Selecting the right type of vehicle for your long-awaited trip is often the first thing you must choose when you decide to go camping.
Although both vehicles serve the same purpose, to get anywhere you want and spend the night (or a couple of nights) at your dream location, some differences might not be evident to everyone.
Campervans are usually smaller vehicles with just the basic features; the bed, a fridge and a simple cooking stove. That is the bare minimum a car should have to earn the right to be called a campervan.
Usually, campervans are made on the chassis of any van that is used to transport passengers or other loads. Campervans are smaller and more compact than the motorhomes and usually cheaper to buy or rent.
Being more compact than the motorhome means that they are easier to navigate the narrow roads you might find yourself in on your trip. Also, due to their dimensions, they tend to be more fuel efficient and generally more comfortable to drive.
Their drawbacks can be precisely the things that make them easy to drive. Smaller dimensions mean that you will not have all of the “luxury” of the home while on the road. That includes a bathroom, a larger fridge and a lot of storage room although in recent years there are more and more campervans that contain a small bathroom.
On the other hand, a motorhome has all of the features you can find in any house or an apartment. A large bed (up to 7), a large dining area, a large fridge, a separate bathroom, and an ample storage area is what makes the difference between a campervan and a motorhome.
Motorhomes are almost always made on the chassis of a smaller lorry/delivery vehicle which has enough room for all of the features in a motorhome. They come in three different versions; an alcove, semi-integrated and an integrated motorhome.
The alcove version is the one with the bed above the driver’s seat, the semi-integrated doesn’t have a bed above the driver’s seat, and an integrated motorhome is the type of the vehicle that is entirely built into a motorhome from the bottom up (even the front windshield is custom made).
Their advantages are distinct; a lot of room for everyone and anything you want to bring with you on your trip. The drawback can be their size and fuel efficiency (especially on alcove models due to the bulge on the front).
Choosing the right type of vehicle for your trip can be difficult, so you need to set your priorities before selecting the vehicle for your holiday. If you like to have more comfort or want to travel with more people, then the motorhome is the right way to go. But, if you are sure you can manage without the bathroom or travel with only one or two persons, a campervan might be the vehicle you need.
Whatever your needs and wishes are, you can always ask us for our opinion about the best vehicle for your holiday. And make sure to check campervans and motorhome in our offer.