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Words & pictures by Andrew and Rona Bromley

Undoubtedly, motorhomes are complex and expensive, with prices creeping ever higher

as base vehicle specifications (and converters’ overheads) increase. Importers of foreign motorhomes face further difficulties due to

currency exchange rate uncertainties. Only a few years ago there was a

reasonable selection of motorhomes at around the psychological £30,000 level, both coachbuilts and panel van conversions (PVCs). There are now very few new ’vans available at this price, with well-specified, well-made new motorhomes currently starting in the late-£30,000 to early £40,000 mark.

Several of the smaller, specialist British PVC manufacturers have started producing new conversions on carefully sourced, secondhand vehicles. This makes sense because modern LCVs (light commercial vehicles) are sturdy and designed to cover hundreds of thousands of miles. A van with 50,000 miles clocked up could be considered still in the first flush of youth; indeed, it may be

in better mechanical nick than a similarly-aged cherished motorhome having covered only 5,000 miles! These conversions have fresh furnishings, unused toilets and cookers, yet are more affordable. With personal number-plates, who would know they weren’t new?

One such manufacturer is Smart Campers, part of Leeds-based Vantage Motorhomes, which has a growing reputation for its range of beautifully-crafted Fiat Ducato-based silver PVCs, from the short-wheelbase Cub to extra-long Neo. Proprietor Scot Naylor’s background in furniture making, certainly shows in the design and finish of his motorhomes. However, like any quality product, and though competitive in their market sector, Vantage campers aren’t cheap.

Smart Campers fills the niche for

SMART THINKINGSmart Campers Rio on 2.4-litre Ford Transit

A new conversion on a secondhand base vehicle. Is this the route to owning high-quality motorhome at an affordable price?

lower-priced motorhomes with its new two-model range based on secondhand Ford Transits. The Kia, based on the long wheelbase Tranny, starts with on-the-road prices at £29,950, whereas the Rio, using the 6.4-metre (21ft 0in) Jumbo, starts at a still reasonable £32,950.

Both use carefully vetted three-year-old vans, with around 55,000 miles travelled. When converted, they have new tyres, spare wheel, full MOT certificate, one year’s insurance-backed warranty on the base vehicle and a two-year conversion warranty.

Though Transits are either front or rear-wheel drive, all Jumbos are RWD, as are most secondhand LWB Transits. Hence, both the Kia and Rio are rear-wheel driven.

We were offered the prototype Rio for testing and were intrigued, as we own a budget, long wheelbase, front-wheel drive Ford Transit conversion ourselves: it would make an interesting comparison.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS Unlike the silver Vantage motorhomes, these Smart ’vans are pure white. The discreet Smart insignia appears in several places, with silvery-grey, dune-shaped decals on the flanks, but the overall effect is rather anonymous.

We feel Rio’s big body would accept more embellishment, especially at the front and rear, thereby differentiating it from the ‘white van army’. However, Scot’s motorhomes are always very restrained in appearance – that’s just the family look.

Though long for a panel van the Jumbo high-top Transit, with its 1.70-metre rear overhang, seems better proportioned than its shorter LWB sibling, which can look comparatively tall. However, the conversion’s Polyplastic windows look rather small in such a big body.

The (optional) solar panel, mounted behind the brow of the roof, would benefit from an airflow-improving spoiler. The panel also has a tendency, after rain, to pour cascades of water over (or into), the cab windows.

Through the sliding side door, much of the aperture is occupied by a kitchen unit, but there’s sufficient room to enter. Rear-wheel

■ PRICE FROM: £32,950 OTR■ BERTHS: 2■ BASE VEHICLE: Ford Transit ■ LAYOUT: Rear lounge van conversion■ ECONOMY: 25mpg

AT A GLANCE

Words & pictures

1 On pitch at Troutbeck Head Caravan Club site

2 View forwards through the rear doors. Only the unavoidably low windows and backrests

mar an excellent and comfortable lounge

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drive Transits have higher floors than front-drive versions (allowing for the necessary prop-shaft), so a leg-up is required. Smart supplies a big caravan step, but an electric step is a (cost) option.

To the left, both cab seats are upholstered to match the remainder of the ’van and swivel. Unlike a front-wheel drive van, the floor is flat over its entire length, but there’s less headroom than normal (just 1.83m/6ft 0in).

On the offside – opposite the door and kitchen – are light oak units containing a larder cupboard, wardrobe and washroom. Filling the rear is the U-shaped lounge, upholstered in rich golden-brown tweed with darker, leather facings and high-level oak-faced lockers.

The floor is tough, cream-marbled Rhinofloor, with removable beige carpets

(charcoal in the cab), while walls are clad in grey carpeting with tweedy highlights. The long kitchen unit, topped with mottled dark-grey Formica, has three large oak doors hiding drawers and cupboards from view.

This Smart’s interior is immediately recognisable as coming from the Vantage stable – the price may be lower, but there’s no compromise on quality of fittings.

IN THE CAB A familiar Transit cab: lots of storage cubbies and bottle holders, a good radio, dash-mounted gearlever with six speeds and fixed steering wheel. The handbrake, lying between the seats, can be hit by the driver’s seat when swivelling, unless you remember to release it first. Do remember to apply it again afterwards!

A downside when using ex-commercial vans is the paucity of features that we cossetted motorhomers now expect. There’s an open shelf where the passenger airbag should be, no cruise control and no cab air-conditioning. To lower the windows – shock, horror – you have to wind them! Mirrors are manually adjusted too.

So, most mod-cons are notable by their absence – they are options, but depend on the availability of suitably-equipped secondhand base vehicles. Pleasingly, ESP is fitted (a really useful safety aid, sadly omitted from many vehicles): by computer-controlled braking of individual wheels, this greatly mitigates the effect of slides.

An external insulated cab screen comes as standard, but Remis blinds are optional.

Like nearly all rear-drive Transits, the Rio comes with a 2.4-litre engine – front-wheel drivers have 2.2-litre motors instead. Smart’s standard engine is 100bhp, but the one we tested produced 115bhp and, if such engines are available on suitable ‘donor’ vans, there’s no further charge to the customer.

ON THE ROADThe Rio is longer than our own Transit and has less power: how would performance compare, I ask myself? I found the engine – nicely loosened after 61,000 miles – perfectly adequate, only needing more frequent gearchanges on steeper hills. Handling was superior – RWD pushing, rather than pulling around bends, but gearing was somewhat lower than on our ’van.

In sixth gear, 2,000rpm (about optimum for torque and economy) was indicated at 59mph, while 70mph showed 2,450rpm. Of course, we all know Transits manage considerably greater speeds, but only, I’d suggest, if someone else is paying for fuel!

Despite being the slowest ‘white van man’ in history, I only achieved 25mpg – somewhat disappointing. However, it’s possible

consumption was worsened by something causing a growling, scraping noise somewhere aft – possibly from the rear differential.

Apart from that, plus a driver’s door window which drooped and jammed when wound down and a cosmetic scratch on a back corner bumper, there was nothing else indicating the van wasn’t new. In fairness to Smart Campers, this motorhome had only just been converted, with no time before our test for a thorough check. All base vehicle problems discovered will naturally be rectified before handover.

Interior rattles were virtually non-existent, being confined to the struts on top-hinged windows, and the drive was comfortable for both occupants. There was no

interior mirror, but when fitted there will be through vision through the rear door windows. But even without reversing aids, manoeuvring wasn’t difficult, while the modest width was reassuring on small lanes.

Apart from the aforesaid growling, and disappointing fuel consumption, the Rio was easy and pleasurable to drive. However, one needs to accept a return to basics so far as modern driving facilities are concerned. It’s got power steering, what are you bothered about?

LOUNGE AND DINEBoth cab seats swivel, allowing lounging at both ends of the ‘van. There’s a floor socket for a pole-mounted round table at the front and another floor socket for a larger, rectangular table in the rear lounge. Both tables match the kitchen work surface and store in the overcab recess – their bosses fitting in depressions to stop sliding. Three poles of varying lengths clip to the larder cupboard, behind the driver’s seat and a plastic Fiamma tripod base allows a table to be used al fresco.

Swivelled, the front seats are comfier than most, because the floor is flat, so ‘dangling-leg syndrome’ doesn’t arise. There’s an LED reading light in the cab ceiling, too.

The rear lounge has long settees which, thankfully, lack the knee-rolls so common in motorhome upholstery. The contrasting, opulent, leather panels on the settee fronts mean the flatness of the cushions doesn’t look plain, and you just know bed-making will be a doddle.

There’s a TV point above the front of the offside settee and low backrest cushions all round – low, because they have to fit under the rather low windows. This is noticeable if you sit upright, but not if you sprawl – likewise, with vision out of the windows.

There’s no shortage of reading lights: three LEDs under each bank of high-level cupboards and two more in the ceiling, plus

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problems discovered will naturally be rectified before handover.

Interior rattles were virtually non-existent, being confined to the struts on top-hinged windows, and the drive was comfortable for both occupants. There was no

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■ OVERALL LENGTH: 6.40 metres (21ft 0in)■ OVERALL WIDTH: 1.97 metres (6ft 5.5in)

LAYOUT PLAN

a small Remis skylight. This skylight was novel to us, as the lid slides sideways and is rear-hinged too. If inadvertently left open while travelling it would operate as an air-scoop, further increasing fuel consumption! It also had rather a flimsy locking handle, we felt.

Overall, this is a fine big lounge, capable of seating four comfortably and more at a pinch. It’s worth noting that the long flat floor and width between the settees mean that with care, you can use this motorhome as a transporter. We were able to carry 13-foot-long scaffolding planks home: now that’s what I call a dual-purpose vehicle!

KITCHENThe Rio’s kitchen is primarily contained within one long unit on the nearside. There’s a two-burner hob under a glass lid at the front end of the worktop and a rectangular sink with mixer tap at the far end.

Between them a mains socket tower rises majestically when required. The work-surface is augmented by extension flaps at both ends (the rear one being wood-effect), and along the unit front are three large, plain wooden doors. It’s beautiful but a bit austere.

The Dometic hob is basic, but the unequal-sized manually-lit burners work well, giving room for two full-sized pans together. There was no combi oven/grill below, though this is an option.

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3 View aft shows kitchen, with storage and washroom opposite

4 Cab is rather spartan with, horror-of-horrors, wind-up windows!

5 Front seating area has its own table and flat through-floor

6 The supplied tripod base allows tables to be used outdoors

7 The long kitchen extends, with flaps at each end

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The stainless steel sink has a raised edge, so you can’t swish water/grot into it after food preparation, but it is large and deep. Smart provides a plastic tray to cover it and, for washing-up, this can sit on the raised end flap with a draining rack (supplied). However, care needs to be taken to avoid knocking it – and its contents – onto the settee. Also, water drips onto the adjacent upholstery. Pleasingly, Smart offers an alternative, stainless steel sink/drainer combination as a no-cost option, which we’d certainly specify.

The rising socket tower divided opinion – I loved its looks, but Rona found it got in the way, preferring wall-mounted sockets. If your electric kettle is to live safely alongside it, you’ll need a shortened flex.

From the front, the first two cupboard doors open a full 180 degrees, and if an oven is fitted below the hob, the first door will become smaller. On this ’van, the first cupboard was divided into three compartments – the bottom containing a slide-out rubbish bin. The middle door conceals three shelves and a dedicated store for three bed base boards. The rearmost door opens only 90 degrees, revealing a stack of three drawers, plus a small shallow cutlery drawer. We’d prefer fewer, but larger drawers, accessed without having to open a door first.

There’s a vertical wine store – regrettably, our fine wine bottles wouldn’t fit, though Scot’s bottle of plonk did! There’s no high-level cupboard above the kitchen, just a shelf with fiddle rail.

For illumination there are three LED ceiling lights and another Remis skylight, which sits above the aisle.

The fridge is behind the chef, and beneath the wardrobe – it’s a Vitrifrigo compressor-type (with freezer compartment and 90-litre capacity) and it’s a cracker. It held all our provisions, is very practically configured and, cleverly, integral ‘freezer packs’ allow the fridge to be switched off at night: you wouldn’t then have a freezer compartment, but the fridge body remains cold throughout. We kept the fridge going at night, as it was extremely quiet and being a long way from the sleeping accommodation, you could hardly hear it. Sensibly, Smart has included two 100 amp hr leisure batteries to help power the fridge for a useful period, topped up by the (optional) solar panel.

Twixt fridge and driver’s seat, but recessed to allow this to swivel, is a tall larder cupboard, containing six shelves of diminishing height and depth, the lowest being ideal for cereal packets.

WASHROOM This is opposite the kitchen and aft of the wardrobe. Inside the wooden door there’s a Thetford bench-type toilet to the left and rectangular washbasin, with integral soap dish to the right.

Walls are finished in smooth white waterproof board. There’s a separate shower-head with wall bracket, central shower tray with mat and forward-sited single drain – a couple of mirrors – and that’s about it. Yes, there’s a loo roll holder, tooth mug, towel ring and robe hook, but apart from a cheap wall-pocket, there’s no storage. We feel a cupboard is necessary, as there’s nowhere even for a spare toilet roll. You’d also need to remove everything before showering.

A sheet of plastic curtain on a rail doesn’t really protect the door and we’d prefer to see this finished with waterproof board, like the walls. There’s no window; lighting being provided by a skylight and two LED clusters – one over the washbasin the other in the centre of the ceiling and perfectly placed to bang my head. Here, a side-mounted strip light would be better.

Though it’s spacious, visually pleasing and easy to use, we feel further work is required to finish the washroom to Vantage’s usual high standards.

SLEEPING Here, the Rio really scores. Horrex concertina window blinds cut out extraneous light, and our test ’van had not only exterior insulated screens for the cab (which, must be stored in the washroom when wet), but also a curtain (optional) behind the cab.

Settees, both 1.90m (6ft 3in) long with flat cushions containing top quality foam, convert to twin longitudinal single beds or a massive longitudinal double. Bed making is simplicity itself: remove back cushions and the settees make 610mm wide (2ft 0in) singles.

Perhaps a tad narrow? If so, and to make a ‘Siamese twin’ bed, fit one of the base boards aft, between the settees (using smaller back cushions as infills) and it’s then much wider (2ft 10in) at the head for torsos, yet each can still swing legs into the aisle.

Want a wider bed lower down, but still need easy egress? Simply add another base board.

In fact, we generally used all three base boards, and had the full double bed, but the system is very flexible and very simple. First class.

STORAGEA big ’van with a hefty payload – surely there’s lots of storage for two holidaymakers? Well, yes, but we’d still like more!

Starting at the front, the overcab store took all our bedding, but resting on the smooth (stowed) table-tops, it can slide about. Moreover, there’s no door to hide all this paraphernalia and ours isn’t very pretty!

The wardrobe is commodious, with interior light and one-metre hanging drop. It also houses the neat, clearly labelled fusebox and custom-made power unit, plus the solar panel regulator.

Above the lounge, on either side, are two cupboards. Beautifully crafted, but each has two doors (opening on strong gas struts) and central bars, which impeded access.

The settee bases have lift-up lids, but lack stays to prop them open. There’s plenty of storage under the nearside and its separate rear section is also accessible from the back doors. Between the settees is a ‘Charlie Box’ (named after the customer who requested the feature) – a wooden, lidded box mounted on drawer-sliders, allowing access through the rear doors, and far too exquisitely made for its avowed role of storing cables and levelling blocks.

Unfortunately, the other settee-base is full, housing the Truma boiler at the front and, under a carpeted false floor (allowing a little shallow storage space), the Whale space heater. Smart offers the option of an underslung Webasto diesel-fired heater, which we would take, as it releases a great deal more space. At the rear, accessible from top and rear, is the small gas locker (for two 3.9kg cylinders).

There are also fabric pockets for books, maps and magazines – mounted on the lounge walls and rear doors. Ideally, we’d like a small cupboard above the kitchen unit, a cupboard in the washroom, deeper cupboards above the lounge, and more of the nearside settee base freed up for storage. As it is, storage is adequate, but could be excellent.

LIFE SUPPORTThe base vehicle equipment may be spartan, but the conversion is satisfactorily equipped. The control panel (mounted on the overcab pelmet) is straightforward and informative, while alongside, a liquid crystal display gives information on the leisure batteries’ status and input from the solar panel.

The underslung water tanks are insulated – the freshwater tank having reasonable 72-litre capacity, the waste water container a rather stingy 50 litres. Both empty via exterior taps on the offside.

The efficient water and space heaters use

either gas or mains electricity. The Whale heater can be rather noisy on gas but, when ticking over at night on electricity, it’s pretty quiet. There are blown-air vents in the settee base, kitchen and washroom, and we noticed (in typical autumn weather) that the further forward in the motorhome you were, the cooler it became. The front seats are more for summer lounging it seems!

RIO BOUND?The Rio only slightly overshoots the £30,000 mark, but if you specified all today’s creature-comfort ‘necessities’ the price would creep towards £35,000. You get lots of metal for your money and a beautiful, superbly-made interior, which should last.

Few, if any other converters offer the Jumbo Transit, and apart from marginal headroom, it’s hard to see why. It’s a comfortable and easily-driven alternative to the wider Fiat Ducato and more costly Mercedes Sprinter of similar length.

The Rio is built on secondhand commercial vans to, as Scot Naylor says: “get people out on the road, in a motorhome,” even if they can’t afford a new base vehicle.

However, if you can afford the outlay, the Rio (like its Kia stablemate) is also available on new base vehicles, which come with the latest Euro 5 compliant motors. Prices are around £10,000 higher. ■

WE LIKED■ Comfortable drive ■ Unrivalled finish ■ Large, comfortable and flat double bed

and flexible layout for single beds■ Excellent, practical compressor-type

fridge■ Ample LED lighting■ Spare wheel■ ESP for safe driving

WE WOULD HAVE LIKED ■ Sink with integral drainer (optional)■ Cab curtains or Remis cab blinds

(optional) instead of exterior screens■ High-level kitchen cupboard■ Bigger overhead lockers in lounge ■ A door for overcab area ■ Higher standard specification for the

base vehicle

WE DISLIKED ■ Loss of stowage space in offside

settee base because of Whale heater■ Flimsy catches for rooflights ■ Lack of storage in washroom

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9 10 11 12

13 14

8 The washroom makes good use of space, but lacks a storage cupboard

9 A draining tray stands on one flap, but it drips on the lounge upholstery

10 The excellent Vitrifrigo compressor-type fridge lives beneath the usefully-sized wardrobe

11 Tall larder cupboard took all our food, including cereal packets

12 Wine rack wouldn’t take our chateau-bottled wine, but would carry plonk!

13 An excellent, flat and easily made double bed

14 Single beds are rather narrow, but there’s a solution

On Test Smart Campers Rio

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TYPEHigh-top van conversion

PRICE■ From: £32,950 OTR■ As tested: £33,700 OTR

BASICS■ Vehicle: Long wheelbase Ford Transit

Jumbo (secondhand base vehicle)■ Berths: 2■ Three-point belted seats: 2 (incl driver)■ Warranty: 1 year base vehicle, 2 years

conversion■ Insulation: 12mm Acoustitherm■ Interior height: 1.83m (6ft 0in)■ Badged as EN1646 NCC compliant: No

CONSTRUCTIONAll steel high roof panel van

DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHTS■ Length: 6.40m (21ft 0in)■ Width: 1.97m (6ft 5.5in)■ Height: 2.70m (8ft 10.5in)■ Wheelbase: 3.75m (12ft 3.5in)■ Rear overhang: 1.72m (5ft 7.5in)■ Gross vehicle weight: 3,500kg■ Payload: 500kg (after allowance for

driver@75kg, 90 per cent water, fuel, gas)

THE VEHICLE■ Engine: 2.4-litre turbo-diesel producing

115bhp ■ Transmission: Six-speed manual gearbox,

rear-wheel drive■ Fuel consumption: 25mpg■ Brakes: Servo-assisted discs all round with

ABS■ Suspension: Front: independent on coil

springs. Rear: rigid axle on leaf springs■ Features: ESP, driver’s airbag, radio/CD

player, dash-top storage, remote central locking, basic trip computer, spare wheel

LOUNGING AND DININGSwivelling cab seats with table socket between. Rear U-shaped lounge providing seating for four with further table socket. Two tables provided – one small circular, one large rectangular – with tripod base for outside use

KITCHENLocated on nearside, partially across sliding door. Long unit with hob, sink and rising socket tower, surface extendable by flaps at each end. Three low-level cupboard doors concealing drawers, shelves, and slide-out rubbish bin, high-level shelf above. Fridge and tall shelved larder cupboard located opposite■ Sink: Stainless steel, rectangular, with plastic

bowl, plastic clip-on tray lid, mixer tap■ Cooker: Two-burner hob with glass lid,

manual ignition■ Fridge: Vitrifrigo 12V compressor-type with

freezer compartment. Capacity 90 litres

WASHROOMSmooth wipe-clean walls, Thetford bench-type toilet (flush water from main freshwater tank), rectangular washbasin with soap dish and mixer tap, shower head with separate mixer and wall bracket, shower tray floor with one drain and mat, plastic curtain panel protects door, two round mirrors, small storage pocket, toothbrush mug, loo roll holder, towel ring, robe hook

BEDSLounge singles■ Length: 1.90m (6ft 3in)■ Width: 610mm (2ft 0in)Alternative double■ Length: 1.90m (6ft 3in)■ Width: 1.72m (5ft 7.5in)

STORAGEOpen overcab locker, door and fascia pockets in cab, wardrobe with hanging rail and internal light, two high-level lockers each side of lounge, four

fabric pockets on lounge walls, two larger pockets on rear doors, large area (divided) below nearside settee, shallow space under offside settee, removable sliding box at rear between settees

LIFE SUPPORT■ Fresh water: Underslung, insulated,

capacity 72 litres (15.8 gallons)■ Waste water: Underslung, insulated,

capacity 50 litres (11 gallons)■ Water heater: Truma boiler, gas-mains

operation■ Space heater: Whale 2kW with blown-air,

gas-mains operation■ Leisure battery: 2 x 100 amp hr■ Gas: 2 x 3.9kg cylinders■ Lighting: All LED. Switchable individually or

in two groups: 1 in cab, 3 in kitchen/sliding doorway, 2 in central aisle, 2 in washroom, 8 in lounge, awning light

■ Sockets: 230V: 4 (3 in kitchen, 1 in lounge). 12V: 2 (1 in kitchen, 1 in lounge)

■ Control panel: Adjacent to overcab. Main panel provides main and water pump switches, tank and battery levels. Second LCD panel shows battery and solar panel charges

■ Blinds/curtains: Blinds/flyscreens to all habitation windows and rooflights. Exterior insulated screens to cab, curtain to rear of cab

OPTIONAL EXTRAS■ Fitted to test vehicle: 50W solar panel

(£500), cab curtain (£250)■ Other options available: Cab air-

conditioning (£750), passenger airbag (£250), cruise control (£200), alloy wheels (£500), reversing sensors (£250), Remis cab blinds (£650), alternative Webasto diesel-fired space heater (FOC), stainless steel sink with drainer (FOC), Combi oven/grill (£500)

LIVE-IN TEST DATA SMART CAMPERS RIO

VEHICLE SUPPLIED BYSmart Campers, Newmarket Green, Newmarket Approach, Leeds LS9 0QJTel: 0800-5429090Web: www.smartcampers.co.uk

WE STAYED ATTroutbeck Head Caravan Club site Troutbeck, Penrith, Cumbria CA11 0SSTel: 01768-483521Web: www.caravanclub.co.uk