The Practical Caravan Awards 2023, in association with Auto Finance, are fast approaching, and they will be providing you with all of the buying advice you need to make informed purchases for the upcoming year of touring.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be revealing the numerous categories and shortlists before the Awards start on 26th September, but if you can’t wait until then, we’re taking a look back at the 2022 Awards.
Last year, the Awards were given an overhaul, with the aim of providing the most accurate information possible, covering everything from 6 berth caravans to bike racks.
The best caravan accessories
The Accessories categories for the Practical Caravan Awards 2023 will be sponsored by Binnacle, and we’ll be providing more information about that in the coming weeks.
Looking back at the 2022 Awards, it was the Dometic Leggera AIR 220 S Redux that sealed top spot in the best caravan awning category, with our judges really liking its eco-friendly credentials.
Fenwick’s Caravan Cleaner came out on top in the best caravan cleaner category. Simply put, it’s the effectiveness of it that impressed us, with a streak free, clean tourer achieved at the end of the cleaning process.
Sat-navs are an important piece of equipment for caravaners, and our panel picked out the Garmin Camper 1090 as the pick of the bunch in our best caravan sat nav category. We liked the high-res display, one of the many useful features the device offers.
Protecting your caravan during the offseason is always important, and picking out the best caravan cover will be a key component. With this in mind, we awarded the category to Specialised Caravan Covers, which are made to fit your model. You also get numerous extra bits that come as standard too, including an A-frame cover and door access.
A combination of the excellent performance and relative lightweight nature of the Quattro Titanium Caravan Mover secured top spot in the best caravan motor mover category.
The Outwell Collapsible Kettle was a winner in the best caravan gadget category, thanks to its space-saving practicality, while the best caravan bike rack went to the Thule Excellent Standard, where we liked how easy it is to set up and use.
The best caravan tow cars
Picking the right car to tow a caravan will always be a crucial decision, with stability and reliability needed to safely arrive at the campsite.
There were three categories, with the Skoda Octavia Estate 2.0 TDI proving a worthy winner of the best caravan tow car under 1600kg category, while the Kia Sorento 2.2 CRDi was awarded the best caravan tow car under 2000kg, with a spacious interior and stable drive creating a winning combination.
The Land Rover Discovery D300 AWD Auto was our number one best caravan tow car over 2000kg, thanks to features such as the seven seater cabin and the comfortable towing experience it offers.
The best caravans
Swift had a dominant display at the Practical Caravan Awards 2022, taking home three of the eleven categories. These included the best caravan under £30,000, which went to the Swift Challenger X 860, a tourer that has an attractive lounge, good sleeping options and, at 8ft wide, a spacious interior.
The best 2 berth caravan is always a competitive category, but the Swift Conqueror 480 came out on top, with an excellent bed, good storage and a smart exterior just some of the factors that helped it win.
The Swift Basecamp 6 was another winner for the British brand, taking home the best 6 berth category. It’s a tourer that’s ideal for people who want to go on sporty holidays, with great storage for bikes and, impressively, a low weight too.
Coachman also had a good performance, with two categories awarded to the manufacturer. The first of these was the Coachman Lusso II, the winner of the best caravan over £30,000. Anyone spending more than £40,000 on a tourer is entitled to expect good things, and this double axle delivers. Features including a kitchen with excellent spec, a luxurious lounge and double glazed windows proved a winning formula.
The brand also took home the best caravan for couples category through the Coachman VIP 540 XTRA. Despite being a 4-berth, our judges thought the comfort provided would make it a winner for those who want a bit more space on the road with their partner. We particularly liked the inclusion of a dressing table, which made the bedroom feel much more homely.
The Buccaneer Bermuda was our number one in the best caravan for seasonal pitches category. To be successful here, a van needs to offer home-from-home vibes and great kit, and that’s something this tourer certainly offers.
The best family caravan was judged to be the Bailey Pegasus Grande SE Ancona. We really liked the presence of a spacious shower cubicle and also two excellent lounges, which really helps to provide enough space for all of you.
The Adria Adora Tiber also enjoyed a strong showing for the Slovenian brand, winning the best 4 berth caravan category and being shortlisted for another three. The stylish and spacious interior really impressed our judging panel, as did the comfortable bed and excellent kitchen.
The impressive Hobby Beachy took top spot in our best caravan for innovation category, with the door in the rear panel and clever design of the tourer proving to be a winning combination for our team of judges.
The Weinsberg Caracito 390QD came out on top of the best caravan under £15,000 category, and for its price, we think it’s a very attractive option that offers a lot. This includes a transverse bed, good kitchen and the ability to run solely on electricity.
The Xplore 585 took the best caravan under £20,000 category. We really like the brightness provided in the van, as well as the excellent storage provided in the lightweight tourer.
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