The best value campervan is a new category at the Practical Motorhome Awards this year, but one that feels very apt in the current landscape.
After all, value is something we look for in so the majority of our purchases, so why would we not do the same when choosing our leisure vehicles too?
Unlike the best budget campervan, where we are looking for what provides a budget-friendly ‘van, or the most luxurious campervan, where we’re assessing the high-end sophistication on offer, we’re defining a good value campervan as a model which gives you a lot for the price you pay. So that could be one which is priced significantly higher than the budget models, because we think its extra spec is still exceptional value for money.
This year, we’ve chosen the Malibu Relax 640 LE R as the best value campervan at the Practical Motorhome Awards 2026 – while adding in the various extras means it’s certainly not a budget model, we’re impressed by what we consider to be a reasonable price for what you get.
The best value campervans
Malibu Relax 640 LE R
Rapido V62 65th anniversary
Elddis Whirlwind GTV 563
The best value campervan
Malibu Relax 640 LE R
- Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
- Price: £52,340
- Berths: 2
- Belts: 4
- MTPLM: 3500kg
- MIRO: 2864kg
- Payload: 361kg minimum
- Length: 6.36m
- Width: 2.1m
Reason to buy:
- Although adding extras will put the price up, the Relax makes a Malibu really within reach.
Reason to avoid:
- You might get overwhelmed with the options available.
The best value campervan at the Practical Motorhome Awards 2026
OK, so Malibu is made by Carthago, and Carthago, like many German manufacturers, prefers to present you with a basic price, but also an extensive list of extras that, were you to include all of them, would bump the price up quite a bit.
But the Relax is Malibu’s attempt to bring its van slightly more into the mass market, and even in standard mode, you have to admit that it is a compelling proposition. There is little in here that shouts at “budget” at you. You still get a very comfy interior and a well equipped washroom that, while it may only include a shower curtain rather than a swinging partition, still manages to include two drainage holes and an opaque window.
The two beds at the back are super comfy, which is always important in the best campervans, while a sophisticated lighting system keeps everything illuminated at night.
The coupé style of the front lounge makes it feel surprisingly open for a campervan too.
Rapido V62 65th anniversary
- Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
- Price: £68,280
- Berths: 3
- Belts: 4
- MTPLM: 3500kg
- MIRO: TBC
- Payload: TBC
- Length: 6.36m
- Width: 2.05m
Reason to buy:
- Surprisingly comfy for a campervan
Reason to avoid:
- You have to pass the shower to reach the toilet.
Highly commended at the Practical Motorhome Awards 2026
The V62 is a campervan Rapido has brought out specially to celebrate its 65th anniversary. We say campervan, but step inside here and you would never believe you are inside a panel van that is less than six and a half metres long.
You get a comfy French bed at the rear, next to a compact but still manageable corner washroom, with a huge wardrobe and dressing area (for a campervan) in front of it. In fact, it could be a good choice if you’ve been stuck on the campervan vs motorhome debate for a while.
Further forward, there is even an L-shaped kitchen, of the kind you very rarely see in a campervan, and a front lounge that could easily seat more than the three people who can sleep in here. The lighting system, including touch reading spotlights in the cab, makes everything feel very homely too.
And all this comes at a price that is still well below £70,000.
Elddis Whirlwind GTV 563
- Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer
- Price: £59,690
- Berths: 3
- Belts: 4
- MTPLM: 3500kg
- MIRO: 333kg
- Payload: TBC
- Length: 6.36m
- Width: 2.05m
Reason to buy:
- A really keenly priced van.
Reason to avoid:
- The very pale interior might not stand up to well to mucky kids or dogs.
Highly commended at the Practical Motorhome Awards 2026
The new Elddis Whirlwind range, whether for motorhomes, campervans or caravans, is all about making prices keener. That’s why we have already included this three-berth, which comes in (without the pop-top roof) at just under £59,690, in our budget campervan category. But we think it still makes sense to include it in here, where it is up against more possibly more high spec opposition.
Even if you go for the optional pop-top roof to get five berths, the total price is only just over £65,000.
You still get cruise control as standard, an entertainment unit in the cab, an oven and a 90-litre fridge in the kitchen, as well as Truma Combi 4 heating, a 100-litre fresh water tank and a 90-litre waste water tank. The bright interior still has a sophisticated colour scheme. And the dark grey exterior colour, with matching bumper, an elegant red stripe down the side, and alloy wheels, should also finally knock off any impression that this is a bargain basement van.
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