The Ultimate Wheelchair Accessible Motorhome Tour
A sneak peek inside a fresh-out-the-factory, fully modified motorhome
As I mentioned in a previous blog post, our own wheelchair accessible caravan has the bare minimum modifications needed to get us on the road — So when the lovely people at Coachbuilt offered us an exclusive look around an extensively modified motorhome, we couldn’t wait to see it!
Warning: May evoke feelings of wanderlust.
Wheelchair Accessible Swift Kon-tiki Motorhome
Using Swift’s flagship motorhome—the Kon-Tiki—as a base, Coachbuilt have turned this 874 model into an LIV. Swift Kon-Tiki SO, which forms part of their accessible motorhome range. It was specially designed for a couple with a disabled child, so, while this particular adaptation may not suit everyone, it’s exactly what the customer wanted, and gives you an idea of the many possibilities.
First Impressions
At almost 9 meters long and weighing over 4 tonnes, our first impression was “Wow, it’s huge!”… And then its 12v slide-out section expanded and made it even bigger! This was something retrofitted by Coachbuilt in order to maximise space inside, which, we discovered makes a huge difference. More on that later…
From the outside, it’s difficult to tell that it’s even been modified — which is one of my favourite things about all of Coachbuilt’s work. Only when you take a closer look, you notice the wider habitation door and wheelchair lift, which stows discretely beneath the chassis. Also beneath the chassis, Coachbuilt have fitted an E&P hydraulic levelling system, so you can level the motorhome at the press of a button. This was the first time we’d seen something like this in action, and it was so quick and easy compared to the manual ramps we use. Impressive!
A Look Inside This Adapted Motorhome
Keen to take a closer look, the cassette lift and widened door allowed seamless entry, and inside, it felt even more spacious than I imagined. This was partly due to the lovely, light colour scheme and large windows (the customers specifically opted for the 2024 model as they preferred the upholstery), but mostly because of the extensive adaptations.
It would be impossible for me to list every single modification Coachbuilt made to this motorhome—from complete floor plan changes to minor tweaks that make a big difference—but I will share some of the most notable.
In the living area, they have removed one of the sofas and replaced it with narrow fitted-cupboards, which offer more storage while simultaneously creating a larger floor space. There was even enough room for me to do a full 360º turn in my powerchair. Here, wheelchair restraint points are subtly embedded into the gorgeous herringbone flooring (another Coachbuilt addition), bringing the number of passengers to 5. By day, I can picture this being a comfortable space to travel, eat, relax and socialise, while at night, a drop-down double bed lowers to create a cosy sleeping area for two. Swift Kon-Tiki’s come with a Duvalay mattress as standard, so if it’s anything like our own Duvalay topper, we know the owners are in for some comfortable nights!
Aside from a slight trim to make the walkway wider, the kitchen remains relatively untouched, while the area opposite has seen a major overhaul. What used to be a small washroom, is now a large storage cupboard, where Coachbuilt have discretely installed a hoist dock and charging station. As well as this, there’s plenty of room for clothes, camping gear, and any additional equipment that a person with a disability might need.
“So where is the washroom now?”, I hear you ask. It has been made larger and has been pushed right to the back, running opposite the spacious slide-out, which, in this case, houses a single electrically-profiling bed and, you guessed it, even more storage!
A ceiling-track hoist connects the living area at the front to the bed and washroom at the back, enabling safe transfers from a wheelchair to the bed, toilet or shower. While this is great, I also loved that the slide-out created enough space for my wheelchair to get right to the back. Again, I was able to do a full 360º turn!
As well as storage cupboards on the far side of the bed, there’s a great amount of storage underneath it, which, in this case is used for the motorhome’s consumer unit. Despite this, the profiling bed still has full functionality, and the head and/or legs can be raised at the push of a button. The choice of mattress is down to the customer, but this family have opted to add an air mattress on retrospectively.
Accessible Washroom
While some campsites have accessible washroom facilities, they are usually very basic, and having your own on-board facilities gives you much more freedom. As such, this motorhome has been fitted with a wet room, complete with a toilet, large sink, shower and fold-down shower stretcher. A tambour door can be closed to create a cosy washroom suitable for an able-bodied person, but if more space is needed, the entire back half of the motorhome can be closed off too. Waterproof flooring and drainage points go all the way over to the bed—this is so that, once it’s closed off, the entire area can essentially become a wet room. Like a lot of spaces within this motorhome, I love how flexible it is!
Final Thoughts
As I mentioned earlier, one of my favourite things about Coachbuilt’s work is that it looks standard. Not just standard—it looks beautiful. From the sleek flooring to the finishing touches, their attention to detail really pays off. But it doesn't just look nice, it’s practical too. While this layout may not suit everyone’s needs, it has been carefully designed to suit the customer and their specific circumstances.
As we looked around, we couldn’t help but imagine it on the road, heading to new and exciting places. This motorhome will enable a family to experience the wonders of travel — and you can’t put a price on that!
