 6.99m length – and its bedroom is better than in most competitors’ longer ’vans. Of course, being an A-class helps, with that full-width cab and lots of daylight coming in…

Of our six finalists, one stands out visually and is likely to have wide-ranging appeal, mixing bold aesthetics with a proven and popular layout. It’s great to see a mainstream motorhome that will really stand out on dealer forecourts up and down the country. “I like bright colours and airy, modern designs, and this Swift is the complete opposite with all sorts of shades of grey, but it just works here. Add in the neat design touches, like a good-sized bed that comes down very low and it makes for a winning combo.” Rachel Scholes, Awards Judge and Deputy Editor, MMM “Such a distinctive and well-executed exterior design, combined with an impressive standard specification and an ideal layout – which is so well suited to couples, but can accommodate four…

The National Motorhome, Campervan & Camping Exhibition is the UK’s newest indoor spring show — designed to bring everything tourers need under one roof. What makes it different is the chance to compare brand-new 2026 motorhomes and campervans directly alongside nearly-new and used models, all in a warm, weather-proof setting that encourages relaxed, real-world browsing. The show blends expert advice, hands-on demos and a friendly community feel with a huge choice of vehicles, accessories and inspiration for the season ahead. For anyone researching, upgrading or buying, it’s the perfect early-season event: practical, informative, and created to help visitors make confident decisions for their next adventure. KEY FIGURES 40+ DEALERS, 170+ EXHIBITORS >350 VEHICLES Personal, Practical Help. Across the weekend, selected speakers and expert exhibitors will host informal drop-in clinics. Whether…

T best simply got better. When RP’s Steve Young was faced with the dilemma of Mercedes-Benz discontinuing the super-high roof version of the Sprinter, he had to develop his own raised roof. This created the necessary headroom for the Rebellion’s unique elevated rear lounge. But Steve wasn’t content with simply replicating what Mercedes had offered before. The new top had to have an OEM look to it, while increasing both headroom and storage in what many already considered to be the ultimate in off-road, off-grid campervans. Of course, the latest Rebellion retains the USP of twin top-hinged doors at the rear. The lower one provides access to a more capacious garage, the top one opening for panoramic views and fresh air in that fabulous rear seating, which at night doubles…

There’s nothing new about the concept of a six-metre low-profile motorhome with a half-dinette lounge and a transverse fixed double bed over a garage, but Giottiline has produced a fine example of the breed at a very tempting price. Despite the optional extras fitted to this show model – an electric drop-down single bed over the lounge, a kit to turn the dinette into another berth, an oven and Truma diesel/electric heating – the little Italian still stays under £66k, which almost seems like a misprint these days. That even includes the Privilege Pack, encompassing a colour-coded front bumper with integral fog lamps, a 9in touchscreen radio with steering wheel-mounted controls and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an HD rear camera, a wide entrance door with window and central locking,…

Pilote’s Atlas range is the company’s most up to date in design and its bold, angular exterior with geometric graphics is mated to a metallic grey Trail-spec Ford Transit cab with black alloy wheels (as a £990 option). It comes as standard with the 165hp engine and eight-speed automatic transmission, as well as a wide rear track, so it will drive as well as it looks. Front fog lamps, automatic lights and wipers, an electric parking brake and adaptive cruise control are all included, too. In the cab, you benefit from the Transit’s excellent driving position and the 12in infotainment screen with reversing camera. Crucially for added driver appeal and ease of getting off the beaten track, this is not a large motorhome. Length is a smidgen under 7m, while…

Voted for by you, the readers A true family business, Tyne Valley Motorhomes was started by Jonathan Bell’s late father, Derek, while his mum, Elaine, has been involved from day one and his sister, Carolyn, runs the aftersales. Jonathan moved from engineering into motorhomes 25 years ago and many of his staff have also been with the business for well over a decade. Located on the A692, Tyne Valley Motorhomes is still operating from the site where it all began, although before that, in 1990, Derek was converting VW Type 3 campervans. A sideline to a bedroom furniture business, selling the finished ’vans from outside the family house, soon grew into a motorhome dealership. It’s a very different story today, with a four-and-a-half-acre site and a further three acres recently…

One of the key things our judges consider when deciding on what deserves award recognition is whether there is evidence of real progression. And we’re not just talking about a new colour scheme, here, or a different type of door handle, there. To merit an award, there needs to be some significant upgrades that genuinely move the ’van on – and that’s exactly what we found with the new Jerba Cromarty. This is a layout that’s been around for a good few years, but the 2026 version, currently on the Ford Transit Custom and soon to be on the VW Transporter T7, definitely takes it up a level. Not only has the North Berwick-based converter come up with an updated version of its own pop-top roof, but the Cromarty now…

The showstopper at last September’s Caravan Salon Düsseldorf was the Habiton. Bürstner’s new ’van sets out to achieve the near-impossible. Its design brief was to fit the typical European fixed single bed layout (which normally resides in a 6.36m-long Fiat Ducato) into the slimmer, shorter Mercedes van. On the outside, this is a 5.93m panel van with a choice of six exterior colours (the minty green is quite brave!) and either rear or all-wheel drive. But it’s the inside that matters and, here, the usual half-dinette bench seat slides and folds (with the table rising vertically) to allow the patented bathroom to also slide forward on its floor-mounted rails. Moving your ablutions then creates more room in the bedroom, where the single bed mattress simply unfolds into the space vacated…

This German brand has had a remarkable transformation for 2026, with new models, a new logo and the great-value B66 range. So complete is the spec, and so keen the price of this 600 C model that it was an obvious overall winner for 2026. “Bürstner managed a ‘ground up’ redesign of its entire range, with the B66 arguably being the biggest star. With spec that includes an automatic gearbox as standard and a very limited options list, it will be one of the easiest campervans to buy…” Rachel Scholes, Awards Judge and Deputy Editor, MMM “Good value isn’t about bargain-basement prices, it’s about getting the most you can for your money without losing anything in quality. And with an impressive spec list that includes pretty much everything you’d ever…

It’s not the first time that this Rapido Group marque has won the Best Family Motorhome title. In fact, it’s a repeat victory, for Itineo took the trophy with its SBD700 model a year ago. That’s a Fiat-based A-class, while this year’s winner is a low-profile motorhome on the Peugeot Boxer chassis. Itineo is an entry-level brand and one that has a particular speciality in family-friendly layouts. Both the 2025 and 2026 awards winners have floorplans that include rear transverse bunk beds (77cm wide and a super-generous 2.07m long here), but the PS740 goes even further in catering for your offspring. In this motorhome they have their own mini-lounge/dinette adjacent to the bunks. Teenagers can escape their annoying elders, while younger ones have their own table for games or drawing.…

Modern motorhomes have all the convenience of home but one aspect that’s affected almost every model is that you have to be very parsimonious with hot water when having a shower. With more and more owners eschewing expensive campsites for more basic off-grid camping, that issue was only going to rise in importance. We can thank Truma, already the market leader in motorhome heating, for addressing the problem. In its 75-year history it has supplied over six million heaters to the leisure industry, after developing the first caravan/motorhome heater and the first combi heating/boiler unit. This year, it launched the CombiNeo, not simply an updated Combi but a clean sheet design that shares not a single screw with its forebear (which still continues in production). The CombiNeo made its world…

Pilote’s campervan range offers a higher spec for 2026 and its V630J is one of two new models. This is the typical single bed layout in an extra-long Fiat Ducato panel van but it has been redesigned this season to offer an extra 20 to 25% more storage in the boot. It’s the new arrangement here that’s one of the key features of the model. Open the rear barn doors and you’ll find full-width storage below the end of the beds, with no interruptions. The space measures 1.80m by 72cm with a height of 77cm and if you need more (for bikes, perhaps), you can flip over the end of the mattress, lift the bed base and you have a full-height garage. There’s easy access to the campervan utilities here,…

Voted for by you, the readers The only category in the Out & About Live Campervan Awards decided by public vote is Campervan Converter of the Year – a celebration of the companies that go the extra mile for their customers. For 2026, that honour goes to Woodstock Campers, a relatively young but fast-rising converter with an “obsession” for quality and attention to detail. Woodstock was founded by Harry Hughes, whose career started while he was still at school, doing part-time work for a local converter. He struck out on his own just as lockdown hit. It was, he admits, “the worst timing”, but smart use of social media, a focus on quality and honest communication turned the tide. Today, the Warwickshire-based company mainly converts VW Transporters and the Ford…

Voted for by you, the readers Nestled in a wooded valley, just outside the Peak District National Park near Holmfirth, Holme Valley Caravan & Camping Park offers everything you would expect of an award-winning site. Spread across 16 acres of woodland and meadows, it provides a peaceful, natural backdrop for your motorhome, ensuring a wonderful holiday in the great outdoors. What truly elevates the holiday experience here is the commitment to high-quality facilities and ecoconscious operation. The site boasts a luxurious amenities block with underfloor heating, family bathrooms and fully accessible showers. On the environmental front, Holme Valley has earned the prestigious David Bellamy Gold Award for many years and actively nurtures local wildlife and habitats. It’s just a short stroll to the local village, ideal for those seeking convenience…