SMALLER IS BETTER! Why Malibu’s petite 540 is the best campervan it makes

Peter Vaughan tests the Malibu Van Compact 540 and finds that it has a key advantage over its bigger brothers while still having a shower/toilet room and a permanent double bed.

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◼️ REVIEWED BY: Peter Vaughan, Group Motorhome Road Test Editor for MMM magazine and What Motorhome magazine Editor. Peter has been writing about motorhomes since the age of 14, has a love of touring France and is mad about old Italian sports cars.

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Hey Hey hey hey It’s quiz time which is better this one the smaller one or the bigger one well of course it’s the bigger one isn’t it oh maybe it isn’t maybe you’re on a diet maybe you’re not that hungry maybe you’re a dentist and you don’t want to completely ruin your teeth well the same

Applies to Camper vans whilst every time I test a small one people say you can get a bigger van for that much money but do you want a bigger van well today we’re looking at the smallest camper van in the Malibu van range hello I’m Peter Vaughn and

Today I’m bringing you a full review of the Malibu van compact 540 DB so here it is the baby of the Malibu van range and Malibu of course part of kago but whereas you associate kago with big a class motor homes Malibu of course although they also build low profiles

And a classes best known perhaps for their van range and perhaps that’s because karo’s very first Malibu Campa van dates back to 1979 the fiat-based range the Malibu van range that we know today came into existence in in 2013 and now numbers seven models three

On the 6 M Fe ducato three on the 6.36 or 640 F duarto just one just this little baby on the medium wheelbase of 5.41 M hence the name 540 so this is very much the tiddler of the Malibu van range but of course being smaller makes it

More maneuverable easier to park and more adaptable when you’re going into town so this fan is 5.4 41 M long 2.59 M High and the usual feat 2.05 M wide so it’s not much bigger very similar size in fact to something like a long wheeel base Ford Transit custom or

A long wheelbase Renault traffic and it’s not that much bigger than a long wheelbase Volkswagen T6 and all those vans of course come from the size below so this is the smallest du carto there is now in terms of price it’s also about as small as a Malibu gets base price is

62410 onto which you’ve got to add your on the road charges bringing up to 65790 now this one of course in the German style has some options packs on it packs that really are part of the standard spec effectively the chassis pack the main cabin pack and the style

Pack now we’ll virtually consider those to be standard equipment so in total that brings it up to 71430 is a starting price for this vehicle but again there are some options things like the alloy wheels the metallic paint and the automatic gearbox the total for this vehicle which has

Been supplied to me by uh chew’s leisure in Canterbury the total for this exact vehicle 79 to70 so what do you get for your 79 Grand well it is a very smart looking camper van isn’t it starts with this bold Malibu Chrome branding on the front and these black highlights on the grill

All part of the style package the allly wheels there are 790 option but I can’t see many people going without those and of course you’ve got the typical Malibu graphic scheme which suits the van very well I think the windows where they do have these frames around them but

They’re not the flush fitting Windows which I always think look neater on what is a premium camper van otherwise typical features of course you cassette servicing hatch your Main’s hookup point and your truma vent for the boiler of course and then well this smaller Malibu doesn’t

Come with some of the variants that you get on the bigger models there’s no Charming option so you can’t have the GT Sky View over cab sunroof that you can on some of the bigger models what you can have on this 540 though is the family for four option

Which gives you a pop top and effectively two more birds with a a double bed upstairs now if you want to see what Malibu’s pop top looks like I have done a full review of the diversity 600 model and that one had the pop top option so you can watch that afterwards

Perhaps around the back you’ve got the usual Fiat barn doors but with these big double glazed windows and then parking sensors built into the rear bumper no reversing camera but you could of of course get one added one of the advantages of a smaller van of course is that it’s easier to

Maneuver anyway the color this iron gray metallic is one of the now limited color palette that fat offer it’s a980 option fresh water well the freshw tank is in board really pleased to see that especially cuz it’s winter of course it’s an 80 L tank tank in Board of

Course so it won’t freeze in the winter and your waste tank well that is underslung it’s a 92 L tank but it’s heated and insulated um so again better for winter camping and better for easy draining because you’ve just got this nice solid handle no fiddly little

Taps the main door the habitation door the sliding door is of course on the offside as you’d expect with most Continental or imported Camper vans the step is nice and wide for easy access and you’ve got a full size fly screen across the entrance that just nicely Glides it seems a better fitting

Than some of the ones I’ve come across but the thing I really like when you open the door is this chrome Malibu branding and the back lighting of the the back of the galley it does give you a premium feel before you’ve even gone inside your camper Van now I should point out that that step doesn’t Auto retract unfortunately when you start the engine so you do have to remember but the thing I want to show you next is the storage here in the back of the camper van and also to point out

That although this is a 3 and 1/2 ton Vana anybody drive on a standard car license it has a generous payload 651 kilos as specified here with all these options now when you open the back doors you have access to this really generous under bed area now it measures

1.16 M deep 83 CM across and up to the crossbar 46 CM high now you will note that this bed height is not as great as some in fact the diversity 600 from Malibu the under bed Locker is 74 cm high so quite a useful extra bit of height but the

Benefits in terms of the bed will come on to a bit later on and they are worth having of course because the bed is low the gas Locker over here is a little bit compromised it won’t take the 6 kilo Cala cylinder now here we’ve got a 2.75 camping gas cylinder alternatives

Are available you can use a 2.7 kilo gas low refillable cylinder in there and there is a flow gas cylinder at 5 kilos which should also fil um the German brochure specifies two 2 5 kilo cylinders but unfortunately that isn’t a CALA size so probably go for the gas lay refillables maybe at

2.7 now if you want more storage to get bikes on board perhaps then you can adapt this into a full height Garage in the usual way with this type of layout and you’ll notice that unlike some it is a slatted bed base right the way across right to the walls

Now in best uh blue Peter Traditions I’ve already pulled these straps out from the top lockers so here’s one I prepared earlier as they say and the same on the other side you’ve got the strap hanging down from the top covered just get those ready these crossbars simply lift

Out you’ve got your four fixed tie down lashing points in the gar G floor and usefully you can also remove this front panel so if you’ve got long loads they can go through into the main living space and having achieved your full size bike garage well you’ve got access into

Your Combi boiler now that is a 6 e gas and electric boiler in this particular van that is another optional up grade standard spec is just the gas only one the water tank is built into this Locker at the side and you’ve got access from the top for servicing but what you

Haven’t got is any of those fiddly cupboards and drawers that you can’t get at anyway when this area is full of stuff so time now to have a proper look inside this Malibu and you know just some details straight away things like this padded soft feel headlining and the

Same trim on the sliding door these blinds are quite unusual too because they pull down from the top first of all as uh pleated blinds and then pull down again if you want the fly screen you’ll notice too as I said you can’t have the coupe finish in this

Vehicle because that gives you the uh full headro room into the cab you can’t have the sky view either you do get instead this decent size over cab Locker now all Fiat Camper vans used to be like this and sometimes people complain that they bang their head going into the cab

But yeah you get used to it and of course in a smaller van every bit of extra storage is important you’ve also got a proper wind up hecky roof light not the cheap nasty pushup one so that’s another plus as usual with a fat both cab seats swivel very easily and they’re both

Height adjustable and both have a pair of armrests now this is very much a two-person van yeah you can have the pop top and go for a four birth but it’s probably better as a two birth but if you invite friends in it’s good to note that you still have

The swivel extension on your table and then if you’re sitting here it’s easy to reach your dinner the lounge layout is of course the typical Continental Style with this half dinette this fabric is called London and there are plenty of other options you get two rear seat belts net

Curtain on the window and of course then the blind as well and rear speakers in this vehicle we’ve got the Cherry style furniture which is a 620b upgrade Cherry classic is the standard trim what else well Everything feels very nicely made you’ve got these strong sprung hinges on the top lockers and it

All feels very durable nice Chrome handles Positive Locking bit of mood lighting you got this TV bracket behind which just slides out a little bit the bracket’s a 220b option but that of course doesn’t include the 24in TV to go on there so it’s a a typical Continental

Style Lounge but very nicely done and it all as I say it all just feels that bit better quality than some of its Rivals you’ve got the usual stepped floor with a bit of storage underneath it and that’s neatly shaped around the table leg so you don’t have to move the table

To get at it but one of my favorite features is the slide out drawer for your shoes under the seat apart from that shoe drawer there isn’t any other storage under this bench seat because well when you see the washroom and how the toilet slides away you’ll understand what you can do though

Is get the table out of the way and it will store in that over cab cupboard if you haven’t already stuffed everything else in there and it does feel more spacious once you’ve got the table removed in fact this Lounge really doesn’t feel any different to if you’re

In a 6m camper van of this HK other details before we move on to the kitchen well over the door you’ve got your CP plus truma control for the uh gas and electric heating that is a 750 lb option to upgrade to the electric version of the heating and a very simple

Very easy to use control panel To so the kitchen well for a start it’s in the usual place alongside the sliding door where you’d expect it has this angle at this end of the unit so the the aisle isn’t too narrow obviously it is a bit restricted but that’s the confines of a panel

Van and there is some good detailing you got a nice worktop extension at the end and that has a simple release handle underneath just squeeze and it drops down you got a main socket underneath there so that’s conveniently situated and then the sink does increase your worktop space because you’ve got this divided

Lid it’s got like a chopping board cover on the underside too but if you leave this part the smaller part in situe again you’re freeing up a little bit more work top and can still use the sink cooker well that’s your standard two burner hob it has got push button

Ignition and then above you’ve got this rack for tins or spices or whatever the best bit well storage is surprisingly excellent you’ve got your cery drawer cery and utensil drawer at the top all the drawers soft close and then two more large drawers underneath so no bending down on the

Floor and trying to see into cupboards you’ve got good storage space the fridge isn’t quite so convenient it’s an 84 L compress ressor fridge so just switch on and forget and it should be nice and efficient in hot weather I do like the Vans where you’ve got the fridge here

Because then you can reach it from outside but one clever little detail again this is your washroom here but there’s a false floor in the first bit of the washroom so if you want to get into the fridge just step back almost as if you’re into the washroom and then

Access into that fridge is nice and easy you’re not trying to maneuver yourself in this obviously narrowest part of the van here so again you’ve got most of what you’d expect in a 6m van of this size with a fixed bed maybe the fridge isn’t quite so convenient here as there

But it makes up for that with the excellent draw based storage the washroom is obviously quite a bit smaller than it in the 6m Malibu van but it does still work now we’ll take out this piece of false floor and then you can see the shower tray has two drones now it’s a

Washer that’s open during the day and you have these frosted screens that come around to give you privacy so yeah private enough and then when you want to shower not only do you use those screens but this one unfolds so it’s not the biggest shower cubicle but it is big enough well big

Enough for me anyway and it does all work well there’s no shower curtain to horribly stick to you these doors provide uh cover for the furniture so that side of it all works well as I say then if you just want to wash your hands you’ve got this small

Basin it’s a backless one so you’ll have to be quick because your water’s flowing away all the time but yeah it’s that’s probably the biggest compromise in this space that it is a small backless wash BAS storage is good you’ve got these mirror fronted cupboards and you even

Got some fiddle rails okay very little low ones but uh you have got good storage for your toiletries with the fiddle rails there and a little shelf section there as well now the clever bit is where’s the L well the L slides away under the bench seat and when you want to use

It it just pulls out now again space isn’t hugely generous you wouldn’t want to be a lot bigger than me certainly in terms of leg length um before you’d be perhaps uncomfortable in terms of using this space but standing or sitting it’s big enough for me and the fact that the

L just slides away that’s what makes this space work in terms of the shower you got a roof fent above enough lighting and well those twin drains in the shower yeah it’s it’s quite a good practical space the only thing that will need attention and I’m told it’s a

Matter of adjustment is these doors that could be a bit annoying on the road and so to the bed bedro now the bed at the back here is narrower than you’d get in say the Malibu 600 and a lot of the other 6 M Vans but I think it’s

Still perfectly adequate if you compare it with the bed in a typical VW transporter camper van well it’s bigger than those measurements it’s 1.91 M long so they have maximized the width in the duato width is 1.3 36 M at this end narrowing to 1.21 M at the foot in old

Money 6’3 by 4 5 1/2 narrowing to just under 4T but I wonder if you can guess what the best bit is the bit I like the most in this entire van yep I can sit up in bed I can sit up to read a magazine not

Just any old magazine of course it is mmm mmm that brings you these road test reviews and has been the best selling and best Moto magazine in the UK for over 50 years get your copy at out andabout live.co.uk And it’s not just me that likes to sit up in bed mark Derby wrote To Me and said that he was looking for a van like this well Mark if you’re still looking here at last is a van of this type in which you can comfortably sit up in

Bed no worries at all about me banging my head I could sit here yeah it’s very very nice it’s so much nicer and it’s just because the bed is lower because the bed’s lower you haven’t got that hrum issue even though you’ve still got shelves and cupboards above you you can

Now comfortably sit up in bed and there’s great detailing too and you’ve got the blinds you’ve got the opening Windows you’ve got a roof vent up there and here’s another thing that I really really like the cupboards at the foot of the bed well they’re much deeper not so

Deep that you’ll bang your feet they’re still way above foot level but you sleep this way around feet at that end the near side and you’ve got a deep covered F clothes over there folded clothes alongside that you’ve got a small yeah it’s only a very small wardrobe but it

Is hanging space and cleverly Malibu haven’t fitted a floor in it so if you’ve got a longer item it won’t be all scrunched up at the bottom it just dangles out of the bottom of the Wardrobe how neat is that and don’t forget too that because

The bed is lower you don’t need Super long legs or a step or a ladder or anything to get into it I call that a Win-win now I think it’s time to go for a drive but before I do I’ll just highlight some of the features um because you’ve got the chassis pack that includes the Remis cab blinds um you’ve got also in that pack the heated um electrically adjustable mirrors and the passenger seat height

Adjustment and the cab seats in the same trim as the rest of the living area got the 90 L fuel tank as well and the parking sensors all in the chassis pack and then in the style pack it’s important to note that that includes the leather steering wheel but as I say it’s

Effectively those are going to be pretty much standard spec for UK buyers this one is the 140b HP engine you can upgrade but also worth noting that you’ve got the 9speed automatic gearbox which is at 3,530 Extra On the road frankly you won’t notice that this is a medium wheel base and not a long or extra long dicato until you get it into town and park in a supermarket car park or in the street in which case you’ll really appreciate the shorter length of this

Van and you’ll also appreciate it of course if you take a wrong turn which hopefully we won’t today other than that it drives like most other F Ducar panel Vans yeah there are some rattles not too bad um I’ve tried to silence the ones from the uh shower

Screens um not entirely successfully as you can hear um there also appear to be some rattles from the blinds but this isn’t a great bit of Road other than that it drives well I mean it’s a firm ride in these Fiats hence the rattles um but that does mean

That they feel very stable on the road they handle nicely um dashboard’s okay um feels a bit bit dated now especially these hard cheap Plastics spec well you’ve got what you’d expect really air conditioning traction plus heel holder what you haven’t got is the radio controls on the steering wheel um

You’ve got this nice Pioneer radio no um reversing camera or satinav as standard um but you’ve got this nice nice radio that is an upgrade again um as an optional feature um but no no radio controls on the steering wheel which is slightly disappointing um but yeah it’s

A it’s another Fat camper van um so if you if you’re happy driving one of these fats then this is much the same as most of the others so final verdict time on these Twix bars I mean on the Malibu van compact 540 DB well what don’t I

Like the gas compartment is small that is probably my biggest bug bear with this van um there’s no spare whe um and I would like to be able to have that Sky View option over the cab other than that well it’s a typical Malibu camper van so it’s beautifully

Made beautifully finished finished you can feel in the furniture and Malibu talks a lot about the the quality of insulation in the floor and the walls and so on you can just feel that this is a premium van and with the inboard freshwater tank and the heated waste

Tank you you’d feel confident about using this in the winter but would you buy this one or a bigger one would you buy this one or the bigger one well I think I’d have the smaller one I like that low bed it’s so easy to access

And the fact that you can sit up in bed well that does it for me the washroom is the most compromised area of this being the smaller van I don’t mind the fact that the bed’s a bit smaller I don’t mind that the fact that the kitchen’s a

Bit smaller at the lounge feels much the same as long as you can get on with washroom then I think you’ll benefit from the smaller size on the road of this smaller Malibu so it’s the smaller one for me thanks for watching Hey Hey Might