Verdict
With all its quality, good looks and equipment, this is an impressive overall package.
Pros
Outstanding build quality; generously proportioned shower space in a quietly innovative washroom.
Cons
Electric step does not self-retract; Thetford toilet locker is not sealed.
Living
The big, island-bed layout at the rear naturally puts the squeeze on space elsewhere in this ’van. The washroom sits amidships, opposite the habitation entry door, and the small kitchen unit faces a half-dinette up front. All the habitation windows are fitted with flyscreens and blinds, and the cab has integral blinds.
The seating arrangement up front means that the swivel cab seats come into play at mealtimes. Unfortunately our test model had not got the swivel version of the passenger’s cab seat installed, but it will be available in standard production models. The table, which clips into a rail on the side wall, has a swing-out extension, and four people can eat comfortably here.
A TV bracket lowers through the underside of the overhead locker, above the dinette seats, and there are plenty of downlighters over the lounge area (in the rooflight surround and over the lockers) and colourful LED strip lights. Truma’s compact series Combi 6002EH boiler provides the space- and water-heating.
Kitchen
The kitchen in the 693 is well-equipped for a Continental ’van and comes with a large, 150-litre AES fridge. There’s a three-burner hob and a Smev oven and grill, all with spark ignition. A three-pin socket sits on the underside of the overhead locker, as do three downlighters, but there’s no extractor fan.
There’s not much in the way of workspace, but the sink cover doubles as a chopping board and the mixer taps would not look out of place in a show home. The large locker underneath houses two large, wire, storage baskets. All in all, it’s a functional kitchen.
Washroom
The sink unit in the cleverly designed washroom rotates through 90°, then a rounded shower door slides to meet a second, fold-out partition door to create a large, self-contained shower space. A large, integral strip light illuminates the room, and a new C-250 Thetford toilet takes pride of place.
Blown-air heating is ducted to the bathroom, and large wooden lockers provide plenty of space for toiletries.
Beds
A child-sized bed can be made up by removing the lower part of the two-piece table leg and clipping the table onto the lower of the two sidewall rails.
The rear island bed takes centre stage, though. A step up into the bedroom – underneath which is housed all the usual pipework – still affords 180cm of headroom. The overhead lockers are attractively shaped to make the area feel circular, and panoramic windows on both sidewalls flood the space with light.
The locker space above the bed on the rear wall allows just enough headroom for a six-footer to sit upright in bed and read the paper.
Storage
The main storage space is under the rear double bed, which lifts and self-supports on gas struts. There are wardrobes either side of the island bed, an overhead locker above the refrigerator stack, and plenty of overhead lockers above the lounge. A sliding tambour door in the base of the rear bed is suitable for a few smaller items.
Technical Specifications
| Payload | 600 kg |
| MTPLM | 3500 kg |
| Shipping Length | 7.10 m |
| Width | 2.35 m |
