Verdict
This is a very comfy caravan almost in a category of its own. It brings the possibility of having a more roomy van to touring couples who may not think they can justify the cost of upgrading their tow car as well. There are small niggles: a single hole in the shower tray; the long access to the toilet cassette; and wide slats that make up the double bed. But this is definitely worth a look. It could also double up as a ‘lock-up and leave’ guest wing at home, if your drive is big enough.
Pros
- Plenty of comfort and luxury inside
- Gives couples plenty of space on tour
Cons
- Bed needs making up
- Long access to the toilet cassette
Caravans that are 8ft wide are nothing new. They have been fairly standard on the Continent for years, while in Britain they are becoming increasingly common. All the major manufacturers currently offer at least one range that comes in the bigger width.
So far, however, all these caravans have had one thing in common: fixed beds. Which means they are always going to be four berths at least. But what if you want the same space, but just for the two of you? What if you are happy to do without that fixed bed for extra room inside?
Coachman is clearly hoping there are enough people out there asking these questions, because this season it has launched the Laser 480 Xtra: the UK’s first 8ft-wide two-berth and the tourer that we named the best caravan for couples at the Practical Caravan Awards 2026, as well as a highly commended contender in the best 2 berth caravan category.
We took it for a spin across the country and back on a short break at the Back of Beyond, an adults only caravan park in the New Forest to find out if this new layout is a success.
Design
Despite its relatively diminished size compared with other models in the range, the 480 still has all the stylish Laser hallmarks – silver sides, a slightly more svelte-like front profile than you see in other caravans, and a rounded rear panel with understated Coachman branding.
The front panel also features three large tinted windows and a long sunroof. The tint possibly explains why the grab handles are still black plastic, to match, when at this price you might have expected them to be chrome. Also, as you might expect for a smaller caravan, you only have a single axle.
Towing the Coachman Laser 480 Xtra
One other advantage of going for this type of caravan with only two berths comes in this tourer’s overall weight: the MTPLM figure is just 1550kg. That means you could get away with having a tow car lighter than 2 tonnes – no more than 1823kg in fact, if you’re sticking to the 85% guide. So a wider choice of more conventional, less gas-guzzling cars suddenly becomes available.
We took our test model on a fairly long drive across England, using a variety of roads, and it coped well. It perhaps helps having ATC fitted as standard. But if you have ever felt intimidated by the prospect of having to tow 8ft-wide caravans, try towing this Laser 480 and you should see you have very little to worry about.
You should also be able to mount a bike rack on the relatively bare A-frame, if you want to, and because there is a locker door on each corner here, rather than one across the front, it should still be possible to access those lockers en route if needed.
Pitch and set-up
Even as a two-berth, the 480 still required some hefty work to push it into position on our gravelly pitch. You might prefer a motor mover.
Once in position, the heavy-duty corner steadies were easy to reach, and both the electric hook-up and water inlet are away on the offside, away from the awning and nicely lit by an offside services light.
The cassette toilet access is over on this side at the back, too. On the inside, the toilet itself sits in front of a large wardrobe. That means there is a longer-than-usual ‘tunnel’ access to the cassette itself. While it is perfectly easy to remove when you need to empty the caravan toilet, I did wonder whether such a long tunnel might prove harder in the long run to keep clean.
On the nearside you get a BBQ point up front, and a mains socket.
The external locker door nearby is only average size, even if the underseat locker behind it is large and clear. You might struggle to retrieve outdoor furniture from here without needing to go inside and lift the slats.
Lounge in the Coachman Laser 480 Xtra
The entrance ‘hallway’ includes a huge mirror to the right of the door with a light above it, so you can easily make sure you look presentable, while the layout here allows for a large boot locker to the left of the door. All the control panels are located just above you.
The darker wood colour in here, the blue-grey base cushions with piping, and scatter cushions in various shades of grey all somehow look more grown up, while there is plenty of light coming through not just the windows and the sunroof, but also three Hekis in the roof. There are also LEDs in the housing for the sunroof and a spotlight in each corner for reading.
The settees are comfy, with a mild knee roll. The pull-out shelf above the central chest is fine for snacks. The main table has more room if needed. You have to retrieve it from inside the washroom, but on a two-berth that shouldn’t be the drag it can be in caravans with more inhabitants. The settees both have plenty of room for extra guests if you want to invite them.
The huge sill at the front accommodates a wireless charging pad and a mains socket – there is also a USB port in all four spotlights. One addition in all Laser models this year is a discreet Bluetooth speaker system (similar to those fitted in Adria caravans in recent years). On the huge sideboard between the lounge and door, meanwhile, there is ample space for the best caravan TV, with two mains sockets, a 12V socket and an aerial socket close by.
Kitchen in the Coachman Laser 480 Xtra
You get an L-shaped kitchen here, so there’s plenty of permanent workspace, with two sockets nearby and plenty of light from the window, the rearmost Heki and a striplight. And there is still an extension – plus the huge sideboard, which should still have room to work on even if you do have a TV.
The large round sink comes with a cover so impressively solid and chunky that we hope it never becomes dislodged en route because of the damage it might do. It was absolutely fine on our long tows, though.
A dual-fuel four-burner hob with a domestic-style trivet sits under an extractor fan with a separate oven and grill below it.
There’s a microwave next to the overhead lockers, and a slimline fridge between the main kitchen unit and the washroom. At 137 litres, the latter should be more than adequate for the two of you.
Washroom in the Coachman Laser 480 Xtra
An unusually large and rectangular salad bowl-style washbasin greets you as you walk into the rear washroom. It sits in front of a very big mirror that is well lit with handy hooks placed nearby. There is a ladder radiator to the left, and plenty of space to get dressed in here. It’s all well lit by a roof vent sitting right above where you stand in front of the sink.
There is no separate vent in the shower, which you access via a single solid door that can has a tendency to knock against the basin when you open it wide.
This shower cubicle has just one drainage hole, so if you worry about the tray potentially overflowing you might be tempted to get the E&P self-levelling system that comes as part of a £3995 optional pack along with a 120W flexible caravan solar panel. The marble panel gives the cubicle a domestic feel, while the large riser means all sizes can be catered for
in what is good headroom.
Beds in the Coachman Laser 480 Xtra
Beds are always an important factor in a tourer, particularly if you’ve ever found yourself wondering how to make a caravan bed more comfortable.
In the Coachman Laser 480 Xtra, the two settees make perfectly decent single beds for anyone under 6ft tall. They are nicely wide and comfy, although you would probably have to turn the base cushions over.
You can also make the two settees into a very large double, but we were slightly surprised that you do this via slats you pull out from the central chest that are quite widely spaced apart. Because this is an 8ft-wide van that space between the settees is wider, too, and we did find that we had to be extra careful not to let the slats fall down into the aisle.
Storage in the Coachman Laser 480 Xtra
When it’s time for loading the caravan, you will find the nearside underseat area is partly taken up with a 40-litre water tank, although the sections nearest the external and internal access flaps are clear. The offside area has the Alde heater, although apart from that it is also clear. It can be accessed by lifting the slats (as can the nearside), although doing so is a bit of a palaver because you have to lift the whole base cushion – it is not split.
Unusually for Coachman, the overhead lockers here are concave – they are usually heavily convex. But they are still a good size.
You are also boosted by a huge wardrobe in the rear washroom where you need it. But we did think there was some redundant space in here, where an extra shelf or a slightly longer hanging rail might have been helpful. Even Imelda Marcos, however, would be impressed with the size of the shoe locker by the front door.
The kitchen includes a large extendable basket shelf system under the ‘L’ in the main unit, next to a column of three drawers and then two pan lockers with slightly restricted openings under the oven and fridge. There is an overhead locker above the kitchen unit and the sideboard (both with straight doors, to differentiate them from the lockers in the lounge), while the sideboard includes a double cupboard next to the big boot locker.
Along with the wardrobe, the washroom includes a double cupboard under the sink and open shelving by the ladder radiator.
Kit and value
Some seasons ago, Coachman’s Laser Xcel models came with self-levelling as standard – that, along with a twin axle and 8ft of width, was what marked them out as Laser Xcels.
The water has been slightly muddied since then, with Xcel models going, then some models being Xtra and others not. But keeping self-levelling out of the standard options list does at least keep the price down, and you may not think such a luxury is necessary.
We would have expected to see two drainage holes in the shower as some kind of compensation, however.
Still, Alde heating is always a plus in a caravan such as the Coachman Laser 480 Xtra, and the onboard water tank means you shouldn’t have to worry about going outside to refill the Aquaroll (always a caravan essential) for at least one morning shower.
The domestic-style finish to the hob and the marbling in the shower also make you feel at home. There’s no shortage of digital connections here either, both with the charging pad and the many USB ports.
Alternatives to consider
If you’re a couple who would rather have the option of two extra berths incase you have friends stay over, the Coachman VIP 545 could be a contender. It has a comfortable front lounge, a revisited washroom design, and plenty of practical touches.
Another option you could look at is the Bailey Phoenix Black 640, a caravan which has new velour window panels and a space-creating washroom door, which will help to achieve comfortable living on tour.
Technical specification of the Coachman Laser 480 Xtra
- Price: £37,990
- MPTLM: 1550kg
- MIRO: 1425kg
- Payload: 125kg
- Awning size: 924cm
- Shipping length: 6.43m
- Interior length: 4.80m
- Overall width: 2.44m
- Overall height: 2.75m
- Front double: 2.0 x 1.39m
- Or two singles” 1.84 x 7.25m
Perfect partner
For an 85% car/caravan match, choose a tow car with a 1823kg kerbweight
Standard kit in the Coachman Laser 480 Xtra
Construction
Al-Ko galvanised steel chassis with euro axle, overrun device, and handbrake; screwless, fully bonded awning rail on both sides; 25mm sandwich construction sidewalls with polystyrene insulation; 25mm sandwich construction roof; 45mm sandwich construction floor with internal bracing
External equipment
ATC; AKS3004 shock absorber; underslung spare wheel; LED awning light and offside services light; Whale exterior cold shower; BBQ point and mains socket
Heating
Alde wet central heating and hot-water system with Glycol 3030 boiler
Lounge/bedroom
Hartal smooth-action pleated blinds with flyscreens; French Oak Grey Herringbone floor design; deep-pile stain- resistant loose-lay carpets; two-tone upper locker doors; LED layered lighting
Kitchen
Thetford stainless-steel sink with flush-fitting bowl infill; Thetford dual-fuel hob with cast-iron pan rest, electronic ignition, glass lid and flame-failure device; oven with separate grill; flatbed microwave
Washroom
Ladder radiator; black shower mixer tap, shower head and riser bar in domestic-style cubicle; Thetford C262 swivel toilet with electric flush
If you’re thinking of getting a new leisure battery but are undecided whether to go for a lead-acid or lithium option, we’re here to help as we take a look at “are lithium leisure batteries worth it?”.
Images: Matt Lincoln
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Technical Specifications
| Berth | 2 |
| MiRO | 1425 kg |
| Payload | 125 kg |
| MTPLM | 1550 kg |
| Interior Length | 4.80 m |
| Shipping Length | 6.43 m |
| Width | 2.44 m |
