Fiat Ducato: The Ultimate Campervan for Adventure Seekers

If you are looking for a versatile, spacious, and comfortable vehicle to explore the great outdoors, you might want to consider the Fiat Ducato. This large van, which is also sold as the Ram ProMaster in the US, has been voted the "Best Camper Base” by the readers of Auto Zeitung, a German automotive magazine. The award was given as part of the “Camping Life Trophy,” a survey that involved more than 10,000 participants from 14 European countries.

What makes the Fiat Ducato a great campervan?

The Fiat Ducato is not just a regular van. It is a vehicle that has been designed and engineered with camper conversions in mind. In fact, Fiat claims that more than 75% of all camper vans sold in Europe are based on the Ducato platform. That is because the Ducato offers several features and benefits that make it ideal for camping enthusiasts. Some of these are:

• A wide range of body sizes and configurations. The Fiat Ducato is available in four lengths, three heights, and three wheelbases, with a cargo volume ranging from 8 to 17 cubic meters (283 to 600 cubic feet). This means that you can choose the best size and layout for your needs and preferences, whether you want a compact or a spacious camper van.
• A high payload capacity and towing ability. The Ducato can carry up to 2,100 kg (4,630 lbs) of load and tow up to 3,000 kg (6,614 lbs) of trailer. This gives you plenty of room and flexibility to pack all your camping gear and equipment, as well as bikes, kayaks, or other recreational items.
• A low loading floor and a wide rear door opening. The Ducato has a loading floor that is only 53 cm (21 inches) from the ground, making it easy to load and unload your belongings. The rear door opening is also 156 cm (61 inches) wide and up to 202 cm (80 inches) high, allowing you to access the cargo area with ease.
• A fuel-efficient and powerful engine. The Ducato is powered by a 2.2-liter turbodiesel engine that delivers up to 180 horsepower and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque. The engine is paired with either a six-speed manual or a nine-speed automatic transmission and features a start-stop system and an Eco mode to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. The Ducato has an average fuel economy of 6.9 liters per 100 km (34 mpg), which is impressive for a large van.
• A comfortable and ergonomic cab. The Ducato’s cab is designed to provide comfort and convenience for the driver and passengers. It features an adjustable steering wheel, a height-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support, air conditioning, electric windows and mirrors, cruise control, and a central locking system. The cab also has multiple storage compartments, cup holders, USB ports, and a 12-volt socket.
• A modern and advanced infotainment system. The Ducato’s infotainment system consists of a 7-inch touchscreen display that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You can also opt for a larger 10-inch display that comes with wireless charging, wireless smartphone connectivity, navigation, DAB radio, and voice control. The infotainment system also integrates with the digital rear-view mirror, which uses a camera to provide a clear view of the rear without any obstructions.
• A comprehensive safety and assistance package. The Fiat Ducato is equipped with several safety and assistance features that help you drive with confidence and peace of mind. Some of these include blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beam assist, hill start assist, hill descent control, electronic stability control, traction control, anti-lock braking system, brake assist, tire pressure monitoring system, driver attention alert, and six airbags.

How can you customize your Fiat Ducato camper van?

One of the best things about the Fiat Ducato is that you can customize it according to your taste and style. You can choose from different colors, trims, options, and accessories to make your camper van unique and personal. Some of the customization options include:

• Exterior colors. You can choose from 11 different exterior colors for your Ducato camper van. These include solid colors such as white or red, metallic colors such as silver or gray, and pastel colors such as green or blue. You can also opt for a two-tone color scheme that combines a solid color with a black roof.
• Interior trims. You can choose from three different interior trims for your Ducato camper van. These include the standard trim, which features black fabric seats and a gray dashboard; the techno trim, which features black fabric seats with blue stitching and a black dashboard; and the lounge trim, which features black leather seats with gray stitching and a black dashboard.
• Options and packages. You can add various options and packages to enhance the comfort, convenience, performance, and safety of your Ducato camper van. Some of these include the climate package, which adds heated seats, heated windshield, and heated mirrors; the visibility package, which adds rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights, and fog lights; the comfort package, which adds a leather steering wheel, a leather gear knob, and a rear parking camera; the driver assistance package, which adds blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beam assist, and driver attention alert; the infotainment package, which adds a 10-inch touchscreen display with wireless charging, wireless smartphone connectivity, navigation, DAB radio, and voice control; and the safety package, which adds six airbags.
• Accessories. You can also choose from a wide range of accessories to personalize your Ducato camper van. These include roof racks, bike racks, ski racks, awnings, side steps, mud flaps, wheel covers, floor mats, seat covers, sun shades, cargo organizers, security locks, alarm systems, and more.

How much does the Fiat Ducato campervan cost?

The Fiat Ducato camper van is available in different markets at different prices. In Europe, the Fiat Ducato camper van starts from €29.900 ($34.000) for the base model and goes up to €46.900 ($53.400) for the top model. In the US, the Ram ProMaster camper van starts from $32.495 for the base model and goes up to $43.995 for the top model. However, these prices do not include the cost of conversion or customization. Depending on the type and level of conversion or customization you want for your camper van, you may have to pay an additional amount ranging from $ 10,000 to $ 100,000 or more.

Conclusion

The Fiat Ducato campervan is an excellent choice for anyone who loves camping and traveling. It offers a lot of versatility, practicality, comfort, and technology that make it suitable for different needs and preferences. It also allows you to customize it according to your taste and style. The Fiat Ducato has been recognized as the “Best Camper Base” by the readers of Auto Zeitung magazine in Germany, which shows its popularity and quality among camping enthusiasts. If you are looking for a camper van that can take you anywhere you want to go with ease and convenience, you might want to check out the Fiat Ducato.