Citroen Holidays 2.0 BlueHDi Max M 5dr EAT8

Ten Second Review

Citroen enters the camper market with this model, the Holidays. Based on the SpaceTourer MPV, it claims to bring People Carrier qualities to the motorhome market - with value pricing.

Background

A family-sized camper van isn't really something you'd want to buy used. But at the kind of prices being asked for this kind of vehicle from the two main segment protagonists, Volkswagen and Ford, quite a few potential motorhome customers are being driven to the second-hand market. If that's you, then don't start looking at used motorhome models quite yet - until you've considered this contender anyway, the Citroen Holidays. The asking figure for this French market entrant is a useful slug less than a California or a Transit Custom Nugget, the two obvious Volkswagen and Ford rivals in this segment. Yet it includes all the main things you'd need in that camper you've always dreamed about. Created for Citroen by leading van conversion company Bravia Mobil, it's based on well proven underpinnings - those of the old Citroen SpaceTourer MPV diesel, itself founded on the solid foundations of a Citroen Dispatch mid-sized van. Want to find out more? Read on.

Driving Experience

Although Citroen makes a lot of this Holidays model being based on its SpaceTourer MPV, camper customers will probably be relieved to know that it doesn't share the full-EV drivetrain that is all you can get in a SpaceTourer these days. Instead, there's the 2.0-litre BlueHDi 180hp diesel that that People Carrier used to have, complete with 8-speed EAT8 automatic transmission. Citroen would like you to believe that the design of this camper is MPV-derived and quite car-like, as with the current Volkswagen California (which is based on that Wolfsburg brand's Multivan People Carrier). Actually though, it's more accurate to call it a converted van (like the rival Ford Transit Custom Nugget) because the SpaceTourer MPV is really only a Citroen Dispatch mid-sized van with windows and extra seats. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Like the Dispatch, the Holidays will ride quite well around town thanks to its supple suspension and relatively stiff EMP2 platform. And careful wishbone filtering dampens the impacts of our country's terrible tarmac, plus variable-stiffness springs and shock absorbers deliver surprising levels of comfort, whether the vehicle is loaded or unloaded. It's also quite refined. And there are nice touches like the driving time warning system, which flashes up a dashboard warning after two hours of uninterrupted driving at speeds of 40mph and above. Pulling power is willing through the gears thanks to 400Nm of torque. And you'll easily be able to keep up with the flow of traffic, thanks to a 0-62mph time of 10.6s on the way to a top speed of 106mph.

Design and Build

Everything you might reasonably expect to need from a camper comes included. So there's a pop-up roof, allowing for ample standing headroom and accommodating up to two sleeping spaces (the bed is 1.2m x 1.95m). And you get a sliding bench which can be converted into a sleeping space for two more people (creating a bed 1.15m x 1.9m). The bench can also be removed to create more space inside, and blackout blinds on the windscreen and side windows should ensure a comfortable night's sleep for all on board. The kitchen is equipped with two gas burners, a sink and a 16-litre 12V refrigerator. The kitchen unit and its retractable table can be removed to enable cooking and dining outside, and there is a 10-litre fresh water tank along with a 10-litre waste water tank. The Holidays also comes with a rear-mounted shower with a 25-litre tank and a removable toilet. The driver and passenger seats can be swivelled to face backwards, enabling occupants to socialise with other passengers, and the driver's seat is heated for added comfort. The cabin features ample storage, including 27-litres of space in the upper glovebox and side doors. Also included is a 230V external mains inlet point to recharge the 95Ah 12V leisure battery - and an internal 230V socket. In addition to powering the refrigerator, the 12V leisure battery also powers two USB-A sockets in the habitation area. In the cabin, there are two USB-C outlets and a wireless smartphone charger on the central console, as well as a 12V socket in the glovebox. A roof-mounted solar panel comes included, equipped to harness additional power. And there's a programmable Webasto heating system to ensure optimal onboard temperature, monitored by a control panel which also manages the interior lighting ambience.

Market and Model

The price for this Holidays model was set from just over £56,000 at launch. There's only one trim level available, 'MAX', but it includes pretty much everything you're likely to need, including all the camper features we told you about in our 'Design' section. Also included are twin sliding rear doors, an opening tailgate window, a wardrobe and drawers, a removable freestanding table, LED interior lighting with a control panel and vacuum curtains for the windscreen and cabin windows. You also get auxiliary additional heating, a removable toilet and lateral rails on left and right sides for holding the awning. Features borrowed from the SpaceTourer include wireless 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' for the 10-inch HD central touchscreen, along with Citroen Connected navigation, voice recognition and an 8-speaker audio system. Plus LED headlights, auto headlamps and wipers, 17-inch diamond-cut 'Phoenix' silver and black alloy wheels, front fog lights and an electrochrome rear view mirror. As for safety and driver assist features, the Holidays offers 17 driving aids to provide safe and serene driving. These technologies include hill start assist and adaptive cruise control with a Stop & Go function. You also get automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, driver fatigue alert, lane-keeping assist, collision risk alert, automatic LED headlights and sign recognition. Tight manoeuvres are made safer and easier thanks to the Top Rear Vision reversing camera and there's an electric parking brake.

Cost of Ownership

You can no longer get a diesel engine in the SpacerTourer MPV this Holidays model is based on, but the efficiency figures here remind us of how frugal that People Carrier would be if it still was able to sip from the black pump instead of needing to be charged up rather too frequently as a full-EV. The 2.0-litre BlueHDi 180 diesel engine records a combined cycle fuel figure of up to 40.7mpg and a CO2 emissions return of up to 208g/km. As for maintenance, well there are plenty of Citroen outlets to choose from, so you should never be too far from one. So you can budget ahead, the French maker offers its 'Citroen Maintenance' scheme that lets you pay either a one-off fee or monthly instalments to cover the cost of the routine upkeep of your vehicle for as long as three years and 35,000 miles.

Summary

Citroen describes this camper as 'a true mobile cocoon', providing for 'a constraint-free travel experience'. Rivals claim much the same, but this French maker delivers the experience significantly more affordably. True, there are no engine electrification options as with rivals, but most motorhome customers don't want those anyway. Instead, the Holidays gets on with simply providing everything you need from the camper and nothing you don't. And it's all based on proven Stellantis Group underpinnings that millions of mid-sized van Citroen, Peugeot, Vauxhall, Fiat (and Toyota) customers already rely on every day. True, it's not the most premium choice you could make in this segment. But for a significant proportion of customers, it might well be the right one.