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by Liz King
The Xplore 302 by Elddis is probably the smallest and dinkiest UK built caravan and was introduced to the public at the Boat and Caravan Show at NEC in February.
It’s a “bijou” caravan ideal for anybody who needs a small light weight caravan and can be towed with a small car such as a Peugeot 107, or Vauxhall Corsa and can be stored on an average sized driveway. It’s so lightweight; it can be manhandled onto your car or on a pitch rather than needing a dedicated caravan mover.
Given all those factors, it had immediate appeal to us.
But inside, we weren’t disappointed either with an L shape lounge and eye-catching upholstery and a loose carpet runner on the vinyl covered floor. The lounge can become a double bed or two singles if you prefer. The rear kitchen is neat with a midi oven and three burners, a sink with chinchilla glass lid and good storage space too.
You’ll notice no mention of a fridge; but there is one. It’s fitted under the wardrobe. And why is that you ask? It’s simple. The Xplore 302 is fitted with the new and very efficient Whale Under Floor Space Heater so the space under the wardrobe is now free space as the heater is under slung between the chassis members, but there are two blown air ducts to warm the interior.
The shower room is compact with a tip up basin and Thetford swivel toilet; there is a wet room access door to allow access to the shower hose from the exterior. This might be useful if you are beach bums and don’t want to take sandy feet into the caravan.
There is an option of a Sony CD radio with iPod connectivity and stereo speakers at a cost of £149.00 and if it was me buying this caravan, then I’d be prepared to part with more cash even though it’s a luxury. On the flip side, there is no spare wheel and carrier fitted and that would cost an extra £109.00.
There are blinds and fly screens to the windows and we really thought that there was a lot of equipment for the money. Recommended retail price £9,999 including VAT but excluding a charge of up to £495.00 charged by retailer which includes delivery and preparing your caravan for collection by you.
Freedom Verdict
The great value Xplore 302 is likely to be the first of many caravans taking advantage of the extra space created by the new Whale underfloor heating system – watch this space!
Fact File:
Price: £9,999
Berths: 2
MRO: 796kg
MTPLM: 950kg
Insurance cost: £199*
*Caravan insurance cost based on 2010 Elddis Xplore 302 valued at £9,999, fitted with hitchlock and wheelclamp. Kept on drive behind locked gates at HX4 0BE. Caravanners over 30 years old, claim free for 3 years and a member of a caravanning club. Premium includes insurance premium tax at 5% and an online discount of 10% and is correct as of 14.04.10.
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