What we like

The Volkswagen California faces some stiff competition now, but it deserves its place as the go-to campervan so many people regard it as. The living space is packaged as well as can be expected in a camper this size, it’s comfortable to ride and sleep in, the driving experience is entirely undemanding, and it’s packed with thoughtful features. It also helps it has a copper-bottomed image and very strong residual values.

What we don’t like

There are compromises in a campervan this size and even a couple has to pack pretty lightly. The electric pop-top can be rather finnicky to operate, the tailgate requires huge effort to close, the single-burner hob means cooking needs careful planning and the bed lower is a bit of a pain to build.

Supplementary images by Sabrina Wharton-Brown