The Active Choice sits in that sweet spot between day van and full camper, offering four-seater capability with proper seat belts when you need to ferry the family about, yet transforming into a surprisingly well-equipped base for weekend adventures. It’s the sort of van that could handle the school run on Friday and find itself parked up beside a Cornish beach come Saturday morning.
What sets this Danbury apart isn’t just the extensive customisation menu, though being able to specify your wheels, roof, canvas, and worktop certainly helps create something that feels uniquely yours. It’s the thoughtful approach to space that catches your attention, with features like that hidden table storage in the side panel and the way the whole interior seems designed around actual use rather than showroom appeal.
Size and Practicality of the Active Choice
You’ll find the Danbury Active Choice strikes a sensible balance between everyday usability and camping comfort. The pop-top roof adds approximately two feet of headroom, enough that even someone approaching six feet tall would have plenty of space to move about comfortably when pitched up.
The van’s compact footprint means you won’t be wrestling with narrow country lanes or struggling to find parking spaces in town centres. Yet when you need the space, that pop-top transforms the interior from cosy to genuinely liveable. It’s the sort of size that works whether you’re navigating busy campsites or tucking into a quiet spot off the beaten track.
Driving the Danbury Active Choice
Behind the wheel, you’re essentially driving a VW van with all the familiarity that brings. The standard manual gearbox keeps things straightforward, though if you prefer the convenience of an automatic, DSG is available as an option. Multiple brake horsepower levels mean you can spec the engine to suit your driving style and typical loads.
The beauty of the VW base is its predictability; you’ll know what to expect from the handling, the visibility, and the general driving experience. It’s not trying to be a sports car, but it’s not lumbering about like a larger motorhome either. For weekend trips and holiday touring, you’d likely find it strikes just the right note between capability and comfort.
Living in the Active Choice Interior
Step inside the Danbury Active Choice and you’ll discover a space that’s been thought through rather than simply filled with kit. The four-seater lounge configuration works well for socialising, with the swivelling driver and passenger seats creating a proper conversation area when you’re pitched up.
Storage has been carefully considered throughout; you’ll find multiple shelves, cutlery drawers, and even a mini wardrobe tucked away. That hidden table storage in the side panel is particularly clever, keeping the surface clear when you don’t need it but having it instantly available when you do. The long wardrobe area provides proper hanging space, something often compromised in smaller campervans.
Active Choice Sleeping Arrangements
When it comes to bedtime, the Danbury offers flexibility with two single beds that can be configured to suit your needs. One bed measures just short of six feet, which should accommodate most people comfortably, if not luxuriously. The pop-top provides an optional additional sleeping area, potentially expanding your capacity for guests or children.
The single bed arrangement might not suit couples who prefer to sleep together, but it offers advantages for friends travelling together or families with children. You’d have the option to configure the space differently depending on your group, something that fixed double beds simply can’t match.
The Active Choice Kitchen Layout
Cooking facilities centre around a two-burner hob and sink combination, with a pull-out worktop extension providing extra preparation space when you need it. The Dometic fridge keeps your supplies fresh, while the customisable worktop means you can choose materials that suit your style and practical needs.
The kitchen area feels well-proportioned for a van of this size – you’re not going to be preparing elaborate meals, but for holiday cooking and weekend adventures, you’d have everything necessary. The glass locker housing the heating and hob controls keeps things tidy while maintaining easy access to the essentials.
Shower and Toilet in the Active Choice
The cassette toilet provides essential convenience without taking up excessive space. While you won’t find a separate shower room in a van of this size, the toilet compartment offers privacy and practicality for longer trips where campsite facilities aren’t always available or convenient.
For many users, particularly those planning shorter trips or staying on sites with good facilities, this level of bathroom provision hits the sweet spot between convenience and space efficiency. You’d have what you need without sacrificing too much living area.
Active Choice Systems and Equipment
The Webasto heating system should keep you comfortable in cooler weather, while water and battery level indicators help you monitor your resources. Multiple 12V sockets, USB connections, and a 230V socket provide power options for modern devices and equipment.
The water inlet and tank system, combined with the level indicator, takes the guesswork out of resource management. You’d know exactly where you stand with both power and water, essential for planning longer stops away from services. The Fiamma awning extends your living space outdoors when weather permits.
Other Motorhomes Worth Considering
If the Danbury Active Choice has caught your interest, you might also want to look at the Pilote Cityvan CV57 Review: Fiat Ducato 4-Berth Comfort, which offers a different approach to compact campervan living with French design flair and potentially different layout options.
The Auto-Sleeper Symbol Review: British High-Top Design represents British manufacturing expertise and might appeal if you prefer supporting home-grown industry, while potentially offering different customisation options and build quality approaches.
For those considering slightly different size categories, the Trigano Tribute 550 Review: Practical Fiat-Based Tourer could provide an interesting comparison point, potentially offering more space but with different compromises in terms of everyday usability.
Final Thoughts
The Danbury Active Choice succeeds by focusing on customisation and practical flexibility rather than trying to cram every possible feature into a compact space. At £58,750, it’s not the cheapest entry point into campervan ownership, but the extensive personalisation options mean you’d end up with something that truly suits your needs and preferences.
This van would suit buyers who value the ability to create something unique, who need the flexibility of four-seater day van capability, and who appreciate thoughtful design over maximum equipment levels. If you’re the sort of person who’d rather have fewer features done well than every possible option squeezed in, the Active Choice deserves serious consideration.
The customisation aspect means you’d need to think carefully about specifications and budget accordingly, but for buyers who know what they want and value the ability to get exactly that, the Danbury Active Choice offers a compelling proposition in the competitive campervan market.
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