There’s a reason that the best rear-lounge motorhomes are so popular in the UK – we Brits tend to spend a lot more time in our vehicles than our Continental cousins, because our weather is less predictable. And if you’re looking for a relaxing place to while away the hours, a motorhome with a rear lounge will allow you to do so in complete comfort.
That’s not to say that all motorhome rear lounges are made equally – some are definitely better than others. Size is an issue in this motorhome layout: there’s no point in having all that space dedicated to relaxation if you don’t have enough room to stretch out. The location of facilities is also important – can you easily access the motorhome’s kitchen to grab a drink?
Even the best motorhomes will have compromises, however, and having such a spacious lounge does come with its downsides – for example, the longer the sofas, the less space there will be available for the other facilities. That means you’ll sometimes find that washrooms and kitchens in rear-lounge motorhomes can feel a little squeezed.
The best rear-lounge motorhomes will offer a fantastic combination of comfort and cleverly designed spaces to allow everyone room to relax.
So, for 2026, we’ve named the Bailey Autograph 81-5 the best rear lounge motorhome at the Practical Motorhome Awards 2026, because it offers all that and a high level of specification as standard – we reckon it’s a great choice for couples and families alike.
The best rear-lounge motorhome
Bailey Autograph 81-5
- Price: £93,999
- Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer/Alk-Ko
- Berths: 6
- Belted seats: 5
- MTPLM: 4500kg
- MIRO: 3587kg
- Payload: 913kg
- Length: 8.13m
- Width: 2.45m
- Height: 2.9m
Reason to buy:
- Spacious interior and a high level of specification
Reason to avoid:
- This is a long vehicle, which could make parking more tricky
The best rear lounge motorhome at the Practical Motorhome Awards 2026
We Brits love a rear lounge in our motorhomes – because the weather isn’t always clement on our shores, we tend to spend a bit more time inside than our Continental cousins, so a good-sized space in which to relax is a must.
That’s where the Bailey Autograph 81-5 is so impressive. Within its 8.13m length, the designers have succeeded in squeezing in not only a good-sized front dinette (with three belted seats), washroom and kitchen, but the lounge at the back feels very roomy and airy. That’s thanks in part to the wide body of this model – it really pays dividends inside.
That luxurious feel is backed up by the kit list, which is long as standard: a SONOS portable speaker, Alde Hydronic Compact 3020 heating, an exterior BBQ point, two 95Ah leisure batteries, a 200W motorhome solar panel and more are all included.
All in all, if you’re looking for a rear-lounge motorhome for comfortable tours near and far, you won’t go far wrong with the Bailey Autograph 81-5.
Auto-Trail Imala 736
- Price: From £80,109
- Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
- Berths: 4
- Belted seats: 4
- MTPLM: 3500/3650kg
- MIRO: 3140kg
- Payload: 360/510kg
- Length: 7.25m
- Width: 2.35m
- Height: 3.03m
Reason to buy:
- Classy interior and a comfortable rear lounge
Reason to avoid:
- Low payload unless you go for an MTPLM of 3650kg
Highly commended at the Practical Motorhome Awards 2026
Auto-Trail has a reputation for producing great quality, traditionally British motorhomes, so it’s no surprise to find a rear-lounge model in the popular Imala line-up. Despite the vehicle having a relatively short length at just 7.25m, you’ll still find a good-sized lounge here, as well as a comfortable dinette (with belted seats) up front. Between them are both a well-equipped kitchen and a washroom.
Those looking for a spot of luxury in their motorhome won’t feel out of place here – it has a reasonably high kit level (including a microwave, a 100W solar panel, an external gas BBQ point and more) without you needing to tick too many of the motorhome upgrades boxes.
The Imala range received a number of tweaks for 2026, to keep it bang up to date. They included attractive, sleek exteriors, the addition of Polyvision ECO windows, and an optional electric drop-down bed, potentially taking the number of berths of this model to six.
Elddis Whirlwind GT 196+
- Price: From £67,689 OTR
- Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer
- Berths: 6
- Belted seats: 6
- MTPLM: 3650kg
- MIRO: 2951kg
- Payload: up to 655kg
- Length: 7.37m
- Width: 2.68m
- Height: 2.93m
Reason to buy:
- Somewhere six people can spread out in.
Reason to avoid:
- There’s no U-shaped seating option.
Highly commended at the Practical Motorhome Awards 2026
Even if Elddis has been through a thorough rebranding process with all its motorhomes (and caravans, for that matter), you wouldn’t have thought one of Britain’s biggest manufacturers would ever launch a new range without a UK-friendly rear lounge layout somewhere in there, would you? Sure enough, it hasn’t, and the results in the model we picked as the best motorhome for families is impressive.
The Whirlwind GT196+ (which is also available for the same price as the plain old GT 196 with a smaller payload but at MTPLM of 3500kg so anyone can drive it) has the same layout as the old Autoquest 196. And it still remains a great contender for the best rear lounge motorhome.
That rear lounge isn’t some dark and dingy corner, as all too many are. With a large Heki above and three large windows, it is designed to bring the daylight in. Yet there are spotlights and ambient light to make evenings brighter, while a fold-out table at the end saves you from having to lug one down.
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