Ford minibus camper lives XL via pop-and-drop Murphy bed theater

Canadian motorhome builder Leisure Travel Vans is always trying to squeeze more usable space out of its shuttle bus-sized Class C motorhomes. The last time we looked, it was designing a floor plan around a wide, cavernous double-door garage for loading up all kinds of gear and extras. Months later and now it's introducing a new Ford Transit motorhome that combines a slide-out wall with a split-recliner Murphy lounge that folds its way into a super-queen-size bed. The new 2027 Wonder FX makes sure you'll barely miss home when out on the road.

We tend to prefer compact camper vans over larger motorhomes, but Leisure Travel Vans (LTV) is one of the brands that always gets us rethinking that preference. While its Class C rigs are definitely larger, wider, heavier and bulkier to drive and park, they make an airtight argument when it comes to spacious, comfortable interiors. Its builds incorporate features like multifunctional transforming furniture, dry bathrooms and living room-like home theater setups to bring a little more comfort everywhere you travel.

The new Wonder FX packs in all three of those features and more, offering a highly livable space that adapts to your needs throughout the day. The "FX" layout carries over to the lower-priced Ford Transit-based Wonder series from the Mercedes Sprinter-built Unity FX, where LTV introduced it over a decade ago.

The most impressive feature of the new Wonder FX comes just behind the driver's seat, where LTV installs what it calls the Leisure Lounge, a multipurpose seating area that's much more comfortable than average. Here, a modest slide-out wall module expands the width of the motorhome interior to carve out extra space for a cozy home theater-style setup with two side-facing power recliners split far enough apart to fit a drinks/snacks table between them.

The table also removes to clear a non-recliner center seat. This side-facing sofa is located diagonally to the TV console between the passenger cab seat and the side entry door to provide a good viewing angle for the swivel-mounted TV. The picture window on the opposite wall delivers the views you really traveled to see.

During the day, the Murphy bed stays folded away immediately behind the recliners. When it's time to turn in, it deploys in a matter of seconds. The flat recliner seat backs fold down to make room, and the dual-section bed then folds out on top of the flattened seats. It offers a sleeping space of 65 x 74 in (165 x 188 cm), a slightly larger area than a residential 60 x 80-in (152 x 203-cm) queen bed.

The Leisure Lounge isn't finished flexing just yet. The seat backs for the recliners also swivel around to create a vis-a-vis dining layout with the center table, a more conventional way of enjoying a meal than a table between two recliners. The table can also lower down to fill the space between the recliners, and when topped with a cushion, the unit becomes a chaise lounge for stretching out and watching TV, reading a book, or just daydreaming of your next adventure while looking out the window.

The standard Wonder FX floor plan complements this front flex lounge with a completely independent lounge area in the rear passenger-side corner. Here, travelers will find an L-shaped sofa perfect for reading a book, doing the daily crossword or simply hanging out and conversing. LTV offers the option of a smart TV for this space, too, complete with a soundbar. A removable Lagun table allows the space to double as a dining lounge.

Oddly, the couch looks like it could easily slide out or otherwise expand to sleep two, but LTV makes no mention of such capability, not even as an option.

The double-lounge layout might strike some as redundant – and we'd tend to agree – but LTV does offer an optional alternative that trades out the rear lounge for a rear "corner" office. The removal of the L-shaped sofa leaves a natural space for an L-shaped desk and storage drawers. Leisure designs the area with space for your favorite desk chair (not included) but reminds owners to secure the loose chair during travel.

We like the office space pushed off into its own quiet corner but still feel like this floor plan could use an optional extra bed. We know Leisure Travel Vans prioritizes at-camp comfort and functionality over optimizing space for the most people or smallest on-road footprint, but it feels like a 25-ft (7.6-m) motorhome with this type of flexible convertible furnishings should have the capability to serve as a four-sleeper family RV.

Whatever the case, the spaciousness continues next to the rear lounge/office area, where the dry bathroom houses a shower with discrete tub floor and sliding door, a toilet and a vanity sink. The dual-panel outer door sets up slightly outward when the bathroom is occupied to create room inside, then closes flat to repurpose that space as part of the living area.

The final piece of the Wonder FX floor plan puzzle is, of course, the galley just behind the entry door. It features a dual-burner induction cooktop, large rectangular sink with worktop cover, and cutting board-topped drawer that works as a secondary worktop. The fridge and microwave are located behind the main kitchen block on the vehicle's opposite sidewall. The wall separating the kitchen from the rear lounge lends to the spatial separation and includes a built-in spice rack and slide-out pantry.

The Wonder FX is built on a Ford Transit Cutaway Chassis with 310-hp 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 and 10-speed transmission. All-wheel drive is optional. Additional features include a Truma Aventa Eco rooftop air conditioner with heat pump, Truma Aquago Comfort on-demand water heater, command touchscreen system, 270-Ah lithium leisure battery, 3,000-W inverter, 4-kW generator and Truma Varioheat furnace.

Leisure Travel Vans introduced the 2027 Wonder FX in at the Hershey RV Show last month. It's selling it now for a base price of US$208,630. Options include a Starlink Mini satellite internet system, 440-W solar charging setup, external ladder, separate removable table for use between the swivel cab seats, and aforementioned add-ons and swaps like the rear office.

Source: Leisure Travel Vans