Elddis Avante Apex 550 2026

Elddis’s Avante range has been a steady and strong mid-market performer for the company since well before it became Erwin Hymer UK.

But 2026 has seen something of a change in the line-up, with the new Whirlwind range (which includes models such as the Whirlwind 554 and Whirlwind 868) being introduced at a lower price point, and Avante being bumped up a notch as a result – and renamed Avante Apex too. On top of that, the new interior is quite a departure from before.

So does this island-bed still make the grade and is it worth thinking about if you’re looking for the best 4 berth caravan? We went to Glossop Caravans to find out.

Pitch and set-up

The shape of the Avante, with its curved profile and indented front panel with chrome vertical grab handles, hasn’t really changed. But the colouring has.

Side panels are now in silver on this island bed caravan, with white borders around the external locker door on the front nearside, the main stable door, and the cassette loo access, which on this model is on the nearside. It’s on the other side of the wheel from the door, so is more than likely to be situated within any awning you have. All other services, apart from the external barbecue point, are located on the offside.

EHG UK has included ATC in most of its ranges, and that continues here, as does the AKS3004 stabiliser.

Lounge in the Elddis Avante Apex 550

You notice the new charcoal-coloured Maya upholstery as soon as you walk in. It is very contemporary and it doesn’t really make the interior any darker because light streams in through the sunroof, the skylight in the ceiling and the large windows. There are also four spotlights, although they don’t have USBs.

We liked how the new upholstery also includes faux leather armrests that are thick enough to allow you to rest a mug on them.

There is, of course, a pull-out shelf above the central chest, while the foldaway table is stored to the right of the door.

Being able to seat everyone comfortably is an important feature in this type of caravan. Here, we reckon you could easily seat the four people this caravan is meant to accommodate around this table, but we found in the lounge itself, there is not much room for many more than that.

Kitchen in the Elddis Avante Apex 550

There is an extension on the side kitchen, but you may not need to use it much because there is a huge amount of permanent workspace, with two mains sockets nearby. The round sink is a great size, and you get a dual-fuel four-burner hob above a separate oven and grill.

Caravan fridges can be an important feature in a family van, but here, however, it is only half-height, perhaps a bit small for a family of four. And while you also get a microwave, this season it’s still not a flatbed model. That’s surprising because most of EHG UK’s competitors are by now fitting flatbed versions in models at this price point.

Flatbed microwaves give a bit more peace of mind, knowing that you will not be pulling onto the site and opening up, only to find a glass plate on the floor.

Beds in the Elddis Avante Apex 550

The island double at the rear can be rolled back to form a day bed. Even when fully rolled out, at 1.80m this bed is not quite 6ft in length.

The single beds you could make from the settees at the front would only be 1.5m long, so are probably better suited for smaller children.

If the kids don’t mind sharing, however, or if you are travelling with adults, they come together very easily to make a double if you pull out the slats under the chest.

Should you be looking at improving your sleepiing setup in your existing van, you can also check out our tips on how to make a caravan bed more comfortable.

Washroom in the Elddis Avante Apex 550

Coming back from the lounge, you swing open the main washroom door on the nearside to create a partition. On the rear side you get a plastic concertina partition, which when pulled across doesn’t make the largest dressing space.

When you also consider that the shower cubicle faces partially backwards towards the bed, this is a washroom that is designed primarily for those sleeping in the rear of the van. The offside shower cubicle is a good size, although it doesn’t have a roof vent.

Storage in the Elddis Avante Apex 550

Storage in this van is primarily located towards the rear. There is one overhead locker each side of the front lounge, and that central chest, while both underseat areas have full-size internal access flaps.

But at the back you have the huge space under the bed, two good wardrobes with a set of drawers under each, two more overhead lockers between the wardrobes, and the cupboards in the dresser unit.

Alternatives to consider

You could take a look at the Bailey Pegasus Black Edition Bologna, a four-berth van with a very roomy bedroom and a comfortable L-shaped lounge.

Alternatively, if you have the budget for it, the Coachman Laser 845 Xtra could be worth a look. The twin-axle tourer combines practicality with quality, including a well-equipped kitchen and a comfortable lounge area.

Tech specs

• Price: £31,700
• Berths: 4
• MiRO: 1327kg
• Payload: 154kg
• MTPLM: 1481kg
• Interior length: 5.78m
• Shipping length: 7.48m
• Overall width: 2.23m
• Contact: elddis.co.uk

Spec list includes

• Al-Ko galvanised steel chassis
• Reinforced step-on hitch cover
• Whale CompleteHeat 4.7kW space heater
• Whale Expanse dual-fuel water heater
• Thetford K1520 MK2 oven with separate grill and dual-fuel four-burner hob
• 98-litre Dometic Series 10 two-way opening fridge
• Eco Camel shower head
• Thetford electric-flush toilet
• Teleco Teleplus X2.39U directional aerial
• Pioneer Apple and Android compatible radio
• 2 USB ports

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