2012 Chausson Flash 10 Motorhome review

Motorhomers all over Europe are looking to buy smaller ’vans and usually, the first choice when downsizing is whether or not to forego the fixed bed, which can easily be fitted into a motorhome of 7.5 metres but tends to dominate in just a six-metre ’van. With this motorhome though, with it’s eletronically lowering bed, you get the best of both worlds.

Of course, putting the bed in the roof has been a motorhome designer’s solution for as long as we can remember. Spacemaker elevating roofs encouraged you to go upstairs to bed in the early 1980s, and later that decade Pilote brought us a low-profile with a drop-down bed in the roof.

You can also set the seating area up as a second double and only half lower the fixed bed, creating a comfortable double bunk setup.

With the bed hidden away above your head, the Chausson can devote plenty of space to lounging. Two swivel cab seats (with two armrests apiece) are a good starting point, but they’re joined by a long settee on the UK offside and an even longer (5ft) L-settee opposite.

The massive opening sunroof (£550 extra) over the front seats means that you’ll not miss having any daylight directly over the lounge, especially as there’s a large Heki-style wind-up vent over the kitchen.

Chausson listened to their UK dealers, too, when they said that the kitchen worktop should sport a wood finish, for a warmer look. And they add a Smev grill.

The galley itself sits aft of the high-backed forward-facing section of the L-settee (where two three-point seatbelts allow for passenger-carrying). It’s not the biggest kitchen, but it seems well planned.

Somehow, in this 5.99m vehicle, Chausson have incorporated a huge across-the-full-width-of-the-vehicle changing-cum-ablutions room that betters even many luxurious British newcomers. For a start, there’s a huge double wardrobe in here, while the shower is big enough for two!

Slide back the curved tambour door and step up five and a half inches and you’ll find yourself in a remarkably good bathroom. All the normal stuff is here; a swivel cassette toilet (with masses of legroom in front of it), a fixed corner basin with cupboard below, wall cupboards, opening window and roof vent, towel and toilet roll holders.

But it’s the size of that separate shower (better than you get in many 8-metre A-classes) and the amount of clothing storage that makes this washroom special.

And there’s versatility to the wardrobe space, too. The left-hand mirror-fronted door hides a conventional, but good-sized, space to hang clothes. The plain wood right-hand wardrobe door opens to reveal a large locker with two shelves.

A tall thin door (1.87m by 0.44m) on the outside of the Flash 10, however, reveals yet more versatility to this area. Even with the second wardrobe in use you have a generous locker below for small folding chairs, mains lead, hose reel, etc, but you can also remove the floor of the second wardrobe and create a floor-to-ceiling external locker.

You’ll find more stowage space, accessible from inside or out, in the base of the straight settee on the offside, but the L-seat houses the boiler and fresh water tank, so there’s no more room therein.

The Ford Transit immobiliser is the main standard fit security device for this motorhome but even having that fitted could give you a saving on motorhome insurance.

Verdict

This is a six-metre motorhome that has it all. It has, in effect, a very comfortable permanent bed. It has a big lounge, huge fridge/freezer and plenty of exterior storage. It has travel seats and berths for four and it has an excellent washroom.

Cost to insure: £258.50*

Fact-file

• Price from: £38,516
• Berths: 4
• Travel seats (inc driver) 4
• Dimensions 5.99 L, 2.30m W, 2.89m H
• Beds: Drop-down double 1.94m x 1.39m, lounge bed 2.13m x 1.30m. Headroom of 670mm in each bed when both in use.

*Motorhome insurance based on Chausson Flash £38,516. Fitted with Manufacturer’s Immobiliser system. Kept on driveway at home at TD9 8ED. Insured & spouse, 50 years old, professionals, with no claims, convictions or health conditions in last 5 years. 5 years transferred NCD, 5 years motorhome driving experience. Members of motorhome club doing less than 5000 miles annually. Quote includes up to 8 months European insurance cover. £300 excess applies. European Breakdown is £43 extra. Premium includes Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) at 6% and is correct as of 16.05.12.