Motorhome test: Pilote G741 Sensation

Traditionally, when we went to the Caravan Salon fair in Düsseldorf, we took a Pilote camper for testing. This time we had the opportunity to test the largest and most luxurious vehicle among all the ones we have received for testing so far.

This is a fully integrated Pilote camper, model G741, in the Sensation equipment option, built on the basis of a Fiat Ducato with an AL-KO chassis. The vehicle was registered for the first time in mid-2016, and at the time of the test it had approximately 32,000 miles on the odometer. km.

We received the vehicle from the exclusive importer of the Pilote brand in Poland - CarGO! Rent a Camp from Poznań .

Another PILOTE camper we tested is described here: Camper test: Pilote P716 Essentiel .

Camper route and fuel consumption

The camper's crew consisted of two adults and a 2-year-old child. Within 11 days we covered the route Poznań –> Magdeburg –> Düsseldorf –> Antwerp –> Herford –> Poznań, covering a total of 2,100 km.

On highways we usually traveled at a speed of 110-120 km/h, where fuel consumption was approximately 11 l/100 km. When driving faster (approx. 130 km/h), consumption should be assumed to be 12-13 l/100 km.

The average fuel consumption of the camper over the entire route was 11.5 l/100 km, which seems to me to be an excellent result, especially if we take into account the dimensions of the vehicle and the large, only slightly tilted windshield. Before the test, I was convinced that the fuel consumption result would be much higher.

Driving properties

As I mentioned earlier, the body was made on the basis of the very popular Fiat Ducato in the caravanning world, but with a chassis and frame made especially by AL-KO. This addition distinguishes this camper from many other campers where the double floor has a typically technical function. In this solution, the space between the floors has many storage compartments and is typically used for cargo.

A very important element of the AL-KO chassis is its suspension, which should affect driving comfort and safety. It should, but did it actually? For comfort – for sure! The ride was very comfortable, but personally I would prefer the vehicle to be a little more stable. However, it is possible that the impression of poor stability resulted from getting used to my car, which I use every day. In such a large camper it is rather impossible to stabilize the vehicle so strongly and with sudden movements of the steering wheel it will always wobble a bit. Halfway through the test, I got used to it and it no longer mattered to me.

As for the engine, an appropriate unit was used here, which lacked nothing - 2.3 MultiJet II with a power of 150 HP. Even with a heavily loaded camper (we always take way too many things), it pulled up very quickly and when it was necessary to overtake, it had no problem.

Interior layout, comfort and equipment

Moving on to what is probably the most important thing in this type of vehicles, i.e. the interior, I must admit that it is really "out there". There is so much space that spending time inside is not overwhelming at all, thanks to the fully integrated development. It may seem like a small difference, because only the cab is widened in relation to the dimensions of the rest of the vehicle, but this is what "does the most work" and gives a feeling of great freedom inside - especially when sitting in the front seats, when they are turned backwards to the direction of travel.

In the cab itself, what attracts attention is the large windshield with a huge window sill, on which you can place several pots of flowers or create a comfortable bed for your pets. But seriously, this part was handled nicely. There are many different sizes of troughs and compartments where you can store small items.

The driving position is very comfortable, but at the beginning it takes a while to get used to the fact that there is still a lot of space from the left armrest to the side window. The view forward is very good, but sometimes you have to lean to the side to check if no one is driving before you join the traffic.

The camper was equipped with a Zenec Z-E3726 multimedia center, to which we could connect our phone to talk via a speakerphone, listen to the radio, music from the phone, or let the built-in navigation guide us to our destination. It took a while to understand all the configuration options, but after a few days of superficially learning the ins and outs of the menu, I was able to use all its facilities.

Right behind the cab there is a living room with a kitchen. In addition to swivel driver and passenger seats, there is a comfortable two-seater sofa equipped with seat belts. This is what you can use while driving. When parked, you can use it as a corner sofa and stretch your legs comfortably. On the right side of the camper there is another two-person sofa (without seat belts), placed along the length of the vehicle, with a spacious storage compartment underneath. Between the armchairs and sofas there is a table that can be easily moved sideways and to the front and back of the vehicle, which is a great convenience when 6 people are sitting at the table. Unfortunately, there are no drink holders in the table, but I haven't seen them in any mass-produced camper yet - it's a pity, because it would be a welcome convenience.

The sofa lacked the ability to install a child seat using ISO-FIX, but this is also a problem in many campers.

On both sides of the "table" part there are large windows and above them there are spacious cabinets closed with fronts made of varnished and polished wood, which looks really nice and gives a feeling of high quality.

Kitchen

Going further towards the back of the camper, on the right side we will find a large kitchen equipped with a three-burner gas stove with a spark igniter and a sink. The countertop surface is sufficiently large, and if we close the sink and stove with a glass cover, we obtain a very large working surface.

There are three very capacious drawers under the countertop. There will be room for both pots and provisions. There is also a large drawer for a waste bin. There is another cabinet above the kitchen where you can fit the necessary dishes.

On the opposite side of the kitchen there is a fridge with a separate freezer. The refrigerator can be powered by gas, 12 V or 230 V when parked. A crash sensor is used for gas cylinders, which allows you to move the camper with the gas cylinder unscrewed. German police officers very often check whether the cylinders are turned off while driving and can fine those who travel in this way. The exception is the aforementioned system that automatically cuts off the gas supply in the event of a collision.

Above the fridge there is space for another very spacious cabinet with an additional 12 V socket and connections for all TV and antenna cables. Above the entrance there is a control panel that will allow us to check the water level in the tanks, the battery charge level (we didn't have to worry about them because solar panels were installed on the roof) and control the efficient Truma Combi 6 gas heating (you can also do it using your smartphone ).

In the living area there is one factory roof window at the height of the table, which gives a lot of light, and at the height of the kitchen there is a Dometic FreshLight roof air conditioning system (it could be a little quieter), which also has a skylight that can be covered with a blind.

Bathroom and bedroom

There is a door between the living area and the bedroom with bathroom, which can either separate the entire rear area from the living area or only close the toilet. This solution provides very nice functionality and when we do not use the toilet or the bedroom, the toilet can be closed all the time and we have quick access to the bedroom, which is also often used during the day due to the cabinets there.

The toilet and washbasin are located on the right side of the camper and the shower on the left. We can isolate the whole thing by closing the door on the kitchen side and closing the sliding door on the bedroom side - this way we will have a separate toilet and shower area. The shower is very large and comfortable to use. When it comes to using the toilet, it is most convenient to use it when the door towards the kitchen is closed, because if we only close the toilet, it may be... too tight.

As for the bedroom itself, the camper was equipped with a very popular central bed, under which there were two drawers for clothes and a spacious storage compartment that could be accessed after raising the bed. On both sides of the bed there are cabinets for hanging wardrobes and above the bed there are two closed shelves, so there is a lot of space for luggage.

The bed is adjustable in height, so we can increase or decrease the height in the garage. When we raise them to the maximum height, the steps located on the right and left side of the bed will be helpful.

The mattress itself is very comfortable, but we didn't like the central bed very much because we sleep with a small child and would prefer to have a bed that is the width of the entire camper. However, if two people sleep in it, there will be enough space.

The second double bed is located at the front above the driver and passenger seats. When not in use, it is practically invisible because it is located right under the ceiling. But just pull it slightly with your hand and it will slide down.

Having to tilt the seat backrests every time you want to unfold the bed can be a bit inconvenient, but thanks to this the entire bed "slides" very low and reaches the lower edge of the windshield, which allows four people to sit at the table.

Garage and storage rooms

As I mentioned earlier, the camper was built on an AL-KO frame, thanks to which the manufacturer could offer a lot of storage spaces under the floor. These storage compartments are perfect for camping furniture (chairs, table), extension cords, and in winter they will also be perfect for skis and ski boots. We have access to the storage compartments in the floor from both sides of the camper or through the floor in its central part.

The garage at the back of the camper is also very spacious and functional. Thanks to the adjustable height, we will surely fit everything we need in it, and even what we won't even take out during the trip.

Summary

When I look at the camper from the front, it reminds me a bit of the cartoon Kung Fu Panda, especially his belly ☺

But seriously, I think it's a very comfortable camper. Its dimensions may seem very large and problematic when it comes to driving, but you can get used to everything. After all, much larger buses drive around city centers and cope without any major problems. The engine used in this model is a very good choice. The only thing I would improve would be to stiffen the suspension a bit.

I liked:

• great space,
• nice, dynamic engine,
• AL-KO frame and floor storage compartments,
• large shower,
• an easily movable table where you can sit even after unfolding the front bed,
• lacquered furniture fronts,
• all doors locked with remote control,
• Zenec multimedia center,
• comfortable seat for rear passengers,
• crash-sensor system for gas cylinders.

I would like it more if:

• the steering wheel was covered with leather as standard,
• the dashboard did not creak (the fault was covered by the service and therefore needed to be corrected),
• there were more USB sockets (only 1 socket in the living area),
• there were more 230V sockets (only 1 in the living area and 1 in the bathroom),
• there were more 12V sockets (there were only 2 in the living area),
• the speakers were of a similar standard to the rest of the camper,
• a gas outlet was installed outside the camper, which would allow for connecting a gas grill.

The tested camper model can also be seen in the video below:

Best regards!

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