Knaus Sport&Fun Black Selection 2023

Knaus has been active in the UK since the early 1970s, with a focus on innovative design. For 2023, the popular Sport&Fun, which it describes as “the extreme sports athlete of caravans”, is available in a new Black Selection version.

Pitch and set-up

The good-looking Knaus Sport&Fun Black Selection is very distinctive, with a sweeping front profile and an offset window. The special edition does away with the standard blue exterior detailing, which is replaced here by grey/black decals and mouldings, while smart black alloy wheels complete the styling.

The Al-Ko chassis has heavy-duty corner steadies and an AKS hitch stabiliser.

The side panels are smooth aluminium and there is a slimline lift-and-tilt sunroof, along with roof rails and a rear ladder.

The chassis is lighter than the standard model, and the front nearside has a huge door allowing access to the garage under the bed.

Up front, there’s a gas bottle locker to the side, while the main door is fitted on the Continental side. The extra-wide rear door makes it easy to store bikes. The offside has two windows, while the nearside has one by the lounge.

The Black Selection looks modern and immediately appealing. With its built-in noseweight indicator and spare wheel, this is a smart upgrade of a popular favourite.

Lounge

The Black Selection’s lounge is different from that of conventional tourers.

There is a side dinette, with L-shaped wraparound seating. It’s comfortable, but if there are four of you dining, it could feel a bit limited. You get an adjustable table, however, and the smart grey seating is in a hardwearing wipe-clean material – ideal for those outdoor enthusiasts!

The side window and sunroof help to fill this area with natural light. There are plenty of overhead lockers, and you also get LED corner spotlights, nets on the side windows and mock curtains.

Kitchen

The well-appointed kitchen, opposite the lounge, provides a unit that is brimming with storage space in cupboards, drawers and overhead lockers. Additional wall lockers offer even more capacity.

Daylight floods into the kitchen through the sizeable window, while at night, LED striplights provide ample illumination. There’s also a fair amount of worktop.

Keen caravanning cooks need to bear in mind that there’s no oven, grill or microwave in the Knaus – you just get a three-burner gas hob.

Next to the hob is a small stainless-steel sink, and the slimline fridge/freezer is located beside the lounge seating.

Beds in the Knaus Sport&Fun Black Selection

For touring couples (see: the best caravans for couples), this is where the Knaus excels, with a generous, comfortable fixed double bed up front. If you have guests to stay over, the side dinette quickly converts into a second double. The table lowers to form the bed base, with the seat cushions then easily put into position.

Washroom

Just to the side of the kitchen is the washroom, equipped with a shower and a Dometic toilet. The side window provides natural light and ventilation, while in the corner is the basin, with storage underneath.

The washroom is probably best described as compact, and to take a shower, you need to slide out the tray and fold out the rail and curtain to contain any splashes. That might seem a bit of a hassle, but for those caravanners who normally prefer campsite facilities, this washroom should be more than adequate for occasional use.

Storage in the Knaus Sport&Fun Black Selection

The Black Selection provides lots of good storage, especially in the garage, which also houses a spare wheel and 25-litre portable waste-water container. The Sport&Fun comes with superb kitchen storage, too, in plenty of big cupboards and drawers.

Overhead lockers are fitted in abundance and neat design touches include storage pouches attached to the door. The wardrobe is a reasonable size, especially for the clothes of two, even though the base area houses the Truma blown-air heater (gas only).

The L-shaped lounge offers additional storage space under the seating.

Verdict

Yes, the Knaus Sport&Fun Black Selection costs more than the standard model, but that gets you a smart, modern interior. Carbon-finish rear light clusters and LEDs, and alloys with exclusive black livery, add to the attractions of this stylish tourer.

Other bonuses include the lightweight chassis, while attention to detail provides thoughtful touches such as an extra mains socket in the kitchen and two awning lights.

This special edition has all the qualities of the standard model, with added – and welcome – bang for your buck.

For outdoor enthusiasts who appreciate contemporary design, the quality build and finish of the Black Selection will appeal – although they’ll need to be happy to live without an oven, grill or microwave.

You can also get more tourer inspiration in our guide to the best caravans.

What we like:

Lightweight, easy to tow, great storage, good looks

What we don’t like: 

No oven/grill, microwave or TV aerial, could do with a rear roof vent

• After a more compact tourer? Then take a look at our round-up of the best small caravans

Technical spec

• Price: £27,410 (as reviewed)
• Berths: 4
• MTPLM: 1400kg
• MiRO: 1226kg
• Payload: 174kg
• Shipping length: 6.25m
• Interior length: 4.80m
• Overall width: 2.32m
• Fixed front double bed: 1.98 x 1.42m
• Lounge double: 1.93 x 1.22m

Spec list

• Lightweight chassis
• Two awning lights
• Gas-only blown-air heating
• Slimline fridge/freezer
• AKS hitch
• Alloys
• Rear roof ladder
• Shower
• Dometic toilet
• Heavy-duty corner steadies
• Spare wheel
• Water filter system
• Waste-water tank
• Garage door
• Built-in noseweight gauge
• Extra mains power socket in kitchen
• Lift-and-tilt sunroof
• Door flyscreen

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