Campervan vs Motorhome

Are you looking to hit the road in a leisure vehicle and are wondering which one is best for you? Whether you intend on travelling solo, as a couple, or with the whole family, you will need to decide whether to invest in a campervan or motorhome.

At YourDreamCampers, we sell a variety of motorhomes and campervans, so you’re bound to find the right vehicle for you.

While these two kinds of vehicles may seem remarkably similar, there are differences you should know that will decide if a campervan or motorhome is right for you.

In this post, we will look at the most crucial motorhome or campervan differences to help you make the best choice.

Before we do that, let’s cover some of the basics.

What is the Difference Between a Campervan and Motorhome?

Let’s take motorhomes first. These leisure vehicles have been built specifically to provide a comfortable means of travelling and tend to be bigger than campervans.

A campervan either comes as a campervan from new or is a van that has been renovated into a camping vehicle. Campervans may be smaller and more compact than motorhomes but offer greater flexibility.

When you take a campervan on a trip, it does give you more options and often can stop at places you might not be able to fit in with a larger motorhome.

What About the Living Area of Both Vehicles?

When deciding whether to hire a motorhome or campervan, consider the living area. Motorhomes are larger and often preferred by families due to their space. However, a VW campervan can still accommodate a smaller family since there are many options available, such as a pop-up roof.

Campervans often have front seats that swivel 360 degrees and become part of the space at the back. Motorhomes will have designated seating areas but may also have swivel chairs at the front.

Most motorhomes also feature more space for a bigger, more comfortable kitchen area, larger seating, beds, and storage. Campervans may have all these features, but on a smaller scale and more compactly arranged.

What About the Toilets?

When choosing a large or small motorhome or campervan, you will also want to consider the toilet situation because, after all, when you are out in the middle of nowhere, you need to know you have the comfort you prefer when nature calls. Most motorhomes will have a designated bathroom with a toilet, whereas a campervan (depending on size) will likely have a pullout toilet that can be stored under a seat.

What will matter to many, though, is the fact that while both vehicles will have toilet facilities, there is a big difference between the more sophisticated and comfortable toilets of a motorhome and the simple portapotty-style toilet you are likely to find in a campervan.

Which is Easier to Drive?

As we have already discussed, when deciding whether to invest in a campervan or motorhome, the size is a factor you need to consider; along with the size, you need to think about how easy it will be to drive both vehicles. A test drive is the recommended way to get a feel for both types of vehicles. Campervans are smaller and, therefore, are much easier to manoeuvre for drivers of all skill levels and experience. Given their larger and wider size, it will depend on how confident and competent a driver you feel and whether you want to try a motorhome.

Think beyond just driving on roads and about getting into tight spots and parking. If you find it hard to deal with tight and narrow spaces in a smaller vehicle, this will be challenging in a bigger one.

Is There Any Real Difference in Price?

Generally, there is more overlap than you may think between the cost to buy a motorhome or campervan. It depends greatly on your budget and what you are looking for from your vehicle. Flashier, bigger, and more modern motorhomes with many features will be more expensive than a simpler campervan.

Interestingly, there has been a noticeable increase in the price of many campervans, especially those made by Volkswagen, as the popularity has increased post Covid-19 lockdown.

So, rather than focusing on the price alone, you must think about what you need and then decide on a budget. For incredible deals, speak to one of the YourDreamCampers team.

Which is Best for Sightseeing?

This is a crucial aspect of the debate over campervan or motorhome because you will likely look to do many day trips and sightseeing in a leisure vehicle. As we have already noted when talking about the size of these two options, campervans offer some distinct advantages over motorhomes. Motorhomes, while great because they carry everything you could ever want and need, are large and awkward for shorter day trips, especially around towns and cities.

Campervans are not much bigger than a normal van or larger car, so they are far easier to navigate even the most built-up areas and narrower roads. While we are not suggesting motorhomes are a no-no, you also need to think about parking and whether a motorhome will be allowed to park in available spaces.

Summary

Although the two types of vehicles, motorhomes and campervans, are similar, we hope we have shown the significant differences you need to understand. We’ve examined many of the most crucial motorhome or campervan pros and cons.

For example, if you need a lot of space or travel with more than two people, look at motorhomes instead of campervans. This is also the case if you want to spend more comfortable time on the road.

However, if space is not a significant factor or necessity and you are interested in finding a more elegant, compact and suitable vehicle for driving along narrow roads and tighter spaces, then a campervan is perfect.

If you are still struggling to decide after reading this blog, though, don’t hesitate to contact one of the team here at YourDreamCampers. We will help you find the best leisure vehicle.