Drivers who passed their test since 1 January 1997 can only tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined MAM of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg. That means that lightweight caravans are more popular than ever. But which lightweight caravans are any good?
These are the best caravans under 1,500kg:
- Bailey Phoenix 650
- Sprite Major 6
- Xplore 586
- Freedom Microlite Discovery
- Bailey Pursuit 560-5
- Venus 620/6
- Adria Altea Eden
- Bailey Discovery D4-2
In this blog post, we’re going to take a look at the best caravans under 1,500kg I’ve mentioned above. I’m going to look at several categories and pick the best lightweight caravan for each category. Here are the categories we’ll take a look at:
- Lightest caravan
- Cheapest caravan
- Caravan with best features
- Best for families caravan
- Best for couples caravan
So let’s start with the lightest caravan category and see which caravan under 1,500kg is the lightest. Or you can click one of the links above to go to the appropriate part of the blog post immediately.
Lightest Caravan
Do you want a really lightweight caravan that’s easy to tow and manoeuvre when travelling and on site? There are really lightweight caravans out there, such as the Freedom Microlite Discovery. I chose the Microlite Discovery as one of the best caravans under 1,500kg mainly because it is so light!
The Freedom Microlite Discovery weighs just 750kg fully laden. The unladen weight of this unit is 600kg. I believe this to be the lightest caravan that I have ever seen. That fact alone makes it the ideal caravan for some people.
This is a 2 berth caravan, and a rather compact one at that. The Microlite Discovery has a relatively spacious seating area, as well as a kitchen with 2-burner hob, sink, and 3-way fridge. In addition, it has a small washroom with a cassette toilet and fold-up sink.
Internally, the Microlite Discovery has an appealing aesthetic despite being a low to mid-range model. You can purchase a Freedom Microlite Discovery for £11,495 brand new (without extras). If a 2 berth caravan is sufficient for your needs, this model is a good pick considering the fact it is so light!
Cheapest Caravan
When choosing a new caravan, price is usually going to be one of your main considerations. If budget is a big concern, read on. In this section, I had to select two caravans:
- Freedom Microlite Discovery
- Bailey Pursuit 560-5
The reason for choosing two caravans for this category is the number of berths in the caravans. The Freedom Microlite Discovery is the cheapest caravan, but it’s only 2 berth. The Bailey Pursuit 560-5 costs more than the Microlite Discovery, but is a 5 berth caravan. So that’s why I think both these models can be considered the most affordable lightweight caravans.
The Freedom Microlite Discovery is a compact 2 berth caravan. This caravan is available for just £11,495 brand new. It’s the perfect option for someone looking to purchase a new caravan while sticking to a relatively small budget.
In the Microlite Discovery, you will find a seating area that coverts into a double bed, a kitchen with a 2-burner hob, sink, and 3-way fridge, as well as a small washroom with a fold-up sink and integrated cassette toilet. There isn’t much in the Microlite Discovery, but it’s a cost-effective option and a great first caravan.
The Bailey Pursuit 560-5 is a 5 berth caravan with a rather unique layout. The Pursuit 560-5 has two seating areas: a large area at the front of the caravan and a smaller area at the back of the caravan, as pictured above. The larger area at the front of the caravan converts into a double bed, whereas the smaller area pictured converts into a single bed.
Brand new, the Bailey Pursuit 560-5 was available for just £14,965. Bailey no longer creates this series of caravans, but you can currently pick them up for around £11,000 – £13,000 depending on the age and condition of the unit. This makes it perhaps the cheapest lightweight 5 berth available.
Both these caravans are available for a great price brand new and second hand. They are the ideal lightweight caravans for people with a tight budget.
Caravan With Best Features
Usually, lightweight caravans don’t have a great deal of features or facilities. However, some manufacturers really excel at creating unique caravans that cram a lot into a relatively small space while keeping the unit’s weight down.
I have chosen the Lunar Venus 620/6 as the best lightweight caravan in terms of features. There is something that really sets this caravan apart from its lightweight, budget competitors: it has a fixed double bed.
Most lightweight caravans are single-axle and relatively small, which doesn’t leave any room for a fixed double bed. This is somewhat frustrating, as it means taking time to make up the beds and then put them down again the next day. The 6 berth Venus 620/6 has a fixed double bed that makes your life much easier; you have one bed ready to go at all times.
In addition to the fixed double bed, the Venus 620/6 has similar features and facilities to those you’ll find in most caravans of this size and weight, such as:
- Shower
- Toilet
- Sink (in bathroom)
- Drawers
- Cupboards
- Microwave
- Oven with 4-burner hob
- Fridge with freezer compartment
- Sink
- TV aerial and mount
The Venus 620/6 usually starts at £19,299 brand new. However, you can often purchase one brand new for a little less. You can usually pick up a second hand one for a few thousand pounds less. For example, when writing this blog post I found a 2019 model available for £15,500.
Best For Families
There are lots of caravans out there aimed at families, but lightweight caravans don’t typically meet the needs of families. This is usually a layout problem, although some lighter caravans don’t have all the features and facilities that a family needs. However, some caravans really stand out as being ideal for families, such as the Bailey Phoenix 650.
The Phoenix 650 is one of the best lightweight family caravans, in my opinion, for several reasons. Firstly, the layout is rather unique and seems more appropriate for a family than some other 5 and 6 berth caravans. As you can see in the image, there are two permanently made up bunk beds. Opposite this is a rare dining area that can be converted into an additional single bed. The spacious seating area at the front of the caravan can be converted into a large double bed.
I believe this to be the best option for families with younger children. The bunk beds are obviously perfect for young children, while a child or adult can use the single bed opposite.
As well as the unique but ideal bed layout, the Phoenix 650 also has a great kitchen, with:
- Fridge with freezer compartment
- Microwave oven
- 4-burner hob
- Stainless steel sink
Furthermore, this caravan has a large bathroom relative to the size of the caravan as a whole. The bathroom contains a toilet, sink, and comfortably sized shower cubicle.
We all know that you end up taking everything but the kitchen sink on family holidays! That’s why it’s great that the Phoenix 650 has so much storage. As well as plenty of overhead lockers, this model also has drawers, plenty of shelving, under-bunk storage, and an external storage locker.
So that’s all the reasons I think the Bailey Phoenix 650 is the best lightweight caravan for families. This model is available for approximately £19,000 brand new.
Best Caravan For Couples
There are plenty of caravans aimed at couples out there, but not all offer the best of both worlds. To pick out the best caravan for couples, I considered 3 variables:
- Facilities
- Weight
- Price
After considering all the above, I can safely say I think the Bailey Discovery D4-2 is the best caravan for couples. It’s a lightweight caravan with a good spec available for a reasonable price brand new.
The Discovery D4-2 is a relatively small caravan, at only 5.615m long and 2.228m wide. However, a lot is packed into the Discovery D4-2’s small body.
At the front of the caravan, you have two large sofas. These sofas convert into a large double bed at night, as you can see on the floor plan below.
As well as the large seating and sleeping area, the Discovery D4-2 has a good-sized kitchen with all the appliances you need, including:
- Combination oven and grill
- 3-burner gas hob
- Stainless steel sink with cold and hot water
- Fridge with freezer compartment
- Overhead lockers
- Worktop space
In the kitchen, the hob has a cover as does the sink. This gives you more worktop space should you need it, as does the fold down worktop extension next to the 3-burner gas hob. The overhead lockers are ideal for storing everything from cutlery to spices and so on for cooking.
As you can see in images of the D4-2, there are numerous overhead lockers for storing your belongings. In a small caravan, plenty of storage space is a must. Bailey have really optimised the design of their smaller caravans to offer plenty of storage space. Furthermore, there are cupboards and drawers galore in this model.
At the rear of the caravan, there is a corner bathroom containing a storage cupboard, sink, integrated cassette toilet, and shower. Compared to some bathrooms featured in caravans of this size, this one is rather spacious. This is perhaps because it takes up the entire corner rather than a small square area.
The Bailey Discovery D4-2 weighs just 884kg ex works and has a MTPLM of 995kg. It’s a particularly light caravan, so it’s towable with smaller cars. In addition, it’s easy to tow for people without years of towing experience. It’s the ideal starter caravan for couples.
This caravan starts at £16,199 brand new. Compared to most caravans of this spec, it’s relatively inexpensive. The interior is beautiful, comfortable, and contains everything that you need. You can’t go wrong for the price.
Conclusion
So in this blog post we’ve covered the best caravans weighing less than 1,500kg that you can purchase. Hopefully this blog post will help you to purchase the right caravan for you!
What do you think? If there are any caravans that you think I’ve missed here that are as good as those I’ve mentioned or better, please leave a comment below!
