The best new campervan this year! Full review of the Campervan of the Year 2023

@sadkowskid to be honest I don't know but I would imagine if you searched the Internet you might find them. If you rang the British dealers they may no who the manufacturer is i would assume they are made in Germany a lot of the best equipment seems to come from Germany.

Hi, do you know if those seats are available as aftermarket products?

@Boating, Sibbing and Wandering about nothing really everything is costing more nowadays no matter what it is .

What do you think about the price ?

You can certainly upgrade the gross weight to 3,820kg but I'm not sure you can go beyond that (not from the factory anyway).
Thanks for your comments and a happy Christmas to you and, of course, all our Clip-Share supporters.

😂

Really ex[ensove for what it is and where it's made.

Great to meet you, too, Mark. Hope you enjoyed Moreton-in-Marsh!
Yes, the Globe-Traveller is premium-priced but Swift's latest Fiat campervan (Carrera) is now £70k, and the Voyager can easily justify the extra cost over that. There doesn't seem to be any shortage of buyers for motorhomes at this price point at the moment.
Good thing I haven't tempted you to change 'vans already as you haven't had your Select long!

Totally agree. It's also a van conversion that adds features normally only found in coachbuilts - double floor, separate shower, etc

Yes, the quality puts a lot of better-known brands in the shade

@Andrzej Wawa Nice. Both would be a big improvement for usable space - and simple!

You can order a kitchen counter with lowered sink and/or hob and wooden board covers/chopping boards made of the same counter piece. Looks great: just one big wooden counter and once you need to cook or wash you just take the corresponding board off.

Yes, there's loads to like here and I guess the kitchen is just a lower priority on the Continent

So do we! Hence the award

There are two servicing hatches in the double floor for the water system. I can't agree that tanks should go underfloor - I've recently been away in a similarly priced UK campervan with underslung tanks and overnight both fresh and waste tanks froze up, despite being insulated and fitted with tank heaters. It was minus 4 or 5 overnight in Derbyshire just before Xmas. Then, no shower, no loo flush, no drinking water, no washing up... Good thing I had water in my coffee machine!

We agree!

The build quality, roof bed, winterisation (double floor), automotive rear seats, etc, all move the game on quite a long way from the V-Line

The year has only just arrived but, as far as the motorhome industry is concerned, the 2023 season was launched to the dealers and press in June 2022 and to the public at Düsseldorf in September. Soon, we'll be seeing 2024 models...

@MotorhomeCampervan I think so, I purchased a California Exclusive last Summer, 2002 in Silver and I agree the best Small Van available, just wish they had carried it on but guessing the Account dept got in the way. The newer Club Joker just isn't quite as good although it gains a shower.

Yes, the James Cook was a brilliant design - so, is it market trends that have made the latest JC so much more conventional in layout? Buyers seem to want fixed beds and garages now.
My favourite Westfalia was the California Exclusiv.

The company is recommending an Omnia stove-top cooker to give you more culinary options

That's very kind. I hope you had a good Christmas, too.
Always nice to hear from our regular viewers, many of whom I meet at shows and on campsites.

Yes, it's perfect for taller folk - but great for average height blokes like me, too!

Thank you kindly! Always nice to receive positive feedback

Glad you liked it!

Maybe I was harder to spot in a left-hand drive 'van?
Hope you enjoyed Southport - I did!

Surely, you have the blinds closed much of the time in the bedroom anyway? There are windows on each side, a rooflight and plenty of artificial lighting, so it's not a big issue.
Lots of clever features to make up for it, anyway, as you say!

Thanks! 👍

It really is very good! So pleased that it's now available in the UK

That's the motorhome market for you. It's an annual cycle. New 2023 models were shown to dealers and press last June, and went on sale in Europe in September (Düsseldorf show). We're already receiving invites to see the 2024 season models...

Since Covid more families have discovered the joys of campervans. My kids love our VW T6!

@MotorhomeCampervan thank you so much. i will search it.

Have you seen Hoto-Mobil (from Turkey)? They have some interesting designs

Thank you!

The double floor, the clever roof bed, the redesigned rear (which gains interior space), the redesigned roof, the automotive rear seats (which slide both ways and recline), the separate shower - can you name another campervan with all these features (some of which will be very expensive to develop)?
Then there's the build quality, which is superb. And there were other campervans at the NEC last October at similar prices without any of the above...

Let's hope they're listening!

Glad you enjoyed it. We always try to include the negatives, not just the good bits!

Obviously, we love it, too. Can't remember the last time a new brand arrived here and impressed so much first time out

Not sure what you don't like. The rear single bed format is the same as in dozens of other campervans of this size, except that here you have longer beds and no draughty rear doors. As for the roof bed, it's a brilliant way of turning a 'van of this size into a family vehicle.
If this sort of layout isn't for you, then you can see all the other award winners at - www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/information/campervan-awards-official-homepage

Certainly is

I was probably harder to spot in a left-hand drive 'van! Hope you enjoyed Southport

It's not really a bodykit (which is usually a purely styling thing). Here, the increased roof height and redesigned rear have genuine practical benefits.
Glad you enjoyed the review.

Prices were supplied by the UK agent. Remember that Globe-Traveller is very new in the UK. It had never been seen here prior to the October NEC show.

It's a 2023-season model. By June we'll be seeing the 2024 models at press launches (that's the cycle the industry works to) and in October we'll announce the 2024 Campervan of the Year!

Hi Karlos. Yes, prices have shot up, so the £100k campervan is not that rare now, sadly!
Your the second person to say they saw me in Southport!

@lesley wall Sorry, Lesley. Have to speed through a lot of comments and missed the double negative!

@MotorhomeCampervan Read carefully. I say "there is not much NOT to like". = There is a lot to like. Double negative makes a positive. I could have made it easier.

It's the very first Globe-Traveller in the UK, so the only one we've reviewed so far. I don't understand why you say there's "not much to like" - the quality, the travel seats, the separate shower, the garage, the clever roof bed...
But, if this isn't your cup of tea, have a look at the other finalists in the Campervan Awards 2023 - www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/information/campervan-awards-official-homepage

I'm sure ES Hartley would include the granola if you ask nicely!!!

If that's the only thing you don't like, they've done pretty well, haven't they? No 'van is perfect

@MotorhomeCampervan The web site is good, easily navigable with all the dealers contacts. I specially liked the flat floor, and the overall quality was exemplified by having five hinges on the washroom door and the continuation of the wood grain from one cupboard door to the next. That takes time and skill. I would want one of the cheaper standard two rear door ones though. I've driven LHD in the UK and it isn't a problem.

I'd suggest you cal the factory in Poland or ring around the dealers before you give up. This 'van is worth pursuing!

Sadly, campervan and motorhome price have rocketed over the last two years. And, when they're forced to go electric, they'll be dearer still.

Maybe have a look at the rest of the range, starting at £71,595.
Or, if you're looking to buy used, there's a great feature coming up in the Feb issue of What Motorhome magazine, with 'vans starting at £15k.

400kg in standard spec. You can upgrade the gross weight to 3,820kg if you have the right licence, giving you over 700kg

@Boating, Sibbing and Wandering about What's affordable is simply down to how much you have, so what's affordable to one person isn't to another. The motorhome market is booming, so I'd suggest that there are enough people to whom these vehicles are affordable and that, having spent a lot of money (and probably having retired), they'll use them as much as they can.
Anyway, my job is to review what's out there. I don't set the prices or comment on the politics of the "real world" or "haves and have nots".

@MotorhomeCampervan You dont seem to understand that Comparing a very expensive thing with another very expensive thing does not make it affordable. They are all way over priced and the makers will realise that soon. Put Simply Normal people simply cannot afford that sort of money on something they might use 5 - 10 times a year. The Massive depreciation after first purchase is the killer. I think you don't fully understand the real world and the massive gap between the Haves and Have nots

Why "massively overpriced?" - are they really any more overpriced than, say, SUVs? I don't intend to defend the prices but they are what they are - all manufacturers have had to increase prices substantially and they aren't coming down - in fact, expect more big rises when they have to go electric.
However, a motorhome can still be good value over a five year period if you use it regularly, providing affordable touring and often with minimal depreciation. If price is an issue, there a plenty of good used buys - see the February issue of What Motorhome for a great feature - www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/store/digital-archive-subscriptions/
Or you can hire instead.
And remember that most motorhomes have a very easy life compared with the (hard-working and often abused) vans they're based on, so the "world of hurt" you describe is extremely rare.

You could certainly use a 'van like this as a mobile office in these days of WFH - or working from motorhome, WFM?

Yes, it's a great design - and beautifully made, too

The equivalent model from Swift is now over £65k. Prices have shot up and the Select is not really comparable with the Voyager in terms of spec, features, build quality, etc.
You don't have to kneel on the loo here and I didn't experience any extra wind noise on a decent 70mph motorway run. In fact, the Voyager was much quieter on the road than most rivals.

A bit strong. The Campervan of the Year award is from the UK's leading publisher of motorhome/campervan content, including MMM magazine (a best seller for over 50 years), What Motorhome, Campervan magazine and outandaboutlive.co.uk
It is a 2023 award because that's how the motorhome industry works. The 2023 models started appearing last June and were available to the public from the Düsseldorf show in September and the NEC show in the UK in October. In the specialist press, we'll soon be seeing 2024 season models!
As for Fiat, it is still the best-selling chassis for campervans of this size by a country mile. At times, the Fiat Ducato has claimed well over 80% of the entire European motorhome market!
No outrageous claims here, just unbiased reviews. I, personally, have been reviewing motorhomes for almost 40 years.

@MotorhomeCampervan Peter as others have said you are a great reviewer. I have just read your review on MMM. Yes build quality this is an excellent van. I love so many things about it, but my original point stands. Unless Dr Who has been involved in creating this 4 in a van conversion is not for the faint hearted. Our Rapido V68 has the 180 engine, I am glad I forked out the cash for this. We also had air suspension fitted to the rear wheels. But honestly the front lounge is tiny, and we don’t have a drop down bed to contend with. So yes it’s a quality van, and it’s original, and these are good points. But if I wanted to travel with 4 occupants I would not want what we have. We do occasionally take our grandson out, he sleeps on the made up third bed in the lounge, but we on,y carry this on the rare occasions he comes out with us. As usual great review of a lovely van that some will love, and no wonder. One other point we can access our garage from within the van, I don’t fancy having to always go outside to do this, or have I missed something there.

@MotorhomeCampervan I think that's the key. This is an A class for those who don't want the bulk. They'd proably see it as decent value in that context, whereas to me it has much style but maybe not the simple practicality I'd want in a much less expensive PVC (mine was less than half the price, ok I know they all jumped in the last couple of years but still..... it stood up to 6 months continuous summer use with a bit of tlc). The top bed is clever, I give'm that.

If you have a 6.36m van conversion, then surely you appreciate the big advantage of having a more compact (and especially narrower) motorhome? I would much prefer to drive this (over any A-class) in Cornwall or when visiting medieval French villages. It's also much, much quieter on the road than most coachbuilts and has far superior travel seats for its rear passengers.
The Globe-Traveller won't suit four adults, but a 2+2 family would be ideal. Or there are many grandparent buyers who will only need the roof bed from time to time - in which case, this is a FAR better solution than the typical high-top camper with a pop-top added.
And it isn't over 3.5t - unless you want it to be (and order the GVW upgrade).

Sadly, it's easy to spend that - or more - on a campervan or motorhome now. But then look at the price of a high-spec SUV and it almost looks cheap. Range Rovers start at £100k these days...

Not yet

The biggest improvement in my book is reduced engine noise but the electric parking brake is a boon in a camper

With a caravan you would have a completely different holiday experience. In this you could camp off-grid, or use the fabulous aires network in France. You don't need sites. And you can move on regularly to a new location without the constant hours of faffing about setting up a caravan... When you go out for the day in your camper you also take your shower, loo and kitchen with you, so you don't need public facilities (at the beach, for example).
No everyone likes towing, either. And the residual value of a campervan is likely to be far better than the 4x4 and caravan combo.
In the end, it's horses for courses. My in-laws love their caravan. I love our VW T6 camper. Different tools for different jobs...

Agreed. It looks like that might be easier in the Voyager X (the double bed version)

I doubt it, but ask the factory in Poland. See globe-traveller.eu

Yes, it can as max gross weight is 3,500kg (with 400kg payload).
There is a 3,820kg option but then you need a C1 licence.

A lot of motorhomes have long waiting lists (12 months or more). If you want one, then check whether any dealers have stock coming that isn't sold yet. Otherwise, this is definitely a 'van that's worth waiting for!

Surely the "terrible roof light" is the one nearly everyone fits? Yes, I guess you could fit roof air-con but few will (I'd prefer to look into a unit mounted in the garage, so as not to add weight high up). No curtains on side windows, but the cab (coldest area) can be curtained off (as well as Remis cab blinds) - a great feature for really cold nights.
We're big fans of the Twin range (and the new 600 SX would have been in the running, had Adria got one to the NEC show) but there's no double floor, separate shower or rear tailgate (replacing Fiat's ill-fitting, draughty barn doors). And, if you want to take kids in a Twin, you'll need a Sports model with cold pop-top - they'd freeze in winter!
So, there are plenty of reasons why the Globe-Traveller is a very worthy winner.

Most motorhomes have a lot of wood decor. If you want something different try our review of the Wingamm City Suite - clip-share.net/video/vAr4SConuAc/video.html

Then let's hope your RV makers learn from the Europeans. At least there should be some benefit of Thor owning Erwin Hymer?

I think the layout is pretty obvious. None of our 68,000 subscribers have complained

Still the most popular base vehicle for campervans of this size. Even in Germany, readers of Promobil magazine voted it the best base for motorhomes...

I can assure you that the Globe Traveller is very high quality throughout. But, in any case, it's not sold in the US and Pleasure-Way vans are not sold in the UK, so they don't compete.
Would love to see a Pleasure-Way, though, if they are that good.

? At 15:56...

I actually rather liked it - definitely want to go back when it's warmer and drier! And I recommend the Pavilion café

It's hard to see where a TV could be fitted in the lounge - maybe a flip-down screen in the cab ceiling, like some Auto-Trails? But a portable screen (laptop, iPad, etc) could sit on the kitchen unit or table, which is probably what most folk will do.

@MotorhomeCampervan I am pessimistic about that. I mean why offer better products and more choices, when they can get away with offering the same old thing. They know the US market is not going to demand it because we can't demand what we don't know about. US RV manufacturers only started offering Lithium based non-gas generator systems. After Erwin Hymer came here and shook up the US market.

Let's hope that Thor learn from their European brands then - for your sake!

I think there's quite a bit of innovative design here. I've not seen a roof bed like this before and the redesign of the rear of the Fiat van, the travel seats, the double floor and the separate shower all put it ahead of most rivals. Plus, the build quality is superb

Would you say the same about Peugeot and Citroen? - their vans (Boxer and Relay) are essentially the same vehicle. And the Ducato is still the number one base vehicle for motorhomes, even in Germany!

Well, 111,000 people have watched it and we have 97.6% likes on this video...

67,838 subscribers don't seem to agree
Is this sort of comment really necessary?