Verdict
With a more conventional design – minus the rear tailgate – this new Swift Rio 325 should prove popular with traditionalists looking for a compact and well-equipped two-berth. In addition to the garage, there are plenty of storage options. And to see other Swift motorhomes for sale, click here.
Pros
It handles well on the road and is very manageably sized
The kitchen is well equipped
Storage is good
Cons
The washroom is a touch compromised
Swift’s Rio was one of the most distinctive British-made motorhome launches of 2014 (for the 2015 season). A low-profile coachbuilt sporting a rear tailgate to create an open aspect from the rear lounges, the inaugural 320 and 340 models have now been joined by two siblings.
Both eschew the tailgate, although the 325, which we are reviewing here, retains its innovation credentials with a height-adjustable transverse rear bed over a garage; the 5.99m-long 310 model has a parallel lounge and an end washroom.
Ride quality is good and, with a wheel at each corner, handling is assured
Living
The large sunroof over the cab brightens the Rio 325’s dinette, already helped by the mid-tone cabinet work. These surfaces combine well with the oatmeal-and-brown upholstery, relieved by a turquoise accent. The light worktops match the unmistakably Swift Group beige mouldings overhead.
Extra guests can easily join you for meals and snacks, courtesy of a clip-on lounge table and swivelling front seats. The choice of seating will also work well for a couple, who can face each other rather than sitting side-by-side on a seat bench.
Kitchen
Equipment in the Rio 325’s kitchen is generous. A dual-fuel cooker, a separate oven and grill, and a fridge with a separate freezer compartment top the list, supported by a microwave oven and a circular sink. There’s style to go with the substance, too, thanks to an illuminated splashback and cream locker facings.
Preparation space is not extensive, but this should not present a hardship for tidy cooks. Close the cooker lids, fit the sink infill cover and extend the tip-up flap to the right of the cooker and there’s some decent work surface to play with. To the left of the worktop is a 230V socket that is ideal for toasters, a sandwich-maker or a coffee machine.
A rooflight above the microwave can rid the motorhome of cooking odours and steam.
Washroom
On a body length of 5.99m, the Swift Rio 325’s washroom was always going to have to be a multi-function space. Step into the combined shower tray and toilet floor where there’s a swivel, electric-flush Thetford.
Behind this is a moulded unit containing a sink and a mixer tap that doubles as the showerhead. A curtain on a U-shaped track keeps spray from the wooden door, and users also get a half-length mirror.
Beds
When it’s time to go to sleep in this two-berth ’van, you’ll be accommodated in the transverse bed above the rear garage. It measures a respectable 1.85m x 1.3m (6ft 1in x 4ft 3in).
Storage
A rear garage, accessed only on the nearside, heads up the storage options in the Rio 325. Two lockers are fitted in the lounge, while two in the kitchen boast crockery racks. These are joined by a cutlery drawer, a narrow cabinet and a pan cupboard under the oven.
Three lockers hang on the rear wall above the bed. A wardrobe next to the bed features restrainers to stow the dining table in transit.
Technical Specifications
| Payload | 662 kg |
| MTPLM | 3500 kg |
| Shipping Length | 5.99 m |
| Width | 2.26 m |
