Italian manufacturer Laika has been positioned by its owner, the Erwin Hymer Group (who you can find out more about in our guide to the best motorhome brands), as a more luxury brand. The Kosmo, however, was introduced a couple of seasons ago as an entry level into this luxury: a starting point for those who might later choose an Ecovip or a Kreos. We went to see the 509, a four-berth low-profile, at Emm-Bee Motorhomes, near Bury in Lancashire.
Based on a Fiat Ducato, the 509 has a large garage at the rear and an external BBQ point. The cab is standard Ducato with central drinks holders, but the captain’s seats nudge things up with special Laika branding. You also get cruise control, a passenger airbag and cab air conditioning as standard.
The 509 has an L-shaped dinette seat, and there are four travel seats as standard. With the cab seats swivelled, there is easily enough room for six to sit around the table.
Even with the (optional) drop-down bed, this lounge isn’t gloomy, because light streams in through the sunroof. At night there is a selection of LEDs.
There are no spotlights by the cab seats, but whoever sits there should have a good view of a TV, as the sockets are beside the door. There is another mains socket under the travel seats.
There is a step down into the kitchen (and then back up to the bedroom) that you’ll need to be aware of. But thanks to a section of the floor that you can remove, you get to choose where this step goes – to the rear of the cab, so there’s extra leg room for the side settee, or just in front of the habitation door, so at least the front lounge is all flat.
The L-shaped kitchen comes with a three-burner gas hob with a stylish trivet. The worktop is well lit, thanks to a large window, a Heki and LEDs. The area is small, but the sink cover can be clipped onto a sliding rail above the tap for extra serving space.
You get a Thetford Duplex combined oven and grill, and a slimline fridge across the aisle, but no microwave.
The washroom straddles the ‘van, with the shower on the nearside and the toilet area on the side with the door, so the toilet-cassette access point may be inside any awning you use. You have to step down slightly to get into the shower, but it has excellent headroom. The cubicle is well ventilated by a large roof vent, and lit by two LEDs.
The washroom is well kitted out, and there’s a mains socket, too. The window brings in plenty of light.
Unusually, there is only one partition across the ‘van and it’s at the front, so there’s open access from the washroom into the bedroom. This is probably one of the few signs of this being an entry-level ‘van, although there are equivalent models out there that include two washroom partitions.
The fixed beds are both well over 2m long, and you can add a cushioned panel to turn them into a huge double.
There are spotlights for reading and a mains socket in the corner, and the roof light and windows stop this area feeling dark in the day. The drop-down bed is large and comes with two LEDs, although it does obscure the door.
Those rear beds are not so practical for storage. You can’t lift the slats, so packing the wardrobes is awkward.
The three overhead lockers in the lounge are much better. There are also double shelves above the cab, two cubbyholes in the floor, a boot locker by the door and two overhead lockers across the back.
Kitchen storage is adequate, with a large overhead locker and a cupboard with a shelf under the sink. The rest of the space is all drawers.
Perhaps the best storage comes in the washroom. It includes a large cupboard with six shelves, and there’s another cupboard under the sink.
The garage is large enough for two bikes and has lights and bike holds.
PRACTICAL MOTORHOME SAYS…
Not having a separate oven and grill or a microwave is fairly standard in a Continental motorhome, but it is a pity about the wardrobe access and the single partition for the washroom. However, for an entry-level motorhome, the Kosmo is lavishly fitted out, and that luxurious washroom and huge rear double bed should make this an ideal getaway vehicle for touring couples.
If you’re looking for another 2 berth, why not see how the Kosmo fares against the Swift Select Compact C500?
Update: here in 2024? See what we made of the Laika Ecovip 540 when we put it to the test.
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Even with the (optional) drop-down bed, this lounge isn't gloomy, because light streams in through the sunroof
Technical Specifications
| Berth | 2 |
| MiRO | 2960 kg |
| Payload | 540 kg |
| MTPLM | 3500 kg |
| Shipping Length | 7.41 m |
| Width | 2.33 m |
| Engine Size | 2200 cc |
