Hillside Leisure explained: Derby's type-approved VW converter with a hybrid Multivan

Hillside Leisure builds campervans in Derby on Volkswagen vans. That short sentence hides most of what makes the company interesting to a buyer. It is listed by Volkswagen itself as a VW conversion specialist, it holds GB Whole Vehicle Type Approval for its conversions, it sells a plug-in hybrid camper on the Multivan eHybrid 4MOTION, and its price table includes a battery-electric Transporter. These are approvals buyers rarely ask about, and along with the powertrain choices they are the things worth asking about first.

Who Hillside Leisure are and where to find them

Hillside Leisure is based in Derby, in the East Midlands. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles' own website lists Hillside as a VW conversion specialist building on the Transporter and the Crafter, which is the clearest independent confirmation of its status. The current range, as published on Hillside's own range page on 13 October 2026, is built on the Volkswagen Transporter T7, the Volkswagen Multivan, and the Volkswagen Crafter or MAN TGE. The sales team can be reached at sales@hillsideleisure.co.uk or 01332 207976, according to Hillside's MVX page.

Two older names matter only if you are shopping used. The Dalbury E, an electric camper on the Nissan e-NV200, was built from 2014 to 2018 and is discontinued. The Ellastone, on the Renault Trafic, is also used-market only. Today Hillside builds on Volkswagen group vans alone, which is why its VW credentials carry so much of the story.

What Hillside builds on and why it matters

Three base vehicles give three different kinds of camper, and the names can confuse because "T7" gets applied loosely online to two of them.

The Transporter T7 is the new-generation Transporter, built in partnership with Ford and sharing its underpinnings with the Transit Custom. We have compared the two in our T7 versus Transit Custom base guide. Hillside uses it for the Birchover and the Cromford, and its August 2025 T7 conversion price table also lists battery-electric Commerce Pro versions.

The Multivan is a separate vehicle: Volkswagen's people carrier rather than its van. Hillside describes the MVX cab as delivering a premium, car-like driving experience, with a 10-inch Digital Cockpit beside a 10-inch infotainment touchscreen. Hillside's hybrid camper is the MVX on the Multivan eHybrid 4MOTION.

The Crafter and its twin, the MAN TGE, are the big vans. Hillside's Hopton sits at that end of the range, and we have covered it separately in our Hillside Hopton 600RS review.

Why only Volkswagen? A converter that works on one maker's vans can hold that maker's approval, buy through its dealer network and keep a small set of layouts in tight production. It also narrows the choice. If you want a Ford badge, a Mercedes or a Fiat under your camper, Hillside is not your converter.

The range, model by model

Every price here is a "from" or an in-stock figure as published on 13 October 2026 at Hillside's own pages, unless a date says otherwise. Prices move, options add up, and the grant position on electric vans changes, so treat these as a starting point for a conversation rather than a quote.

Birchover Classic (Transporter T7)

The entry point to the range. Hillside's range page lists it from £65,000, built on a T7 Commerce Pro. There is a wrinkle worth raising on the phone: Hillside's August 2025 T7 conversion price table starts at £66,500 for a Commerce 110 manual, which is £1,500 higher and a different trim from the Commerce Pro named on the range page. Ask which figure is current and exactly what spec the £65,000 buys. The Birchover Classic was entered in the Caravan and Motorhome Club's Motorhome and Campervan Design Awards 2026.

Birchover All-Motion (Transporter T7)

The dearer Birchover, from £82,500 on the range page, with a stock example listed at £83,235 on Hillside's new campervans page, which is £735 above the from-price. The name points to a particular drivetrain and trim, but ask Hillside to spell out what the All-Motion badge covers, what engine and gearbox it carries, and what is standard against the Classic before you compare the two on price alone.

Cromford (Transporter T7 long wheelbase)

The Cromford is the long-wheelbase Transporter T7 camper and the model with the biggest recent accolade: the Caravan and Motorhome Club's Motorhome and Campervan Design Awards 2026 gave it first place in the long-wheelbase campervan category. Hillside lists it from £73,550 with a choice of 110, 150 or 170PS engines. Stock examples on 13 October 2026 were £71,545, £81,630 and £82,430. The first of those is £2,005 below the published from-price, which may reflect a different spec, so ask what is in it and whether the saving is real. Our sibling review, "Hillside Cromford T7 review: the long-wheelbase VW camper that won the 2026 Club design award", goes through the van in detail.

Battery-electric Transporter T7

Hillside's August 2025 T7 conversion price table runs from a Commerce 110 manual at £66,500 to a Commerce Pro 150 automatic 4Motion at £75,500, with battery-electric Commerce Pro versions at £79,995 (136PS) and £83,995 (218PS), both quoted with the plug-in van grant applied. That table is more than a year old at the time of writing, and the plug-in van grant is a government scheme whose terms change, so confirm both the price and whether the grant still applies before you rely on the figure. The gap between the two electric versions is £4,000.

One licence point for the electric van. In Great Britain, since 10 June 2025, a category B (car) licence covers a zero-emission vehicle with a maximum authorised mass of up to 4,250 kg; petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles stay at 3,500 kg on category B. Ask Hillside for the plated weight and the payload of the exact electric version you want, since the battery and the conversion both eat into what you can carry.

MVX (Multivan, diesel or eHybrid 4MOTION)

This is the headline van. The range page lists the MVX from £70,995, and Hillside's MVX page shows that figure is for the 150PS diesel with a seven-speed DSG, with the 245PS eHybrid 4MOTION and its six-speed DSG from £78,995. So the hybrid costs £8,000 more than the diesel version of the same camper.

Hillside says the eHybrid pairs Volkswagen's 245PS 1.5 TSI petrol engine with an 85 kW electric motor, gives up to 57 miles of pure electric driving, and recharges on a home wall box in around five and a half hours. Hillside states that the MVX has Volkswagen's 4MOTION all-wheel drive system. For UK use, the electric range is the practical part: campsite arrivals, school runs and town driving without the engine. Whether a given van is charge-free in a particular low emission zone depends on how it is registered, so put the registration into the official checker rather than assuming.

Inside, Hillside describes it as a four-berth camper with a 6ft 6in sliding RIB bed in the main cabin and a sprung upper mattress in the Volkswagen elevating roof. The kitchenette, per Hillside, has a sink, a single-burner hob and a 35-litre Dometic fridge, with fresh and waste water tanks of 22 litres each, plus wireless phone charging, USB sockets, ambient LED lighting and a Savvy Van control panel. Hillside lists IQ.Light LED matrix headlights with dynamic cornering on the MVX. Hillside says the MVX keeps its usability as a daily vehicle and offers optional extras including metallic paint, upgraded alloy wheels and a choice of upholstery.

Hillside says the MVX is backed by a five-year warranty, matching Volkswagen's own coverage. The Caravan and Motorhome Club's Design Awards 2026 placed the MVX third in the hybrid campervan category. Our sibling review, "Hillside MVX review: a Multivan eHybrid 4MOTION campervan from £70,995", covers the layout, the hybrid system and the kit.

Hopton (Crafter or MAN TGE)

The big van. Hillside's range page lists the Hopton on the VW Crafter or MAN TGE. One conflict to clear up: the Caravan and Motorhome Club's 2026 awards entry lists the Hopton 600RL base as a VW T6.1, which does not match Hillside's own description. Confirm the base vehicle for the exact Hopton you are quoted. Older articles carry a Hopton price that is now out of date, so take the current from-price from Hillside directly. Our Hopton 600RS review covers what the layout gives you.

Credentials, stated exactly

Hillside's home page lists three credentials: VW Qualified converter, GB Whole Vehicle Type Approval and NCC 5* approval. Here is what each means in plain words.

VW Qualified converter

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles' own site lists Hillside as a Derby conversion specialist for the Transporter and Crafter. Hillside says it holds full approval from Volkswagen to convert these vehicles. Ask Hillside how VW dealer servicing and warranty work on the converted van.

GB Whole Vehicle Type Approval

This is the one most buyers never ask about. Hillside states that it holds GB Whole Vehicle Type Approval. Ask Hillside what that approval covers for the model you want.

NCC approval

The NCC is the trade body for the UK caravan, motorhome and campervan industry. Hillside states NCC 5* approval. Ask what the current certificate covers and when it was last renewed.

Warranty

Warranty terms can differ by model and by what is covered (the base vehicle, the conversion, the habitation equipment), so ask for the written terms for the exact model you want rather than assuming the MVX's five-year figure applies across the range.

Awards

The Caravan and Motorhome Club's Motorhome and Campervan Design Awards 2026 gave the Cromford first place in the long-wheelbase campervan category and the MVX third in the hybrid campervan category; the Birchover Classic and the Hopton 600RL were entered.

Lead times and deposits

Ask Hillside for the current lead time on the model you want and the deposit the order needs, and get both in writing. If you need the van for a particular summer, say so on the first call and ask what the realistic delivery window is, not the best case.

Who should buy from Hillside, and who should look elsewhere

Buy from Hillside if

• You want a Volkswagen-based camper from a converter that states it holds full approval from Volkswagen and GB Whole Vehicle Type Approval.
• You want a plug-in hybrid camper. The MVX eHybrid, from £78,995 on 13 October 2026, is the model in this range with electric-only driving for everyday miles and petrol for the long haul.
• You want a long-wheelbase Transporter camper with an independent award behind it: the Cromford, from £73,550.
• You want a battery-electric Transporter from a converter that already builds them, and you are willing to confirm the current price and grant position.
• You want to step up to a Crafter or MAN TGE camper from the same company you bought a Transporter from.

Look elsewhere if

• You want a non-Volkswagen base. Hillside is VW only, and a Ford, Mercedes or Fiat-based camper from another converter may suit your budget or your garage better. Our NEC 2026 converters guide lists who builds on what.
• Your budget sits well under £65,000. The Birchover Classic is the cheapest published from-price in the range, and a used Hillside or a smaller converter's van may be the better route.
• You want a coachbuilt motorhome with a full washroom and a garage. Hillside builds van conversions and the Hopton is as big as it gets.

If you want changes to a standard layout, ask Hillside how far each model can be tailored before you order.

If you are still deciding what kind of camper you want at all, our conversion types explainer and pop-top roof guide are the place to start.

Three questions to ask on the phone

1. "Which Birchover Classic price is current, £65,000 or £66,500, and what trim does it buy?" The range page and the August 2025 table do not agree, and the trim named differs. A straight answer tells you how up to date the published prices are across the whole range.
2. "What is the plated weight and the payload of the exact version I want, and what does the running-order figure include?" This matters most on the electric T7 and the eHybrid MVX, where the battery adds mass, and on the Hopton, where kit and water add up. Ask for the figures on the specification sheet, not from memory.
3. "What warranty applies to this model, who honours the base-vehicle part and who honours the conversion part, and what is the lead time and deposit today?" Get the written terms for your model, and get the delivery window in writing too.

Hillside's appeal is not flash. It is a Derby company that builds on one maker's vans, holds the approvals that make ownership simpler, and offers two kinds of electrified camper. Check the prices on the day, confirm the base vehicle and the weights for your exact van, and the rest of the decision comes down to whether the layouts suit you.