Tonke - a campervan full of surprises

At first glance, we are dealing with an ordinary, standard Volkswagen T6. Even the first look inside may not be enough to believe that the model from the Dutch company Tonke is something more than a van ... And yet!

Tonke creates camping bodies mainly on the Mercedes chassis. However, while the models based on the Sprinter stand out because their rest zones resemble railway wagons, the Van model, based on the Volkswagen Transporter , is much more discreet.

Dutch pocket knife

The manufacturer compares its smallest motorhome to ... a Swiss Army knife . The point is probably that it can be disassembled and thus made practical, and even quite spacious, although it does not indicate this after folding.

The mechanically lifted roof is an important distinguishing feature of the modestly named Van. Thanks to this, two people can sleep on the floor. In practice, the "attic" will most often be reserved for children, while parents will use reclining armchairs downstairs. They create a completely flat surface, so they can easily replace a mattress. Anyway, stubbornly, up to three slim people (e.g. parents and a child) can sleep there.

However, it is not an upstairs bed and not a pull-out couch that is why we decided to write about Tonka Van. What makes this motorhome unusual is a pull-out kitchen module with a folding table. This clever solution makes this small van a fully-fledged motorhome.

Kitchen with a damper

The kitchen worktop with the hob, cabinets and sink can be moved in the way that a traditional door opens. Then the kitchen slides outside the motorhome , and we can cook while standing on the grass. The ease with which this can be done is due to the gas damper that connects the kitchen module with the refrigerator module. Instead of imagining it, it's best to see it in the photo.

If the weather is not favorable, the kitchen can be put inside - although to tell the truth, it is difficult to imagine cooking with five people staying in the van at the same time.

The manufacturer emphasizes that the furniture is not made of fibreboard, but of scratch-resistant birch plywood and a heat-resistant plastic coating. The standard also includes two bedside lamps with the so-called gooseneck and lots of drawers and storage compartments. It is said that you can even carry surfboards under the seats.

Flexible like a real motorhome

The Van Tonka also has clean water and sewage tanks (16 liters each). A two-burner gas cooker with a sink is covered with a tempered glass pane.

A car can accommodate a maximum of five people , but it can travel by one passenger more. The rear seats can be moved along almost the entire length of the car, and they can also be removed to turn the van into a "delivery van". Optional solar panels can be installed on the roof.

Tonke Van in the cheapest version costs 40 thousand. Euro, but if we care about all the above-described elements of equipment (without solar panels), we should reckon with an expense of about 60,000. euro for a model with a basic engine.

More information can be found on the manufacturer's website: www.tonke.eu