Opting for the best used campervan in the UK can be a worthwhile choice if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly way to upgrade your current ‘van or a cheaper way of entering the world of touring for the first time.
While the best campervan will come with the very latest features, a pre-owned option can still offer plenty of luxury, ensuring you won’t go without much when you’re on the road – so long as you choose wisely.
When you’re picking the model for you, think about the features that would help you have the most enjoyable time when you’re pitched up at one of the best campervan sites. For instance, what type of layout would ensure everyone has the necessary space and comfort to enjoy the tour? Will the bed be straightforward to put together? Think about your must-haves vs the desirables and you’ll be well on your way.
To help you find the pre-owned camper for you, we’re taking a look at the models from recent years that have impressed us the most. This includes ‘vans on a range of base vehicles, such as the Fiat Ducato and the Ford Transit Custom, as well as models from brands, such as WildAx, Malibu, Benimar and more.
If you’re interested in a pre-owned motorhome instead, our round-up of the best used motorhomes is well worth a look too.
What is the best used campervan?
Benimar Benivan 122
Ford Nugget
Malibu Van 640 LE RB GT
Auto-Sleepers Air
Murvi Pimento XL
Dreamer Living
WildAx Europa
Auto Campers MRV
The best used campervans:
Benimar Benivan 122
- Year: 2021
- Berths: 2
- MiRO: 2985 kg
- Payload: 515 kg
- MTPLM: 3500 kg
- Shipping length: 6.36 m
- Width: 2.50 m
Reason to buy:
- Sunroof, 160bhp engine, clever bed system
Reason to avoid:
- Only two hobs in the kitchen, travel seat headroom is obscured
This smart and stylish ‘van comes on an extra-long wheelbase Fiat Ducato and, we think, makes a great used camper van to consider.
Swivel the cab seats to create a sociable front dinette, with light flooding in. However, we should highlight above-average height adults should be wary of sitting in the right-hand bench seat, as the overhead locker restricts headroom. A pedestal table slots in; we found it a tad on the small side for four, but thought it would be perfectly adequate for three.
Then, at the rear, another lounge can be found, where six could sit. It’s another well-lit area, with a Heki, four spotlights and both ambient and strip lighting.
The lounge can also be made into a double bed, with pull-out platforms and two metal rods used. As a double bed, it’s a huge 1.80m wide, and if you’re under 1.80m tall, you could keep them as singles instead of using the metal rods.
Step into the side kitchen and you’ll find a two-burner hob, but we like that it’s easy to clean as it’s linked to the sink. There’s also a combined oven/grill and an 85-litre fridge.
The washroom may be windowless and has a slight step, but includes a small vent. A sink folds out from the big mirror on the left, while a separate showerhead can be used, with a curtain enclosing the area. A circular toilet is also available, while a heating vent will prevent it from getting too cold.
Storage is good too, with cubbyholes, six overhead lockers, a wardrobe and two kitchen cupboards below the sink.
Full review: Benimar Benivan 122
Ford Nugget
- Year: 2021
- Berths: 4
- Payload: 961-1073kg
- MTPLM: 3200kg
- Shipping length: 4.97m
- Width: 1.97m
Reason to buy:
- Excellent driving experience, good kitchen space
Reason to avoid:
- Storage could be improved, no separate washroom
Designed by Westfalia for Ford and coming on the short-wheelbase Transit Custom, we think this makes a great used campervan, so long as you can make do without masses of storage.
Sliding habitation doors come on each side of the vehicle, and we loved the drive it provides – our reviewer thought it ‘glided’, thanks to the six-speed automatic gearbox. We loved the rear L-shaped kitchen. It was straightforward to cook a meal with two pans each night on the two-burner hob, with our reviewer adding it would be “perfectly easy to cook a relatively sophisticated meal”.
The raising roof bed is made by unfastening clips – it’s a large and comfortable space. An ingenious downstairs bed can be made too by sliding the rear seat forward and unravelling the bed behind.
No separate washroom could be a dealbreaker for some, but a cupboard beneath the wardrobe could house a Porta Potti – an attachment can be used to make an external cold shower too. Storage could also be better – the major spaces are beneath the sink and a wardrobe, so clothes storage will be a struggle, especially for the four of you.
A newer version has since been released, which we shortlisted for the best small campervan at the Practical Motorhome Awards 2024. However, if you’re sticking to the pre-owned market, this is a highly attractive choice if an excellent driving experience and a great kitchen layout are two of your must-haves.
Full review: Ford Nugget
Malibu Van 640 LE RB GT
- Year: 2021
- Berths: 4
- Payload: 655kg
- MTPLM: 3500kg
- Shipping length: 6.36m
- Width: 2.05m
Reason to buy:
- Clever design, huge beds
Reason to avoid:
- No oven or microwave
Coming with a standard Ducato cab (a base vehicle that made it onto our best van for converting to a camper guide) this Malibu is a model with plenty of options.
Thanks to its First Class – Two Rooms layout, there’s the chance to see right down the back of the ‘van from the rear mirror. It’s here that you’ll find two single beds, both over 90cm wide and one with a length of over 2m.
We’re fans of the partition which essentially seals off the front, creating the impression of a second room (the exception being the slither of light at the top). Then there’s the trapezium-shaped roof with canvas walls, providing plenty of space for the large double bed. Once the main fixing points were in place, we were impressed by how secure it felt.
The washroom can either be used as a conventional side washroom or you can fold out the door to seal off the rear section, creating a washroom/dressing room. A shower can be made up too, complete with two drainage holes and a separate shower head.
We liked this setup as it means one person could use the dressing room while another uses the shower, or even relaxes in the lounge.
We will point out the lack of an oven, grill or microwave though – instead, you’ll make do with a two-burner hob. There’s no denying the spacious front lounge and clever layout in this used campervan, however.
Full review: Malibu Van 640 LE RB GT
Auto-Sleepers Air
- Year: 2022
- Berths: 4
- Payload: 800kg
- MTPLM: 3200kg
- Shipping length: 4.97m
- Width: 2.27m
Reason to buy:
- Comes with a lot of kit, feels well made
Reason to avoid:
- No separate washroom
We reckon couples will find this spacious used campervan a tempting option. Coming on the SWB Ford Transit Custom, it has subtle graphics and a raising roof. A locking lever lets the bench seat slide forwards or backwards, while a table can be placed between the swivelling cab seats and bench seats, creating a space adequate for four but, we think, even better for two. Something to watch out for – we found having the bench seat too far forward could obscure the cupboard where a portable toilet would go.
We like how straightforward the roof is to operate, providing headroom during the day and a double bed come the evening, which is accessible via a ladder. No lighting is provided, but there are side vents. The other two berths are made up in the lounge. Good storage is provided in the side kitchen, along with a two-burner Dometic hob and grill and a 45-litre Dometic compressor fridge.
The storage is impressive, considering the space in this used campervan. Lift the tailgate to reach cupboards and a small wardrobe, while a cold shower can clean any muddy boots.
Then the sliding bench seat can be moved forward for any bulkier luggage. Other useful features include a 60W solar panel.
Full review: Auto-Sleepers Air
Murvi Pimento XL
- Year: 2020
- Berths: 4
- Payload: 500kg
- MTPLM: 3500kg
- Shipping length: 5.89m
- Width: 2.06m
Reason to buy:
- Good lounge, great build
Reason to avoid:
- Getting cab seats in position is a slight hassle for the beds
Made by Devon-based Murvi, the Ford Transit-based Pimento XL is a two-berth that, we think, offers a quality build and style in abundance.
A tweak to the seating means there’s a choice of two singles or a double bed – and whichever you opt for, there’s still room to reach the kitchen and washroom. There’s no denying that it’s a bit awkward getting the cab seats in place, but it’s impressive to have the option of extending the offside single to over 7ft.
We thought the kitchen provided a good spec, with a three-ring triangular hob, an 85-litre compressor fridge, and an overhead locker which would be an ideal spot for a microwave. The L-shaped kitchen also includes good locker storage, with room for kitchen essentials such as cutlery and crockery.
In the offside rear corner, you’ll find the washroom. Accessed via a folding door, it includes a Dometic swivel-bowl toilet and fixed basin, while a tap is used for showering.
We liked the touches included throughout too, ranging from touch on/off downlighter to lounge speakers, the type of thoughtful additions you’d expect from one of the best campervan converters.
Full review: Murvi Pimento XL
Dreamer Living
- Year: 2020
- Berths: 4
- Payload: 371kg
- MTPLM: 3500kg
- Shipping length: 6.35m
- Width: 2.05m
Reason to buy:
- Spacious double bed, shower cubicle
Reason to avoid:
- Lowest payload in our guide
A winner at our Motorhome of the Year Awards 2020, the Dreamer Living comes on a Fiat Ducato Heavy Chassis and has a raised roof line, meaning you’ll get plenty of headroom inside. Use the electric step to enter and you’ll find a rear lounge, where two sofas – both a good size – can be found, with a table between them providing enough room for four to eat in comfort. Add the back-board cushion to the rear doors and you’ll create a smart – and excellently lit – U-shaped lounge.
Then, at the front, a dinette can be found with a table and extension, again suitable for four to dine after swivelling the cab seats. The kitchen is opposite the side sliding door, and we thought it was ‘well-appointed’ when we reviewed it, offering good storage and space for cooks.
An innovative setup sees the wardrobe essentially end up inside the shower cubicle – yes, you did read that correctly. Then, at the press of a button, the wardrobe swings out of the way, creating a decent showering space. We loved this, thinking it was a really clever use of the available room. Across the way, a toilet and handbasin can be found.
We think this is a model that would be best suited to couples after a luxurious used camper van. While a double bed can be made in the rear lounge, a drop-down double bed above the front dinette offers an incredibly comfortable sleeping space, complete with USB sockets too.
Full review: Dreamer Living
WildAx Europa
- Year: 2021
- Berths: 2
- Payload: 400kg
- MTPLM: 3500kg
- Shipping length: 6.36m
- Width: 2.05m
Reason to buy:
- Excellent storage
Reason to avoid:
- Washroom has a clear window and a single drainage hole
Having previously come on a Renault, supply chain issues saw WildAx redesign the Europa to come on a Fiat Ducato or Citroën Relay base. When we tested the Fiat Ducato-based 2021 model, it impressed us straight away.
WildAx altered the washroom’s size, allowing a small cupboard and overhead locker to be fitted. This change hinted at the overall level of storage found throughout, which includes 10 overhead lockers, a half-height wardrobe and a shelved cupboard.
Step into the kitchen for a three-burner gas hob, a fixed rectangular sink and an extension, as well as a slimline 141-litre fridge with a separate freezer.
Head into the washroom for plenty of headroom and a folding basin. We liked the clever addition of the mirror which is included in the ceiling’s curve but did note there is only a single drainage hole. A clear window will also mean you keep the blind pulled down, we reckon.
The rear lounge is well-lit, both during the day and at night, with the U-shaped seating updated to have curved corner cushions. The U-shaped seating can be made into single beds by removing the backrests, with the nearside option coming in at 6ft 4in. While the double is a bit trickier, requiring boards to fill the gap, no infills are needed.
If storage is an important factor for you, we reckon this could be among the best used campervans to consider.
Full review: WildAx Europa
Auto Campers MRV
- Year: 2017
- Berths: 2 (4 if optional pop-top roof bed is included)
- Payload: 500kg
- MTPLM: 3000kg
- Shipping length: 4.90m
- Width: 1.90m
Reason to buy:
- Makes a great every day option, great attention to detail throughout
Reason to avoid:
- Slats are heavy to manoeuvre, no water heater, no over
The MRV is a highly flexible option, one which makes an ideal pre-owned model for daily use.
Rear travel seats were an option, so if your used campervan doesn’t have any, you’ll have plenty of storage space. The model we tested came with one rear travel seat fitted, and we found that after swivelling the cab seats around, the space would be ideal for three. There were a couple of niggles here though. For instance, to swivel the driver’s seat, the ‘van needed to be put into gear with the handbrake released and the steering wheel dropped.
Something we particularly liked was how the layout encourages embracing the great outdoors – after all, isn’t that one of the joys of touring? For instance, you could relax in one of the best camping chairs on your pitch and still reach the fridge.
The kitchen is well equipped, including a two-burner gas hob, a 50-litre slide-out fridge and a pop-up work surface flap, although there’s no oven or grill. No water heater means the tap is cold too.
This small ‘van is able to host up to four. The pop-top roof bed is an option, capable of taking two, while the main bed is made with stainless-steel fittings and suspended on webbing straps to provide a large storage area below. Something worth noting is the alloy slats that the rear end rests on may be strong and stable but they’re also heavy to move around when it comes to dismantling the bed.
Full review: Auto Campers MRV
How to choose the best used campers to buy
Buying a used camper van can be a great choice if you’re looking for a touring base at a more budget-friendly price. However, there are a few points to consider that will help you pick out the right one for you.
Firstly, think about how many of you will be using it. Are you going to be touring exclusively as a two or will you occasionally have the grandkids along? Perhaps it’s going to be a base for the whole family, in which case a more spacious ‘van will be important.
Once you know how many of you are going to be touring in it, you can start thinking about the various layouts there are, as well as the features that are an essential within your pre-owned camper. For instance, do you like getting active on tour or enjoy pursuing a hobby when you’re pitched up? Then ensuring you have the space to store all of your kit will be essential.
The ease of putting the beds together can be another important consideration. The washroom is also worth giving some thought. Some models come with separate washrooms, while others have a cold shower attachment and a cupboard for storing a Porta Potti. What would you like yours to have?
Once you know exactly what you want from your used ‘van, you’ll be well prepared for taking to the pre-owned market to find the best used campervan for you.
How we choose the best used campervans
Since Practical Motorhome launched in 2001, we’ve seen and experienced hundreds of ‘vans, putting them to the test in real world conditions. We can then rate them, considering factors such as the feasibility of using them as an everyday vehicle as well as the practicalities of the layouts.
As well as this, we conduct the Practical Motorhome Awards, where we use our combined decades of industry expertise to pick out the very standout models on the market for the new season of touring. We also run the Owner Satisfaction Awards, where our readers vote to tell us how they got on, revealing the brands and the dealers that are offering the standout experience, whether buying a new or pre-owned model.
Putting all of this together puts us in an authoritative position to work out exactly what the best used campervans on the market are.
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