If you’re hunting for a coachbuilt motorhome that doesn’t force you to choose between everyday driveability and proper long-trip comfort, the Ace 1500 ET deserves a serious look. Built on the Ford Transit Skeletal chassis and wrapped in a timberless GRP bodyshell, this two-berth layout is aimed at couples who want a compact-on-the-road, spacious-at-camp setup — and after digging through its full specification, it’s clear the engineering effort has gone well beyond surface-level trim.
This review breaks down exactly what you’re getting across the cab, living area, kitchen, washroom, and technical systems, so you can decide whether the 1500 ET fits how you actually travel.
On the Road: The Cab Experience
The 1500 ET sits on a Ford Transit Skeletal chassis cab, powered as standard by a Euro 6Ebis 130bhp 2.0-litre TDCi EcoBlue engine paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox. For buyers who’d rather not deal with clutch work in stop-start traffic or tight campsite manoeuvring, there’s a factory-fit option for a 165bhp automatic with rotary gear selection — a genuinely useful upgrade if most of your driving happens in built-up areas or you’re covering serious motorway miles.
What stands out is how much has been done to make the driving position feel like a proper cab rather than a converted van. You get:
- Digital dash and cruise control as standard
- Electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) for lighter low-speed handling
- Lane keeping system and Electronic Stability Programme with Curve Control, Load Adaptive Control, and Roll Stability Control — a meaningful safety net when you’re carrying a loaded motorhome’s weight through a bend
- Emergency Brake Assist and front parking aid
- Automatic headlamp control with daytime running lights and front fog lights
- Heated, powered door mirrors and automatic windscreen wipers
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The captain chairs deserve a specific mention — they swivel, adjust for height and rake, and come with integrated headrests and dual armrests, meaning they double up comfortably as lounge seating once you’ve parked up. Combined with automatic cab air-conditioning and tinted electric windows, the cab genuinely feels like it was designed to be lived in during the drive, not just endured.
At 3500kg MTPLM, the standard 1500 ET can still be driven on a normal category B licence, which matters a lot if you passed your test after 1997 and don’t want the hassle of upgrading your entitlement.
Living, Relaxing & Sleeping
This is where the “ET” designation earns its keep. The 1500 ET features a height-adjustable electric drop-down bed over the front lounge — a layout that effectively gives you a second usable living zone during the day and a proper double bed at night without any manual conversion faff. It’s paired with the front parallel lounge and under-bed storage, so the space works hard in both directions.
The bed itself uses the Duvalay Duvalite Alto mattress, which combines a platinum support layer with reflex foam and memory fibre — the kind of spec you’d expect to see quoted in a mattress showroom, not a motorhome brochure, and it noticeably lifts sleep quality above the thin foam pads still found in some rivals.
Fit-out wise, the Granite soft furnishing scheme with Oxford Tweed and Tora Tela fabrics is genuinely nice to sit in day after day, and it’s specifically chosen to be stain-resistant rather than just good-looking in the showroom. Practical touches back this up:
- Full-length LED strip lighting under the overhead lockers, plus Dometic BusBar lighting with USB-C points built in
- Horrex Honeycomb blackout blinds for proper sleep even in bright campsites
- Mill Oak Grege vinyl flooring that’s scratch and impact resistant, plus a removable stepwell mat to keep muck out
- An internal roof height of 2110mm, so taller users won’t be stooping through the living space
Kitchen & Dining
The kitchen leans practical rather than flashy, which is exactly what you want on the road. A Thetford Triplex combination oven and grill sits alongside a three-burner gas hob with electronic ignition and an automatic gas shut-off glass lid — a small detail that matters a lot if you’ve ever knocked a hob dial by accident while reaching for a cupboard.
The Dometic Series 10 fridge runs to 133 litres with a 12-litre freezer compartment, and switches automatically between 230V, gas, and 12V power depending on your hookup situation, which takes the guesswork out of keeping food cold on a long touring trip. The Lagos laminate worktop lifts up to expand your prep space, there’s a slim stainless steel sink that doesn’t eat into that space, and an illuminated splashback plus rooflight with flyscreen keep the whole area bright and ventilated when you’re cooking.
Washroom
The washroom follows a level-floor design with a separate shower cubicle rather than a cramped wet room — a layout choice that genuinely improves day-to-day usability. The Ecocamel Jetstorm showerhead is worth calling out specifically: it’s built to deliver a stronger shower using less water, which is a real consideration when you’re relying on a fixed 110-litre fresh water tank.
The Thetford cassette toilet has an electric flush and an 18-litre wheeled tank, making emptying far less of a chore than lifting a full cassette by hand. Storage either side of the vanity bowl, a mirror, and black washroom fittings round out a space that feels considered rather than an afterthought bolted on at the end of the layout process.
Build Quality & Exterior
The 1500 ET’s bodyshell is where its “coachbuilt” credentials really show. It uses a timberless PURe polyurethane framed body shell with a high-density polystyrene insulation core, 31mm sandwich side walls, a 44mm sandwich floor with a Styrofoam core, and a fully bonded GRP roof. This construction is a big part of why it carries an EN 1646-1 Grade 3 classification, confirmed through cold chamber testing — in plain terms, it’s built and tested to handle genuinely cold, sub-zero touring, not just fair-weather trips.
Other practical exterior touches include a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, a wide 600mm habitation door with its own window, flyscreen, and central locking, and a rear garage with lighting, heating, and hanging space — useful if you’re carrying bikes, outdoor gear, or awning kit.
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Heating, Power & Technology
The control system runs off a 4-inch LCD colour touchscreen, giving you a single point to manage water tank levels, battery status, lighting (including soft-start dimming), and internal/external temperature and humidity monitoring. Heating and hot water come courtesy of the Truma CombiNeo, which is well regarded for delivering hot water quickly on gas without long wait times — a genuine plus for early starts or cold mornings.
There’s a Winter Pack fitted as standard, with heated water tanks and en-route heating to prevent freezing, plus an 80 Amp-hour leisure battery, a 25-Amp charger, and a 25-metre mains hook-up cable. LED lighting throughout, multiple 230V sockets, and dedicated USB-C points (including under-locker ones) show this is a spec sheet written by people who’ve actually lived in a motorhome, not just designed one.
Safety & Security
Security features include a VIN CHIP identification system built into the construction to deter theft, key fob remote central locking across cab and habitation doors, and a single key covering all habitation access points. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms come as standard — non-negotiable essentials that some buyers still forget to check for.
Worth Considering: The Options List
A few factory-fit options are worth flagging if you’re speccing your own:
- The 165bhp automatic engine upgrade — a strong recommendation for anyone doing significant motorway driving
- Ford Sync 4 with a 12-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a reversing camera — a big usability jump over the standard setup
- A 120W solar panel and regulator, ideal for anyone planning off-grid stays
- The Comfort Pack and 16-inch alloy wheels, which lift the overall finish
Final Verdict
The Ace 1500 ET is a well-thought-out two-berth motorhome that doesn’t cut corners where it counts — chassis safety tech, insulation for cold-weather use, and a genuinely comfortable electric drop-down bed setup that maximises daytime living space. It won’t be the cheapest option on the market, and the manual gearbox as standard might put off buyers who prioritise easy driving, but for a couple wanting a solidly built, four-season-capable motorhome with a driving experience that doesn’t feel like a compromise, the 1500 ET earns its place on the shortlist.
If your priorities are cold-weather reliability, a proper double bed without daily conversion, and cab-level driving comfort, this is one of the stronger options in its class.
