The Volkswagen California may remain the global icon of compact, space-saving van living, but there are a number of clever pop-top mini camper vans that can offer a similar, if not superior, experience. These vans are increasingly being developed and marketed by car manufacturers. The latest addition to the scene is the Holidays from Citroën. The new mini camper offers a few amenities the California lacks, such as a removable indoor/outdoor kitchen and toilet.
Like Nissan (and its ally Renault), Stellantis’ French brands Citroën and Peugeot have also shown some interest in the campervan market in recent years. Peugeot has been content to highlight third-party conversions and concept campervans at major European campervan shows, but Citroën has taken things more seriously, launching its Holidays range with the Type H in 2023. It’s a thoroughly retro campervan that injects the brand’s signature quirkiness into the cramped campervan segment.
But not everyone needs century-old retro quirks, so with its latest product, Citroën ditches the corrugated Type H cladding and transforms its mid-size SpaceTourer van into a small, efficient camper more suited to the modest modern masses.
The new Holidays camper looks almost identical inside to the Holidays Type H, thanks to Citroën’s ongoing partnership with Slovenian conversion company Bravia Mobil. The 196-inch-long (498-cm) two-decker comes standard with a retractable sleeping roof, which complements the four seatbelt seats below, providing overnight accommodation for four people. The double bed in the roof area measures 47 x 77 inches (120 x 195 cm), while the double bed below is slightly smaller at 45 x 75 inches (115 x 190 cm).
This standard sleeping roof is the basis of the Holidays’ flexible design, as the fold-down second-row bench/bed is mounted on the floor rails and can be removed to free up the rear cabin for carrying bikes, skis, surfboards or whatever else you need to bring with you. The Holidays then becomes a campervan for two, but those two will still have a comfortable place to sleep even after opening the roof.
Citroën/Maison Vignaux @ Continental Productions
Based on the ever-flexible Multivan, the latest Volkswagen California can offer the same level of adventure camper-cum-day MPV/cargo van capability by sliding its two rear seats through the tailgate. Where the Holidays sets Volkswagen’s latest model apart is its removable kitchen block, which can be used indoors or outdoors when camping, or stored in the garage to free up more day-to-day driving/cargo loading space. Volkswagen hinted at a fixed kitchen with additional indoor/outdoor capability in its 2023 Multivan California concept, but ultimately went with a simpler design.
Citroën’s removable kitchen block includes a twin-burner gas hob, sink, 10L clean and grey water tanks and storage space. A small 16L fridge box is located behind the removable block, which remains in place and connects to the onboard 95Ah 12V leisure battery. The add-on dining table can be used inside the van, outside the kitchen via the sliding door or as part of an outdoor installation when the kitchen is removed.
As is typical of this class of motorhome, there is no indoor bathroom in the Holidays, but the Citroën has both an external shower with its own 25-L fresh water tank and a portable toilet.
Citroën provides above-California power by connecting a roof-mounted solar panel to the leisure battery to keep it charged when off-grid. The van has two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports and a wireless smartphone charger. There is a 230V power outlet when the van is connected to shore power. A programmable Webasto heater makes camping comfortable in colder weather, easily adjustable via an integrated control panel that also operates the interior lighting.
Behind the wheel, Holidays benefits from the latest SpaceTourer features, including a 10-inch colour touchscreen and 3D connected navigation, a next-generation infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, and a suite of 17 driver assistance aids, including adaptive cruise control with stop & go, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane keep assist and hill start assist. Power comes from a 174bhp 2.0-litre BlueHDi turbo diesel and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Adding to the new California’s Holiday bragging rights, the camper is currently set at a special introductory price of €48,990 (around $53,850 including VAT) in Germany, which is significantly less than the €62,689 ($68,925) starting price of the most basic Volkswagen California Beach sleeper, and almost 40% less than the more comparably priced €77,832 ($85,575) California Coast. If the indoor/outdoor cooking, toilet and solar panel aren’t enough to convince you, that price difference certainly will.
Citroen
On Tuesday, Citroën announced a starting price of £56,590 in the UK (about $72,800 including VAT). Order books will open in the coming weeks, with first deliveries planned for later this year. Volkswagen has yet to release UK prices for the T7 California, so we can’t offer a comparison for that market.
Holidays made its debut at the CMT 2024 show earlier this year and will be featured at the Düsseldorf Caravan Salon this month.
Source: Citroen