Small motorhomes can offer the perfect blend of comfort and convenience for couples looking for a home away from home. 

Whilst the compact size and length makes managing the narrow twists and bends of the UK’s country roads a little less stressful, motorhomes under 6 metres have the added benefit of being short enough to fit the length of a standard British parking space (although the width is still something to keep an eye on).

The compact form also means that costs associated with campground pitches, ferry fares and tolls will usually fall into the cheaper bracket, whereas vehicles over 6 metres in length may be considered (and priced) as a much larger vehicle.

In the UK, motorhomes are categorised as either Class A or C, whereas campervans (and some van conversions) will fall under Class B. Read our useful article if you’d like to understand more about the difference between campervans and motorhomes.

Class A motorhomes are typically built using either a bus or a truck chassis, with the engine usually found at the rear of the vehicle. Because of this, vehicles in the Class A motorhome category are usually the largest, most spacious vehicles with higher spec interiors (and a price tag to match).

By default, most small motorhomes will fit into the ‘Class C’ category of vehicle. Class C motorhomes are most typically built using a truck chassis and it’s not uncommon for them to have the cab separate to the living area.

No matter which class of small motorhome you choose, make sure you have appropriate motorhome insurance in place before you hit the road.

The Bailey Alliance 59-2 really is a motorhome that packs the 3 ‘Cs’ into its small shell – compact, comfort and convenience. 

The 2019 edition introduced a popular layout choice of having the kitchen to the rear of the vehicle’s floor plan. This allows for a kitchen space that is the perfect blend of compact and generous when it comes to preparation and storage areas.

The living space features two parallel sofas that provide a comfortable area for a couple to lounge. The front seats in the cab also swivel round and a free-standing table can be slotted out from under one of the sofas to provide a seating area that has a good amount of room for entertaining if you have guests visiting.

The Alliance is strictly a two-berth motorhome and has certainly been designed with couples in mind. The sleeping space available is a double bed that is made up from the parallel sofas in the lounge. Despite the generous room to seat guests whilst entertaining, there are only two belted seats in the Alliance, so you won’t be able to transport them with you.

Price	£49,995 (pre-owned)
Berth/belts	2/2
Length/width/height	5.99/2.05/2.7m
Chassis	Peugeot Boxer
Engine	2.0 litre

The Flash 510 is the cheaper model of Chausson’s ‘Flash’ and ‘Welcome’ small motorhome range. However, despite the more budget-friendly price tag, the Flash 510 still boasts some stylish and creative additions to make the best use of its compact space.

Most notable is the electric-assisted table and drop-down double bed in the lounge/ sleeping area. Not only does the table raise and lower to convert the space into sleeping quarters, but it also features a smooth pivot function that easily allows the table to be moved into multiple positions to best suit the use of space.

There is an ample washroom at the rear of the vehicle, with a centrally placed kitchen area between this and the lounging/sleeping space at the front. 

The kitchen itself is a little lacking in surface space but it does somewhat make up for it with suitable storage and kitchen facilities.

Price	£39,990 (pre-owned)
Berth/belts	4/4
Length/width/height	5.99/2.35/2.92m
Chassis	Ford Transit
Engine	2.2 litre turbo-diesel

Murvi is a well-established brand that has a significant track record in creating award-winning leisure vehicles, the Pimento XL being no exception to this. 

Don’t be fooled by the XL in its name, the Pimento is very much a top-notch van conversion packed into a vehicle that comes in just shy of 6 metres in length.

The latest addition to the popular Pimento setup is a more flexible seating arrangement which allows the generous lounge area to be converted into either two singles or a double bed, making the vehicle suitable for couples and travel companions alike.

To the rear of the vehicle is a compact, yet fully equipped washroom and an L-shaped kitchen. 

Despite it being a pretty small area, Murvi offers a range of different set-up options for the kitchen, so there’s the opportunity to get the space just right for your needs.

Price	£66,952 (on the road)
Berth/belts	2/2
Length/width/height	5.99/ 2.05/ 2.54m (Fiat) 5.98/ 2.06/ 2.58m (Ford)
Chassis	Fiat Ducato / Ford Transit
Engine	Turbo-diesel 2.3 litre (Fiat) 2.0 litre (Ford)

The Swift Escape Compact is, you guessed it, the compact cousin of their award-winning Escape range.

The C402 features two dinette areas, one larger at the rear (that doubles as the lounge space and converts into the vehicle’s double bed sleeping area) and a smaller one at the front where the additional belted seats are.

We like the flexibility of being able to leave the bed made up and still having a seating/ eating space elsewhere in the motorhome. 

However, something to bear in mind is that the C402 is not available in the Swift Escape Compact’s 2021 range. Instead, the C205 is on offer which features a very similar internal layout, but with a fixed double bed (and no second dinette/ lounge area). 

Upgrading to the C404 (from any year) will ensure you have the flexible rear lounge space, with the benefit of an additional drop-down double bed (although there will be compromises to the top-level storage space that is available in the 2 berth models).

The kitchen and washroom are centrally placed, between the two dinettes. Both are generous spaces considering the small floor plan.

There’s no separate shower cubicle in the C402, so the washroom functions more like a wet room but there’s still ample room to wash in.

Price	£47,860 (on the road)
Berth/belts	2/4
Length/width/height	5.99/ 2.26/ 2.78m
Chassis	Fiat Ducato
Engine	2.3 litre turbo-diesel

By now, you may have worked out that most small motorhomes under 6 metres are exactly that, just under 6 metres in length. When you’ve got a limited floorplan to work with, there’s not much sense in restricting yourself any farther. 

But if the shorter the better is really what you’re after, there are some motorhome options available without straying too far into the Class B campervan category.

Compact by name and most certainly compact by nature, The Malibu range is for those that enjoy the ‘van life’ aesthetic but with a slick, German-design upgrade. 

Everything you need for comfort whilst on the road has been thought of, with some smart little twists thrown in for good measure. 

The ‘flexi-bathroom’ feature is standard across the Malibu range, allowing you to slot the toilet away to make a larger wash space – this is a nice touch in a lot of the other Malibu sister models but it’s somewhat of a necessity in the Compact 540!

The side kitchen space is certainly small, but sufficient considering the space available.

At the rear of the vehicle is a transverse double bed with surprisingly generous storage space.

If the Compact feels a little too tight for you, there is the Compact 600 LE model, as well as other vans in the Malibu range which include the Charming Coupé 600 DB and the Comfort 600 DB.

Price	£50,100
Berth/belts	2/4
Length/width/height	5.41/2.05/2.59m
Chassis	Fiat Ducato
Engine	2.2 litre

We did say that if you’re after a small motorhome, it would likely be a C-Class vehicle. However, compact A-Class motorhomes are increasing in popularity and availability. 

The Pegaso 590 from Roller Team offers more of the specification and comfort that you might expect from a Class A motorhome, compacted into a vehicle that comes in at just under 6 metres in length.

The sleeping space is all toward the front of the Pegaso 590, with a double that can be manually lowered over the cab area, leaving the rear of the motorhome to house a spacious washroom and L-shaped kitchen.

Being a 4-berth motorhome, the Pegaso 590 has been designed with couples and small families in mind. We think you’ll find that many of the internal features, particularly the washroom facilities and the kitchen area, provide a perfectly adequate home on the road that is both compact and comfortable.

Price	£61,245 (on the road)
Berth/belts	4/4
Length/width/height	5.99/2.35/2.95m
Chassis	Fiat Ducato
Engine	2.2 litre (120 bhp)

If you’re new to motorhome ownership, you may be interested in the other articles we’ve written for prospective motorhome enthusiasts, including:

• The pros and cons of owning a motorhome
• Guide on How to buy a used motorhome
• 12 Reasons why you should travel in a motorhome!