Swift Voyager 695 EL

It sleeps four and has four travel seats. There’s an over-cab double bed and, at the rear, the option of sleeping in two single beds or a massive double that makes across the whole width of the motorhome. So far so predictable. But there’s something amazing about this motorhome’s bed option: you can widen the single beds by pulling out the base which has a single U-shaped leg assembly – it’s a really easy operation. Pulling these bed bases fully out from under each settee forms the base of the double bed in seconds. It is this spacious lounge-bed area that is the 695 EL’s strong appeal; there’s plenty of space to relax – and you have a separate dining area at the front as well. At night the rear section can be partitioned from the rest of the motorhome by a pleated blind. Just forward of the lounge is, on the nearside, a wardrobe that gives you half-length hanging space with two shelves beneath; the wardrobe shares its space with the gas bottle housing, which is why the hanging space is curtailed, but the gas bottle box doesn’t occupy the full depth of the wardrobe, so there’s space for two narrow shelves at the base of the wardrobe – perfect for shoes. It’s a clever used of space. Opposite is the washroom. Here again, the designers have made ingenuous use of small space. The shower is almost circular, and with a wooden slatted base. Remove it when you have a shower; when the shower is not in use, this base extends the floor area as you can step into the shower base, creating enough space in which to dress. A wall cupboard and an under-washbasin unit take care of the shampoo paraphernalia, together with three triangular shelves tucked away between toilet and shower – useful when you’re on a site but remember to pack away things from here when you drive. Upper kitchen storage space, is excellent. Above the sink and work-space is a cupboard that attractively forms part of a curved unit which gives you two central open shelves and curves onwards to the right to form the microwave housing – very neat. And over the dining table is a surprise: two more head lockers, one with a splitter shelf and the other fitted with a moulded plastic unit with recesses for cups and plates – with a web of elasticated mini-bungee-type bands that enables you to secure your tableware. Importantly , because they’re fixed in place, this minimises rattles. Hob cooking comes courtesy of three gas burners and a mains hotplate. And kitchen surface area, while not large, is very workable; put the chopping board cover over the sink and you have doubled your surface space instantly.