Are you looking to buy a new caravan for less than £20,000? There are some great budget options on the market, but if you’re not sure how to whittle down the list, the Practical Caravan Awards 2024 are here to help, as we reveal the winner of our best caravan under £20,000 category.
Our expert team have worked tirelessly to pick out the winner, as well as highlighting the other standout caravans under £20,000, with models from Xplore, Go Pod and more.
In this guide, you can also see our picks from recent years, with tourers from some of the best caravan brands included, ranging from Bailey and Swift to Freedom and Xplore.
This year, we picked the Xplore 304 as the best caravan under £20,000 – we were impressed by what’s packed into the budget tourer, with features including two lounges, one of which is nice and roomy.
The winner of the best caravan under £20,000 is:
Xplore 304
- Price: £18,549
- Berths: 4
- MTPLM: 1070kg
- MiRO: 913kg
- Payload: 107kg
- Shipping length: 5.54m
- Width: 2.18m
Reason to buy:
- This little caravan packs in a great deal
Reason to avoid:
- L-shaped settees don’t always make perfect beds
Elddis’s Xplore 304 has been one of our favourite caravan layouts for a number of years now, because it provides you, in effect, with two lounges in a van that is less than 4m long inside – and the larger lounge remains perfectly roomy.
This year the 304 has been brought bang up-to-date, too, with refreshed exterior graphics and interior upholstery.
There’s a new Heki, too. All in all, it looks great – our judges loved the new fresh and modern appearance.
The practical and spacious layout also means that you could, if you wanted to, keep the front lounge as a bed and only use the side dinette. But the fact that, despite all the problems with price increases in the supply chain, EHG UK has still managed to keep the price of this caravan well under the £20,000 for 2024 marks it out as something really rather special. All in all, it continued to impress our judges, taking the top spot in this category.
The other shortlisted options for best caravan under £20,000 are:
Campmaster Duo
- Price: £11,699
- Berths: 2
- MTPLM: 750kg
- MIRO: 615kg
- Payload: 135kg
- Shipping length: 4.60m
- Width: 2.00m
Reason to buy:
- You get a fixed bed, a kitchen, and you won’t have to upgrade your car
Reason to avoid:
- It is very basic
It has been quite a while now since any British-designed new caravan cost less than £15,000 (the threshold we used last decade to define what the word “budget” meant), so it’s good to see this company’s first venture into fully fledged caravans come in at some a reasonable price.
True, there are fairly significant items you will have to do without if you opt for this small caravan, such as a separate washroom, or a lounge with a table. However, if you just need somewhere to sleep for the night and to cook a basic meal, the money you would save in going for this rather than a more conventional caravan with all the trimmings and a much heftier price would more than make up for the slight inconvenience.
Go Pod
- Price: £19,995
- Berths: 2
- MTPLM: 750kg
- MiRO: 580kg
- Payload: 170kg
- Shipping length: 4.20m
- Width: 2.00m
Reason to buy:
- Well priced, cleverly designed to make the most of the available space
Reason to avoid:
- No washroom, interior room is limited
There are many types of caravan but all layouts will require a bit of a compromise. For instance, in this case, the little tourer has no washroom. But if you’re looking for a practical teardrop caravan that will be easy to store and tow – it has an MTPLM of 750kg, and comes in at just over four metres in length – then the Go Pod is definitely well worth a closer look.
Step inside the rear door – located on the back wall of the caravan – and you’ll find the small kitchen on your left: it’s well-specified with a large stainless steel sink as well as a two-burner gas hob. There’s a fair bit of storage, too, and a Dometic CRE50 compressor fridge is positioned on the opposite side of the van, alongside a wardrobe with shelving.
The wrap-around seating at the front of the Go Pod is surprisingly spacious, and there’s plenty of headroom available too, thanks to the pop-up roof.
This year has seen these popular little caravans receive a fairly major upgrade, too, including warmer interior lighting, three internal and external colour palettes to choose from, and new upholstery fabrics.
The best caravans under £20,000 at the Practical Caravan Awards 2023:
These are the models that made the shortlist at the Practical Caravan Awards 2023 – you can also head to our best caravans guide for more inspiration.
Weinsberg Cara One 400LK
- Price: £17,840
- Berths: 5
- MTPLM: 1100kg
- MiRO: 947kg
- Payload: 153kg
- Shipping length: 5.93m
- Width: 2.04m
Reason to buy:
- Triple bunks, light weight
Reason to avoid:
- No microwave or dual fuel heating
If you want a budget-friendly family tourer, this is a great compact option. It provides a front lounge, while a centre washroom and wardrobe is opposite the kitchen. But the crowning glory for families will be the triple fixed bunks. Yes, this really is a 4.02m long caravan that can sleep up to five.
With an MTPLM of 1100kg, the 400LK is also within most family car towing capacities too. But don’t be fooled into expecting a skimpy build – the 400LK is well put together and even comes with heavy-duty corner steadies. The specification comes with the essentials, including a three-burner hob and gas blown heating, as well as a fridge. The side washroom offers good storage and also a Dometic flush toilet.
We’d say this is a great tourer for newcomers to caravanning in particular.
Full review: Weinsberg Cara One 400 LK
Go-Pod Platinum
- Price: £17,495
- Berths: 2
- MTPLM: 750kg
- MiRO: 540kg
- Payload: 210kg
- Length: 4.2m
- Width: 2.0m
Reason to buy:
- Price, light weight
Reason to avoid:
- You really are restricted for space
When you’re looking for one of the best small caravans, the Go-Pod is hard to beat. It’s been in the UK since 2005 in various specifications.
This pop-top tourer offers a lot, despite its compact dimensions. Its GRP moulded body shell ensures leaks are kept to a minimum. For under £20,000, the Go-Pod Platinum specification offers a microwave, blown air heating, a fridge, a TV/DVD player, USB ports, two mains sockets inside and one outside.
There is even a toilet under the wardrobe, as well as a kitchen that boasts a good worktop and decent storage options, considering its size. The front dinette comes with a swivel table and offers a comfortable double bed at night. With LED lighting and a MTPLM of 750kg, this micro tourer is ideal for two.
Weinsberg Caracito 390QD
- Price: £14,820
- Berths: 4
- MTPLM: 1100kg
- MiRO: 810kg
- Payload: 290kg
- Length: 5.93m
- Width: 2.20m
Reason to buy:
- All electric caravan so no need for gas, great spec
Reason to avoid:
- Possibly limited availability
All electric caravans are not entirely new, but Knaus has designed a lightweight and affordable option that even comes with air-conditioning. Its spec also includes an electric hob, an on-board water tank and a 65 litre fridge.
The 390QD has a rear corner washroom and a side double dinette, while the fixed double bed sits at the front of the tourer. The new interior design is contemporary, with deep storage provided, thanks to the overhead lockers. With a MTPLM of 1100kg, this lightweight four-berth is well built and comes with a ten year water ingress warranty for peace of mind. There is also a good options list to add to the 390QD’s already excellent specification.
We also recommend the following best caravans under £20,000 from recent years:
There are some great caravans from recent years under £20,000 – we round them up here.
Venus 460/2 Deluxe 2019
STAR RATING – 5 out of 5
- Price: £17,024
- Berth: 2
- MTPLM: 1180kg
- Shipping length: 6.16m
- Width: 2.21m
This well-equipped, entry-level tourer comes with alloys finished in black, adding to the upmarket looks. Built on an Al-Ko chassis, the Venus Deluxe has an AKS stabiliser hitch, and a spare wheel fitted as standard. It feels bright and airy, with its smart decor and panoramic front window.
The side kitchen has a generous amount of worktop and storage is good here, too. The standard oven is complemented by a microwave, placed just above the kitchen in line with the overhead lockers.
The washroom is spacious and comes with a large side window and a roof vent. Seating in the front lounge easily converts into a comfortable and supportive double bed using two sturdy slide-out frames. If you prefer, the settees in the lounge can also be used as twin single beds.
BUY IF… you want smart décor and an excellent spec
PROs:
Brilliant spec
Lightweight
Excellent value
CONs:
Manual flush toilet
Read more in our Venus 460/2 Deluxe 2019 caravan review
Swift Sprite Major 6 2018
STAR RATING – 4.5 out of 5
- Price: £17,430
- Berth: 6
- MTPLM: 1468kg
- Shipping length: 7.31m
- Width: 2.25m
Sprite bagged our Tourer of the Year gong, for the Major 6, which has fixed bunks at the back next to a rear corner washroom. Swift revamped its Escape entry-level coachbuilt motorhome range in 2017. Much of the design thinking in that seems to have flowed over into the this Sprite.
In the kitchen there is plenty of space for a kettle and more in the workspace underneath. This is mostly well lit by three LED lights that go right over the three-burner hob and the round sink. Above this are two overhead lockers, one with a crockery rack. Underneath the hob is a Thetford oven with a separate grill, and there’s a small locker beneath that.
The washroom has been designed with families in kind – the shower cubicle is huge. You could probably fit two kids in there at a time. It comes with its own light, operated via a pull switch.
Adults have to make up their bed but that’s a small sacrifice, however, when the bed is as easy to make up as the one here, with split backrests that allow you to turn everything over quickly onto the pull-out slats. That front make-up double bed is 2.02 x 1.7m, or use the sofas as 1.8 x 0.83m single beds. The fixed bunks at the back measure 1.83 x 0.57m, so are long enough for teenagers.
BUY IF… you want good value from a well-proven brand
PROs:
Great family washroom
Good storage
CONs:
You might want to add Diamond Pack
Read more in our Swift Sprite Major 6 caravan review
Adria Altea Aire 492DT 2020
STAR RATING – 4 out of 5
- Price: £19,395
- Berth: 2
- MTPLM: 1500kg
- Shipping length: 6.96m
- Width: 2.3m
Adria has given the Altea a bit of a lift for 2020 – the interiors have a lighter feel and a more contemporary design, and one layout we found of particular interest was the new two-berth Aire 492DT.
The lounge in the Aire could easily seat four or five. The large sunroof adds to the feeling of space, although we would have preferred a slightly longer front window.
The kitchen, on the offside, is fitted with a Thetford oven/grill, a microwave and Adria’s signature L-shaped three-burner hob and sink unit. The sink is a good size and there’s a slim fridge/freezer next to the wardrobe.
The generous and practical washroom has an electric-flush toilet on the offside, just by the oblique window, while the handbasin is centrally located, with brilliant storage below, two wall cupboards and a big mirror.
Seating in the lounge converts into a large and comfortable double bed, using slide-out bases. If you prefer, you can easily make up two singles here.
BUY IF… you want a well-equipped robust van
PROs:
Excellent sunroof
High-quality build
CONs:
No twin mains socket in kitchen
Read more in our Adria Altea Aire 492DT caravan review
Bailey Discovery D4-2 2020
STAR RATING – 4 out of 5
- Price: £16,199
- Berth: 2
- MTPLM: 995kg
- Shipping length: 5.61m
- Width: 2.23m
Bailey has worked hard to produce a simple yet distinctive profile. The curved front has a single portrait-style window, while the long Al-Ko drawbar has no fairing, but there is room for an optional Thule bike rack.
The D4-2 provides a fairly simplistic interior, as the price and weight suggest. The layout is traditional, with a front lounge, side kitchen and dresser opposite, plus end washroom; although the wardrobe is separate, so the washroom is positioned further into the corner.
The small L-shaped kitchen works well in the Discovery. It has a window and twin LED downlighters, plus overhead lockers with integrated lighting. You also get an oven with a three-burner hob. The small corner washroom has a Thetford electric-flush toilet and a shower.
The settees provide two 6ft 7in single beds, or convert easily into a double, using slats.
BUY IF… you’re after a compact, lightweight, reasonably priced tourer
PROs:
Lightweight
Good seating
CONs:
Small window
Read more in our Bailey Discovery D4-2 caravan review
Bailey Phoenix 440 2019
STAR RATING – 4 out of 5
- Price: £18,499
- Berth: 4
- MTPLM: 1316kg
- Shipping length: 6.88m
- Width: 2.21m
This revamped four-berth is sleek and modern, with the brand’s pared-down look and neat design touches. You only get an AKS 3004 stabiliser fitted as standard in the Phoenix 440. The ATC trailer control system is a dealer-fit cost option. But with an overall length of 6.88m, this is not the longest of caravans, and with our Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV tow car, we found the Phoenix a relatively easy tow, even on busy suburban roads.
The kitchen has a gas-only hob, which comes with a separate glass cover, and you get four burners. The square sink is a good size, too, and two mains sockets mean you could easily position a kettle or toaster behind it. You also get a separate oven and grill under the hob.
The shower cubicle at the far end of the rear washroom is a good height and width. The rear double bed is a good size – easily long enough for people well over 6ft in height, and wide enough for them, too. The two front settees would only work as single beds for small children; although they do come together as a comfortable, if slightly narrow, double bed.
BUY IF… you want a spacious four-berth with a good sized bed
PROs:
Good-size bed
Excellent storage
CONs:
Limited space in lounge
Read more in our Bailey Phoenix 440 caravan review
Lunar Ariva 2019
STAR RATING – 4 out of 5
- Price: £17,199
- Berth: 2
- MTPLM: 950kg
- Shipping length: 6.88m
- Width: 2.3m
A super-compact, lightweight tourer for two, the Ariva is a lightweight van well suited to the lighter new generation of tow cars. It’s built on an Al-Ko chassis with alloys, spare wheel and AKS hitch.
The lounge area, for example, feels surprisingly spacious, with excellent seating. Based on the firm’s well-proven end-kitchen layout, the Ariva manages to pack a lot into a relatively small space.
A full oven is fitted, along with a dual-fuel hob and a large stainless steel sink. At first glance, the corner washroom may not seem very modern; but when you take a closer look, you realise this well-designed area provides perfectly practical facilities.
The Ariva has two bed options: seating in the front lounge can be made up into two singles, although if you’ve over 6ft tall, they might prove a bit short. If you prefer to make up the double bed, the Ariva provides metal frames that simply pull out from each side to bridge the gap and easily convert the settees into a 6ft 1″ x 5ft 11″ bed.
BUY IF… you want a van with great spec that’s easy to store
PROs:
Excellent kitchen
Great spec
Easy to stow and store
CONs:
Looks a bit dated
Read more in our Lunar Ariva caravan review
Caravelair Antarès 406 2019
STAR RATING – 4 out of 5
- Price: £15,495
- Berth: 4
- MTPLM: 1150kg
- Shipping length: 5.51m
- Width: 2.1m
This budget four berth has an AKS 3004 stabiliser and shock absorbers.There’s no sunroof and the rear dinette is really best left to the children, because any sizeable adult could find it quite a squeeze getting into the rear seat here. It is well lit, however, with a large window and a second rooflight.
The side kitchen in the Antarès does have a dual-fuel hob, but it’s only a three-burner (two gas and one electric). The circular sink has a glass cover that is removable and underneath you get a Thetford Triplex combined oven and grill.
The rear corner washroom has a small steel handbasin, and the shower shares space with the toilet.
The double bed is made up by pulling out slats from under the middle of the ‘U’ at the front of the van. To make up the bunks at the rear of the van, you lower the clip-on table to the level of the seats for the lower bed, then pull up the fold-out bunk.
BUY IF… you’re looking for a compact, budget van
PROs:
Excellent spec on the outside
CONs:
Washroom is bare
Bed slats have poor finish
Read more in our Caravelair Antarès 406 caravan review
Venus 550/4 2019
STAR RATING – 4 out of 5
- Price: £17,899
- Berth: 4
- MTPLM: 1320kg
- Shipping length: 7.2m
- Width: 2.21m
Significantly upgraded spec helped the revamped Venus 550/4 to win our Best Van for Small Families award in 2019. AWith a window as large as the one in the lounge, you might wonder why so many people opt for a three-window front panel.
The kitchen has a new Thetford K Series oven, complete with a dual-fuel four-burner hob with a safety cut-off in the lid, and a fan that is designed to keep the oven knobs cool. You also get a Russell Hobbs microwave.
In the end washroom a large salad-bowl-style handbasin sits under a mirror and over a good-sized storage cupboard and the large shower cubicle is unencumbered by any wheel arch.
The comfortable fixed beds are 6ft 2in long, so suitable for all but the very tallest. They each come with a little corner shelf and an individually switched, directional spotlight. The front sofas turn into single beds that are just 5ft long, so probably only suitable for younger children.
BUY IF… you want a comfortable van for a small family
PROs:
Well-equipped kitchen
Directional spotlights under lockers
CONs:
Flimsy partition for sleeping areas
Read more in our Venus 550/4 caravan review
Lunar Quasar 462 2019
STAR RATING – 4 out of 5
- Price: £18,499
- Berth: 2
- MTPLM: 1185kg
- Shipping length: 6.16m
- Width: 2.21m
In 2019 the Quasar range was given revamped interior décor, designed to offer style and sophistication for couples at mid-market prices. Here, we take a look at the Quasar 462, one of many models now on the market offering a more spacious end washroom.
The blue, mauve and white scheme is soothing and calming, and a world away from the beiges and tans on offer elsewhere. The two settees are comfortable, and while it may not have the largest sunroof up front, but there is a huge rooflight down the centre of the van.
You get a dual-fuel four-burner hob and separate oven and grill – but only a three-way fridge. And while you also get a microwave, it takes up the whole of what would otherwise be a third overhead locker.
In the washroom, the salad-bowl handbasin is a good size, with a useful cupboard below. The shower is large, albeit with only one drainage hole and a single door.
Lunar is noted for providing beds that you can put together with pull-out platforms. You don’t have to worry about the housing for these platforms restricting access to the underseat areas, because Lunar includes internal access flaps as well. You could use the two settees as single beds.
BUY IF… you want excellent comfort at good price
PROs:
Good soft furnishings
Platform beds
CONs:
Read washrooms good be roomier
Read more in our Lunar Quasar 462 caravan review
Bailey Phoenix 640 2019
STAR RATING – 4 out of 5
- Price: £18,499
- Berth: 4
- MTPLM: 1382kg
- Shipping length: 7.37m
- Width: 2.21m
Over the past decade, Bailey has made several attempts to increase its foothold in the entry-level market, and the island-bed four-berth Phoenix 640 might just be the one to succeed.
The 640 rides on a galvanised steel Al-Ko chassis, and the stand-out feature of the front lounge is the vertical skylight which lets plenty of light in.
The offside kitchen packs a decent specification, with four gas burners atop a separate oven and grill. Opposite this, you’ll find a 103-litre dual-fuel fridge with separate freezer compartment. In the washroom a fully lined shower compartment is accessed via a bi-fold door. A water-efficient Ecocamel showerhead is on standby for spray duty.
The island bed is 6ft 2in by 4ft 6in (1.88 x 1.4m), so should suit the needs of most touring couples. The foam mattress uses high-density Ozio filling, designed to offer comfort at low weights. Up front, the lounge offers a choice of 5ft 11in by 2ft 1in singles, or a make-up double measuring 6ft 2in by 4ft 7in.
BUY IF… you’re looking for a spacious four berth with a good size bed
PROs:
Excellent storage
CONs:
Limited space in lounge
Read more in our Bailey Phoenix 640 caravan review
• Prices correct at time of original reviews are subject to change
Not found what you want or would like to see some more options – take a look at Best caravans under £15,000 , Best caravans under £30,000 , Best caravans over £30,000 and more. You can also take a look at our guide to the best caravan on the market in 2022, where we pick out the top tourers currently available.
Or what about a motorhome? Check out some of these options Best motorhomes under £60,000, Best motorhomes under £80,000, Best motorhomes over £80,000 and more
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