If you are considering purchasing a camper van or even renting one for a trip, you may be wondering if it will be easy to drive. We know that motorhomes come in different sizes and the larger motorhomes may be intimidating for someone who isn’t experienced with driving something of such a large size.
However, a camper van is not nearly as large as a Class A motorhome or even a Class C motorhome. A camper van, also known as a Class B motorhome, is the smallest type of motorhome that you can drive.
Since they are smaller than most other motorhomes, one might assume that a camper van is likely easy to drive. Is this the case?
Camper vans are similar to driving standard passenger cars and trucks. Most of them are built on standard van chassis and include all the comforts and controls that you’ve come to expect in a vehicle. Although they come in different sizes, the average van is around 20 ft in length and is easily maneuverable as well as easy to park in most residential parking areas.
When I first considered purchasing one of these types of vans, this was one of my first concerns. I didn’t want something that was difficult to drive and would cause me stress on my trip.
I didn’t want to be concerned with safety on the road or backing into something or not being able to park in tight spots. However, what I have found after owning a camper van is that it is actually easier to drive than the medium-sized pick-up truck that I own.
Most modern vans are equipped with back-up cameras and other safety features that make them easy to get in and out of places just as you would a smaller car.
Even if a camper van is not equipped with a backup camera, it’s a very simple process to add one. I had to add a camera to my van because it didn’t come with one from the factory.
This was one of the best upgrades that I made to my van because the backup camera has allowed me to feel confident that I will not back over someone or hit another car that is behind me. It has made the experience a safer one as well as a less stressful one.
I’m often surprised at how easily maneuverable my camper van is. I’ve never gotten into a situation that I was scared I was stuck or couldn’t get out of.
If you are concerned that a camper van may not be easy to drive, you will most likely be interested in smaller camper vans so that you will maintain ease of driving that you may be used to.
The following list contains some of the smaller camper vans as well as standard commercial vans that could be converted to campers. These are ideal for someone who wants a small motorhome that is not difficult to drive.
The list below contains some examples of current Class B motorhomes that have a small footprint and make RVing easy. These vans give you everything you could want in a camper that is easy to drive and a pleasure to camp or live in.
- Winnebago Revel
- Pleasure Way 2020 Tofino – a small van with a pop-top.
- Carado Banff
- Coachmen Nova
- Roadtrek SS Agile
- Roadtrek Zion
- Storyteller Overland Mode 4×4
- Hymer Aktiv (no longer in production but can be found used.)
- Volkswagon California (Europe only as of 2019)
Commercial vans with a chassis that has a small footprint and are easy for most people to drive.
- Ford Transit – The regular and long versions are both small enough that anyone would feel comfortable driving them.
- RAM Promaster – 136 or 159-inch wheelbase models are easy to drive and can be parked in nearly any standard parking spot.
- Mercedes Sprinter – the 144-inch wheelbase is a small, manageable size and easy to drive.
- Chevrolet Express – Although this is a low roof van, it is much like driving a standard vehicle or minivan. A pop-up roof can be added for extra space.
- Ford Econoline – Similar to the Chevrolet above, the Econoline is small and is another great choice if you want an added pop-up.
- NISSAN NV – Small and similar to driving a pick-up truck.
Tips For Making a Camper Van Easier To Drive
- Purchase a van that you feel comfortable in. You should not feel stressed when sitting in the cab of your camper van. You should feel relaxed as you would in a standard passenger car.
- Be sure you have mirrors that cover all blind spots. Mirrors are invaluable in providing a safe experience as well as making your van easier to drive.
- Choose a van with a backup camera or install one yourself. A backup camera is essential, especially if you are not used to driving something the size of a campervan.
- Uncover all windows when driving. I see many people in class B motorhome’s with window coverings on the rear windows while they are driving. This could make for a dangerous situation since your field of view will be less.
- Avoid smaller roads. If possible, always travel larger roads and interstates to get to your destination. If you are unsure of a road, it’s best to avoid it.
- Always be aware. This should remain unsaid because we should always be aware no matter what we are driving. However, it’s easy to become unaware in a car that we are so used to. A larger van requires that you always maintain awareness of your surroundings to avoid accidents.
- Allow enough room to stop. A heavily loaded camper van may need more space to stop than you are used to with a passenger car. The more weight a van is carrying, the more space will be required to stop. Always be cautious of this as you are driving and do not follow cars as closely as you might do in a standard passenger vehicle.
Times When Camper Vans Might Be Difficult To Drive
There are a few scenarios that you might run into when a camper van might be more difficult to deal with. However the same could be said for any passenger vehicle.
There are often times, even in my car, that I am stuck in a situation that I would rather not be in. A camper van isn’t very large and isn’t a problem for most people, but some people may have difficulties in the following situations.
Blind Spots
On my Ram Promaster Class B motorhome, I have a blind spot on my passenger side when I am pulling into oncoming traffic on that side.
There have been times when I could not see anything and did not know if it was safe to pull out onto the road or not. Fortunately, I had a passenger that was able to tell me when it was safe to go.
This was a beginner mistake by me when I was new to driving it. I have since learned that I cannot angle my way into a median in order to pull onto the road. I have to pull straight out so that I can still have a full view of oncoming traffic.
It may take some time for you to discover blind areas and problems like this. Practicing driving your camper van in a low traffic area will help.
Parking Lots
It can be a challenge to park in busy parking lots if you have a larger van. There are some parking lots that I have been to where there was not enough room for me to even pull into a spot.
It’s important that in these situations you always judge the situation first before making a decision. The times that I have been in small parking lots like this, I realized that it would be difficult for me to get in and out so I continued and found a better place to park.
You will need to use common sense during times like this and you will also need to know the size and limitations of the van that you are driving. It is also best that you simply avoid areas like this especially when you are first learning to drive your van.
Gas Stations
You may be used to pulling your car into a gas station to fill up with gas, but a large van may take a bit of an adjustment. With a van, you may not be able to swing in as tightly as you are used to in a smaller car.
You will probably have to swing out further and allow for a further turning radius than you may be used to. This all takes practice and you’ll get used to it soon enough as you spend more time driving it.
A tip for making gas stations easier is to always seek out the end pumps so that you have more room to work with on one side.
Windy Conditions
Wind can often wreak havoc on a van, especially if it is a high roof van. There have been many times when I have been driving on the interstate and the wind shakes my van from side to side much more than it would the standard vehicle that I often drive.
During these times, you should slow down and pay close attention to the road and your surroundings as well as other drivers.
Create A Checklist
A checklist can be a great way for you to make sure that you are safe as you go about driving your van. Similar to how a pilot runs through a checklist before taking off in an airplane, you should use a checklist in order to ensure things are secure and in order and ready for the road before taking off.
A checklist can help you to not forget simple things like strapping down water jugs or turning off the water pump or closing the vent fan.
Tasks like these are easily remembered if you run through a checklist each time you drive your vehicle. Not only will this make it a safer trip for you, but it will also allow you to drive without the stress of wondering if you did everything you were supposed to do.
Conclusion
Camper vans are almost always easy to drive. If you can drive a car, then you will likely have no problems whatsoever driving one.
It may be intimidating at first, but you will quickly get used to it and realize that it is not much different than driving your standard car. Just like anything new, there is always an adjustment and it becomes more familiar the more you do it.
If you are new to driving a van, the best way to improve is to drive it more often.
Practice driving your van on less busy roads and in areas that you know very well. As you improve your driving skills you may then seek out more difficult areas to drive in and pretty soon you will be a master at driving your camper van.