Over the past few years, the option of using your motorhome as your permanent home has become a reality for more and more people. If it’s something you’re considering, a stylish and comfortable ‘van with a luxurious interior are likely to be just a few of the requirements. But how do you go about choosing the best motorhome for full-time living?
The best motorhomes in this category will provide a setup that allows you to create that home-from-home experience, with great spec and roomy interiors.
If you’re looking for one, the Practical Motorhome Awards 2025 are here to help you find the model that suits your needs.
This year, our judging panel picked out the Hymer MLT570 Crossover as the best motorhome to live in full time – we thought it did a brilliant job of providing the luxury you would need to travel all the time, as well as having a spec that helps you be self-sufficient. Here, you can see what we made of it and our other highly commended contenders, as well as our top picks from recent years, featuring ‘vans from makes of motorhomes such as Carthago, Coachman, Chausson and more.
What is the best motorhome to live in full time?
Shortlisted at the Practical Motorhome Awards 2025
Hymer MLT570 Crossover
Frankia Platin Pure I 7400 GD
Chausson 660 Etape Line
Our top picks from recent years
Carthago C Tourer I 145 LE Superior
Niesmann + Bischoff Flair 920
Coachman Travel Master 545
Hymer Venture S
Swift Edge 494
Chausson 520
Adria Matrix Axess 520 ST
Bürstner Lyseo TD 744 Harmony Line
The best motorhome for full-time living
Hymer MLT570 Crossover
- Base vehicle: Mercedes Sprinter
- Price: £142,170
- Berths: 3
- Belts: 4
- MTPLM: 4100kg
- MIRO: 3410kg
- Payload: 338kg
- Length: 6.74m
- Width: 2.12m
Reason to buy:
- A luxurious way to travel all the time anywhere.
Reason to avoid:
- You might get exasperated if you are a keen cook.
The best motorhome for full-time living at the Practical Motorhome Awards 2025
If you are intent on living full time in your motorhome, it probably makes sense to make one built with self-sufficiency in mind, for there are bound to be occasions when you might not be able to guarantee things like hook up and a water connection.
This new off-road vehicle from Hymer has self-sufficiency in spades, with two 95W solar panels on the roof, an inverter and no less than four 80Ah lithium batteries. You also get a 120-litre water tank.
Yet while it might be rugged on the outside, it certainly isn’t on the inside. This is actually an off-road version of Hymer’s existing MLT 570 model, and on the inside the two are fairly similar: the same long fixed single beds in the back, the same washroom with a swivelling position, and the same comfortable front dinette. Even the kitchen here, while minimal, has been made to look more domestic with “tiling” on the walls and a stylish tap.
Frankia Platin Pure I 7400 GD
- Base vehicle: Mercedes Sprinter
- Price: £170,000
- Berths: 4
- Belts: 4
- MTPLM: 5500kg
- MIRO: 4321kg
- Payload: 1179kg
- Length: 7.76m
- Width: 2.30m
Reason to buy:
- A great way to stay self-sufficient wherever you are
Reason to avoid:
- The price
Highly commended at the Practical Motorhome Awards 2025
Frankia’s Platin range, based on a Mercedes Sprinter, has been running for some years now and is well established as a self-sufficient offering. All models come with a 1700W inverter, four 100W solar panels, a 420Ah lithium battery and a massive 270-litre fresh water tank.
This new model, featuring two fixed single beds at the rear and a cab bed, brings the overall length down to a slightly more manageable 7.76m. But inside you still get the characteristic 2.03m of headroom and a flat floor throughout – both factors that should be major plus points if you are looking for a full time living vehicle and are above average height.
The flat floor is there because this A-class motorhome also features a double floor throughout – providing great insulation on top of the Alde motorhome heating system that should keep you cosy throughout winter.
Chausson 660 Etape Line
- Base vehicle: Ford Transit
- Price: £73,990
- Berths: 4
- Belts: 4
- MTPLM: 3500kg
- MIRO: 3012kg
- Payload: 488kg
- Length: 6.99m
- Width: 2.35m
Reason to buy:
- A roomy interior that feels like home
Reason to avoid:
- Possibly not the best choice if you’re not fussed about TV
Highly commended at the Practical Motorhome Awards 2025
The motorhome that was so like full time living it had a back door no longer has a back door, but it does now have a better bathroom. When this model, complete with a roomy front lounge geared around watching the best motorhome TV and partitioned off kitchen, was launched two seasons ago, it also had a rear storage area you could walk right out of.
That exit has now gone, although there still is a cupboard you can access from both inside and out. But the redesigning of the rear section means you now get a substantially larger washroom. That is probably something you are going to need if you are looking to live in here full time.
Go for the Etape Line spec and along with an automatic gearbox and alloy wheels you will get two extras that might make full time living just that bit better – a roll-out awning and an external gas point.
Carthago C Tourer I 145 LE Superior
- Price: depends on option chosen
- Berths: 4 (can be 2)
- MTPLM: TBC
- MIRO: TBC
- Payload: TBC
- Length: depends on option chosen
- Width: 2.27m
Reason to buy:
- Solidly built and luxurious
Reason to avoid:
- Lounge seats might feel a bit upright for some people
A ‘van with Superior in its name is setting high expectations for itself, yet we think this Carthago model certainly delivers.
Available on both a Mercedes Benz Sprinter and Fiat Ducato base, the scene is set when you glance at the exterior. Eye-catching wings create a stylish appearance, while the full LED headlights offer dipped and mainbeam settings.
Step inside and you’ll immediately notice the injection of class that the continuous overhead storage lockers provide, thanks to their glossy ivory and brilliant ash shades. Recessed handles enhance the look.
At the front, an L-shaped seating area can be created, while the flexible washroom gives you the choice of combining the bathroom and toilet to create a more airy area.
Features such as a 32-inch LED flat-screen TV, an elegant wall panel and a spacious kitchen (which includes a 133-litre Slimtower fridge and an elevated work surface), combine to provide a comfortable living space.
Then you can look forward to enjoying an opulent sleeping experience in the two large single beds, up to two metres long, for a good night’s rest in your motorhome.
Full review: Carthago C Tourer I 145 LE Superior
Niesmann + Bischoff Flair 920
- Price: £194,200
- MTPLM: 7200kg
- Payload: 1919kg
- MIRO: 5281kg
- Length: 9.27m
- Width: 2.42m
Reasons to buy:
- Great build quality, a home from home
Reasons to avoid:
- Pricey, minimalist interior may not be for everyone
If money is no object and you want something that will more or less resembles a city apartment when you are on your travels, then last year’s winner of the best motorhome for full-time living, totally revamped for the season, should press all the right buttons.
The real crowd puller is the washroom with its walk-in shower with a concrete-effect floor complete with both a very minimalist hand-held shower and a rain shower. In the lounge N + B has brought a feature over from its iSmove models: an L-shaped dinette seat for travelling that can quickly be turned into parallel settees instead.
The bed at the back has been lowered in the new generation Flairs too. Then there are clever little details, such as the space for up to 6 lithium batteries if you want to go off-grid, or the habitation door that automatically partially closes when you open the external storage drawer next to it – allowing for easier access to a wider drawer. Many of these external drawers also contain removable boxes to make packing and unpacking even easier.
You also get drawers under the seats in the front lounge. Just in case there is something you don’t quite like, much of this van is customisable to what you want. So you might expect at such a price. But for the ultimate dream of living full-time in a motorhome, this could be the ultimate vehicle.
Full review: Niesmann + Bischoff Flair 920
Coachman Travel Master 545
- Price: £122,000
- Berths: 4
- MTPLM: 4500kg
- MiRO: 3650kg
- Length: 8.06m
Reasons to buy:
- Packed with kit, luxurious interior for longer tours
Reasons to avoid:
- Pricey, requires a C1 driving licence
If you’re planning to spend a lot of time in your motorhome – which you’ll certainly do if you want to live in it full time – you’ll really want everything you could need to hand, and as standard on your motorhome. After all, ticking the options box on some motorhomes can really ramp up the cost.
Not so with the Coachman Travel Master 545, which has an incredibly high level of kit as standard. It’s based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis with 170 HP engine, but it’s the inside of the ‘van that really impresses. The interior looks and feels truly luxurious, and there are small details – such as the touch-sensitive dimmable lighting – that make you feel as though you’re in a hotel room.
The comfortable island bed, 130Ah battery, solar panel, garage storage space and large Skyview rooflight all go to help make this a motorhome you’re really going to want to spend time in.
Hymer Venture S
- Price: £197,540
- MTPLM: 4100kg
- MiRO: 3725kg
- Payload: 375kg
- Length: 6.45m
- Width: 2.16m
Reasons to buy:
- Great upper bedroom, comfy rear lounge with sun deck
Reasons to avoid:
- Pricey, it is just for two
When the Venture S was first put out as a concept vehicle, its inflatable pop-up roof and rear door that folds down to create a sun deck seemed incredibly futuristic. But a production model of the van was unveiled at Caravan Salon in August 2022, and for those who really dream about living around the clock off grid in their motorhome, it really is something rather special.
The inflatable roof creates a bedroom, but noise reduction compared with a standard campervan roof is immediately noticeable. And you get up to this little haven by a real flight of stairs that cleverly doubles up as extra storage units.
The sundeck created out of the back door includes a ladder down to the ground. A spacious shower room is created by just extending the washroom wall. There‘s even a little desk that can be folded out of the sidewall, with all suitable connections if you need to do a spot of work while you are having your adventure.
The vehicle is also equipped with a Sonos music system, and for the first time ever in a Hymer vehicle, a film projector is included as an option. This limited edition van already had a UK sterling price (a hefty one, as you would expect), but it’s not yet clear when right hand drive models will be available.
Full review: Hymer Venture S
Swift Edge 494
- Year: 2020
- Berths: 4
- Belts: 4
- MTPLM: 3500kg
- Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
- Length: 7.32m
Reason to buy:
- Wonderful end bedroom
Reason to avoid:
- Overcabs are not the most economical on the road
The 2020 Edge range was aimed very much at the budget-end of the market upon its release. Even so, we think it has everything you should need for full-time living if you’re looking at buying a secondhand motorhome.
Unusually for a motorhome, it has a transverse bed at the rear, with plenty of space to move around in and create a little den of your own.
There’s plenty of space in the front lounge, too, and we think even if there is just the two of you, you could still make use of the overcab bed as an extra storage space – or as a place to have guests to stay where they wouldn’t take up any of your own living space.
The central kitchen and washroom are all you could need for a long stay, too.
Full review: Swift Edge 494
Chausson 520
- Year: 2020
- Berths: 4
- Belts: 4
- MTPLM: 3500kg
- Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
- Length: 5.99m
Reason to buy:
- Large washing and dressing room; still some ‘garage’ space
Reason to avoid:
- Probably not a vehicle to go for as a full-time ‘van if you have never used a motorhome before
French brand Chausson is known for designing motorhomes with luxurious end washrooms that make ideal full-time ‘vans as a result.
Chausson went one extra in 2020, offering this motorhome layout in a model that is less than 6m long – and so should be much easier for taking on ferries or fitting into a parking space. Nor does the 520 necessarily compromise on much. You still get a rear storage area of sorts – admittedly not a full garage like other Chausson motorhomes that share this layout, but still a compartment accessible from the rear panel that has enough room for you to store your important, but not always used, household items.
Along with the huge washroom, once you raise the drop-down bed in the morning, there is a very comfortable front lounge with parallel settees either side of a fold-down table.
Full review: Chausson 520
Adria Matrix 520 ST Axess
- Year: 2020
- Berths: 4
- Belts: 4
- MTPLM: 3500kg
- Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
- Length: 5.96m
Reason to buy:
- Huge bed and kitchen
Reason to avoid:
- Garage is not the largest in this selection and you only get a fold-down washbasin
If you are going to be using your motorhome full-time, eventually you are going to want a fairly decent kitchen, with plenty of storage and workspace. Fortunately the 520 ST has that in droves in the large L-shaped kitchen that takes up the rear offside corner of the motorhome. Rather handily, this has direct access via a hatch to the garage behind, so you can haul in your bulky provisions and kitchen appliances that you might not need all the time without having to go outside or even having to disrupt everyone else in the motorhome.
A drop-down bed comes down over the front dinette so, if it is the two of you, going to bed is just a question of getting up from the sofa, twisting the key and letting the electric motor do the rest.
In all this, there is even space for a fairly large loo on the rear nearside, away from the door, and any awning you might want to put up.
Full review: Adria Matrix 520 ST Axess
Bürstner Lyseo TD 744 Harmony Line
- Year: 2017
- Berths: 2
- Belts: 4
- MTPLM: 4250kg
- Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
- Length: 7.49m
Reason to buy:
- Really roomy rear lounge
Reason to avoid:
- Washroom is a bit compromised
Bürstner designed the 744 layout, now available in the double-floor TD range with the Harmony Line upgraded spec, specifically to make you feel as if you are in a three-room apartment. And it kind of works. There is a conventional front dinette, behind which sits a perfectly adequate kitchen and washroom. But then, behind that is something really unusual: a comfy rear lounge complete with L-shaped seating, a large window to look out of, a pull-out coffee table and a wall that is just crying out for a television. At night you simply drop the roof of this lounge area down to reveal a huge double bed.
There is also lots of storage in here – not just a large wardrobe but more overhead lockers, underseat storage areas and special cabinets than you would probably know what to do with.
Full review: Bürstner Lyseo TD 744
How we choose the best motorhome for full-time living
When you want a motorhome for full-time living, you’ll want a ‘van that provides you with a home from home experience.
As a result, the key considerations we will look out for include how practical the layout is, how much space it provides you with, and the storage on offer, amongst other things.
The expert team at Practical Motorhome are well-placed to be assessing this, as, between us, we have decades of collective experience in the industry. As a result, we know what it that elevates a good ‘van to one of the best motorhomes for full-time living.
We’re regularly testing the latest motorhomes on the market, looking at and experiencing what we’re writing about. You can see hundreds of these tests in our motorhome reviews section, with more added all the time – each one highlights the pros and cons of each model, to help you make as informed a buying decision as possible. You can find out more about our testing process on our About Us page.
Further insight is achieved through our Owner Satisfaction Awards, where we find out how our readers get on when they’re buying a ‘van.
Combining this puts us in a good position to start compiling an initial list, which we then whittle down to create the final shortlist. Each ‘van we’ve included is a worthy contender, and we’ll explain why we’ve included them on our round-up of the best motorhomes for full-time living.
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