When exploring the market for modern and innovative motorhomes for truly active individuals, nature lovers and people who appreciate modern design, it is almost impossible to ignore the Slovenian brand Womondo and the camper vans manufactured by the renowned company Robeta. This brand has established itself in recent years as a synonym for quality workmanship and thoughtful solutions for modern travelers. If you are looking for an authentic motorhome experience that allows you to comfortably explore the world in all seasons, then the Womondo Pegasus, based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, is a model that should at least be on your shortlist.
Sprinter Womondo Pegasus by Robeta it struck me, also because the author already has been thinking about buying for a long time or custom-built motorhomes. After many years of experience with overlanding, where he tested most off-road challenges and spent more than 200 days on the beaches of Europe on the roof of a car, the time has come to consider a more comfortable, yet still adventurous form of travel.
Of course, I would still like to maintain the authentic feel of the overlanding experience, but at the same time extended the adventures to the winter months, when classic overlanding becomes less pleasant or even impossible. The main limitation of overlanding is that it is limited to the warm half of the year, and the rest of the year means a forced break or very demanding expeditions.
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That's why I started looking towards camper vans - vehicles that allow for an adventure every weekend, regardless of the weather conditions. And of course, I shortlisted the Sprinter Womondo Pegasus by Robeta. Let's take a look at some more extensive test.
Platform choice: Mercedes Sprinter or something else?
When choosing a basic platform for a motorhome, I would without a doubt choose Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, as it is one of the few vans that combines excellent driving dynamics, comfort and the option of 4×4 drive. Since many of my adventures involve exploring untouched nature, I would not want to give up four-wheel drive, which opens the door to more difficult-to-access terrain, especially in the winter months.
Although the test model did not have 4×4 drive, convinced me with many other features.
When choosing a basic vehicle, I often look towards Ford and VW, as the Ford Transit also offers an excellent driving experience and 4×4 drive, and VW is considered a classic choice in the camper van segment, where 4motion offers something more than a conventional drive. But when it comes to the premium segment, the Mercedes Sprinter is still the gold standard on which many top camper vans are based. Also because of its almost iconic shape. So let's see how Robeta used this platform and what the Sprinter Womondo Pegasus offers.
Design and interior design: Scandinavian aesthetics on the go
As a designer, I am a fan of simple, functional and timeless design that doesn't become outdated after a few years. The Sprinter Womondo Pegasus achieves this perfectly with its grey-sand exterior, which matches the interior, where grey and natural wood dominate.
The interior is not innovative, but it is extremely tried and tested, which means it works well.
In the front part there is a living area, where the main star is an extremely practical table that can be moved in all possible directions and heights, making it completely adaptable for working on the go.
This is especially important for digital nomads who want to work in a van, as a comfortable and functional workspace is an often underestimated but very important element.
The kitchen area is practical and well-designed. As a family who cooks a lot on the go, we didn't miss anything - which is always a good sign.
The refrigerator is right next to the entrance and opens in both directions, which is convenient, but personally I would prefer a pull-out model, as it offers better space utilization. And it seems more indestructible.
The kitchen counter offers lots of work surface, but the stove is a bit limited - it's difficult to cook with larger pots, which means that preparing more complex dishes isn't the most practical.
So preparing paella or a larger meal for several people can be a challenge, as space on the stove quickly becomes a limitation. So the size of the pan. Here, an induction hob might be a better choice, but that would mean larger batteries and a more powerful inverter, which would bring additional costs. The van did not have the latter, so a 220V inverter.
Autonomy and electricity: a solar cell is not enough
One of the first things I would immediately upgrade is the battery capacity. A single solar panel replaced only 20 % of energy consumption on a sunny winter day, while the refrigerator used about 50 % of battery per day.
This means that for completely energy-independent use, I would need more solar cells, or a larger battery capacity. I couldn't find a gas switch for the refrigerator, but I didn't miss it either. We did miss an inverter for charging computers, though. We replaced that with a portable battery. Jackery 1000, which has an integrated 1300W inverter in a package under 1,300 euros. It's interesting how camper van manufacturers don't integrate such relatively cheap things. Robeta is far from alone in this.
100 liters of fresh and waste water is enough for three days of autonomy, which is standard in this segment.
Bathroom – basic but useful
The bathroom is minimalistic but functional. In the winter it served as a great drying room. due to Webasto exhaust and a skylight, which is especially useful for drying ski clothes. They dry in 15 minutes. And we should have a closet like this at home.
The main downside was the portable toilet, which is impractical to empty and clean. The test campervan had a really basic version of the toilet, which is not the most convenient, and also really quickly filled up.
The shower was also not the best experience, as it was difficult to set the right water temperature. The handle, while cute and beautifully designed, is difficult to operate.
Sleeping area: spacious, but really only suitable for two people
The sleeping area is designed in width, so there are Robes added extended sides, which bring an additional approximately 7 - 9 cm of width. The bed is comfortable for two people, but if a child also sleeps in the van, the space will soon become too small. That is also why I somehow missed a solution that could transform the front of the van into an emergency bed, following the example of some manufacturers. In the summer months, it can be quite hot in this type of van. Which means that an additional emergency bed would be very welcome.
Feel of workmanship and quality of materials
Company Robe is known primarily for its build quality, and I must admit that I had no major complaints in this area. Test Sprinter Womondo Pegasus It had already covered 25,000 kilometers and had been used by at least 10 different tenants. However, the materials, especially the wooden elements, showed very little wear, which is a testament to the high quality of workmanship.
The furniture in the van was well secured, no annoying creaking or rattling while driving, which is not a given with many competitors.
Of course, every manufacturer also has challenges with components that they don't manufacture themselves, but rather purchase from external suppliers. One such example is the front sunshades, which have been manufactured by the same company for many years but have not been improved. Also Dometic windows, which are the gold standard, because they don't work well for me and Dometic should have upgraded them a long time ago. However, this is a result of market dominance and lack of good competition.
This one shades were one of the few weak points of the interior, as they were loud and not the most effective at insulating. The van was much more spacious in the front cold as in the last, which was most noticeable at night in the sleeping area. Despite active heating, we experienced a few situations where it was already too warm in the back, but significantly colder in the front.
The temperature difference between the front and rear of the van was approximately 2-3°C, which is a classic phenomenon in such vehicles, but also proof that this problem could be significantly reduced with better shades. Magnetic shades with insulation would be a much better choice here, as they would offer additional insulation in addition to better blackout.
Driving characteristics – six meters of Mercedes
I have to admit that I enjoyed driving the Sprinter – and that's something I rarely say about vans. The vehicle had a more powerful, 190-horsepower engine, which is more than enough on the highway and longer routes, but that doesn't mean the van is fast. However, due to its small dimensions, it is extremely agile.
The test model was in the basic version, which means it did not have four-wheel drive. Robeta explained to me that this is available as an option on these models, but it quickly exceeds the 3,500 kg total weight limit, which requires a different driving license. Moreover, there are relatively few such buyers.
As for the driving characteristics, I must point out that the car was in basic equipment and did not have, for example, devices such as crosswind assistance - which we felt strongly on the highway. This is one of the necessary functions if you drive a van that is more than three meters high.
Many competitors in this segment of “youthful” campervans rely almost exclusively on four-wheel drive, as many users consider it essential for winter driving or driving on less well-maintained terrain. At the same time, they manage to stay below the limit 3,500 kilograms. I felt this myself during the winter test on the Pordoi Pass (2,200 m), where we encountered snowy serpentines. The road was mostly dry, but in the shady parts it was still covered with remnants of snow, which caused quite a few problems – and also some short, intense prayers. The main thing is that Womondo is clearly appealing to slightly more adventurous buyers. In this context, 4×4 drive is desirable in winter – at least in my opinion, this segment wants it, because it is not for calm users, but for those who crave a greater degree of adventure. It is true that the consumption was around 11 liters per 100 km, which is a very good result for a vehicle of this type. Also at the expense of the fact that there is no 4×4 drive.
With 4×4 drive, the ride would have been much more confident, as the rear-wheel drive Sprinter struggled to get through the more challenging sections a few times. My wife was not at all impressed by this – in a negative sense, of course. We were experiencing an emotional situation similar to a hurricane south on a sailboat.
Vehicle equipment – some key elements are missing
Given that it's a premium camper van or a prestigious sub-brand, I expected the test model to be equipped with modern technologies. But here I was in for an unpleasant surprise.
The van did not have radar cruise control, front or rear parking sensors, reversing cameras and not the MBUX multimedia system with navigation. For someone not used to driving larger vehicles, operating without parking sensors and a rearview camera is quite a challenge – especially in situations where it is difficult to judge both the height and length of the vehicle.
The Sprinter is over three meters tall, so it would be advanced MBUX navigation very welcome. This takes into account height restrictions and accessibility for larger vehicles - something that manufacturers should understand better from their own experience. Such a vehicle simply should not be configured without these systems. Instead, the test model only had a basic car radio with poor smartphone connectivity. This may seem insignificant to some, but in an era when we are all used to using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, it is something that is really missing.
Given that camper vans are often used for longer journeys, these features should be standard equipment – especially in test and rental vehicles, which are often driven by users with no experience with larger vehicles. It is crucial that they give the driver a sense of safety and confidence from the start, for example by ensuring that the navigation system does not direct them under an overpass that is too low – which happens more often than we would like in Italy. We also had to turn around and find another route.
Driving dynamics and engine
The 190 horsepower Sprinter is capable and offers enough power, but it is not sporty. The transmission shifts relatively slowly, which is especially noticeable when driving on slopes and passesOne of the major drawbacks I noticed is the weak engine braking. This means that on longer descents the brakes are significantly more stressed.
This is not a shortcoming of Robeta, but of Mercedes-Benz, as the Sprinter could better detect road gradients and automatically shift to a lower gear, thereby reducing the load on the braking system.
When driving down long inclines, you had to brake more often or manually force the automatic transmission into a lower gear. Failure to do this risks faster wear on the brake system in the long run.
Price and competition: is it worth €100,000?
Currently, the camper van industry is facing an oversupply and reduced demand, which means that more affordable alternatives are appearing on the market. In Germany, entry-level camper van models start at around 65,000 euros (for example Ford Etrusco 4×4 or Sunlight Cliff), and the VW-based Hymer Eriba 600 model with good equipment costs less than 80,000 euros – including VAT (in Germany).
Therefore, the starting price of the Sprinter Womondo Pegasus by Robeta model, which quickly exceeds 100,000 euros including VAT, raises the question of competitiveness. In this price range, other renowned brands are already appearing, where the choice is diverse and the offer is extremely strong.
Conclusion: for the young at heart who want something outside the series
Sprinter Womondo Pegasus by Robeta completely captivated our family on a test drive of almost 2,000 kilometers. I admit that it has some shortcomings, but I would definitely fix them in a vehicle that I would configure and equip myself. The greatest charm of Robeta and the model Sprinter Womondo Pegasus is that it is a relatively boutique product. In a way, it is a small-batch product, meaning that it is not produced in large quantities – and that is why it attracts a lot of attention, both on the road and at RV parks. That feeling that the vehicle is not “plastic” or sterile completely outweighs the higher price.
During the test, the van was often the topic of conversation at bus stops, as it clearly differs from mass-produced vehicles. It is true that it has some solutions that are not particularly imaginative, but on the other hand, the quality of the workmanship outweighs many shortcomings. As I say – there is something about the Robeta that attracts.
Since I have been following the camper van market for a long time and know the competition well, I believe that Robeta with its new brand Womondo wanted to enter a new segment – where he went Hymer with a brand Etruscan. It is a more attractive price segment of the market, where usability remains at a high level. The current price of the Sprinter Womondo Pegasus by Robeta model is comparable to the model Hymer Grand Canyon S (from €95,500 incl. VAT), especially if you play around with the configurator a bit too much. These are completely different products, but with several common denominators – and of course with a different story.
But I also see a certain challenge here: price difference between brands Robe and Womondo is too small, which can be a problem in the current market conditions, where price sensitivity plays an increasingly important role. The question is whether Womondo will be able to truly compete with a wider range of customers, as there are very strong competitors and convincing products on the market for a similar amount.
I also see a problem with the configurator, which shows prices excluding VAT – which is quite a peculiarity in this industry. I say this based on experience with other configurators, as I often use tools from several manufacturers. It bothered me that I calculated 20 % lower price, only to later discover that VAT was not included. I understand that such a strategy is probably aimed at business and foreign buyers, but in practice most users expect prices to be presented as they will actually pay – including tax.
Womondo Pegasus is not just another camper van. It is a unique product with a youthful design, intended for those looking for something special and who appreciate small-scale production, modern design and quality materialsAnd it is in these areas that Robeta still represents that something more.
