9 Minivan Campers That Make Great Use Of Space
Minivans can sure be very convenient, but are they always space-efficient? No, unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. With many RVs out there, we feel that manufacturers could have done a little bit more to make them more efficient in the use of their room.
Which minivans are efficient in regard to space though? Well, to help you find that out, we offer to your attention our top of 9 minivans!
9 Minivan Campers that make great use of space
Sportsmobile Metris Terra Camper Edition
Specs:
- Length – 16.8 feet.
- Width – 75.9 inches.
- Height – 75.2 inches.
- Height with the top installed – 76.75 inches.
- GVWR – 6,724 inches.
Key features:
- Penthouse roof.
- Removable interior elements.
- Can be converted into a cargo hauler or a passenger van.
- 4 sleeping spots.
Sportsmobile is a company that is engaged in converting regular vans into minivans. One of the models that they are converting at the moment is the Mercedes-Benz Metris passenger van, which we decided to showcase on our material.
Sportsmobile boasts that this is the most compact minivan that has been ever manufactured by the company. It’s definitely not the most compact minivan overall on the market, but its length of 16.8 feet makes it quite compact nonetheless.
As we mentioned, Sportsmobile is converting vans into campers. They are mostly using production models supplied by manufacturers, but they also allow you to bring in your own van for conversion. Interior conversion for the Metris passenger van costs $26,975, and they’re also is a penthouse top conversion option for $9,500.
With a converted interior, the Metris van boasts a variety of additions, including cabinets, kitchen cabinets for a stove, fridge, and sink, a Dometic Cool Freeze freezer and cooler, LED lighting, two rear seats, and many other goodies.
The most remarkable thing about all these additions is that they are actually removable. This allows you to turn the Metris minivan into a cargo hauler or convert it back into a passenger van when you need it. Well, this sounds like an excellent use of available space to us!
In terms of sleeping space, the Metris minivan has space for a family of 4, which is excellent for the size of this vehicle.
An interesting feature of the Metris minivan is its penthouse top, which allows for a significant increase in headroom when in its highest position.
All in all, if you are a kind of traveler that often needs to alternate between a camper and a passenger van, then you will probably like what the Metris minivan has to offer.
Winnebago Revel
Starts at $163,292
Specs:
- Length – 19 feet 5 inches.
- Height – 9 feet 10 inches.
- Width – 7 feet 1 inch.
- GVWR – 8,550 pounds.
Key features:
- 4×4 chassis.
- Power-lift bed with garage storage underneath.
- Hydronic heating system.
- 3 deep-cycle batteries.
- 2.5 cubic feet refrigerator.
The Winnebago Revel is quite a bit different from the Sportsmobile Metris minivan.
Now, you might be wondering why we have included a class B motorhome on our top. The thing is that terms “minivan” and “motorhome” are often used interchangeably, and the Winnebago Revel technically may be considered a minivan. Plus, it adds a bit more variety to our list.
The Winnebago Revel, in our opinion, is miles ahead of the Metris minivan in terms of convenience and functionality.
The first thing to note in this vehicle is its 4×4 chassis and the on-demand 4WD system that delivers 325 pounds/feet of torque for increased off-road capability. This isn’t a thing needed by everyone, but RVers with some very specific needs may be satisfied with what the Revel has to offer.
Inside, the Revel has much more convenience and comfort than the Metris. The most important interior difference between the two minivans is that the Revel actually has an all-in-one gear closet and wet bath, which makes this RV a self-sustained unit.
Winnebago has also equipped this RV with a power-lift bed that has a 140 cubic feet storage area beneath with 6 tie-down anchors, which basically makes the Revel a toy hauler motorhome.
The Revel RV also comes quite well-equipped – namely, Winnebago includes 3 deep-cycle batteries, a 2,000 AC/DC inverter, as well as a hydronic heating system.
All this beauty costs quite some money though – you will need to be ready to pay over $160.000 to enjoy the benefits of the Revel. But given that this thing is so packed with features and conveniences, we aren’t surprised that it’s so expensive.
Winnebago Boldt
Starts at $198,614
Specs:
- Length – 23 feet 4 inches.
- Height – 9’9”/9’11” with the 4×4 chassis
- Width – 7 feet 2 inch.
- GVWR – 11,030 pounds.
Key features:
- Optional 4×4 chassis.
- Power-lift bed.
- 4-season insulation.
- Non-ducted AC.
The Winnebago Boldt RV pushes the comfort of the Revel a little bit further, while at the same time increasing the price by over $30,000 up to $198,614. Is this RV worth such money? That’s up to you to decide, but let’s overview what it has to offer.
Much longer than the Revel, the Boldt RV has noticeably more interior room. Thanks to this increased amount of space, this vehicle has more things to offer by default.
First of all, the Boldt RV is again a self-sustained vehicle since it has a bathroom, a kitchen, and some sleeping area. In the Q70 BL floorplan, you have a similar wet bath to what the Revel had. However, the Q70 KL floorplan has a much more comfortable full bathroom situated in the back of the vehicle. This full bathroom has a sink, shower, and toilet, as well more interior room than the Q70 BL floorplan.
Winnebago boasts extensive 4-season insulation in this RV, which is claimed to allow RVers to travel year-round without sacrificing any comfort. If you don’t wish to deal with any insulation upgrades, then the Boldt RV may be an excellent option for you.
Speaking of options, Winnebago offers a 4×4 chassis option for this RV, so if you are planning to do off-roading, then the Boldt RV may be of interest to you.
Overall, while we wouldn’t say that the Boldt is fundamentally different from the Revel RV, it does offer much more in its bigger interior. Our personal favorite was the full bathroom of the Q70 KL floorplan, which is all in all the more space-efficient floorplan of the two.
Airstream Interstate Nineteen
Starting at $152,225
Specs:
- Length – 19 feet 5 inches.
- Height w/ AC – 9 feet 7 inches.
- Width – 6 feet 7 inch.
- GVWR – 8,550 pounds.
Key features:
- Optional 4×4 chassis.
- 13,000BTU AC with heat strips.
- 14,300BTU furnace.
- 3.2 cubic feet refrigerator.
- Spacious bathroom.
- Integrated C-Zone RV management system.
- Auto-adjusting rear suspension.
The Airstream Interstate Nineteen touring coach is very similar to the Winnebago Revel minivan, but it doesn’t have all that 4×4 stuff by default. If you don’t need increased off-road performance, then the Interstate Nineteen will probably be a more reasonable buy.
While this RV is sized almost exactly like the Winnebago Revel, there are some crucial differences that, in our opinion, actually make this a more comfortable RV overall!
We, first of all, like the more spacious bathroom of the Interstate Nineteen. It’s technically a full bathroom since it has a shower, a sink, and a toilet, but it’s built like a wet bath system. It’s thus more comfortable than the bathroom of the Revel, but it’s far behind the Boldt.
The Interstate Nineteen doesn’t have the toy hauler capability of the Revel, but this isn’t too big of a downside since not everyone will need it. And instead of a power-lift bed, this RV has a foldable sofa that can be unfolded into a 66 x 73-inch bed which, as claimed by Airstream, is the biggest bed in a class B RV.
Airstream also boasts the integrated C-Zone system which basically makes the Interstate Nineteen RV a smart minivan. Through this system, you can control virtually all the features in this RV, including its power awning, the interior lighting, the air conditioner, etc.
Speaking of air conditioning, this RV comes with a 13,000BTU AC unit, as well as a 14,300BTU furnace, which should allow you to comfortably stay in this RV in a wide range of temperatures.
A unique feature of the Interstate Nineteen is its Air Ride rear suspension designed by Airstream. It is built to automatically adjust itself to bumps, elevation changes, and wind resistance to deliver a more comfortable ride.
In conclusion, the feature-packed Interstate Nineteen is a nice alternative to the 4×4 Revel RV, but with off-road capability available as an option only for those who need it.
Airstream Atlas
Starting at $225,424
Specs:
- Length – 24 feet 9 inches.
- Height w/ AC – 10 feet 6 inches.
- Width – 8 feet 3 inch.
- GVWR – 11,030 pounds.
Key features:
- Extremely comfortable interior.
- Residential-style bathroom.
- 15,000BTU AC with heat pump.
- 16,000BTU furnace.
- 9.1 cubic feet refrigerator.
- Auto-adjusting rear suspension.
Priced at $225,424, Atlas is Airstream’s most luxurious and most comfortable touring coach. This thing is just packed with features and conveniences, which makes it an excellent vehicle in terms of space efficiency.
The first thing to catch the eye in the Atlas minivan is its huge residential-style bathroom in the rear. It is unlike anything we’ve seen on our list – with a huge shower cabin and ample floor room, we think this is among the best bathrooms that you will have the chance to see in an RV.
The kitchen area in the Atlas RV isn’t as imposing, but it also has one feature up its sleeve, which is its large 9.1 cubic feet refrigerator. This refrigerator makes this RV excellent for longer journeys, as well as for people who just love snacks.
The bed in the Atlas RV is also quite a unique one. It features the so-called Froli system with interlocking springs that provide a supportive and ergonomic sleeping surface. The bed itself is lifted up against the slide out wall when not in use, which frees up quite a bit of interior space.
The Atlas shares a few features with the Interstate Nineteen as well, but it makes everything bigger and better. Namely, it comes with a more powerful 3.2KW diesel generator, a 15,000BTU AC with a heat pump system, as well as a 16,000BTU furnace. The Air Ride rear suspension is again here to make your rides more comfortable.
Overall, if you are ready to spend the money on luxury and comfort, then there will be very few RVs that will be able to overshadow Airstream Atlas.
Roadtrek Zion Slumber
Starting at $178,010
Specs:
- Length – 21 feet 11 inches.
- Height w/ AC – 8 feet 10 inches.
- Width – 7 feet 4 inch.
- GVWR – 9,600 pounds.
Key features:
- 10,200BTU AC.
- Two AGM 2,400W batteries.
- 16,000BTU furnace.
- 5 cubic feet refrigerator.
The Roadtrek Zion Slumber minivan is much simpler than everything we’ve overviewed so far. Aside from that, it is only priced at $178,010. This RV thus will lack some comfort, but what is much more important is that it comes with all the basics of a self-sustained recreational vehicle.
Arguably the biggest difference between this and previous RVs is that it is made on the base of the Ram ProMaster chassis extended van. While Mercedes-Benz vans to us look prettier, there are certain benefits that the chassis of the Ram ProMaster chassis has, one of them being a much lower height of 8 feet 10 inches.
Inside, the lower exterior height may translate into overall less headroom, but this doesn’t take away from the comfort of this RV too much, especially given that it, as we mentioned, has everything you’d expect from a minivan.
One notable thing in this RV is that it actually sleeps up to 3 people thanks to its foldable bunk bed in the front and the king-sized bed in the rear. Roadtrek even went ahead and designed the rear bed in a way so that it could be converted into a twin bed if the occupants so desire.
The kitchen area in this RV is also quite nice, particularly thanks to the included 5 cubic feet refrigerator. What also catches the eye in the kitchen is its ample countertop space.
The bathroom in this minivan, unfortunately, isn’t the most imposing on our list, especially given that this isn’t the smallest RV we saw today. Well, there are some things that you need to be ready to sacrifice when going for a cheaper RV.
Roadtrek Play SRT
Starting at $73,849
Specs:
- Length – 19 feet 7 inches.
- Height w/ AC – 9 feet 5 inches.
- Width – 6 feet 11 inch.
- GVWR – 8,900 pounds.
Key features:
- Not too expensive.
- 11,000BTU AC.
- 16,000BTU furnace.
- 5 cubic feet refrigerator.
The Roadtrek Simplicity SRT – albeit not the cheapest RV on our list – is considerably cheaper than most of the models we overviewed. While we wouldn’t say that it is fundamentally different from pricier RVs of comparable size, the fact that it lacks the ruggedness and feature-richness of higher-end models makes it a much more modest option.
$73,849 still is a lot of money, so you’d definitely want to get a good value for it. And we think that the Simplicity SRT delivers for its price.
If we made comparisons with other RVs, we’d say that this model is very similar to the Winnebago Revel we overviewed at the very beginning. However, while the general layout of these two RVs is very similar, there are some crucial things that the Simplicity SRT lacks.
Well, those are pretty much all the features that made the Revel stand out, including its toy hauler capacity, the rugged 4×4 chassis, and the hydronic heating system. Aside from that, the Simplicity SRT is built on the ProMaster 2500 chassis, which may be another factor contributing to its cheapness.
There are certain things that make the Simplicity SRT a better RV though, one of them being the 5 cubic feet refrigerator which is double the size of the Revel’s refrigerator. And more importantly, we think that this RV is a much better value for the money, especially given that it costs half the price of the Revel.
In terms of space efficiency, the Simplicity SRT minivan arguably isn’t as good, mainly because of the bed that occupies most of the rear area of the RV at all times. If the bed was foldable or maybe had a garage area like the Revel, this thing would be excellent in regard to space efficiency.
But again, given the price of this thing, we think that it delivers a great amount of comfort for the interior room available to it.
Hymercar Fiat minivan
Starting at £64,450 euros
Floorplan | Length | Closed height | Width |
Sydney | 16.3’ | 7.71’ | 6.72’ |
Ayers Rock | 17.75’ | 8.86‘ | 6.82’ |
Grand Canyon | 19.65’ | ||
Yosemite | |||
Yellowstone | 20.87’ |
Key features:
- Very inexpensive.
- 2-4 sleeping spots.
- Pop-up tent roof.
- 2-3 cubic feet refrigerators.
- Bathroom in all floorplans except for Sydney.
This Fiat-based minivan is manufactured by the European company Hymercar. While US-based RVers may find it problematic to ship this RV to the US, we think that it nonetheless is worthy enough to be featured on our list.
This RV is the cheapest model on our list, priced at £64,450 euros, which was around $64,450 at the moment of this post’s writing. Aside from that, this line offered the shortest minivans that we’ve seen today, which makes them an excellent choice for people who don’t have too much free space in their garages.
However, in spite of their compactness, the Hymercar RVs have a good amount of comfort to offer. This is especially noticeable in the smaller floorplans.
Let’s start with the Sydney floorplan, which measures 16.3 feet in length. The shortest floorplan not only in this line but also overall, the Sydney has a relatively limited amount of comfort. For example, it doesn’t have a bathroom, but on the other hand, it actually has 4 berths, which is amazing for this size!
The kitchen area here is quite nice though – the Sydney has an around 2 cubic feet refrigerator, as well as a sink and a two-burner stove.
The larger Ayers Rock floorplan has fewer berths by default – only 2 – but its larger interior space allowed Hymercar to equip it with a compact bathroom with a toilet and shower.
As for the last three floorplans, their features and layouts are very similar to those of the Roadtrek Simplicity SRT RV. The 20.87 feet Yellowstone floorplan with its huge sleeping space in the rear and the decently sized 3 cubic feet refrigerator is particularly notable.
By the way, Hymercar RVs also have a pop-up roof tent, just like the Sportsmobile Metris minivan did. Thanks to it, this RV line offers ample headroom, which will be especially noticeable in the smaller floorplans.
Hymercar Grand Canyon S
Starting at £74,520 euros
Specs:
- Length – 19.46 feet.
- Height w/ AC – 9.1 feet.
- Width – 6.66 feet.
- Max permissible mass – 3,500kg (7,716.18lbs).
Key features:
- Inexpensive.
- 3 cubic feet refrigerator.
- 2-4 berths.
- Easy-to-access service opening.
And the last minivan on our list is the Hymercar Grand Canyon S, which is a very inexpensive RV built on a Mercedes-Benz chassis. At a price of £74,520 euros ($74,520 at the moment of this post’s writing), this is a very inexpensive Mercedes-Benz-based RV. If you really wanted such a Mercedes-Benz minivan but didn’t quite like the pricing of other models on our list, maybe this one will be more appealing for you.
In terms of layout, this minivan is very similar to other Mercedes-Benz-based RVs on our list. However, this thing isn’t as richly-equipped as all other such minivans, which will be a downside for people who like comfort no matter the money. But again, this minivan costs much less than other comparable models.
What’s remarkable about this minivan though is its nice amount of sleeping space. By default, this minivan comes with 2 berths, but you could actually choose the option of 4 berths.
Aside from that, Hymercar boasts an easy-to-access service opening in this minivan. Located inside, it allows you to service the heating and water systems without leaving the RV.
Other than that, we’d say that the Grand Canyon S doesn’t differ too much from other Mercedes-Benz-based . The biggest advantage of this RV is its cheap price, which is because this model isn’t as feature-rich as others.