Hillside reveals its new 2021 campervans

British converter, Hillside Leisure, has revealed several revised and updated models for the 2021 season.

First up is Hillside’s Volkswagen T6.1-based Birchover Classic, which retails for £49,995 and is one of the Derby-based manufacturer’s most popular campervans.

The Classic is aimed at those looking for a well-equipped campervan, as well as a practical family vehicle.

As it is based on the 3,200kg VW – a lighter base vehicle is also available – it can be driven by anybody with a standard car driving licence.

It comes with a high-spec VW base vehicle – the 2.0-litre 108bhp turbo-diesel is standard with the option to upgrade to the more powerful 148bhp and even the 197bhp engines – so owners get extras such as adaptive cruise control, Sidewind Assist, DAB radio with 6.5in touchscreen, automatic headlights, automatic heated windscreen, cab air-conditioning and parking sensors (both front and rear).

The living area, which has the familiar side kitchen layout, is equally well-equipped, including a galley with fridge (65-litre), twin-burner hob and sink inset into the worktop.

Rear seating is courtesy of RIB’s rock ‘n’ roll bed/bench seat, which provides two rear belted travel seats, as well as two berths in the form of a double bed. Up in the SCA rising roof is a double bed making this a four-berth campervan.

The campervan is also available with an optional fixed SCA hightop roof, which replaces the rising roof’s double bed and instead provides permanent extra headroom, as well as extra high-level storage.

As with all Hillside campervans, the Birchover Classic has National Caravan Council (NCC) approval, as well as European Whole Vehicle Type Approval, which is the highest European type approval rating.

Next up is the Hillside Cromford, which is also a rising roof model (again, this model is also available with a fixed high-roof) based on the Volkswagen T6.1, but this time with an extra-long wheelbase (5.29m).

It is also available with more powerful engines (108bhp, 148bhp and 197bhp) and a choice of automatic or manual gearboxes and two or four-wheel drive.

In this model, which is slightly more expensive at £52,795, there are four individual seats – two in the cab and two in the rear. Between them is a large single-leg dining table.

Come night-time, the rear RIB seats convert into two completely flat single beds, using the swivelled cab seats. Better still they can be slid together to create one large double bed, if desired.

This time the kitchen is at the rear of the seats and comes with a two-burner hob and sink, as well as an oven and grill and an elevated fridge. The solid surface worktop provides a luxurious finish to the kitchen.

At the very rear of the campervan is the fixed cassette toilet, with a sliding door for extra privacy.

For those on a budget or looking for their first campervan, Hillside’s Birchover S should be on the viewing list. This side kitchen campervan is now also based on the latest T6.1 and, despite its entry-level status, also comes very well equipped.

Extras such as air-conditioning, cruise control and rear parking sensors are all standard. This is a rising roof campervan – again using roofs supplied by one of the industry’s most respected roof suppliers: SCA.

It also utilises the RIB rear bench seat, which converts into a double bed. The kitchen has a twin-burner hob, sink, 50-litre fridge and masses of storage.

The Birchover S is one of the most competitively priced VW campervans on the market, especially when you consider it is built to the same high standards as all Hillside models and comes with the same safety levels as its more expensive siblings.

Joining the Birchover Classic and Birchover S is the Birchover Executive, as well as the Hopton (Volkswagen Crafter-based with a rear lounge layout) and the range-topping Heatherton (also based on the Volkswagen Crafter with a front lounge, rear kitchen layout).