Carthago Chic C-Line 5.9 XL - Test CampRest

Published on: 2020-08-20

You don't have to be afraid of large motorhomes! We found out about it during the trip from Krakow through Bieszczady, Krosno, Sandomierz and ending in Bielsko-Biała. We traveled in a motorhome Carthago Chic C-Line 5.9 XL with a length of 840 cm.

We usually test motorhomes with a gross vehicle weight of up to 3.5 tons - such vehicles are the most popular in Poland, because in order to move them, a category B driving license is enough. However, there are problems with small motorhomes. Manufacturers are trying to fit in the "mythical" range of up to 3.5 tons, which makes the car approach this value even without luggage and passengers. It is easy to tow it then - just a few bikes and a few passengers who have a diet just ahead of them, and it may turn out that the motorhome will not pass the weight test.

Big, maybe more

In the case of Carthago Chic C-Line 5.9 XL there is no such problem, because its permissible total weight is 5 tons . In our case, the weight of the loaded motorhome with everyone on board was about 4.2 tons.

However, there are two requirements for traveling in such a colossus - the driver needs a category C driving license, and traveling on Polish roads requires the ViaToll system. Fortunately, we got a camper from Trans-Al Rentals in Skawina, which lends its own ViaTolla. This releases customers from additional formalities, and the settlement of the traveled routes takes place after the rental.

The vehicle, although it does not look like it, is based on the Fiat Ducato. The car was equipped with a popular diesel engine with a capacity of 2.3 liters and 150 HP. In our case, such power turned out to be quite sufficient, even when driving on mountainous terrain. An automatic gearbox was an additional convenience.

What caught my attention is that the motorhome is very quiet and comfortable . Certainly, the double axle at the rear had a big influence on the comfortable "devouring" the next kilometers of asphalt. The car was very stable and did not rock in the corners.

The huge garage that can fit a lot is definitely noteworthy. In addition to the standard equipment such as camping chairs and a table, we can easily put up to 10 boxes of beer, a large grill and additionally 4 bicycles that will get you to the place safe and clean.

If you only need to take even more things, you can easily put them in huge hiding places in the floor. And all this without worrying about exceeding the DMC.

Convenient, though not perfect

Generally , the layout of the motorhome suited us . In the front part you will find quite a large lowered bed over the cab. Next we have a kitchen and dining area, equipped with, among others in a fridge, oven, and even a TV pulled out from behind the couch.

Approximately in the middle of the motorhome, the toilet and sleeping area begins. It can be completely fenced off from the dining area. At the end we get a triple bed (with fitted sheets, which we get from the rental company when renting). There is also a wardrobe in the sleeping area.

In the visualization, it all looks quite extensive, but in practice, considering the size of the vehicle, I was surprised by the small amount of space at the table. Is it my belly's fault? ;)

The bathroom could use more towel rails. Besides, the bathroom layout would be much better if the toilet door could completely "cut off" the bathroom part. The toilet would then be larger and very functional. Now an additional door has to be closed to completely separate from the dining area.

Another missing item was the USB ports. I mean - there were exits, but only two (one by the driver, the other by the bed in the back). We believe that it is not enough for modern standards.

In a premium motorhome, we also expected better quality furniture and locks. You can only stick to details, but in a high-end motorhome, they can be a bit annoying.

With our operating mode, we also felt the lack of a voltage converter. However, if someone is going on vacation and would like to take a break from the laptop, it may even be considered a convenience;).

The lack of an inverter will certainly not bother TV fans. All thanks to two TV sets installed permanently in the motorhome. One is in the bedroom at the back of the motorhome, but the other 40 inches automatically pulls out from behind the couch in the living room.

Both televisions are powered by a parking battery and the TV signal is provided by an automatic antenna that will automatically catch all available satellites from any place on earth.

Silence on board

However, did the pros cover the pros? Absolutely not! Carthago Chic C-Line 5.9 XL has a lot of advantages.

Let's start with the most obvious one - the motorhome is large, so as expected, it has a lot of storage space. The manufacturer took care of many storage compartments, including very spacious storage compartments in the floor.

A capsule coffee machine that pulls out of the kitchen cupboard - a revelation! This solution turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. In addition, all the on-board units were very efficient, including both the effective Dometic parking air conditioning and the ultra-quiet Alde heater.

Our motorhome was also equipped with a huge awning - you can fit up to 3 tables under it, so there are conditions for organizing an evening feast!

The car itself is very comfortable to drive, and maneuvering - despite its large size - is not difficult. It is true that the gearbox is an automatic of the old type and it reacts quite slowly, but still - compared to the manual - it travels very well with it. And when parking, the rear view camera comes in handy.

Both when stationary and while driving , the cabin was very quiet . The fuel consumption also surprised us positively. After the entire route, it turned out that the motorhome burned about 12 liters of diesel fuel per 100 km. With such weight, this is an excellent result.

Even more Carthago for rent

We tested the motorhome in the spring season, but it is worth emphasizing that the presented Carthago Chic C-Line 5.9 XL has winter equipment. Thanks to efficient heating and systems preventing freezing of water and sewage, you can easily go skiing, for example, in the motorhome.

However, this is not the only model available at Trans-Al Rental. You can already rent, among others Carthago E-Line 61 XL model built on a Mercedes chassis. It is a motorhome of an even higher shelf than the C-Line we tested.

It is also worth contacting Trans-Al Rentals if you are considering purchasing a new Carthago vehicle. Although the company is not the official distributor of the brand in Poland, thanks to cooperation with German dealers, it will be happy to help you buy a vehicle on favorable financial terms.