Coachman, already well-known for producing caravans, entered the motorhome market in 2023 with the Travel Master range.

Since then, partly under the guidance of its new ultimate owner KABE, it has brought out both the Avventura and Sportive ranges, featuring ‘vans such as the Sportivo 565 and the Avventura 565.

Its entry into the world of campervans has been slightly more hesitant, with a couple of models going on show at the NEC, but never making it past that. It hopes to change that this season with the launch of a new range. So, should it be on the list of these after the best camper van?

The two-model Veloce range is also the first time the company has built on a Fiat Ducato base vehicle in the UK – with Fiat’s 140bhp engine, and an automatic gearbox as standard. The Ducato is among the best vans for converting to a camper, and the Veloce range includes the VR65, with a transverse drop-down bed in the rear, as seen below.

But it’s the slightly longer VL65, with a rear lounge, that we had a look around at this season’s Coachman launch.

Cab and lounge in the Coachman Veloce VL65

It’s always fun to see a new company’s take on a campervan, because it will often include little details that old-timers have never considered before.

This model is no exception. Once you get past the standard Fiat cab, with its leather steering wheel and reversing camera, there is a clip-on table in the front dinette that can be removed and positioned outside. Nothing particularly unusual in that, only this table doesn’t clip onto the kitchen peninsula as so many do.

The Fiat cab
It’s a standard Fiat cab, with a leather steering wheel and reversing camera

With the help of a magnetic strip, it can be attached to more or less anywhere on either side of the campervan. So if the view is better on the non-door side, you can position it there, while sitting back and relaxing in one of the best camping chairs. There’s an offside services light, too.

Even when it is inside, the table doesn’t have to be kept in position. It can be tucked away in a cubbyhole in the floor, either in its entirety, or so that you still have a cut-out with drinks holders on the side while you stretch your legs.

The cab seats swivelled round
If you want to, you can tuck the table away in the floor so that there are just two drinks holders by the window – or nothing at all

This kind of innovation continues in the rear lounge, because there are handy little shelves in the rear corner and by the washroom wall that can easily be removed if need be.

On the minus side, I would say both these lounges are perhaps a touch dark. Coachman has gone for a dark wood furniture finish, and a mid-brown colour for the upholstery. There are dark grey pads around the rooflights, and black window frames. There is also much use of striped black and brown wood panelling on many of the walls.

The gangway to the rear
Once you are past the washroom, there is a wide gangway to the rear

Maybe this gives the ’van a sophisticated look – you decide. And you are compensated with good ambient lights and spotlights that include USB ports, and in the rear lounge sockets for a 19-inch Avtex TV which will come as standard, so you will not need to worry about buying one of the best motorhome TVs.

Initially the passageway between the two lounges looks a bit narrow, and you might think this could make using the side kitchen harder. Fortunately the side washroom door is a tambour that splits in two. This gives you much more space to work with.

The kitchen in the Coachman Veloce VL65

There’s good workspace in the kitchen, too, thanks to a large pull-up extension. You get a two-burner hob and in-line sink set slightly askew, and a combined oven and grill underneath. It’s well lit with a striplight under the locker, but the nearest mains socket is across the way under the travel seat.

The kitchen in the VL65
The two-burner hob and inline sink are positioned slightly askew, but there is still plenty of workspace in this side kitchen

There is a good size 90-litre campervan fridge set at waist height, although it actually sits on the other side of a concertina partition that splits the lounges in two.

The washroom in the Veloce VL65

The washroom is a good size for a campervan, although it only has one drainage hole when there is easily space for two.

Marbling around the shower gives a domestic feel, while you get a tooth mug next to the large salad bowl-style washbasin.

Sleeping in the Veloce VL65

The two settees have platforms that easily come together to make a double bed.

The bed made up from the settees
With no knee roll in the side settees, you get a flat, comfortable double bed

I particularly liked the way the access doors to the ample space underneath come out with the platforms, so there is no risk of you trapping your fingers in legs that swung out and back again.

Storage in the VL65

Those platforms also lift up and stay up to provide more access. Along with this, for general storage there are four large overhead lockers in the rear lounge, two more in the front dinette, and a lit half-height hanging wardrobe underneath the fridge. The table storage cupboard is matched by another slim cupboard opposite it.

The overhead locker in the kitchen
The kitchen includes a sizeable overhead locker that is ideal for dry-food storage

Kitchen storage is a bit more basic. The base unit includes one large cupboard with drawers inside it, plus a locker under the oven and grill that is partly taken up with wires. At least there is another large overhead locker.

The dark furniture finish on a cupboard
With a dark furniture finish and black window frames, this is a fairly dark interior

Washroom storage is even more sparse, with just a space for toilet rolls and a cubbyhole for shampoos.

Alternatives to consider

The 2026 Swift Carrera 144 offers a practical layout for campervanning couples, coming with smart tweaks and a comfortable rear lounge.

Or how about the 2026 Auto-Sleepers Active FG635? A two-berth as standard, it comes with good kitchen storage and a well-designed washroom with two drainage holes.

Technical specification of the Coachman Veloce VL65

  • Price: £86,500
  • Sleeps: 2
  • Belts: 4
  • Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
  • Engine: 2.2-litre, 140bhp turbo-diesel
  • Length/width/height: 6.36m/2.05/TBC
  • MTPLM: 3500kg
  • MiRO: 3077kg
  • Payload: 423kg
  • Water (fresh/waste): 90/45 litres
  • Leisure battery: 100Ah
  • Gas: 20-litre LPG, underslung
  • Web: coachman.co.uk

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