Hi Bob and Jenny, further to your review we have just ordered the Bessacarr 562 2019 with an auto box. The Bessacarr looks identical to the Swift sport except for a couple of changes to the fabrics and locker colours and the engine upgrade to 150bhp. We have saved approximately £8,000 over the price of a Kon-Tiki sport and we can’t really understand the price difference. Like you we also liked the Bailey but unfortunately they are not available with an automatic box. We have also ordered a drawer pack with flyover top in place of the centre cushion and the passenger seat to be altered to a swivel base. Thanks again for your excellent review.
I bet that worried you when the panel came off in your hand!! That looks like a very nice motor home, I prefer the pleated blinds. We used your video to change our lights to usb lights. 👍👍👍
Excellent review. I like this layout, though be nice if cab seats swivelled, giving that extra seating. Great to see what 2020 brings. Looking forward to seeing the swift compact.
The overhead cab locker is so great for bedding and pillows I think I would struggle to put them elsewhere. Underseats one side I keep all the motorhome levels and cables etc and screen cover. Other side is shoes and dog covers.
We looked at the Bessecar equivalent only yesterday with 1000 miles on the clock and £10,000 cheaper which looked very much the same. I find the bed lengths ridiculous as a 6 footer especially when you look at external rear moulded panels which must take up 4 inches. The front cab seats didn’t seem to swivel and again as a 6 footer I found the leg room a little cramped. All in all a very expensive Motorhome which will only suit people well under 6 foot. Thanks for your efforts Bob and Jenny
Really enjoying these reviews 👍 Having owned so may over the years like yourselves, bits are good ,bits are bad or just not workable at all,! Many thanks as always 👌
Is the hump at the front just for extra headroom? I cant work that out! Its a nice van but I think I prefer the one we have for the rear layout option.
A thought has just occurred: do you think that open area at the bottom of the aerial 'cupboard' is meant to be a shelf for charging phones. etc. from the USB below?
How can you safely transport your dog in this configuration or do you have to choose another model with 4 seatbelts. I’m asking this as you have both stated your liking for your current van but with a front lounge?
I have to say the new models leave me cold. It looks like it’s been designed by someone who has never motorhomed in their life. No storage for food in the kitchen, very little storage for all those extras (chairs, awnings, etc), the very odd way the bathroom intrudes on to the sunroof?? Our Bessacarr is 9 years old and no way I would swap it for any of the newer models. Good review though Bob as always 👍
The reason for the dome roof is economic. The standard front overcab mouldings skylight comes quite far back into the caravan body. The layout of this model which has the bathroom directly behind the cab seat means that the standard roofline would mean the bathroom wall would clash with the skylight. The bulge moulding is utilised by other models in the range to give extra headroom on the drop down bed layouts. Swift have simply borrowed this roofline to allow this layout to be produced without having to design a completely different cab over moulding / skylight just for this to model.
I can only presume that the ‘Ariel cupboard’ is designed so that one has quick and easy access to adjust/tune the Ariel, thus a short piece of board with magnetic catches if full access was needed for repairs etc. ( not being a Caravan/motor home user so just a guess).
Isn’t the Bailey Autograph range nearly £10k cheaper with most of the same stuff on board such Alde heating same cooker. I’m 6foot and find it frustrating but for a couple of inches in van length manufacturers spoil the bedroom with short beds. People don’t shrink when they step inside a Moho put standard size beds in for standard sized people.
The designer of this could do with giving some lessons to the one who did the Edge 476. A few niggles but not enough put me off. Two biggest issues for me were the none swivel front seats, at least the passenger seat should, and the blown air with Alde choice, but others will like that. While it looks to be a higher quality spec on some things, it wouldn’t be enough at the cost point to make me choose this over the similar layout Bailey, or others.
Good video. Surprisingly underwhelmed with the 'Sport': don't get much for your £65K do you? Not a fan of the high toilet/shower directly behind the driver's seat. For a relatively compact layout, there's lots of wasted space in the cab area. Some 'features' seem they've not been thought-through, or even finished (what's that aerial .panel all about?) and others over-thought (the wardrobe).
Thanks, there is quite a high specification on this 'van, hence the price. It's not our favourite layout though, but there are plenty of layouts in this range.
Whats your honest opinion of swift, I am looking to buy a secondhand motorhome but in my research I have found that Swift have a very bad name for quality and most of all after sales service
We can only go on our experience after 5 years ownership now. Swift have a large market share and you only hear the horror stories. A lot depends on the Dealer and how good they are. Have a look at our review from last year. ruclips.net/video/3sSOiZ17FPk/видео.html
Naming makes me chuckle when they call something as slow and large as this a SPORT model :-) its going to win no race and to be honest it should not. A better name would be something like Grand Lux, Excel, or Superior but SPORT :-)))
More expensive oven, auto fridge, alloy wheels, cab air con, passenger air bag, bigger engine, more windows, window blinds, alde heating, tank heaters, slatted beds, rear view camera, sat nav, etc. It all adds up.
I’ve come late to the party on this one. I’m sure we’ve all sat in our motorhomes and picked the features we like best from all the makes/models to design our fantasy motorhome. It’s as though Swift have done the opposite with this one and picked all of the worst bits. The aerial cupboard door (if you can call it that) is a complete mystery to me and the front skylight arrangement is definitely style over substance. We all recognise the futility of open corner shelves but manufactures don’t listen and insist on trying to fob us off with them. Surely it’s better to save costs elsewhere? We’re lucky enough to own a new Niesmann and Bischoff. The cabinetry is a thing of beauty and overhead lockers go from corner to corner - the build quality sold the vehicle to us. I appreciate the price tag may be too high for many, but surely manufacturers can copy with pride the best features from each other to provide fit for purpose storage up and down the ranges?
Great video as normal, two things I find irritating, No 1 the name Kontiki Sport, what's that all about, Kontiki fine, but Sport, since when has a mobile home been a Sports vehicle. No 2, that hump above the cab looks hidious.
It’s very expensive for what it is , you could not let your children go under the bed to get anything out , you would think the wiring would be boxed in for safety for that sort of money there should be no wires just pinned inside storage cupboards , and if you had to brake hard the cushions would fly to the front . It’s a disgrace for the money
Hi Bob and Jenny, further to your review we have just ordered the Bessacarr 562 2019 with an auto box. The Bessacarr looks identical to the Swift sport except for a couple of changes to the fabrics and locker colours and the engine upgrade to 150bhp. We have saved approximately £8,000 over the price of a Kon-Tiki sport and we can’t really understand the price difference. Like you we also liked the Bailey but unfortunately they are not available with an automatic box. We have also ordered a drawer pack with flyover top in place of the centre cushion and the passenger seat to be altered to a swivel base. Thanks again for your excellent review.
Thanks, that sounds like a bargain.
Fantastic review, I really trust you as you are not selling it .thank you from Ashley and terry from brighton.
I bet that worried you when the panel came off in your hand!! That looks like a very nice motor home, I prefer the pleated blinds. We used your video to change our lights to usb lights. 👍👍👍
Excellent review. I like this layout, though be nice if cab seats swivelled, giving that extra seating. Great to see what 2020 brings. Looking forward to seeing the swift compact.
When you tried the beds Bob was the other side not longer ? On mine the other side seat is another 4/5 inches longer
It didn't look any longer to me.
The overhead cab locker is so great for bedding and pillows I think I would struggle to put them elsewhere. Underseats one side I keep all the motorhome levels and cables etc and screen cover. Other side is shoes and dog covers.
We looked at the Bessecar equivalent only yesterday with 1000 miles on the clock and £10,000 cheaper which looked very much the same. I find the bed lengths ridiculous as a 6 footer especially when you look at external rear moulded panels which must take up 4 inches. The front cab seats didn’t seem to swivel and again as a 6 footer I found the leg room a little cramped. All in all a very expensive Motorhome which will only suit people well under 6 foot. Thanks for your efforts Bob and Jenny
Thanks
Really enjoying these reviews 👍
Having owned so may over the years like yourselves, bits are good ,bits are bad or just not workable at all,!
Many thanks as always 👌
Is the hump at the front just for extra headroom? I cant work that out! Its a nice van but I think I prefer the one we have for the rear layout option.
I can't figure it either, think it might be using the same body as the one with the drop down bed.
A thought has just occurred: do you think that open area at the bottom of the aerial 'cupboard' is meant to be a shelf for charging phones. etc. from the USB below?
Maybe that's what it's for.
How can you safely transport your dog in this configuration or do you have to choose another model with 4 seatbelts. I’m asking this as you have both stated your liking for your current van but with a front lounge?
I have to say the new models leave me cold. It looks like it’s been designed by someone who has never motorhomed in their life. No storage for food in the kitchen, very little storage for all those extras (chairs, awnings, etc), the very odd way the bathroom intrudes on to the sunroof??
Our Bessacarr is 9 years old and no way I would swap it for any of the newer models.
Good review though Bob as always 👍
Agree.
I like that one - nice bathroom and lounge. Why is it a "sport" van Bob?
No idea, bit like Land Rover Discovery Sport. Means a slightly lower specified model.
The reason for the dome roof is economic. The standard front overcab mouldings skylight comes quite far back into the caravan body. The layout of this model which has the bathroom directly behind the cab seat means that the standard roofline would mean the bathroom wall would clash with the skylight. The bulge moulding is utilised by other models in the range to give extra headroom on the drop down bed layouts. Swift have simply borrowed this roofline to allow this layout to be produced without having to design a completely different cab over moulding / skylight just for this to model.
Thanks I thought it was for reasons of economy.
I can only presume that the ‘Ariel cupboard’ is designed so that one has quick and easy access to adjust/tune the Ariel, thus a short piece of board with magnetic catches if full access was needed for repairs etc. ( not being a Caravan/motor home user so just a guess).
Yes the aerial cupboard is the strangest thing about it. I can't think why it's not in a normal cupboard with a door. Looks half finished.
Think I understand the ariel area when the ariel is up it probably is not seen
True, still strange
Maybe its for placing your phone on the shelf as it is just above the usb port
Isn’t the Bailey Autograph range nearly £10k cheaper with most of the same stuff on board such Alde heating same cooker. I’m 6foot and find it frustrating but for a couple of inches in van length manufacturers spoil the bedroom with short beds. People don’t shrink when they step inside a Moho put standard size beds in for standard sized people.
Yes I'm 6ft too, and it is frustrating those sofas don't fit as single beds. Agree with you on the pricing too.
Great review you make the moho magazine reviewers on you tube look complete amateurs.
The designer of this could do with giving some lessons to the one who did the Edge 476. A few niggles but not enough put me off. Two biggest issues for me were the none swivel front seats, at least the passenger seat should, and the blown air with Alde choice, but others will like that. While it looks to be a higher quality spec on some things, it wouldn’t be enough at the cost point to make me choose this over the similar layout Bailey, or others.
Yes, I think after walking away we were disappointed with the Kon-Tiki Sport.
Good video. Surprisingly underwhelmed with the 'Sport': don't get much for your £65K do you? Not a fan of the high toilet/shower directly behind the driver's seat. For a relatively compact layout, there's lots of wasted space in the cab area. Some 'features' seem they've not been thought-through, or even finished (what's that aerial .panel all about?) and others over-thought (the wardrobe).
Thanks, there is quite a high specification on this 'van, hence the price. It's not our favourite layout though, but there are plenty of layouts in this range.
Basically same layout as my swift sundance 580 but I would rather have the over cab storage like mine. 👍😎
Whats your honest opinion of swift, I am looking to buy a secondhand motorhome but in my research I have found that Swift have a very bad name for quality and most of all after sales service
We can only go on our experience after 5 years ownership now. Swift have a large market share and you only hear the horror stories. A lot depends on the Dealer and how good they are. Have a look at our review from last year.
ruclips.net/video/3sSOiZ17FPk/видео.html
Has the kon tiki got past it’s old reputation yet?
Naming makes me chuckle when they call something as slow and large as this a SPORT model :-) its going to win no race and to be honest it should not. A better name would be something like Grand Lux, Excel, or Superior but SPORT :-)))
cant see why this is worth 20 grand more than edge?
More expensive oven, auto fridge, alloy wheels, cab air con, passenger air bag, bigger engine, more windows, window blinds, alde heating, tank heaters, slatted beds, rear view camera, sat nav, etc. It all adds up.
Bob Earnshaw No swivelling seats, When it cost a Kings ransom, it's far to expensive.
I’ve come late to the party on this one. I’m sure we’ve all sat in our motorhomes and picked the features we like best from all the makes/models to design our fantasy motorhome. It’s as though Swift have done the opposite with this one and picked all of the worst bits. The aerial cupboard door (if you can call it that) is a complete mystery to me and the front skylight arrangement is definitely style over substance. We all recognise the futility of open corner shelves but manufactures don’t listen and insist on trying to fob us off with them. Surely it’s better to save costs elsewhere? We’re lucky enough to own a new Niesmann and Bischoff. The cabinetry is a thing of beauty and overhead lockers go from corner to corner - the build quality sold the vehicle to us. I appreciate the price tag may be too high for many, but surely manufacturers can copy with pride the best features from each other to provide fit for purpose storage up and down the ranges?
Great video as normal, two things I find irritating, No 1 the name Kontiki Sport, what's that all about, Kontiki fine, but Sport, since when has a mobile home been a Sports vehicle. No 2, that hump above the cab looks hidious.
It’s very expensive for what it is , you could not let your children go under the bed to get anything out , you would think the wiring would be boxed in for safety for that sort of money there should be no wires just pinned inside storage cupboards , and if you had to brake hard the cushions would fly to the front . It’s a disgrace for the money