Knaus 580 QS 60th Edition 2022

The Südwind – a big, heavy, conventional layout van that’s been a staple of Knaus’ line-up for years – seemed to be on the way out in recent times, with more attention given, at least in the UK, to new North Star models.

But the Südwind name is back for these 60th anniversary special editions, which come with an exclusive exterior colour scheme and UK-only goodies. We took a peek at the five-berth 580 QS, the first of these in the UK.

Pitch and set-up

The 60th-edition models come with side panels in Campovolo Grey – not boring off-white, but not overly blingy silver, either.

Alloys and heavy-duty corner steadies are standard, and there is an external locker on the nearside, with a huge gas bottle locker up front. You don’t get ATC as standard, but Knaus says you shouldn’t need it due to the long A-frame. If you’d prefer to have it, it’s an £827 option.

The caravan is heavy, with an MTPLM of 1900kg, partly because it includes a 45-litre on-board water tank, which will likely need draining for towing. Our test model also came with a set of roof rails as a £522 extra.

Lounge

The 580 QS includes a layout common in Continental caravans, but seemingly less popular in the UK, with a front fixed bed and a single dinette opposite the kitchen. This is the only dinette in the van – not ideal if your kids prefer their own space. But it gets plenty of daylight, even without a sunroof, and has ample room for five.

You get two headrests, lots of ambient light and a couple of spotlights. A mains socket is handily located above shelves in the corner, and speakers under the locker are well placed for the Bluetooth sound system that is fitted as standard.

A bulkhead to the right of the door hosts a lit mirror, a small cabinet lower down for shoes, and some coat racks. The bracket for the TV is fitted on the other side of this, but it swings out so it can be seen from the further side of the dinette.

The model we saw included Alde heating. It’s not standard, and at £2196 extra, accounts for the rest of the price difference from the standard model.

Kitchen

The side kitchen includes significant work surface in front of the three-burner hob. The sink to the left is deep. There are two mains sockets above, which is not an ideal location, but it’s tricky to see where else they could go.

There is a combined oven and grill fitted as standard, but if you would prefer to have a microwave here, you can have one added for £277 extra. The fridge, which is fitted as standard, is a reasonable 142 litres.

Washroom

Rear washrooms squashed into a corner to make room for beds in the other corner are often rather poky. This one, however, is perfectly adequate, with a shower cubicle separated from the rest of the washroom by the entrance door.

The main washroom is lit by an opaque window and a good selection of lighting, and if the basin feels small, that’s partly to make room for the generous shelving below. A well-lit mirror at the back makes the space feel larger than it is.

Beds in the Knaus 580 QS 60th Edition

The large double that stretches across the front comes with two swan-neck spotlights, and as mentioned, you can adjust the TV bracket for night-time viewing.

Bunks at the back are long enough for teenagers and adults, as well as children. Double bunks, as in our test model, each come with a light and a window. For £531 extra, you can also have a third bunk, bringing the total berths to six.

For £919, you can have that plus a garage door that allows  you to store a bike here if the middle bunk is folded up. As another option, the table can be lowered to create a wide single bed in the dinette.

Storage in the Knaus 580 QS 60th Edition

We found the storage on offer in this van very impressive – it was one of the reasons we included it in our best 8ft-wide caravan guide.

The double bed lifts to reveal a huge storage area behind the gas bottle locker. The space under the seats in the dinette is mostly clear, and easy to access. You get two overhead lockers up front and one over the dinette, plus some shelving.

There is a narrow wardrobe with shelves forward of the partition. The hanging wardrobe is at the back, and only half height: what looks like a cupboard under it is actually taken up with the heater, But there is more clothes storage (at least in the two-bunk model that we saw) in the area underneath the bottom bunk.

Kitchen storage is good, in a cupboard with three shelves, a cutlery drawer above the oven and another drawer above that, two overhead lockers and a locker under the fridge. The washroom has plenty of open storage, as well as a cupboard.

Verdict

It’s heavy, so you are going to need a big tow car, and the layout might not suit all UK tastes, but we think this Südwind still provides comfortable and ergonomic living for families. It has an excellent spec and looks distinctive on the outside, too.

• Thumbs up: Great storage options, big beds
• Thumbs down: Only combined oven, or microwave, heavy weight

If you liked this… READ THESE:

Best caravan for families 2022

Best tow cars for 2022

Get the correct licence for towing a caravan

If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, why not get the latest news, reviews and features delivered direct to your door or inbox every month. Take advantage of our brilliant Practical Caravan magazine SUBSCRIBERS’ OFFER and SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER for regular weekly updates on all things caravan related.