Swift is a well-known name in the UK for its range of motorhomes and caravans, but a relatively new player here in Australia. After introducing its caravan range in Australia in 2012, the motorhome side of the brand followed in 2013 under four names – Swift, Bessacarr, Escape and Autocruise. Here we’re looking at the entry-level motorhome, the Escape, in a four-berth 664 configuration.

CAB AND CHASSIS

There are some changes here, with this being the first new-for-2015 Fiat Ducato cab/chassis we’ve sampled. This is not an all-new vehicle, rather a light facelift of the previous model. The same 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine is used, the same front-drive long-wheelbase chassis. The front sheet metal is new, as are some elements of the cabin. The audio system has been revised, and a lidded storage bin in the centre  lower part of the dash has been replaced with an open tray. The matt silver on the vent surrounds is now in black plastic matching the rest of the dash.

The Fiat cabin appears to be of good quality and the chrome touches such as on the ventilation dials makes if feel less commercial than it otherwise would. Part of the Swift touch here is woven cloth seat material and a removable, tailored floor mat across the cab floor.

Fiat claims it has made efforts to reduce weight and increase payload by using weight-saving materials. For example, elements of the rear suspension are now made of composite materials so that they are lighter.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system is standard, but it now integrates a Rollover Mitigation System to increase comfort and protect the motorhome from an unexpected, potential rollover motion, in conjunction with Load and Centre of Gravity Detection (LAC), Hill Holder, Anti-Slip (ASR) and Electronic Braking Assistance (EBA) systems. The Ducato has an impressive 48,000km service interval. One thing that has not changed is the lack of cruise control – Fiat simply does not offer the option, although there are a few available from aftermarket suppliers.

ON THE ROAD

With no major changes to underpinnings and none to the powertrain, there isn’t much to report on the way the new model drives. Our example was very new and tight, so it probably didn’t feel as willing as it would with a few more kilometres clocked up.

The diesel engine is not particularly smooth or quiet but gets on with the job with ample torque. The Magneti- Marelli sourced Comfort-Matic six-speed automated manual transmission is, as ever, a mixed bag. It operates decisively – most of the time – when used in manual mode, but when left to its own devices, it dithers. There is nothing quite as confounding as having taken a generous gap in the traffic to find that the Comfort- Matic has used that moment – a long moment, by the way – to change gears. Perhaps in a touring vehicle like this, you don’t notice it much or perhaps you become accustomed to it. In the eight years I have been using this transmission design, I have never become used to its ways.

The addition of the Swift body has not turned the Ducato into a ponderous  beast – it still feels like the smaller, nimble vehicle that it is. With the dual mirrors on each side (conventional side mirrors with additional wide-angle mirror below) it’s easy to see along the sides of the unobtrusive body.

One thing that was very obvious was the lack of noise overall; motorhomes tend to be echo chambers – there is no getting away from it, given their design – but the Swift has perhaps a more solid build than some others. There were no creaks or groans from the cabinetry or chassis. No reversing sensors or camera are fitted to the Swift, in this completely standard example at least.

INSIDE

The side door (with no separate mesh screen) opens to a warm, inviting space. There is a drop-down, powered step to gain access, with the switch on the right-hand wall as you enter.

The layout is quite a familiar one, with the café dinette table and two seats (each with a lap-sash seatbelt) just behind the driver and front passenger seats, which swivel to make the dinette suitable for four people. Going back past the dinette, there is the kitchen on the offside wall and hanging space and cupboards on the nearside wall. Then on the offside rear corner is the bathroom, and on the nearside end corner, the bed. With hopper windows along each side of the configuration, plus a skylight, (but no rear window) there is ample natural light inside. The double-glazed hopper windows are screened with mesh and blinds and also curtained.

CATERING

The offside kitchen is quite spacious for this size of motorhome, with a fair degree of bench space, storage and light. For food preparation, the bench does have a few compromises, as is the norm for this design. You can’t have your cake and eat it, too – or rather, you can’t use your sink and cooktop while preparing food, too – there simply isn’t the bench space, unless you prepare food at the dinette table. What you can do is use the dedicated sink cover as a cutting board and/or use the glass cooktop for food prep.

There are some nice touches in the kitchen area. The sink mixer tap – itself a posh-looking chrome item – is embossed with the Swift logo. The dedicated dish drainer board (which lives in a slot in the cupboard under the bench) is a clever idea, simply sitting on the sink lip,  allowing water to drain back. The locker above the sink houses a plate rack and two cup holders, which is a nice way of securing the crockery neatly.

There is more storage under the bench, with a cutlery drawer, then a narrow drawer and tall item storage directly under the sink adjacent to the fridge/freezer. There are two drawers under the oven.

The only negatives here is that the cooktop offers no electric hotplate (if you run out of gas but still have access to 240V) and – like so many RV kitchens – the microwave is set very high, making it awkward to remove hot plates or bowls of food.

SLEEPING QUARTERS

The rear bedroom and bathroom can be curtained off from the front area of the  motorhome, giving more privacy, although the floor space (with the bathroom door closed) is very tight. You wouldn’t attempt to change your clothes while standing in this curtained-off space. The bed is perhaps the most compromised element of this design - it is a triangular shape, starting off as just under double-bed width at the bedhead (128cm) and tapering off towards the foot of the bed (to just 95cm, or just over single-bed width).

Thankfully, a double bed can be made up using the dinette. The table can be removed from its normal position and has a lower clip-in position on the offside wall and a shorter stabilising leg to set up as a bed base. Add extra cushions and you have a decent-size bed.

While the rear bed is not the best size or shape, there is lots of useful storage space  surrounding it. Two lidded storage lockers and one open locker - with two horizontal railings sit above the bed while a near side hinged gas strut assist bed base opens to reveal further storage space. The under bed storage is compromised by inclusion of the Truma hot water service and ducted heating system. There is also hanging storage space at the foot of the bed, on the nearside wall.

KEEPING CLEAN

The rear bathroom is spacious and light-filled, with an opaque offside window allowing in plenty of daylight and ventilation. There is enough separation  between the vanity unit and shower so that you could use this space as a dressing area. As the shower also has a curtain, you can keep water splash contained. The bathroom is a good design overall, and the use of an internal, locking door rather than a shower screen, as is sometimes used in motorhome interiors, is a welcome feature.

ELECTRICS

The Swift has a comprehensive control panel over the entry door to monitor power levels in both the vehicle and leisure battery and water levels, both fresh and grey water. The battery, a 70-amp deep-cycle item, is supplied by a 300-watt charger. While air-conditioning is an option, as standard the Swift comes with a Truma ducted heating system, controlled via a panel above the entry door. LED lights abound though the cabin, and a Digital TV antenna is raised via the hanging space nearside cupboard.

STORAGE

The internal storage is very good in the Swift; the Ducato’s cab, for starters, offers myriad pockets and cubbies for phones, maps, book and also has reasonable cupholders. The above-cab open storage cubbies are useful for light, bulky items. The dinette seats offer under seat storage, and of course there are the multiple lockers above the dinette, kitchen and bed area. There is also the under bed area.

External storage is limited to the external hatch access to the above mentioned under bed area, which really only provides limited space for those bulky items you may want to bring along, such as an outdoor table. The other three external storage hatches are for gas bottles, battery storage and toilet cassette access.

VERDICT

As an entry-level motorhome, you cannot expect all the frills of an RV that is twice the price. For something that appeals more to the entry level of the market, the Swift Escape 664 offers an exceptional quality feel and decent interior storage and bathroom space – all without breaking the bank.

Yes, it would be nice to see standard air-conditioning rather than ducted heating in a climate such as Australia’s, and the rear bed won’t suit everybody, but the overall appeal of the Escape makes for a compelling argument.

Category: Reviews
Written: Sun 01 Mar 2015
Printed: March, 2015
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