VanTourer Urban Prime: pleasant travel companion

Campers come in different shapes and sizes, all serving their own purpose. For example, a semi-integrated or fully integrated camper emphasizes an idyllic stay in an appealing holiday area. The other side of that spectrum is a compact bus camper like the VanTourer Urban, which primarily makes the journey to it a pleasure. This leads to concessions in living comfort at the campsite but also offers a number of advantages, such as the possibility of using your camper as a second car all year round. We're finding out how nice that is with a mini road trip through the Limburg hills.

VanTourer is a German camper builder of full-size and compact bus campers. The brand name has existed since 2018, but that does not make it a beginner as a producer of camping equipment. VanTourer originated from EuroCaravaning, which was previously a caravan brand. The company is a full but independent subsidiary of Knaus. So, plenty of experience in-house to build campervans that, according to the promise, offer more comfort, safety, service, and quality. It is a somewhat smaller and therefore flexible player in the camper market with a branch in Koblenz.

Compact dimensions

The Urban is a model that was recently introduced as a compact bus camper based on the Mercedes V-class. A car comparable to the VW California. In terms of dimensions, the Mercedes is a fraction wider but slightly shorter and less high. That width is a gain for the interior, although the difference is small. The same applies to the length. Perhaps you can park a little more easily in a passenger car space. The difference in height is also small, but here those few centimeters less can mean that you can enter that parking garage without driving off the pop-top roof. The height of the VanTourer Urban remains under two meters. In summary, the Mercedes is a car that can go anywhere you can drive a normal passenger car.

The interior

The VanTourer Urban is available in three different versions. The Base, Comfort, and Prime. The model we are looking at in more detail is the Urban Prime, the most luxurious and complete model on the list. What is striking about the Prime is the kitchen, a block with a sink and a two-burner gas stove. This is permanently mounted in the eyes of the RDW, but nevertheless, you can remove the kitchen from the car without too much effort to place it outside. Water, electricity, and gas can be easily disconnected and reconnected to the connectors on the outside.

You detach the kitchen unit by loosening four screws. To make this possible, the Prime has two sliding doors. Even if you leave the kitchen in place, that is very handy. The nice thing about a bus camper is, of course, that it can be opened on the side and rear. In nice or warm weather, this gives much more contact with the outdoors than is possible in an integrated camper. With that second sliding door, you further increase that advantage. Incidentally, that second door also has a window that can be opened so that you can ventilate without throwing everything open.

Next to the kitchen block, a top-loading cool box is provided. At 30L, it's not too big but it is a compressor type. Along the side wall, there's also a good amount of storage space. Wherever a cabinet could be placed, it has been. A table has also been considered. An easy-to-stow model clips onto a bar on the kitchen block. With the sofa bed moved forward and the cabin seats turned around, you have a very nice dinette at your disposal. The adjustable LED mood lighting also makes it incredibly cozy. With the pop-top roof raised and its base folded up, there's no shortage of headroom. In the Prime version, a Truma diesel heater is also standard.

Sleeping comfort

If you're used to spending the night in a trekking tent, the comfort of this Mercedes is like a warm bath. However, if you're coming from a full-size camper with single beds or a queen bed, the bed sizes might be a bit cramped. The bed in the pop-top roof measures 1.91 x 1.07 m. The bench on the ground floor can be converted into a bed of 1.90 x 1 meter. On paper, there's sleeping space for four people, but in practice, it will be quite crowded with such a full load. It is neatly executed, though. The bed in the pop-top roof is equipped with slatted bases under a good mattress. The sofa bed downstairs is pre-formed and adjustable so you can choose between a lounge or sleeping position. This makes the VanTourer a comfortable camper for two people with the possibility of accommodating a couple of guests.

Daily business camper

You can literally and figuratively go in all directions with this VanTourer Urban Prime. Suppose you are a courier with a family and a desire for a camper. You can fulfill all of that with this Mercedes. By leaving the kitchen and sofa bed at home, you have a flat loading floor and a left sliding door, every parcel delivery person's dream. But you can also order a second bench, giving you six belted seats. Handy for taking some soccer players to the sports field on the weekend. In camper mode, you have everything you need for a successful vacation. The only thing that really doesn't fit in the car is a bathroom. But that's what the campsite's sanitary facilities are for.

On the road with the VanTourer Urban

Driving this version is a joy. There's nothing left of its origin as a commercial vehicle. Instead, you cruise around as smoothly as you are relaxed, with the dimensions of an SUV. The Prime is equipped with a 190hp engine and a 9-speed automatic transmission. Although personal preference leans towards a manual gearbox, there's nothing to complain about with this automatic. At traffic lights, you can show many fellow road users your taillights, and with those paddles on the steering wheel, manually downshifting or upshifting is even more fun than with a manual gearbox.

The seats are sturdy in a German way but offer much more seating comfort than what is common in a delivery van. And the leather-wrapped steering wheel full of buttons feels good in the hand. The 2xDIN audio set has built-in navigation. The operation takes some getting used to, and the whole thing is just a bit low in the center console. If you want to keep your eyes on the road, a separate box or phone on the window is better. Also striking is the silence on board. You don't hear the diesel with AdBlue tech, and only at a speed that is usually not allowed in the Netherlands do you hear some wind noise.

This Mercedes V-Class has quite a few driving assistance systems at your disposal, such as lane departure warning, blind spot indicator in the mirrors, rain sensor, or a crosswind assistant; the list is quite long. A rearview camera is also provided, but it is not a substitute for the interior mirror. It's a pity, because the rear view is not really good due to a transversely placed overhead cabinet. The windows in both sliding doors, however, do provide a good overview.

Highway, city traffic or a slippery mud path, the “Benz” not only does it effortlessly, it is made for it. The car is rock solid on the road and causes no unpleasant surprises. With optional 4x4 drive and air suspension, you can even increase that joy, although we didn't miss it anywhere. The VanTourer Urban also looks good. Especially the nose with a chrome grille, a prominent star and rather stern-looking headlights make it an appearance that fits everywhere. Both at the camper site and during the week in a parking garage. So much beauty naturally comes with a price. The VanTourer Urban Prime with the options we drove costs € 97,972, including the affairs that the tax authorities impose on it. Less is also possible, the Base version of the VanTourer Urban is available from € 55,900, excluding the BPM of 37.7%.

Specifications VanTourer Urban Prime:

Length: 514 cm
Width: 224 cm
Ready-to-drive weight: 2565 kg
Payload: 535 kg
Braked trailer: 2,200 kg
Euro standard: 6d
Number of seats: 4 (option 6)
Sleeping places: 2+2

More information: www.vantourer.de

Directly available at www.haffkamp.eu

Looking for a used VanTourer? Then take a look at campers.nl or www.camperscaravans.nl