If you’re looking to buy the best A-class motorhome, you’re looking at the very top-end of the market and you can expect to find luxurious interiors, great living and sleeping areas and lots of extras.

In short, this is a type of motorhome vehicle class where comfort is prioritised. If you’re wondering how to pick the right one for you, the Practical Motorhome Awards 2024 are here to help you narrow down your search. We’ve used our decades of collective experience within the industry to pick out the best A-class motorhome, as well as revealing the shortlisted contenders, with ‘vans from some of the best motorhome brands, including Carthago, Laika and Adria, all making appearances on the list.

We’ve also picked out some of the A-class motorhomes from the past couple of years that have really impressed us too, including the ‘vans from the Practical Motorhome Awards 2023, with manufacturers such as Mobilvetta, Auto-Trail and Itineo all featuring.

This year, we’ve picked the Laika Kreos H 5109 as the best A-class motorhome on the market for 2024 – we love its stylish looks and the excellent spec on offer throughout.

What is an A-class motorhome?

Normally coming with a bed above the cab, A-class motorhomes provide a luxurious touring experience. They have a front facade that has been designed to combine properly with the rest of the vehicle, helping to create a warmer interior and one that should also rattle less.

It’s worth noting that some come on a heavy duty chassis, so be sure to check the MTPLM – if it’s above 3,500kg, you would need a C1 licence to drive it.

The winner of the best A-class motorhome is…

Laika Kreos H 5109

Laika Kreos H 5109
  • Price: £157,000
  • Berths: 4
  • MTPLM: TBC
  • MiRO: TBC
  • Payload: TBC
  • Length: 7.89m
  • Width: 2.32m

Reason to buy:

  • Looks incredibly stylish

Reason to avoid:

  • Bold interior colouring may be too bold for some

The latest addition to the Kreos range is an impressive option, providing the sophistication that the best A-class vehicles should always offer. The smart exterior alludes to the high levels of luxury and comfort that can be expected, with the ’van packed full of thoughtful details to make your tours even more enjoyable.

For example, acoustic insulation helps to create a more peaceful experience when you’re on the road. Alde heating is provided, too.

Interior of Laika Kreos H 5109

Then there’s the splendid kitchen, with a generous spec that includes a 153-litre fridge, a gas oven and two sinks – the optional extras here even extend to a dishwasher.

This is also a motorhome with fixed single beds at the rear, with an electronically operated drop-down bed in the lounge promising the same levels of comfort. Fully integrated into the ceiling, it comes with brilliant features such as adjustable reading lights, a handily located USB socket and a neat upholstered headboard with storage.

We shortlisted the following for best A-class motorhome…

Carthago C Tourer I 145 LE Superior

Carthago C Tourer I 145 LE Superior
  • Price: depends on option chosen
  • Berths: 4 (can be 2)
  • MTPLM: TBC
  • MIRO: TBC
  • Payload: TBC
  • Length: depends on option chosen
  • Width: 2.27m

Reason to buy:

  • Plenty of luxury and solidly built

Reason to avoid:

  • Some may find the lounge seating too upright

This A-class motorhome lives up to the ‘superior’ in its name.

Available on both a Mercedes Benz Sprinter or a Fiat Ducato base, the ‘van comes on an Al-Ko low frame chassis and provides style both inside and out. This ranges from the eye-catching wings on the side panels to the laminate appearance used on the rear washroom wall and behind the side seat in the living space.

Storage is always an important facet in a motorhome, and the high-gloss ivory and brilliant ash combine with the recessed handles to give the overhead storage lockers a sophisticated appearance.

A smart motorhome kitchen is also on offer, not only offering plenty of storage but also a three-burner hob, a round stainless steel sink, a 133-l Slimtower fridge and plenty of work surface, thanks to the elevated kitchen worktop. This also separates it from the living space, which includes L-shaped seating, a side bench and even a seat bench which incorporates a swing-out shoe rack. It’s a smart and stylish option, which we also shortlisted for the best motorhome for full-time living category.

Full review: Carthago C Tourer I 145 LE Superior

Rapido C86i

  • Price: TBC
  • Berths: 2+2
  • MTPLM: TBC
  • MiRO: TBC
  • Payload: TBC
  • Shipping length: 6.99m
  • Width: 2.17m

Reason to buy:

  • Excellent specification, less than 7m in length so easier to park

Reason to avoid:

  • Kitchen area might be a bit limited in space for some

A small motorhome by A-class standards, the C86i provides excellent spec, ranging from a heated garage area to ambient lighting in the living area, bedroom and kitchen.

We think the kitchen looks great – the self-closing drawers and the inbuilt spice rack in the backlit window cladding really create a homely vibe, perfectly complementing features such as a generously sized 149-litre compressor fridge and a worktop extension.

Measuring 1.96m x 1.40m, the rear island bed comes on a retractable bed base and can also have its height adjusted electronically by 20cm. We thought the bedside tables, which provide a 12V plug, looked great too, while a TV can be set up in here (see our best motorhome TV guide if you’re looking for one).

At the front of the ‘van, a folding table sits between the two bench seats – there’s space for a 22-inch flat-screen TV too, presenting motorhomes with a welcoming area to relax in a day’s adventures.

Adria Supersonic 780DL

Adria Supersonic 780DL
  • Price: TBC
  • Berths: 4
  • MTPLM: 4500kg
  • MiRO: TBC
  • Payload: TBC
  • Length: 7.83m
  • Width: 2.31m 

Reason to buy:

  • Sociable interior set up thanks to facing settees

Reason to avoid:

  • Interior may be too dark for some

An A-class motorhome should always provide you with a quality touring base, and that’s something that we think the latest addition to the Mercedes-based Supersonic range will do just that.

It’s actually the first model in the range to offer fixed single beds at the rear.

Fans of contemporary styling are sure to love the interior of this luxury motorhome, which they’ll be able to soak up from the comfort of the face-to-face settees in the front lounge.

Head into the central washroom and you’ll find plenty of luxury, while the kitchen includes plenty of features, including a 177-litre fridge, a three-burner gas hob, a Duplex combined oven and grill, plus optional extras such as a coffee machine.

We always like to see a double floor and it’s provided in the 7.8m-long ‘van too – not only will you benefit from a level floor throughout, but also get to utilise under-floor space and more too.

These are the A-class motorhomes we shortlisted at the 2023 Awards:

Adria Supersonic 780DC

Interior of the 780DC

  • Berths: 4
  • MTPLM: 4500kg
  • MiRO: 3520kg
  • Length: 7.8m
  • Width: 2.32m

Reason to buy:

  • Excellent spec throughout, double floor

Reason to avoid:

  • Dark interior theme

The best A-class motorhome should provide a luxurious touring experience and the last year’s winner of the title certainly delivers.

A 170bhp engine and Mercedes’ nine-speed auto gearbox come fitted as standard, giving you an idea of what to expect.

We really like the interior: it’s flat throughout, thanks to a double floor. In the lounge, you get two parallel settees, available in leather or fabric, with a rotating table in-between. Features include a light switch panel, a media wall and a cubbyhole with USB ports.

The van’s Continental origins mean you only get a three-burner gas hob and a grill in the kitchen. A Dometic two-way opening fridge with a separate freezer is also included in the ‘van that was also shortlisted for the best 4 berth motorhome category last year.

The rear bedroom is an elegant space, with the bed transforming into a daybed at the press of a switch. A dropdown bed also sits above the cab and is electronically operated.

There’s some great storage provided throughout the motorhome too, including a garage at the rear, good kitchen options and two wardrobes in the bedroom.

Full review: Adria Supersonic 780DC

Le Voyageur LV6.8LF

  • MPTLM: 3500kg
  • MIRO: 3150kg
  • Payload: 350kg
  • Length: 6.8m
  • Width: 2.24m

Reason to buy:

  • Huge drop-down bed, comfy lounge, well designed kitchen

Reason to avoid:

  • Pricey

We have always liked this reasonably sized luxurious two berth motorhome, in particular because in less than 7m you still have space to pull the huge overcab bed down and yet still have a bit of seating space left on both the parallel settees that make up the bright and comfortable front lounge. The L-shaped kitchen provides loads of space for a cook, with plenty of storage space and access to the garage at the back, and there is a good size corner washroom too.

This year Le Voyageur has improved it (and a couple of other smaller models) even further. The motorhome now rests on a new Al-Ko chassis that has brought its MIRO down by 100kg. This not only increases your payload by a similar amount (so you can make more use of the storage in the double floor), but also means that you have a flat floor running from the front to the back for the first time.

If you are looking for space and luxury for just the two of you, this is hard to beat. But there’s also scope for other at least to travel with you too, because Le Voyageur has installed new folding travel seats which it says are lighter, easier to assemble than before, and match the upholstery.

Carthago Liner for Two I53

  • MTPLM: 4800kg
  • MIRO: TBC
  • Payload: TBC

Reasons to buy:

  • Great layout, comfy beds, huge washroom, large garage

Reasons to avoid:

  • The price, and Fiat versions can feel underpowered

Motorhomes, especially larger ones, were first developed to make you feel as if you are in your own home even when you are on the move. The Liner for two does that more than most, because once you park up the beds you can lower down from above the cab shut it off so effectively that you almost forget you are in a motorhome. Especially because further back in the van you get a washroom spread across the vehicle with plenty of space to dress in, a sizeable side kitchen an a C-shaped lounge that could easily seat eight or nine, with a recliner seat if you would rather sit back and watch the large TV for which there is space on the side.

For the 2023 season Carthago gave the outside a new anthracite colour, but you still get a huge garage and plenty of other storage options. Then the interior has been given a new lighter look, with a cream finish to tables and surface.

All told, this is the motorhome to go for if you really want to feel it’s your second home.

Frankia MI 7 BD Neo

  • MTPLM: 3500kg
  • Payload: TBC
  • MIRO: TBC
  • Length: 6.88m
  • Width: TBC

Reason to buy:

  • Frankia quality in a more manageable van

Reason to avoid:

  • It may still be too pricey for some.

Frankia launched the low-profile Neo back in 2019. The German luxury brand is best known for producing huge and very costly liner-type vehicles with a heavy emphasis on self-sustainability. But this was something a bit more conventional, with a front dinette and rear transverse bed. While it still had Frankia’s attention to detail and build quality, it was slightly more suitably priced too. It was also at an MTPLM figure – 3500kg – which meant younger drivers and those without the right licence could drive it.

Now the Neo is available as an A-class, so those with aspirations but perhaps not quite the budget for a conventional Frankia can at least get something that looks like one on the outside.

That’s not to disparage the interior either: you still get a double floor, an optional drop-down, a bed that is 2m long and an optional drop-down bed over the cab, and 2m of headroom. There’s a 150bhp Mercedes Sprinter base vehicle to run it all too.

Rapido C55i

The Rapido C55i
  • MTPLM: TBC
  • MIRO: TBC
  • Payload: TBC
  • Length: TBC
  • Width: 2.17m

Reason to buy:

  • Great space inside a nifty little van, and it’s an A-class too

Reason to avoid:

  • Interior is a bit pale and samey

This new Rapido proves that A-classes are a viable prospect not just for shorter vans, but for narrower ones too. The 2.17m-wide van started life as a low-profile, with Rapido one of a number of manufacturers who spotted a demand for narrower vehicles that were easier to drive down narrow city streets and windy country lanes. Now this year effectively the same van, with single beds in the back and a comfy dinette up front, is available as an A-class, with more style and better insulation.

This vehicle’s clearly unique but refined exterior doesn’t make it look too big for its boots too, as can sometimes happen with smaller A-classes. But despite its compactness you still get beds at the back that are extra long and an impressively large garage.

We also recommend the following A-class motorhomes from recent years

Frankia Platin I 8400 Plus

Frankia Platin 8400 Plus
Frankia Platin 8400 Plus

STAR RATING 4.5 OUT OF 5

  • Price: £160,200
  • Payload: 840kg
  • MTPLM: 5500kg
  • Length: 8.60m
  • Width: 2.30m

It is, of course, a huge amount of money. But if you have the means to buy, and want to head off into the sunset on extensive, largely self-sufficient tours, this motorhome is going to be really hard to beat. The Plus layout, in particular, feels so much like home that you sometimes forget you are actually in a ‘van. You might want a dual-fuel hob or a larger oven, but that is just a quibble.

The C-shaped lounge, which in our test model came with leather Moorgrey upholstery that is a £3760 extra, bears a striking similarity to Carthago’s Liner-for-Two, which this magazine had on a long-term loan last year. As a £1550 extra in our test model, the front section of the settee can be converted into two travel seats.

The kitchen on our test model came with a Corian worktop as an optional extra. This includes covers for the sink, a bin, two gas burners and (a special Frankia feature) a third gas burner that has its own drainage hole for cleaning. You get a Thetford Duplex combined oven and grill, two-way opening fridge and separate freezer. There’s a good amount of storage, including three big drawers and a cupboard near the door.

The central washroom is partitioned off back and front. The shower on the driver’s side is well lit, with two drains and a glass door. On the other side is a large mirrored cupboard and a ceramic toilet with a carbon filter.

The Plus layout includes two single beds that drop down over the cab, but when they are up, there is still room to turn the cab area into a second lounge. To reach the drop-down beds, you slide out steps from one of the chests at the back of the cab. The second bed is easily made up by lowering the table and inserting one large infill cushion.

PROs
Off-grid power sources
Large amount of storage lockers

CONs
Small garage for size of vehicle

Read our full review: Frankia Platin I 8400 Plus

Carthago Chic E-line-I51 QB

Carthago Chic E-line I 51 QB

STAR RATING 4.5 OUT OF 5

  • Price: £126,180
  • MTPLM: 4500kg
  • Length: 8.07m

This stylish A-class was named Best luxury motorhome over 3500 kg in our 2020 Motorhome of the Year awards. A clever combination of sophistication and practicality, the I 51 QB simply oozes luxury, with a popular floorplan that’s now on a Mercedes base.

In 2020, journalists at Carthago’s press launch were treated to a glittering reveal of a new, front-wheel-drive Mercedes-based A-class; the new base vehicle would now be an option (instead of the Fiat Ducato or Iveco Daily) on both the Chic E-line and S-plus ranges.

What’s more, Carthago is also the first manufacturer to offer an optional twin-axle, 5.5-tonne version of the Sprinter chassis as a motorhome base.

Four models are available in the E-line range, but it’s the 51 QB with island bed that appealed most to our panel of judges.

This layout has always offered style in spades, thanks to its large fixed bed and spacious lounge, but combine it with that Mercedes base and you have an even more tempting prospect.

Offering many features, such as adaptive cruise control, brake assist and crosswind assist, the Sprinter cab is one of the most advanced out there, helping to make every second of your tour that much more comfortable.

It doesn’t come cheap – on the Mercedes base, this model costs more than £119,000. But if you’re looking for a luxurious motorhome, this could be the one for you.

PROs

Excellent floorpan
Large fixed bed

CONs
Pricey

Read our full review: Carthago Chic E-line-I51 QB

Rapido M96

Rapido M96
Rapido M96

STAR RATING 4.5 OUT OF 5

  • Price: £87,800
  • MTPLM: 3500kg
  • Engine size: 2200cc
  • Length: 7.54m
  • Width: 2.35m

A highly attractive blend of quality and style – plus innovation – that demonstrates Rapido is perfectly at home at the top end of the market. As is the way at this level, there’s scope for you to dip into a pretty extensive list of optional extras to make sure a motorhome like this really is the one of your dreams.

Rapido has established itself as a producer of premium motorhomes. Hardly surprising, then, that it’s turned its attention to the Mercedes Sprinter as the base for the newest sub-range, called simply M (near-twin sister M66 has twin single beds).

The lounge only features short settees to complement the swivelled cab seats, but those inward-facers can switch to forward-facing single seats for travel if required. What’s really clever here is that heating is ducted up through the table leg – no cold knees in the evening! The kitchen is space-efficient, thanks to its L-shape and other design aspects.

The washroom comprises a shower cubicle on the offside and a toilet room nearside, with the door for the latter combining with sliding panels for privacy. The shower has full plastic wall linings, although the drainage is just a single, small plug-hole. The toilet room has a swivel-bowl toilet and handbasin; the basin is a tad shallow and there’s no window here, but it’s otherwise typical of the quality and practicality throughout.

The wider-than-average double bed is thanks to a cutaway angle to the wardrobes either side. The bed itself has height adjustment of some 30cm should you wish to optimise storage in the garage below.

PROs
Innovative design
Full of features

CONs
Shallow basin

Read our full review: Rapido M96

Niesmann+Bischoff Flair 920 EK

Niesmann+Bischoff Flair 920 EK
Niesmann+Bischoff Flair 920 EK

STAR RATING 4.5 OUT OF 5

  • Price: £160,390
  • Payload: 1450kg
  • MTPLM: 7200kg
  • Length: 9.27m
  • Width: 2.4m

Most of us will never be able to afford a vehicle like this, but we can all dream! This is no ordinary ‘van – more of a luxury apartment on wheels.

It’s easier to say what kit this ‘van hasn’t got. A big fridge tops that particular list: there’s only a rather puny 106-litre Dometic unit (although the freezer box is removable). There’s a sizeable Thetford oven/grill above this, and a Siemens microwave that only taller folk can reach. The main kitchen across the corridor on the nearside, however, is something to behold. There’s a three-ring gas hob set in the ‘mineral’ worktop, with permanent work surface to its right and a sink (inset, with flush-fit loose cover) on the left.

Beyond the kitchen, the washroom is just as good. The shower compartment is huge. Likewise, the basin adjacent is large. The toilet room is exactly that – home only to an upgraded toilet with holding tank. But you do also get an Alde radiator, a window and upper-level locker storage.

At the back, steps take you up to the single beds. Like the front double, they have Froli springing and cold-foam mattresses, with upper-level lockers to three sides and a Heki rooflight overhead.

PROs

Fantastic build quality
Excellent kit

CONs

Price will rule most of us out

Read our full review: Niesmann+Bischoff Flair 920 EK

Rapido 880F

Rapido 880F
Rapido 880F

STAR RATING 4 OUT OF 5

  • Price: £65,600
  • MTPLM: 3500kg
  • Length: 7.04m
  • Width: 2.35m

Inside, this 880F has the Castello furniture finish and Denver soft furnishings. Up front, you’ll find the usual Continental-style lounge. That forward-facing double travel seat can be made L-shaped for on-site use; you’ll find it pretty easy to seat five around the fixed pedestal-leg table which has a hinged top, making access to and from the lounge much easier.

The main kitchen unit, on the nearside, houses a three-in-a-line gas hob, with the oven set low, below a cutlery drawer. There’s more storage at the upper level, and an extractor unit. Other neat touches include a smart towel holder and a rack for spice jars. Across the corridor is the 149-litre Thetford fridge/freezer, with a tambour-doored locker above for the retractable TV mount.

A sliding door seals off the back of the 880F. Beyond are the separate shower cubicle and washroom, en suite to the island bed. The step-in shower cubicle has folding doors, and the panelling supports a handy wire basket and the riser bar. On the off-side, the toilet room boasts a rather stylish handbasin. Not the deepest, perhaps, but it has a proper metal swan-neck tap.

The pull-down double bed is manually operated. Like the island bed, it has a Bultex mattress on a slatted base. There’s a rooflight overhead and lighting on both sides. The island bed at the rear of the 880F is flanked by wardrobes and ledges, with lockers overhead and neat paddle lights.

PROs
Smart layout and design

Read our full review: Rapido 880F

Fleurette Discover 65LMC

Fleurette Discover 65LMC
Fleurette Discover 65LMC

STAR RATING 4 OUT OF 5

  • Price: £70,589
  • Payload: 531kg
  • MTPLM: 3500kg
  • Length: 6.59m
  • Width: 2.30m

Add another name to the growing list of companies in the A-class world – Fleurette. At the front, it’s a typical lounge – swivel cab seat plus forward-facing double travel unit adapting to an L-shaped sofa, with a handy fold-up stool across the doorway.

Squeezing the lounge gives space to other areas. The main kitchen unit is nearside mid-‘van. It’s deep, with an ergonomically friendly curve that isn’t just easier for the chef, it also helps enhance the capacities of the three large, soft-close drawers, the lowest of which has a waste bin as well as storage for four wine bottles.Food preparation facilities are a three-in-a-line gas hob, plus a circular sink with mixer tap. There’s a modern extractor unit, and brushed-metal splash-panels. A Tec Tower arrangement sees a sensible height for the oven/grill over the 141-litre capacity fridge/freezer.

Washroom facilities are less intrusive than a separate shower and toilet. Here, the double-doored, part-circular cubicle is on the offside, aft of the fridge-freezer. The swivel-bowl toilet, over which there’s a fold-down basin, is in a separate room.

PROs
Flat floor from cab to bedroom
Small rear garage

CONs
Upright rear travel seat

Read our full review: Fleurette Discover 65LMC

Roller Team Pegaso 590

Roller Team Pegaso 590
Roller Team Pegaso 590d

STAR RATING 4.5 OUT OF 5

  • Price: £59,990
  • Payload: 635kg
  • MTPLM: 3500kg
  • Length: 5.99m
  • Width: 2.35m

The new Roller Team Pegaso 590 is clear proof that you can get an excellent A-class in a sub-six-metre bodyshell. Cleverly designed, it will provide everything you need for a comfortable tour – and it looks fantastic into the bargain. The second double bed isn’t the most comfortable that we’ve tested, but it should be fine for occasional use – and the inclusion of that pair of belted seats means that a couple can easily take guests with them from time to time.

In the lounge, with the L-shaped sofa, another side sofa and the swivelled cab seats, you would probably have room for eight here. But only shorter people would be really happy sitting on the sideways-facing part of the L-shaped sofa, because the housing for the blind makes sitting back a touch uncomfortable for those occupants who are taller. The whole area is really snug, with a heating vent from the powerful Truma 6 boiler on both sides.

The L-shaped kitchen includes a fair amount of workspace, which is well lit by striplights and a window.The hob has three gas burners, shifted into the corner to allow for more work surface. But you do get a Thetford Duplex oven underneath this.Food storage is reasonable in a motorhome of this size, with two of the three overhead lockers on the offside easily accessible from the kitchen, and a 142-litre fridge (huge if there are just the two of you) on the nearside.

Unusually, the washroom door includes not just an elegant handle, but also a separate lock, so you are assured total privacy. Once inside, there’s plenty of room to move around, and to make use of the wardrobe, which has a half-height hanging area on one side.

The extremely comfortable manual drop-down bed lowers easily and is accessed via a small ladder. Although you don’t get any rooflights or windows up here, there is at least a light to read by. There is another double bed below, which you make up by lowering the pedestal table and aligning it with the L-shaped sofa.

PROs
Cab door on the driver’s side
Roomy lounge

CONs
Making up the second double bed feels a little complicated

Read our full review: Roller Team Pegaso 590

Itineo SLB 700

Itineo SLB 700
Itineo SLB 700

STAR RATING 4 OUT OF 5

  • Price: £57,600
  • Payload: 490kg
  • MTPLM: 3500kg
  • Length: 6.99m
  • Width: 2.35m

Itineo is a name that’s relatively unknown here in the UK. What you really need to be aware of, though, is that it’s a sub-brand of the giant Rapido company. The Itineo SLB 700 really benefits from Rapido’s build expertise – despite its low price tag, everything in this motorhome looks and feels well made.Its layout and the neat children-friendly touches mean that it’s ideal for families, but do check that the payload is large enough for your needs.

The Itineo SLB 700’s front lounge is very spacious. Both the cab seats swivel, and once they’re in position, there’s room for five people to relax in comfort. Our test vehicle was fitted with the ‘Tango’ cushion option, which is a bold orange colour. If that’s not to your taste, you can go for more sober alternatives. Either way, the dining table sits on a central leg and can be manoeuvred to reach the various seats – it can also be folded to help occupants access their chair.

The presence of the bunk beds and large lounge does mean that space in the kitchen is compromised.However, the amount of work surface is maximised by the fact that the three burners for the hob are set in a line. There’s no oven fitted, but there is a 142-litre fridge with a freezer compartment located on the other side of the corridor.

The washroom is split across the centre of the Itineo SLB 700.It sits to the rear of the kitchen, with a tambour-doored area on the offside housing the toilet and handbasin, and a separate shower cubicle on the nearside. If you want to, you can draw the pair of sliding doors across to create a full-facility washroom.

The Itineo SLB 700 sleeps five, with three of these berths in that rear dinette (note that there are only four travel seats as standard).

PROs
Truly family-focused motorhome

CONs
Kitchen is quite tight and has no oven

Read our full review: Itineo SLB 700

Rapido 8094dF

Rapido 8094dF
Rapido 8094dF

STAR RATING 4.5 OUT OF 5

  • Price: £70,600
  • Payload: 385kg
  • MTPLM: 3500kg
  • Length: 7.49m
  • Width: 2.35m

Step inside and you’ll find the front lounge is standard motorhome fare – both cab seats swivel to join a pair of facing sofas, and all of them are serviced by a single-leg table. Usefully, the surface of the latter can be folded in half, which is handy if you need to squeeze through to access those cab chairs. But that rear lounge is the highlight of the 2018 Rapido 8094dF. While the front lounge is more of a dining area, the back example exudes comfortable luxury. The L-shaped sofas allow you to really sit back and relax, and the lighting up above the numerous overhead lockers looks classy.

The kitchen, located in the middle of the ’van, features a 160-litre automatic-energy-selection fridge, a three-burner stainless-steel hob, a good-sized square sink and plenty of storage space. Neat touches abound: the new spice rack on the wall is backlit to make it look smarter, the drawers are soft-closing and the furniture has been redesigned for this season to give it a more modern appearance.

The toilet and handbasin sit on the UK nearside, with the separate shower cubicle on the offside – the shower itself has a water-saving head. The floor of that cubicle is slightly impeded by the presence of the top of the wheel arch, but it’s a good size all the same.Handily, the Rapido’s whole washroom can be closed off by a pair of doors, giving you room to dress inside.

An electrically operated double bed drops down over the front lounge and measures a generous 2.10 x 1.48m. There is also a make-up double in the rear lounge that is simple to construct, using slide-out slats and cushions, to create a 1.91 x 1.40m bed.

PROs

Flexible, luxurious and comfortable layout
Storage provision throughout is impressive

Read our full review: Rapido 8094dF

How we choose the best A-class motorhome

An A-class motorhomes will provide a truly luxurious touring base, with space and storage typically guaranteed. Taking this into account, we look at factors including the motorhome’s layout, the practicalities of day-to-day life, the amount of room on offer, and more.

We’re well placed to be judging this; since Practical Motorhome launched in 2001, we’ve conducted hundreds of tests, in the process highlighting the pros and cons of each ‘van – many of these can be found in our motorhome reviews section on our website.

You can find out more about our testing process on our About Us page.

Further valuable insight is provided by the Owner Satisfaction Awards – these tell us how the public are getting on with the many different brands out there when they buy a ‘van. Putting this together leaves us in a strong position to begin to draw up our shortlist.

We then whittle this down to create a final list – every model included is a worthy contender, and we’ll provide our opinion on why they’re all among the best A-class motorhomes.

You can find more motorhome reviews in our Motorhome Buying Guides – check out Best motorhomes for full-time living and Best motorhomes for families