Verdict
At 1.93 x 1.2m, the rear double bed isn’t the largest we’ve seen, but if you can live with that, this little motorhome will make a good buy for couples wanting a compact two-berth. The kit level is high and the layout cleverly designed to make maximum use of the space. It’s also well-priced and modern-looking.
Pros
The central kitchen is generous in size and well-equipped
Dinette up front provides two belted travel seats
Cons
The make-up bed in the rear lounge isn’t the largest we’ve seen
Swift’s Escape range was launched back in 2009, and it’s testament to the brand’s enduring popularity that it’s still going stronger than ever. This began as a range for those who were looking for a modern, budget coachbuilt; while those traits remain, these days it looks a lot more classy – it can easily hold its own among other, more expensive models.
The range received a major revamp in 2017, but 2019 sees an arguably even more exciting development – the launch of a new Escape sub-brand, the Compact.
The demand for compacts has grown, so this is timely, and the range features a trio of layouts that are likely to prove very popular.
One – the C205 – has a lift up, transverse bed over a garage, while the other two – the C402 and C404 both feature a rear lounge. All come in at less than six metres in length, and are narrower than the standard Escape, making them easier to drive on country roads or through busy towns.
Living
We Brits do love a lounge at the back of our motorhomes, and what’s really clever about this one is that it’s shorter than usual. While that does mean there’s a bit less room to stretch out in, the payoff is the space that it frees up elsewhere in the vehicle.
This offers enough room for a dinette up front, with a pair of belted seats – so you can travel with four people on board, making this an ideal ‘van for running children around in before they pitch up a pup tent and sleep outside.
If you want four sleeping berths, the C404 has a drop-down bed over that rear lounge.
Alternatively, you can use the dinette as somewhere to eat and leave the bed up permanently – ideal if you’re planning to arrive on site late at night and don’t want the hassle of making up a bed.
Kitchen
The kitchen sits in the centre of the motorhome, on the nearside, and it’s a generous size.
What’s more, it’s well specified: the kit count here includes an 85-litre Dometic automatic energy selection fridge, three-burner gas hob, oven/grill, and microwave.
Washroom
The washroom in the C402 is also surprisingly large for a compact motorhome; although there’s no separate shower cubicle, you’ll find plenty of room to get washed in here, and the area is fully lined, too.
There’s storage space, in the form of a small cupboard, as well as a towel ring and toothbrush holder.
Storage
There’s plenty of room to store your bits and bobs, too, incuding space under the rear sofas and lockers above the lounge.
Technical Specifications
Payload | 603 kg |
MTPLM | 3300 kg |
Shipping Length | 5.99 m |
Width | 2.26 m |