TOYOTA PROACE CAMPERVAN

The Toyota Proace Matino camper is converted by Wellhouse Leisure, and jam-packed with goodies and practical fixtures and fittings for comfortable days out and nights in. I don’t normally drive vans, apart from the odd review, but I have to say I rather like the Proace.

No matter the surface, it’s quite springy, but without the wallowing effect the Ford Nugget (that I reviewed last month) had; speed bumps and potholes are easily dismissed.

This particular Proace is powered by a 2.0 litre diesel engine with 180bhp and 8 speed automatic gearbox. It’s a lovely combination and was constantly sipping fuel in the high 30s and low 40s.

Visibility isn’t the greatest if you have the rear seat in the upright position, but once lowered you have full view through the rear window. The vehicle had front and rear parking sensors, but no camera.

Like the Nugget I featured last month, if you like to go camping on challenging terrain, or even soggy fields, note that there's no four-wheel drive version, so it’s worth buying a set of all terrain tyres and track mats, just in case.

It’s still a van, so don’t expect layers of leather and a soft touch dash and I was slightly disappointed that there isn’t a huge amount of spaces for mobiles, sweets and sunglasses, but you do get plenty space in the doors bins and a couple of cubby holes on the dash.

The seats are really comfortable during long journeys, and as you’d expect in a camper, both front seats can be easily rotated through 180º to face the living area. Of all the campers I have driven, these are the easiest to rotate.

The Matino is designed around the classic side kitchen layout and does well for space considering it's based on the medium wheelbase Proace.

As you enter via the sliding door on the passenger side, the kitchen is facing you. It has the usual mod cons; a 25 litre compressor fridge, flush-fitting two-burner hob and sink. To the right of the sink you’ll find an 8” colour screen digital control panel that shows you the fresh & waste water tank levels, battery levels and allows you to switch the internal and exterior lights on and off.

Beneath the screen are 12V & 240V power points and the Webasto 2kw blown air heating control panel, which works incredibly well.

When it comes to storage there are two slim top lockers above the kitchen and cupboards aplenty. Though to access them you do need to slide the seat system back and forth.

There’s also a 100W solar panel attached to the roof.

The Matino has two beds; to access the one with a view in the tilting roof, release the two cam-straps from behind the two front seats and let the struts do the rest.

Access is via a ladder that clips on to the front ledge, though access for a fat bloke like myself is a little awkward. Once you’ve had your beauty sleep the bed can be raised to allow standing headspace whilst cooking breakfast.

Laying out the bottom bed means unfolding the sliding seat, and is quite easy. Interestingly, once you’ve set up the lower bed you sleep on the underside of the seats, not the side you sit on whilst travelling, if that makes sense.

With your feet at the tailgate it’s quite easy for you to reach the control panel and access the lights and heater, which is a nice touch.

The width of the bed means that it’s ample space for one person, but a bit snug for two.

The sliding seat system is a fully crash-tested German made unit with multi point fixing points on the floor that allows you to add extra single seats, or dog cages.

Underneath the rear seat is a small drawer that’s home for a lightweight and free-standing table. Personally this is preferable to one that you fix to the floor as it can also be used outside and moved around the van as and when required.

Weather wise I definitely chose the wrong week to borrow the Matino, the only day there wasn’t high winds and horizontal rain was the day it was due to be collected. The unpleasant weather did prove how good the Webesto heater was, and the ability to cook a decent dinner in comfort is always a bonus.

With any camper based on a medium-size van there are always going to be compromises, and the Matino does a fine job of minimising them. Advertised as a 4 berth, realistically you’re looking at 2 adults and 2 smaller children otherwise it’ll become a bit claustrophobic. And don’t forget that you also have Toyota’s 10-year warranty package.

The Matino is available to order from Toyota retailers across the UK with prices starting from £52,000. For further details about the conversion, check out Wellhouse’s website - https://wellhouseleisure.com