Best caravan for couples 2023

If you and your partner are looking to hit the road – what options are available to you? When it comes to caravans, the answer is ‘many’! This is a key market, with brands and dealers putting a lot of work into offering plenty of choice at competitive prices. If you want to buy the best caravan for couples, here’s the place to look.

We have used our decades of collective experience within the industry to judge the best caravan for couples as a part of the Practical Caravan Awards 2023.

This includes tourers from some of the biggest caravan manufacturers in the industry, including Swift, Adria and Coachman. You can also see the models that have impressed us in recent years too, with vans from Elddis, Mink and Freedom appearing.

For the 2023 season, we’ve picked out the Compass Camino 650 as the best caravan for couples on the market; we think its layout and the room it provides is a winning combination.

How do we choose the best caravan for couples?

A couples’ caravan is not necessarily a two berth – after all, a key element will be making sure you both have enough space for an enjoyable tour. Taking this into account, we look at factors that include the space provided, the layout and the value for money.

We’re in a good place to be assessing this. Ever since Practical Caravan initially launched in 1967, we’ve been testing the latest models on the market – a wide range of these tests can be found in our caravan reviews section on our website. Every review is impartial, as we make sure we draw attention to the pros, but also highlight any drawbacks that may become apparent as we conduct the test. You can find out more about our testing process on our About Us page.

Further insight is provided by our Owner Satisfaction Awards, where our readers vote to tell us how they got on with buying from the numerous brands out there.

After putting this all together, we’re well placed to start to draw up our shortlist.

We create an initial list of caravans that we think could be worth including, before whittling it down to create a final shortlist. Below, we’ll highlight why each of the models was included on our best caravan for couples shortlist.

The winner of the best caravan for couples is…

Compass Camino 650

• Price: £39,899
• MTPLM: 1830kg
• MIRO: 1671kg
• Payload: 159kg
• Shipping length: 8.19m
• Width: 2.45m

Reason to buy:

• Loads of room for just the two of you in a clearly defined layout.

Reason to avoid:

• L-shaped settees don’t make the best guest beds

Just because there are only two of you, you don’t necessarily have to opt for a two-berth caravan. Sometimes something slightly larger can provide you with just that extra little bit of living space you can feel truly relaxed away from home.

That is what the new-look Camino 650 truly provides, especially as this season it has been widened, like all the other Caminos, to 8ft.

You get a large and very comfortable island bed at the rear for the two of you. Then, moving forward, there is a washroom spread across the centre of the van which you won’t have to worry about potentially sharing with anyone who might be sleeping in the front of the van because it will be just the two of you. The room has enough space to get dressed in, and a generously sized shower.

And you have a front lounge which eschews parallel settees – which, let’s face it, are often there to cram in as many people as possible and so are not particularly comfortable – for a relaxed L–shaped arrangement where you can stretch out. The side part of the “L” faces towards the kitchen, so whichever one of you gets up to do the cooking won’t feel cut off. More importantly, it also faces towards a clear wall on the offside where you can easily install a television. Bliss.

On the shortlist for the best caravan for couples are:

Swift Basecamp 3

• Price: From: £25,495
• Berths: 3
• MTPLM: TBC
• MiRO: 1020kg
• Payload: TBC
• Shipping length: 5.59m
• Width: 2.28m

Reason to buy:

• Adaptable layout with plenty of space for storage

Reason to avoid:

• Not much room to relax indoors

Swift’s Basecamp has been a success over the last few years, gathering a loyal following with its unique slot in the market. For 2023, the Basecamp has been given an external freshen up, with new exterior graphics and detailed panels, as well as new diamond cut alloys and front corner steadies.

Boasting a spec that includes a solar panel, exterior cold shower as well as blown heating and shower, the Basecamp receives a new three berth model to the range. The Basecamp 3 includes an innovative front folding bed (with a Duvalay mattress) and a side single dinette which can make a third bed if needed.

Of course, such a layout could work just as well with just the two of you. You could leave the bed made up all day and use the side dinette for eating in, because, after all, people who buy Basecamps are supposed to be enjoying the great outdoors all day, aren’t they?

Whatever your plans, this new Basecamp offers a whole new concept for two, making it a caravan that’s flexible in every way.

Adria Altea 622 DP Dart

• Price: £27,970
• Berths: 4
• MTPLM: TBC
• MiRO: TBC
• Payload: TBC
• Shipping length: 8.26m
• Width: 2.30m

Reason to buy:

• Great spec, well-lit interior, good storage

Reason to avoid:

• Modern interior is not for everyone

The winner of the best 4 berth caravan category is an entry level tourer, but it certainly doesn’t feel like one. In fact, it will provide couples with plenty of upmarket appeal, thanks to a modern exterior that is matched by a contemporary interior. The latter includes settees whose upholstery goes right to the floor like it does at home, felt effect walls and a plethora of handle-free lockers.

It’s a well-made tourer that has some nice touches for 2023. The front lounge offers plenty of room for two and is a well-lit space, with a superb opening front sunroof allowing extra daylight into the area, as does a larger front window.

The kitchen comes with a three-burner hob, as well as fridge and oven/grill and a microwave. The shower sits opposite the main bathroom. The end island bed offers more storage with twin wardrobes as well as under bed storage.

Full review: Adria Altea Dart

Coachman Laser Xcel 855

• Price: £47,085
• Berths: 4
• MTPLM: 1950kg
• MiRO: 1790kg
• Payload: 160kg
• Length: 7.90m
• Width: 2.44m

Reason to buy:

• Luxury interior with great washroom and comfortable bed

Reason to avoid:

• You will need a big tow car

For couples who want pure luxury and all year round comfort, the Coachman Laser Xcel 855 is a tourer that is well worth considering.

The 8ft wide 855 comes with plenty of room; the L shaped front lounge is spacious, while locker and cupboard storage is excellent. The high specification means couples will be short of nothing, making the 855 a perfect choice for longer tours too. With a large rear transverse bed and a washroom that reminded us of a five star hotel experience, the 855 can be used on sites with few facilities. A DAB radio with speakers is placed in both the lounge and bedroom, while the self levelling system means pitching up the van on site will be a simple affair.

All in all, this is a truly luxury tourer that couples will find durable, stylish and very practical.

Full review: Coachman Laser Xcel 855

Bailey Alicanto Grande Evora

• Price: £38,499
• Berths: 4
• MTPLM: 1855kg
• MiRO: 1694kg
• Payload: 160kg
• Shipping length: 7.86m
• Width: 2.45m

Reason to buy:

• Loads of space, plenty of storage

Reason to avoid:

• Table can be hard to retrieve from under the bed.

With its large wardrobe and separate dressing table with its own socket, the rear bedroom on the Evora feels much more like the kind of bedroom you might find at home than other caravans with this layout, where everything can seem crammed in. That’s probably just what you want when the two of you are after a relaxing time together.

The front lounge is nice and spacious too. And it’s bright, thanks to the large central window and the large side windows.

The side kitchen allows the chef to prepare a meal without feeling completely cut off from whoever is sitting in the lounge either. And the central washroom should mean the two of you possibly never have to use the campsite facilities, but can stay in your own little home from home. Isn’t that what couples touring is supposed to be all about?

Full review: Bailey Alicanto Grande Evora

These are the couples’ caravans we shortlisted last year:

These are the tourers that were shortlisted at the Practical Caravan Awards 2022. Last year, we selected the Coachman VIP 540 Xtra as the best couples’ caravan on the market, with our judges loving the dressing table that helped to create a real home-from-home vibe. Here, you can see what we made of it and the other shortlisted options.

Coachman VIP 540 Xtra

• Price: £31,720
• Berths: 4
• MIRO: 1544kg
• MTPLM: 1700kg
• Overall length: 7.43m

Reasons to buy:

• Dressing table recreates home bedroom vibe
• Decent kitchen

Reasons to avoid:

• Storage could be better in the washroom

It will come as no a surprise that a caravan with ‘VIP’ in its name is a luxurious model full of special features. The single axle, 8ft wide Coachman VIP 540 Xtra offers comfort and space as you tour with your partner.

While the caravan is a 4-berth, the double bed at the back of the model will undoubtedly make it a popular choice for couples.

New additions, such as the overhead locker profile and two toned cranked style locker doors in ‘Tibero’ and ‘Platino’, create a stylish environment for touring, while the soft furnishings contribute to a relaxing chill-out space in the model that made it onto our best caravan round-up.

Thanks to the design of the kitchen area, you’ll also find you have extra workspace and deeper cupboards when you’re using the Thetford oven to cook up a treat.

But it’s the dressing table that is the real deal breaker here. It makes the back of the caravan feel much more like your bedroom at home. In these days of working from home, you never know – you could even use the dressing table as a desk to work from, too.

There is a mains socket placed handily nearby. And that dressing table stool means you instantly have another seat to make use of the empty side of the fold-away table if guests come around.

We would like to have seen better storage in the corner washroom, where you’ll have to make do with two small cupboards. You’ll also find an Alde radiator, deep handbasin and towel ring here. The shower cube itself has a large riser bar, but there is only a single plughole.

Review: Coachman VIP 540 Xtra

Elddis Affinity 520

• Price: £24,399
• Berths: 2
• MIRO: 1219kg
• MTPLM: 1345kg
• Shipping length: 5.60m

The 520 provides a couple with a well-equipped tourer for the money. The end washroom is easy to use and is also incredibly practical, doubling up as a great changing room.

Adria Altea Aire

• Price: £21,685
• Berths: 2
• MIRO: 1215kg
• MTPLM: 1420kg
• Shipping length: 6.96m

The Altea Aire is a tourer that is ideal for those who love a simplistic yet stylish interior. The front lounge is a spacious wraparound affair and couples are certain find it a relaxing place to sit in.

Elddis Crusader Borealis

• Price: £32,099
• Berths: 4
• MIRO: 1641kg
• MTPLM: 1800kg
• Shipping length: 6.90m

This is a tourer that will give a couple a five-star hotel experience on wheels, with its rear island bed in a self-contained room. The front L-shaped lounge has a handy section to place a television in too. This caravan is also ideally suited should you want all season touring.

Mink Sports Camper

• Price: £15,295
• Berths: 2 / 3
• MIRO: 490kg
• MTPLM: 750kg
• Shipping length: 4.12m

Reasons to buy:

• Excellent panoramic window
• Good build quality

Reasons to avoid:

• No sink
• No washroom or toilet

Travel light and travel quick with this model. The Mink is ideal for those who want a comfortable place to sleep.

This eye-catching mini-caravan only has an overall height of 1.83m, giving you the useful option of potentially storing it in your garage during the off-season.

While there’s no lounge to be found inside, you will find a double bed that has a large memory foam mattress. It’s also a comfortable place to sit and relax, thanks to an artificial-leather headboard.

A huge panoramic window covers most of the living area and makes it a cosy hub for a spot of stargazing.

The kitchen is found in the ‘boot’, and offers plenty of workspace, as well as an icebox that can be accessed via a trapdoor on the left-hand side. You’ll also find a single-burner gas hob.

However, it’s worth noting there isn’t a sink or water system, as well as no washroom or toilet.

The build quality of this van really impressed our judges, with the monocoque shell solidly built.

Review: Mink 2.0 Sports Camper

Freedom Jetstream Twin Sport

• Price: £16,495
• Berths: 2
• MIRO: 700kg
• MTPLM: 750kg
• Shipping length: 4.26m

Reasons to buy:

• Large bed
• Lightweight

Reasons to avoid:

• Low payload
• No storage for foldaway table

This entry level 2 berth from Freedom has a MiRO of just 700kg, allowing you to tow it with most small cars. However, it’s worth noting its 50kg payload.

A really useful touch is the main light switch, which is located by the door. It’s at a level where it can be reached from the ground, which allows you to turn it on before stepping into a dark caravan, should you be returning to your tourer at night. 

There’s plenty of light in the kitchen, thanks to the window. Here, features include a two-burner gas hob, 60-litre fridge, combined oven and grill, and a large sink. 

The lounge bed is spacious, with a comfortable headboard provided by the foam surface of the walls. The bed is made up with slats that are stored in a compartment at the front of the van. Read our review of the Freedom Jetstream Twin Sport for more details on this. Alternatively, you can use the settees as singles.

While we would like to see a storage option for the foldaway table, it’s still a worthy model to consider, with the caravan’s overall weight very impressive.

Review: Freedom Jetstream Twin Sport

Coachman Lusso I

• Price: £40,660
• Berths: 4
• MIRO: 1645 kgs
• MTPLM: 1800 kgs
• Shipping length: 7.43m

Single-axled, the Lusso I sleeps four but this smaller cousin of the Lusso II makes a lot of sense for couples who want the Lusso luxury without the extra length. It is a stunning model, providing great storage and a comfortable L-shaped front lounge.

Swift Conqueror 560

• Price: £32,495
• Berths: 4
• MIRO: 1558kg
• MTPLM: 1714kg
• Shipping length: 7.54m

This island bed luxury tourer is ideal for two, coming with generous roof locker storage and an interior that is both modern and appealing. The washroom design offers good floor space while the kitchen is well equipped and comes with an extending work top.

We also recommend the following as the best caravans for couples…

Adria Altea Dart

• Price: £20,195
• Berth: 4
• MTPLM:  1650/1800kg
• Shipping length: 8.29m
• Width: 2.3m

Adria’s revamped entry-level Altea Dart took Practical Caravan’s Best Caravan for Couples in its Tourer of the Year awards. Technically, it’s a four-berth van, but with a large – that’s a generous 6’4” x 4’8” – longitudinal island bed at the rear it’s going to appeal to couples. And if you’re holidaying with friends or putting another couple up for the night there’s a generous wraparound lounge up front with pull-out platforms rather than slats for making up a double bed.

The kitchen has Adria’s integrated stainless steel sink and in-line three-burner gas hob, plus a microwave, combi oven and grill and, opposite, a tall fridge/freezer. Midships, the washroom is split across the gangway with the loo and basin on the offside and the roomy shower with two doors on the nearside. A clever detail is the door to the loo also doubles as a door closing off the bedroom and washroom from the rest of the van.

A cool, unfussy interior makes this van very easy on the eye.

BUY IF…  you want a lot of caravan at a reasonable price

PROs
Large bed
Comfy lounge
A proper door separating the two parts of the van
Good value

CONs
A small front window
Access to corner steadies is a long way under the van

Review: Adria Altea Dart

Bailey Discovery D4-2

• Price: £16,199
• Berths: 2
• MTPLM: 995kg
• Shipping length: 5.615m / 18′5
• Width: 2.228m / 7′4″

Bailey’s budget, entry-level range is compact, lightweight and designed to appeal to young caravanners who want to get out and explore. It sits on an Al-Ko chassis with an extra long A-frame that is designed to carry bikes or will take a storage box – don’t forget to keep an eye on your payload, which is 111kg, but an upgrade of weights is possible. The back of the van has curved corners with an awning rail that goes right around the back and this takes the especially designed Bailey Discovery Air Awning (£1,199), which covers three-quarters of the nearside of the van and the whole of the back and gives you bags more room to play with. At the front of the van is Bailey’s signature vertical picture window, which gives you full views from the inside whether you are standing up or sitting down.

Inside are two long parallel sofas that will convert into a large front double, or two long but narrow singles. Windows on the two opposing walls help light the area, while the spotlights for reading double as USB points for charging phones. The van has plenty of recessed ambient lighting around the overhead lockers.

Kitchen kit comprises a dual-fuel three-burner hob and combi oven and grill. The sink is set to the front of the worktop space with a small amount of space behind for electric appliances. The hob has a glass lid and there is more worktop space in the form of a flap to the side. The fridge sits against the nearside wall where there is more worktop and points for a TV.

In the offside corner is the wetroom-style washroom, with a swivel toilet, basin and shower, with the shower tray making up the floor.

It’s a neat little van with everything a couple could need. Add the awning and you have doubled your living and storage space and you could settle onto a pitch for a week or more.

Buy if… You want a lightweight, compact van for easy towing, but that covers all the basics

Pros
Comfy sofas convert into large double
Long A-frame for extra storage possibilities
Great especially designed accessories

Cons
Washroom is a wetroom

Review: Bailey Discovery D4-2

Bailey Unicorn Merida

• Price: £23,299
• Berth: 2
• MTPLM: 1330kg
• Shipping length: 6.190m / 20′4″
• Width: 2.280m / 7′6″

This classic two-berth layout remains popular with couples who will forsake the luxury of a made-up bed in favour of a spacious lounge and large washroom within a relatively small unit. That front lounge also makes up into a generous-sized double bed, on slats rather than platforms, or two long, if narrow, singles. The slight L-shape to the kitchen makes it a good size, and with a wooden lid to the hob, food prep space is fairly plentiful. There’s still more workspace, albeit split level, on the opposite wall above the short fridge and the dresser. On the wall here you will find mains and aerial sockets for a TV. Next to the entrance door is a longish mirror, flanked by two coat hooks, while below is a useful set of narrow shelves and a locker – a kind of ‘mini hall’ where you can discard outer gear and keys as you come in.

The beauty of this layout is the large washroom at the rear, which also houses the wardrobe, a laundry basket and the freestanding table. Behind the solid, domestic-style door there is plenty of space for dressing.

BUY IF…  you’d rather have living space and a good-sized washroom than a made-up bed

PROs
Comfy lounge
Good-sized kitchen
Large washroom
Shelves and coat hooks at the entrance

CONs
A small fridge/freezer
Slats rather than platforms to make up the double bed

Review: Bailey Unicorn Merida

Elddis Avanté 454 / Elddis Compass Casita 454

• Price: £20,194
• Berth: 2
• MTPLM: 1310kg
• Shipping length: 6.89m / 22’7”
• Width: 2.26m / 7’5”

This looks like a four-berth but really is a couple’s van with the luxury of a fixed bed and no option to make up a further double.

From the outside the 454 (in both the Avanté and Compass format) is a bit of an oddball. The nearside has only one small window, which is over the kitchen. Inside, you discover why the exterior looks different from the norm. The lounge has an L-shaped sofa set against the offside and front walls below the usual windows; the nearside wall is blank with a wide shelf and TV points.

That L-shaped sofa doesn’t open out into a double bed, at a push you could use it as two singles.
Washroom and kitchen are both at the centre of the van, with the weight of the associated kit over the axle. The nearside kitchen has a large circular sink, dual-fuel four-burner hob, separate oven and grill and a microwave oven.

The offside washroom has the swivel toilet raised above the shower tray floor, which may make the loo a little high for some to use comfortably.

A transverse island bed set against the nearside wall has lockers above and a wardrobe either side, with drawers beneath. A nice detail is that the top ‘drawer’ is in fact a pull-out bedside table. The bed can be pushed back during the day, gaining 40cm of space around the foot of the bed to access the vanity unit at the back of the van.

BUY IF…  you want a comfortable, uncompromising couple’s van at a reasonable price

PROs
Large bed
Bedside table
L-shaped lounge
ATC is standard

CONs
Cramped washroom with high set toilet
Microwave is set too high

Review: Elddis Avante 454

Coachman Acadia 470

• Price: £22,340
• Berths: 2
• MTPLM:  1343kg
• Shipping length: 6.33m / 20′ 9 “
• Overall width: 2.26m / 7′ 5″

Coachman’s new Acadia range replaces its Vision and Pastiche line-ups with 10 layouts, six of which would make great couple’s vans. Three of those have no fixed beds, indicating that a fixed bed is no longer considered a must-have.

The 470 is one of the smallest in the line-up, with no fixed bed but an L-shaped lounge, which makes up into a 1.86m x 1.3m (6′ 1″ x 4′ 3″) double bed at night by pulling out a platform and rearranging the cushions. On the nearside wall is a wide shelf where a TV might go and, unlike in the Elddis 454s, Coachman retains the window here rather than having a blank wall.

The nearside kitchen has a dual-fuel four burner hob, separate oven and grill, microwave and stainless steel sink, while the 115-litre fridge is fitted beneath the half-height wardrobe next to the offside dinette. That dinette means you can leave the double bed made up if you want.

The spacious end washroom has an Alde radiator to warm your towels, a good-sized shower and deep basin.

Buy if… You’re looking for a well-made, comfortable two-berth with the convenience of a dinette

Pros
Large washroom
Comfortable L-shaped lounge
Exterior mains socket and gas barbecue point

Cons
ATC is an option rather than standard

Review: Coachman Acadia 470

Swift Elegance Grande 850

• Price: £34,905
• Berth: 4
• MTPLM: 1900kg
• Shipping length: 7.98m (26’2”)
• Width: 2.45m (8’)

You’ll need a substantial tow car to haul Swift’s 8-foot wide luxury touring caravan, but leave it on your favourite site for the season and you’ll have a home from home with all the comforts you could want.
Introduced last season, the Elegance Grande has been improved with the inclusion of the new Series 10 two-way fridge from Dometic. And because it is now built on the Swift’s latest SMART 3 construction system, including a composite floor with a dual density foam core, Swift has started offering a lifetime water ingress warranty on the range.

The range comprises three twin-axle models, all starting at the same price and all four-berths. The 850 has a longitudinal island bed with a midships washroom. It’s the 8ft width that makes the layout of this van flow so well.

Up front is the increasingly popular L-shaped lounge, with a wide shelf and cupboard beneath on the nearside wall, which will serve as a TV station. The area is brightly lit by the three-piece front window, the two side windows, the skylight and rooflight.

Kitchen kit comprises a tall fridge, separate oven and grill, dual-fuel hob and integrated microwave oven. A proper door leads into the washroom, which goes across the width of the van and from here two exits, one on either side of the basin/vanity unit, take you into the bedroom area, where the wardrobes flanking the longitudinal bed can be easily accessed on either side.

Buy if… You are looking for a well-built van with luxurious living space

Pros
Smart, luxurious interior
Great central washroom
Space on either side of the island bed
Tall fridge

Cons
You’ll need a big tow car
Routes to sites will require careful planning with an 8ft wide van

Review: Swift Elegance Grande 850

Coachman Laser Xcel 850

• Price: £35,400
• Berth: 4
• MTPLM: 1927kg
• Shipping length: 7.89m / 25′ 11″
• Width: 2.44m / 8′ 0″

The winner of the luxury category in our Tourer of the Year Awards has plenty of pizzazz, including an E&P levelling system fitted as standard. The 860 is effectively an eight-foot-wide version of the Laser 650, giving you extra room around that transverse island bed at the rear of the van. This is flanked by bedside cabinets rather than wardrobes giving a greater feeling of space. The wardrobe is located in the washroom.

The central washroom goes across the width of the van, with a proper door completely separating it and the bedroom from the rest of the van. The layout has one entrance from the washroom to the bedroom, which also helps give the washroom a much roomier feel.

It’s listed as a four berth, but the lounge isn’t huge, with the parallel sofas only five foot long, although they do make up into a good sized double bed. But this isn’t intended for families, it’s for couples who want to wallow in their own luxurious space.

Other kit includes Al-Ko’s ATC and an AKS 3004 stabiliser, a barbecue outlet , a mobile charging pad (for newer phones), and a tall fridge/freezer.

Buy if … you want to wallow in luxury on a seasonal pitch

Pros
Spacious bedroom
Large washroom
Self-levelling system

Cons
Small lounge

Review: Coachman Laser Xcel 850

Swift Basecamp 2SE

• Price: £17,525
• Berths: 2
• MTPLM: 1013kg (Plus Pack +25kg)
• Overall length: 5.10m / 16’9″
• Width: 2.28m / 7’6″

The compact, lightweight, easy to tow and fun to use Swift Basecamp is designed to appeal to those who like outdoor activities, and to those who want to upgrade from canvas. It manages to combine practicality with comfort by clever design and not scrimping on the important stuff.

Its truncated shape has you entering through a glazed door at the back of the van, which is wide enough for you to pass bikes through. It does have a metal sill to protect it from those bike wheels. To the left is the kitchen, to the right, the wetroom.

At the front of the van the 6’6’’ long sofas lift easily and are strapped back to access anchor points for bikes. At 2’3” wide they can easily be used as single beds at night, or use the pull-out platforms to create a massive double. Store your clothes in the removable canvas holdalls instead of lockers and there’s a full height, if narrow wardrobe, if you want to hang up a wetsuit.

Kit includes a grill and three-burner hob, an 85-litre fridge with removable freezer compartment, a power stack in the kitchen worktop, a TV point plus mounting unit, 12V point, two more mains points, USB points and a DAB radio. Heating, water, lighting and the fridge are all controlled from Swift’s Command system and with an app for your smartphone you can control the essentials remotely. The Swift Command tracker system deals with security.

This year’s models are built using Swift’s third generation SMART construction, meaning the van is completely timberless.

Add the Plus pack (£715) to gain a barbecue point, external power point, cold water shower point, separate oven and grill, solar panel and TV aerial – it’s worth doing. Add the Vango airbeam awning (£925) to double your living space or choose an airbeam porch awning at £725.

Buy if… you are looking for a lightweight, comfortable van with personality

Pros
You can choose from eight exterior graphics
Swift Command system
Swift Smart construction

Cons
Wardrobe is narrow
Plus pack and awning will push up price considerably

Review: Swift Basecamp (previous model) here

Knaus Sport and Fun Black Selection

• Price: £22,599
• Berths: 4
• MTPLM: 1400kg
• Overall length: 6.25m
• Width: 2.32m

Moving over to the dark side, the colourful Sport and Fun has gone all moody for 2020 with a limited edition Black Selection. Black exterior trims and grey stripe upholstery say goodbye to the cheerful blues of previous incarnations. It may have adopted a more sophisticated look but it is still geared towards those couples who love a touring holiday with adventure at its centre.

A large garage area under the fixed double bed at the front of the van will carry bikes and other paraphernalia. Carry canoes and skis on the roof via the black ladder and upgrade your load capacity to 1700kg to carry a motorbike with an easy access ramp through the wide rear garage door and lashing eyelets in the floor to hold the vehicle in place while in transit.

The brilliant interior layout is all about curves and storage, including a storage box under the tall fridge, which doubles as a stool, and a good sized wardrobe above the Truma heater, warming your togs in winter. In the kitchen here’s a hob but no oven or grill – but those using this fan will most likely be barbecuing in the evening. In one of the cupboards you’ll find a pull-out bracket for a TV. The washroom is a good size, but there’s no shower – that’s an option.

This really is a party van, and if you’ve got overnight guests, put them up by lowering the occasional table and adding some infill cushions to make a small double bed.

Buy if… You love to take part in sports and adventures while on tour

Pros
Great design makes the most of a small floorplan
Plenty of storage
Can upgrade weight capacity

Cons
No oven or grill
Shower is an optional extra

For a full review of an earlier model see here

Eriba Touring Troll 530

• Price: From £23,995
• Berths: 3
• MTPLM: 1300 – 1400kg
• Overall length: 5.79m
• Width: 2.10m

The iconic Eriba Tourer has been around for more than 60 years and still turns heads on campsites. Its steel frame construction owes its origins to aircraft design, while the streamlined profile and low height give good towing characteristics  on the road. Low MTPLMs mean Eribas can be towed by a wide range of smaller cars.

This compact little caravan has some great features, such as a bay window at the front, a wrap-around awning rail, a pull-out entrance step and a shelf hinge above the wheel so that you can fit your inside table outside. The gas locker door’s scissor-action opening takes it right out of the way when accessing the two gas bottles. Grab handles are in stainless steel, with that at the back stretching the full width of the van. There’s also an external locker giving access to storage space under the seating at the back of the van.

The entrance door itself has two storage compartments as well as a wasted bin and a steel grab handle across the interior width of the door. And just inside the entrance is a shoe compartment in the front dinette seating.

With the roof popped up you have 6’5” of headroom. In the kitchen you get a  two-burner gas hob, but no oven or grill, a large sink, and a small fridge. Worktop surface is limited but there is an extension flap The parallel sofas at the back turn into a good-sized double bed and the single dinette at the front easily turns into a single. The doors to the roof lockers open downwards rather than upwards.
The washroom has a bench seat toilet, a basin with tap, which also double as a shower, and plenty of storage. A nice touch is that the mirror rises with the pop top.

Options include a 30-litre on board fresh water tank and a spare wheel. And, with the roof lowered, it could fit into some garages.

Buy if… you appreciate superb engineering and iconic styling

Pros
Outstanding build quality
Easy to tow
Can upgrade payload
Can store in a garage

Cons
No oven or grill
Price, for a small van it’s relatively expensive

Review: Eriba Touring Troll 530

Sprite Super Quattro EB

• Price: £22,440
• Berths: 4
• MTPLM: 1705kg
• Overall length: 7.98m
• Width: 2.46m

This model makes an ideal couple’s caravan. This 8-foot wide van, which comes in at a very reasonable price, offers a roomy interior, with a midships washroom and fixed transverse bed. It also doesn’t look particularly budget with three windows at the front, warm and comfortable upholstery in golds and browns, and a spec level that includes Swift’s Command Control system.

This is a big van so if you’re planning on towing it fairly often you will want to invest in the £610 Diamond Pack, which will gain you the AKS 3004 stabiliser, but not the ATC trailer control system. The Diamond Pack also includes a spare wheel and bracket, microwave and DAB radio. You do get USB sockets, a three-burner gas hob and a separate oven and grill.

A sliding partition door closes off the rear bedroom, which feels really spacious; with bedside tables either side of the double bed, rather than full wardrobes, it doesn’t feel hemmed in,

Buy if … you’re looking for lots of space with not too much outlay

Pros
Spacious washroom and bedroom
Doesn’t look budget

Cons
You need the Diamond Pack for the stabiliser
Fridge is small

Review: Sprite Super Quattro EB

Those looking for a family ’van might like to check out best caravans for seasonal pitches or best 6 berth caravans.

Alternatively, if you’re constricted by budget, you may like to consult our list of the best caravans under £20,000. If you’re budget can stretch a bit further, we’ve also compiled a list of the best caravans over £30,000.  For something smaller check out best 2-berth caravans. We also take a look at the best caravan on the market.

If none of these models sound like the caravan you’re looking for, check the rest of our caravan reviews to see if there might be a model more suited to you – we’re uploading more all the time!

If you’re looking for somewhere to visit for your next tour, be sure to check our guides to the best caravan parks and the best caravan sites. 

Or what about a motorhome? Check out some of these options Best 2 berth motorhomes, Best 4 berth motorhomes, Best 6 berth motorhomes , Best A-class motorhomes and more

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