The CampAway range of VW-based raising-roof vehicles is produced by a third party for Warwickshire firm Broadlane Leisure, following its own design. Hitherto, these have been fairly standard layouts, but February’s NEC Motorhome Show unveiled the Campaway Casa, a model that caught my eye.

Broadlane says the Casa is trying to attract customers who want a camper but need a toilet, and those who might go for a coachbuilt, but want a vehicle they can park in their drive at home.

I immediately liked the new ’van because while it does indeed have a toilet at the back, it still manages to have a forward-facing raising-roof, giving you plenty of headroom, the type of innovation that we look out for when looking for the best campervan.

Raising-roof of Casa
Raising-roof faces forward to offer headroom where you need it most

You can swivel both of the cab seats, although I found the driver’s seat slightly compromised by the large unit set immediately behind it (this didn’t affect driving, however).

There is a third travel seat, and all three are comfortable to sit in, with a large, round pedestal table that is easy to reach. The table leg is stored under the third seat. Production models will have a storage slot for the tabletop behind the driver’s seat.

Cab seats
Both of the very comfortable cab seats swivel round to the lounge

If you have more than three dining, anyone else can perch on the small sofa on the offside. It’s not particularly comfortable to sit there for long, and Broadlane has considered getting rid of it. But that would be a pity, because whoever sits here has easy access to the combined sink and hob on top of the unit behind the driver’s seat, with a small Dometic fridge below – perfect for anyone sitting at the table.

This arrangement makes the Casa a really sociable van, something that can be important when you’re looking for the best VW campervan. The cook can be tending to the meal while still facing and talking to the rest of the party – and admiring the view at your campervan campsite.

Sink and hob in Casa
Combined sink and hob sits on top of the unit just behind the driver’s seat

Even if there is only one gas burner, it’s not as if this ‘kitchen’ lacks space, either. On the other side of this offside seating area is the biggest workspace I’ve ever seen in a campervan.

Like the lounge, it’s well lit, too, and has two mains sockets just where you need them. Broadlane has sensibly opted to include a microwave, rather than a conventional oven. The work surface also houses the controls for the Eberspächer air and water heater, two USBs, and a wireless charging pad. You could also fit a small TV here.

The toilet takes up a grand position in the nearside rear corner, where it can be curtained off. You might think that is really too much space for it, but this area also includes a towel rail, and an external hot and cold shower attachment. There’s even a pouch for storing the hose on the inside of the tailgate. You would only need to add a tailgate awning to make this a full washroom. Broadlane is also thinking about including a basin in future.

The raising-roof is secured with rucksack-style straps, and the roof bed is well lit, with a front window, side mesh windows and swan-neck lights.

Roof bed window
Roof bed has both front and side windows, and a pair of spotlights

The real star, however, must surely be the lower single bed. It’s easy to collapse the travel seat and join it to the swivelled passenger seat. When you do, you have a bed that is well over 7ft long. There is a child’s bed, too, made up by sliding out a slatted platform from the offside settee.

Broadlane says the Casa is also aimed at couples who prefer to sleep separately, but if you tour alone, or with a child, you could use this ’van all year round, because in winter, you wouldn’t need to leave the roof up at night.

Even with the table’s pedestal leg stowed away, there is room to store clothes in the locker underneath the travel seat. There are two cupboards below the side settee, and a wardrobe at the back (but no hanging rail).

The kitchen includes a tambour-door cupboard next to the microwave, and there are three large open shelves behind the travel seat for dry goods.

Verdict…

The Casa reaffirms my view that some of the most innovative thinking in motorhome design at the moment comes from van converters. This camper is sociable to tour in, truly flexible to sleep in, and still usable as a day-to-day vehicle. The rear washroom might be a bit OTT for some, but this is a fine development from a still-new brand.

If you’re in a ‘van without a toilet, check out our guide to the best portable toilets for campervans, where we share our top picks on the market.

Technical specification of the Campaway Casa

  • Price: £69,995
  • Sleeps: 3 (plus child’s bed)
  • Belts: 3
  • Base vehicle: VW T6.1
  • Engine: 2.0-litre, 150bhp
  • Length/width/height: 5.30/2.30/2.06m (17’4”/7’5”/6’8”)
  • MTPLM: 2800kg
  • MiRO: 2420kg
  • Payload: 380kg
  • Water (fresh/waste): 27 litres fresh, freestanding waste tank
    Leisure battery: 100Ah
  • Gas 907 Camping Gaz cylinder

Or you could try…

  • Wellhouse Misano 4.1: an excellent level of spec is included in this van, which comes on a Ford Transit base vehicle.
  • Swift Carrera 122: there is plenty of attention to detail in this well-planned two-berth.
  • S&L Apollo: this is a ‘van that offers some real innovations.

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