Choosing a Car for Car Camping

"Fully flat" comes in two very different flavors

Be careful with the words "fully flat" in car brochures. On many passenger cars, the fully flat mode just brings the reclined seats somewhere near flat, leaving bumps and ridges. That is a "you can nap on it" level - very different from a genuinely flat surface you can sleep on all night.

What you want for car camping is a car where folding or tucking the seats creates one continuous flat plane from the cargo area across the seats. When trying a car, actually fold the seats down and run your palm over the surface to feel the gaps.

How the main categories compare

Kei vans (Every, Atrai and similar) are the classic choice in Japan. The box-shaped cargo area folds genuinely flat, letting an adult stretch out. They are cheap to buy and run, and aftermarket car camping parts are plentiful.

Minivans are the top pick for space and headroom. Many models create a huge sleeping area by stowing the third row and folding the second, making them ideal for families. Seat gaps vary a lot between models, though.

SUVs usually connect the folded rear seats to the cargo floor, but a slope or ridge often remains - plan on a mattress to level it. Kei height-wagons can work well too for solo sleepers, depending on the seat arrangement.

Once the car is sorted, check your gear with the Car Camping Packing List - from mattress to privacy shades, it adapts to your style and season.

Gaps can be fixed with gear

If your current car does not fold flat, you do not need a new car. A car camping mattress around 8 to 10 cm thick with firm foam absorbs most seat ridges. Model-specific mattresses fill the gaps exactly.

A slight slope in the parking spot also ruins sleep - sleeping head-down is especially unpleasant. Use leveling blocks to bring the car level, or at least point your head uphill.