Mobilvetta Tekno Line K Yacht 59 2022

Motorhomes that are compact, but with a large washroom at the rear and plenty of space to luxuriate in, are becoming increasingly popular. And with a large garage also included, the prospect feels even more tempting. We’ve seen such a layout in Roller-Team’s A-class Pegaso range, and in a good few low-profiles.

This season, while many other manufacturers were grappling with the effects of lockdowns, Italian brand Mobilvetta chose to completely revamp its A-class Tekno Line K Yacht range. While for many years this range has stuck to the standard island-bed or fixed-single-bed format, this time two new models have been included, just for the UK market. And one of them, the K Yacht 59, has that people end-washroom layout.

We went to have a look at it at the Northampton branch of Marquis Leisure, Mobilvetta’s sole UK dealer.

Exterior and cab

The K Yacht entered 2022 considerably refreshed. While much of the change is inside, there are improvements outside, too. The front facade, for example, has been remodelled  to provide a large windscreen that sits more flush with the profile. Graphics down the edges are now more substantial and you get Fiat alloy wheels and integrated all-LED rear lights.

But what’s really new is what’s  underneath. This season all K Yachts sit on Fiat’s 4400kg chassis, which means that you’ll need a C1 driving licence. In the past, Mobilvetta payloads were much lower, due to the company sticking with a 3500kg MTPLM; however, with the heavier chassis there’s a massive payload of 1001kg. That’s easily enough for couples – and, given that this is a three-berth with four travel seats (not shown in the prototype in our photos), it should be more than enough for at least one extra person, too.

There’s also another big change: Mobilvetta has decided to make life simpler by fitting an automatic gearbox as standard. And it’s Fiat’s new nine-speed gearbox, too; you should be in for a smooth ride.

As standard, the cab door is on the correct side for UK drivers. The cab inside is standard Ducato, but you’ll notice the improved vision the new windscreen gives you, not to mention the huge dashboard. An integrated rear-view camera is fitted, too. The captain’s seats have upholstery that matches the lounge.

Lounging and dining

A grab handle on a padded cross-stitched cushion helps you into the motorhome, and once you switch the lights on you’ll notice the large, lit mirror right by the door – so you can make sure you look your best before heading out on site again.

As the K Yacht moniker implies, Mobilvetta has taken inspiration from marine design for its interiors, which is why previous models came with a lot of chrome, shiny mahogany-type wood finishes, and shiny white lockers. Much of that has gone this year. The wood finish is paler and more matt; the settees continue the cross-stitching of the panel by the door, and are finished off in a pleasing mix of brown and cream; and that same colour combination is echoed in the locker doors. There is no chrome at all.

There should easily be enough room for six around the telescopic pedestal table, although perhaps only a small person should attempt to sit on the forward of the L-shaped seat, because the flap you can remove to make legroom for a fourth travelling passenger felt a little fragile to us. The table swings in all directions for easy access, so no one feels left out.

There is a slight step down from cab to lounge, but not enough to make those in the cab seats feel they’re too high up.

Diffused daylight comes nicely through the net blinds and a Heki. There are no spotlights, even in the cab, but night lighting includes a large LED light under the drop-down bed; and plenty of ambient light coming out from behind the lockers.

While Mobilvetta has shown admirable restraint in the new upholstery and furniture finish, it hasn’t entirely eliminated the blue ambient lighting that was a feature of previous season ‘vans. Two strips of blue shine out of the corners under the bed, to our mind, this slightly cheapens the elegant overall look.

There is a mains socket on the front end of the nearside sofa, and two USB ports on the same end of the offside one. Sockets and a bracket for a TV are positioned over the lit mirror by the door; from here a TV can be seen by everyone except those in the travel seats.

There’s also a shelf below here, and the other end of the settee includes a handy pocket to stash your latest copy of Practical Motorhome.

Sleeping

The overcab bed drops down easily – you no longer have to manoeuvre the cab seats to make sure they are in exactly the right position, as you sometimes needed to before. The bed is comfortable and comes with a press-on reading light. If you aren’t planning to use the third bed, a ladder to reach it can easily be positioned if you simply slide the table aside.

That has to be sacrificed if you find you need to make up a third bed, but this third bed is definitely not the nightmare jigsaw puzzle that many of these beds so often are. All you have to do is push the table down and fit in one infill cushion that makes the snuggest fit we’ve seen in a long time. If you remove the backrests it’s a really long bed, too – well over 2m – and wide, at 90cm. So a tall teenager shouldn’t have too much to complain about.

In addition, there is a tiny bit of seating room left over, so you’d have space to make a cuppa if they refuse to get out of bed.

Kitchen

The side kitchen is well separated from the lounge by a partition. With a short peninsula at the front there is adequate workspace, although much of it is behind the large, round sink. There are three burners on the flush-set hob, and one of them is an induction plate. A mains socket is located in the bottom of the locker above here.

The oven is a Duplex combined oven and grill, and there’s no microwave. But on the other side of the aisle you get a 149-litre fridge with a proper, separate freezer.

Mobilvetta hasn’t yet gone down the route that so many others have, of including a two-way opening fridge door, but you likely won’t need it here.

Washroom

The slight step up into the end washroom is a little irritating, and this isn’t quite as spacious as some other end washrooms we have seen – there’s only just about enough room in here for dressing.

However, the shower (on the offside) is well lit and, because there’s a small step down, has good headroom; there are also two drainage holes.

A large washbasin sits on a counter top at the back, under a well-lit mirror. At the other end, next to the wardrobe, is a toothbrush mug. There’s a roof vent in the centre, and more lighting.

You won’t have to worry about the access to the toilet cassette only being possible through any awning, because (unusually) the hatch for the cassette is on this ‘van’s rear panel.

Storage in the Mobilvetta Tekno Line K Yacht 59

There is plenty of opportunity to make use of that sizeable payload via the outside of this model. A large door at the rear of the nearside gives you access to the back of the washroom wardrobe. The shelves there can, if necessary, be folded away to let you store bigger items such as a parasol.

There is a small locker with an even smaller access door on the offside, and another external locker next to where the passenger seat is.

Inside the motorhome, there’s a small locker on the passenger side in the cab. Except for a small boot locker by the door, all underseat areas are taken up with the electrics and the water tanks.

Unusually, Moibilvetta has kept the design of the three overhead lockers on the offside the same over both the lounge and the kitchen; so you can choose what you use them for to suit your needs. Even the locker that’s directly over the kitchen doesn’t have a crockery rack.

Down below, kitchen storage is a little bit less practical. Under the small peninsula it is excellent, with three large shelves that slide out. But the pan cupboard under the oven is small, and its long door can get in the way of the washroom door, which could prove rather irritating longer-term. The narrow cupboard above this doesn’t seem particularly useful, either.

On the other side of the motorhome there is a small, oblong cupboard below the wardrobe to the left of the fridge, and another on top of it (although this is quite a height above floor level).

The shower in the washroom includes a handy rack for gels, and there’s a decent-sized cupboard underneath the basin.

The mirror also lifts up to reveal a locker. We found it a little tricky to lift this up fully without needing to step back out of the washroom, but it’s possible that a bit of practice would help in this regard.

While (with its shelves down) the wardrobe in the washroom is spacious, we were surprised to find the only wardrobe with a hanging facility to be on the other side of the washroom door. This does mean that clothing or shoes can be retrieved by another person while the washroom is occupied, however.

Equipment

This is where there’s a third pleasant surprise this season: 2022 K Yachts now come with Alde heating to keep you comfortably warm during the winter.

Elsewhere, the cab is very favourably attired in standard spec, with a rear-view camera plus a DAB radio with Bluetooth connectivity included. The water tanks are a good size. Perhaps the only slight disappointment is having a combined oven and grill, and no microwave at all; but this certainly isn’t the only Continental A-class with such a specification.

Our test model included a black roll-out awning, but that was part of a show offer.

Verdict

There are one or two niggles that we encountered in the Mobilvetta Tekno Line K Yacht 59 – the kitchen storage facility isn’t brilliant, and the end washroom isn’t as spacious as in some other models that feature this popular layout. However, the major additions to the K Yacht for the 2022 season are more than welcome and make it easy to see how it was shortlisted for both the best A-class motorhome and the best motorhome under £80,000 at the Practical Motorhome Awards.

Alde heating and an automatic gearbox will make using this ‘van much more enjoyable, and the heavier chassis gives you lots more payload to play with. Mobilvetta (and Marquis Leisure) are to be commended for presenting all this at an easy to understand price.

HIGHS

Great spec including Alde heating

Spacious lounge

Huge third bed

LOWS

Kitchen storage could be slightly better

Washroom isn’t the most spacious

BUY IF…

You plan to tour as a couple with only one occasional guest, and you want as much space as possible. You also want to motorhome with an easy to understand price, and not get bogged down with endless packs and optional extras.

TECHNICAL DATA

BASE VEHICLE

• Chassis Fiat Ducato
• Engine 2.3-litre 160bhp Euro 6D turbodiesel
• Power 160bhp (@3500rpm)
• Torque 380Nm (@1500-2500rpm)
• Transmission Nine-speed automatic gearbox fitted as standard
• Features Driver’s pack: ESP including Traction Control Plus, Hill Hold Assist, Hill Descent Control, Touchscreen sat nav, integrated rear view camera

CONVERSION

New design facade with larger windscreen, all-LED headlights, alloy wheels, iTech insulating technology involving 100% wood-free construction, 10-year water-ingress warranty, 24-month manufacturer habitation guarantee, Fiat chassis warranty

LOUNGING AND DINING

Rotating pedestal table, L-shaped seat incorporating two travel seats, Heki, one mains socket, two USB ports, TV sockets

KITCHEN

Hob with two gas burners and one induction burner, Thetford Duplex combined oven and grill, 149-litre fridge with separate freezer

SLEEPING

Drop-down double bed: 1.82×1.30m; front single bed: 2.15 x 0.9m

EQUIPMENT

Alde heating, 120W solar panel, external mains socket and BBQ point, Trafficmaster Trackstart S7 Tracker with one-year subscription, Mobilvetta Collection pack

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