welcome change - Out and About Live

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9:39 pm
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TEST REPORT EXTRA
WELCOME CHANGE
Chausson Welcome 5SU on 2.8TD Fiat Ducato Maxi
Dave Hurrell examines a brand-new import from France that
offers family berths and good value for money
Overcab over here
Offside entrance door with somewhat fiddly manual step.
MOTORCARAVAN MOTORHOME MONTHLY
You could be forgiven for thinking that most
French motorhomes are low profile with a
fixed bed and, if you travel across the water,
you will see plenty like this - many with the
Chausson name affixed. However, when it
comes to family holidays, larger luton
coachbuilt models are popular and the
Welcome 5 is a good example of the type.
Sitting on the latest Fiat Ducato Maxi chassis
and measuring up at almost 7m, this
Chausson makes its presence felt without
apology.
The GRP-skinned, sandwich construction
body is simply styled - with grey ABS plastic
skirts and rear bumper/light housing matching
the Fiat front end. The luton is unremarkable
in design and alloy skinned, with no fancy
GRP mouldings. The most interesting feature
of the body is a roof panel that is not bonded
to the substructure, but sealed to allow for
expansion and contraction and make leaks
less likely. This is backed up by a five-year,
no-leak guarantee.
Family ’van
The entrance door is located about half way
down the UK offside of this Continentallyhanded ’van. Step aboard via the somewhat
fiddly, spring-loaded, manual step (an electric
step is optional) and you are greeted by a
layout with plenty of appeal for mum, dad and
the kids.
The generously sized luton leads the way.
Directly behind the cab is a nearside Pullman
dinette with seat belts for four, and opposite
is the kitchen unit. On the nearside, behind
the dinette, is the washroom, with the
wardrobe and separate shower cubicle
▼
The market for new motorhomes in the UK is
hotting up. Soaring sales figures are
testament to the fact that more people are
discovering the joys of motorcaravanning. The
good news for motorcaravanners is that the
choice of ’vans is expanding likewise, and
new imports seem to be arriving on these
shores just about every month.
French company Chausson currently send
us five models from their ‘entry-level’
Welcome range, with two low profiles and
three luton overcab models on offer. Those
nice people at Euro Motorhomes, near
Grimsby, gave me the freedom of their coffee
machine while director Simon Ellingworth
explained
that
they
are
enthusiastic
motorhomers and hired a couple of
Chaussons in France. They then spent several
days testing, to be sure of the quality of the
product they were planning to sell.
MARCH 2003 141
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CHAUSSON WELCOME 5SU ON 2.8TD FIAT DUCATO MAXI
opposite. A final step up sees a smallish
lounge area with U-shaped seating occupying
the rear.
Interior ambience is modern and fresh with
light wood and silver trim on lockers and
cupboards. Blue cord-chenille upholstery has
a motif that I shall call ‘Zulu shield’ - and the
orange ‘linen-weave’ decorative drapes are
partnered with the net curtains found on most
Continental ’vans.
The weather during the test was awful,
with wind, rain and dark skies. Even so, I
thought the interior was lacking in natural light
(due in part to the corridor effect created by
locating the washroom directly opposite the
shower and wardrobe). I am assured that Heki
rooflights are possible and I would go for two,
one in the kitchen/diner and one in the rear
lounge.
It’s a Fiat
Yep, our old - or, in this case, new - friend the
Ducato Maxi chassis cab provides motive
power for this mobile home-from-home. The
‘new’ bit comes in its 2002 facelifted form,
with cosmetic and engineering changes that
set out to improve this popular motorhome
workhorse.
Chausson provide access to the cab from
the caravan that is a bit of a squeeze (owing
to the lack of a cab roof cutaway and the
proximity of the rear-facing dinette seat).
Once in the cab, you notice the star of the
facelift show - the redesigned dash. It really is
a big improvement over its predecessor with
Looking back from the luton - kitchen and dinette in foreground, washroom on right with wardrobe and separate shower
compartment on the left. At the extreme rear is the lounge area.
only the (almost useless) small movement of
the much- talked-about adjustable steering
column letting the side down.
Large clear dials include an LCD odometer
and trip plus clock. The only problem is that
the kph numbers are printed in red. Just try
reading
them
when
you’re
wearing
Caravan door is on the right (beside the kitchen unit), large overcab bed is permanently available.
Looking forwards from the lounge, the corridor effect created by the centrally-located
ablutions can be appreciated.
142
MARCH 2003
sunglasses. The things we are getting used to
on modern commercials are all here - central
locking, heated electric mirrors and one-hitto-open electric windows.
Down the frog and toad
In spite of the facelift, on-the-road
characteristics of the Ducato have stayed
pretty much the same. That big - slightly gruff
to my ears - diesel makes the most of its
turbo and intercooler and propels this largish
motorhome at speeds and rates of
acceleration that would have seemed a dream
only a few years ago. Steering, gearchange
and brakes are exemplary and handling is
good, owing to stiff suspension that can
unfortunately create body noise on rough
surfaces. The most noticeable improvement is
the heater, which is now more effective with
easier-to-use controls and enough face-level
vents to populate several Smart cars!
Two main problems pre-exist the facelift;
the principal one being driving seat
ergonomics. I can never get comfortable in
relation to wheel and pedals, and the driving
seat is too high for my 5ft 11in frame. My
advice is to always take a long test drive and
spend time adjusting the seatback, squab and
steering wheel to make sure you are happy.
You could spend a long time at the sharp end
if you like touring as much as I do. Leaky cab
door seals are the other perennial fault, with
redesigned seals only reducing the previous
wind roar to a stutter.
One of the quirks of this chassis is the
Cab seats are upholstered to match the rear, but check that the ergonomics suit your
frame.
MOTORCARAVAN MOTORHOME MONTHLY
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10:25 am
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TEST REPORT EXTRA
Rear lounge area is a useful haven with feet-up relaxing for one, or more upright seating
for up to five. The lounge table provides quiet dining for mum and dad, whilst the kids
have a food fight up front!
Washroom has 'wet room' floor with drain and vanity basin is set into a sensible surface.
extremely high top gear. This is great for
motorway cruising and really comes into its
own over 55mph. Don’t be tempted to ‘drop
her into top’ at low speeds as modern, highspeed diesels rely on spinning the turbocharger
to puff oomph into the engine and help create
the 127 horses that we love so much.
Bits 'n' bobs improvements include a nifty
fold-up map clip in the centre of the dash and
- at last - generous door pockets for both
driver and passenger. There is no stereo fitted
as standard, but Chausson have thoughtfully
installed rear speakers in readiness for your
choice of in-car entertainment.
The impression aft is that Chausson have
done a quality job. In spite of tackling some
rough roads and crossing several speed
humps, the caravan bit stayed commendably
quiet, with only cooker rattles to deal with.
Those crafty French designers obviously
realise that us 'camping-caristes' don’t want
to go on holiday with something that sounds
like a bar-room brawl going on in the back!
The subject of seatbelts in motorhomes is
a controversial one with the general
consensus being that lap belts are not good
enough, and should never be fitted on sidefacing seats. Here we have three-point belts
on the two forward-facing dinette seats and
two lap belts on the rearward-facing ones.
That makes a total of six belted travelling
seats, including the cab, in this six-berth ’van.
However many passengers you end up
carrying, they should all stay warm, owing to
the welcome inclusion of an on-road heater
unit mounted in the dinette.
Relaxing rear end
Many Continental motorhomes concentrate on
service-based facilities - providing sleeping,
washing and eating areas - safe in the
knowledge that you’ll be out in the sunshine
the rest of the time. Here we have the added
benefit of a lounge, giving us Brits somewhere
to hide from foul weather and dark nights.
This is also very family-friendly, as you can
leave the kids in the dinette playing ‘Tomb
Raider 27’ and collapse in the lounge with a
glass of Chardonnay.
Owing to the raised rear floor, the seat
backs are a tad low, and there is only feet-up
lounging
for
one
across
the
rear.
Nevertheless, this is a proper lounge and
provides greater space to enjoy living aboard
during foul weather trips.
The separate shower is simple, but roomy and effective and a rare find in this type of layout.
MOTORCARAVAN MOTORHOME MONTHLY
French plumbing has come on a bit in the 30odd years since I first boarded a ferry to
Calais and, these days, some of the most
practical motorhome washrooms originate in
France. Using the 'wet room' principal with a
shower tray floor makes for practical use and
easy cleaning, with no worries about
▼
Washing and showering
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CHAUSSON WELCOME 5SU ON 2.8TD FIAT DUCATO MAXI
splashing the carpet. The provision of a
separate shower cubicle across the way
allows use of wooden cabinets, rather than
the usual plastic.
Stylish, spacious and practical, this
bathroom has got the lot, with storage in
overhead and undersink cupboards, and big
twin mirrors above a basin which is set into a
spacious pink and grey fish-scale-motif
counter top. Twin halogen downlighters above
the mirror were good enough to let me see
that I should have started using Oil of Ulay
years ago!
There is plenty of space to use the
electric-flush swivel-bowl toilet. An obscure
opening window completes the line-up.
The separate shower cubicle (across the
corridor) is big enough to make you want to
use it often, and good water tank capacity
means you can do so without fear of too
many trips to the tap to top up. The mixer tap
holds a preset temperature, but was slightly
floppy on its plastic mounting. It is partnered
with an adjustable showerhead and, with just
a curtain to cover the door, it makes a
practical, usable area. Family-friendly once
again - being separate, the shower can be
used while someone else is in the washroom.
Great for easing the dreaded bathroom queue!
Continental cookery
If you take the dimensions that create a
comfortable dinette and then decide to use
the space opposite to provide a kitchen, you
quickly realise scope will be limited. This
kitchen is typically Continental in design with
working surface confined to the glass lids
covering the three-burner hob and sink. For
Combination sink and hob can only be used to best effect with the table as a work surface. Cupboard has a nifty
automatic waste bin.
more ambitious recipes the table has to
double as a worktop and the cook can banish
the rest of the family to the lounge during the
creative process.
The Smev hob and sink is a combined unit
in stainless steel with a domestic-sized mixer
tap (the unit lacks spark ignition for the
burners). British tastes have been catered for
by the inclusion of a grill/warming oven, which
is mounted at a usable height below the sink -
better than many afterthoughts that require
you to lie on the floor or climb a stepladder to
use them.
Sensible thought has gone into the galley
design, with a large dedicated cutlery drawer
and a cupboard below which contains a
waste bin that swings out on the door and
automatically takes its lid off. Refrigeration is
provided by the now-familiar Dometic
Powerfridge with a good 97-litre capacity.
Pullman dinette is a designer’s all-in-one solution. It’s also quite good at mealtimes. All
dinette seats have restraints, but only the forward-facing ones have three-point belts.
To make your dinette bed, just drop the table onto its special legs.`
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MARCH 2003
Rear transverse double takes sleeping berths up to six (even six adults).
MOTORCARAVAN MOTORHOME MONTHLY
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Page 5
TEST REPORT EXTRA
Spacious luton is fun for kids (or big enough for adults) and heated too!
The ubiquitous Pullman dinette solves a
couple of problems for designers of multiberth motorhomes. First and foremost, its
train-based heritage makes it easy to provide
rear passenger seats for travel. It really only
makes a comfortable eatery for four, and
Chausson have provided facilities for diners
five and six by installing a second table in
the rear lounge. This second table is
mounted on a dogleg support and has plenty
of room for two to eat in comfort. The table
swivels and pivots to provide excellent
access. Both tables remain in place when
travelling, with the second one consigned to
the cab when you are lounging around at the
back.
A good night’s rest
Up front, the luton bed is spacious and has
good headroom, with a window, overhead
vent and reading lamp. Owing to the lack of a
cab cutaway, the bed is instantly available
and the comfortable mattress rests on a
corrugated plastic base, which receives heat
from the blown-air system to warm your bed great on chilly nights.
Bed number two is made from the dinette
in the usual fashion, using the table to bridge
the space between the seats and the
backrests to complete the mattress. It makes
a generous single with a good 6ft 3in length.
Extend two side supports and add two long
infills to make a double. The enemy of this
bed is the shape of the cushions. Sculpted to
provide comfortable seats, they make for a
lumpy mattress. I would consider an overlay,
as there is plenty of space to store it in the
luton during the day and it would improve
sleeping comfort considerably.
The large, rear transverse bed is fashioned
in much the same way, using the second table
and a lift-up flap. Backrests complete the
mattress with the overlay idea applying here
as well. The Welcome 5 provides six berths
and does a good job of it, too. However, the
best way to use it would be as a four-berth
with occasional full occupancy, as the dinette
bed impedes the kitchen when erected as a
full double. Mum and dad can grab the rear
lounge with its privacy curtain and two kids
would have great fun sleeping in the luton. If
the kids are older, then make up the dinette
bed (without the extension) as a generous
single. This still leaves the kitchen usable,
along with all the other facilities.
Even as a two-berth, the Welcome 5 can
work well. The spacious luton is instantly
available,
leaving
all
other
areas
- kitchen/diner, shower/toilet and lounge intact.
Everything in store
The storage story begins with a good range of
MOTORCARAVAN MOTORHOME MONTHLY
overhead lockers (11 in number) all with pushbutton locking. The wardrobe is spacious with
good hanging depth and there is an additional
side-hinged cupboard above the kitchen. This
is all standard stuff as far as motorhome
storage is concerned and only the lack of a
TV locker may give cause for thought.
Move outside and the reason for the raised
floor level in the lounge becomes apparent.
Two side-hinged locker doors, one on each
side, give access to storage that runs
underneath the lounge and up into its seat
boxes. From the inside there is access
through the top of the seats, making this a
supremely versatile area with space for all
your outdoor kit and some of the indoor stuff
as well. There is space here for chairs, tables,
barbecues, even the odd folding bike or
inflatable boat - just right for that outdoorlifestyle holiday for all the family.
Chausson d’amour?
Good value is the name of the Welcome’s
game. Good value, but at what expense?
Corners have been cut, but not where it
matters most. Build quality seems good and
thoughtful design makes for a motorhome
that will be a pleasure to use. The only major
constructional drawback could be the lack of
a cab cutaway (though it is arguable that this
actually enhances the vehicle's strength and
rigidity), with the rest being details such as a
manual step and a single mains socket. A
good look at the options list and the fitting of
one or two personal extras will only enhance
the fact that here we have a modern,
comfortable and practical motorhome with
just a touch of Gallic style. Before long, you
could be saying to your motorcaravanning
friends: “Non non, je suis un campingcariste!”
Making it all work
In common with most modern motorhomes,
the Welcome 5 has all the expected
technology to make habitation not only
possible, but comfortable too. Mains hook-up
feeds charger and leisure battery. An easy-touse push-button control panel gives
information about battery and tank levels and
allows control of 12V circuits. Only one
unswitched UK-style mains socket on the end
of the kitchen unit was a disappointment and I
would wait and see how I lived with the ’van
before I specified the fitting of extras.
Blown-air and water heating is provided by
a Truma gas-only Combi heater in the base of
the wardrobe. It feeds warm air to all areas to
keep everyone toasty in chilly conditions,
thanks to its 6kW output. If you plan to use
fully-featured sites on a regular basis it would
be a good idea to investigate mains electric
heating options (making the most of your
hook-up and cutting gas consumption while
on site).
Fresh water capacity is good, with an
inboard tank in the forward-facing dinette seat
holding 128 litres. Waste water is taken care
of by twin underslung tanks holding a total of
145 litres. They have easy-to-use large-bore
dump valves, but you do need to grovel
underneath a bit to operate them.
Lighting is excellent, with halogen reading
lamps above lounge and diner. Circular
fluorescents on the ceiling have a natty,
switchable nightlight feature to aid getting to
the toilet in the middle of the night. I was
impressed to see wall switches for these
fittings, something that can be lacking in more
expensive ’vans.
Blinds and flyscreens are fitted at all the
windows, except the washroom, and
elasticated magazine racks on the end of the
kitchen unit and in the luton complete the
detailing.
In brief
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato Maxi LWB chassis
cab
Engine type: 2.8-litre common-rail turbodiesel
Output: 94kW (127bhp) @ 3600 rpm
Gearbox and drive: Five-speed manual
gearbox, front-wheel drive
Make and model: Chausson Welcome 5SU
Body type and construction: Sandwich
construction with GRP skinned sides, back
and roof. Alloy panel to front of luton. ABS rear
bumper and side skirts
Conversion NCC approved: No
Electrical equipment: Mains hook-up with
RCD and MCBs, one unswitched mains
socket, mains charger and leisure battery
feeding push-button control panel
Lighting: Filament lamps to kitchen and
shower area, halogen downlighters in
washroom, adjustable halogen reading lights
in lounge and dining area, ceiling-mounted
circular fluorescent fittings in lounge and
kitchen/diner with ‘nightlight’ feature, external
porch light
Cooking facilities: Smev three-burner hob,
Smev grill/warming oven with push-button
ignition
Refrigerator: Dometic RM6401 Powerfridge,
three-way operation, capacity 97 litres
Water heater: Truma Combi 6002S, gas only
operation
Fresh water tank: Inboard, 128 litres
(28 gallons) capacity
Waste water tanks: Twin, underslung.
Total capacity 145 litres (32 gallons)
Space heating: Truma Combi 6002S, gas only
operation, outlets in lounge, kitchen/diner,
shower compartment and washroom
Gas locker capacity: Two 7kg cylinders
▼
Choice dining
Hatches on either side reveal a cavernous, under-lounge storage area.
MARCH 2003 145
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CHAUSSON WELCOME 5SU ON 2.8TD FIAT DUCATO MAXI
Rear restraints: Two three-point belts to
forward-facing dinette seats, two lap belts to
rearward-facing dinette seats
Additional features: Large underfloor storage
locker at the rear, fitted stereo speakers in
dinette
Dimensions
Overall length: 6.92m (22ft 9in)
Overall width: 2.24m (7ft 5in)
Overall height: 2.99m (9ft 11in)
Interior height: 2.20m (7ft 2.5in)
Bed dimensions:
Overcab double 1.98m x 1.47m
(6ft 6in x 4ft 10in)
Dinette double 1.90m x 2.17m
(6ft 3in x 4ft 2in)
Lounge double 2.03m x 1.32m
(6ft 8in x 4ft 4in)
Max authorised weight: 3500kg
Load capacity: 483kg
Price
Standard model (as tested):
£32 995 on the road
Base vehicle options: Driver and passenger
airbags, radio/CD-player, cab air-conditioning,
tinted windows, ABS (anti-lock brakes),
automatic gearbox (LHD only)
Caravan options: Roof rack and ladder, rear
stabiliser jacks, extractor fan, exterior shower,
wiring for solar panel, electric panoramic
skylight, electric entrance step, fixings for bike
carrier, comfort driving seat, cab seat covers
with matching cushions, caravan door
flyscreen, motorbike carrier, towbar
Chausson Welcome 5 kindly supplied
for evaluation by:
Euro Motorhomes, Unit 6, Bradley Corner,
Wilton Road Estate, Humberston,
Grimsby DN36 4BG (tel: 01472 811036;
web site: www.euromotorhomes.co.uk).
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MARCH 2003
MOTORCARAVAN MOTORHOME MONTHLY