If you’re looking to buy a tourer, it’s worth doing your research and finding out what the different makes of caravan offer. If you find the sheer number of names out there bewildering, help is at hand, as we’ve rounded up the best caravan manufacturers out there.
We’ve been able to create this list of caravan brands by using the results of our Owner Satisfaction Awards. These are unique within the industry, as they’re voted for by the readers of Practical Caravan and members of The Camping and Caravanning Club, giving us an insight into how caravanners have got on when buying their tourers. They present us with an accurate picture of the market and identify the makes that are offering a standout customer satisfaction and buying experience.
Our most recent results come from the Owner Satisfaction Awards 2024, with the results announced on December 7th 2023. This year, we received 4,660 completed surveys, offering a comprehensive view of the industry and allowing us to pick out the leading caravan manufacturers.
We also used the Practical Caravan Awards to create this list. Here, our expert judging panel uses our combined decades of experience within the industry to select the standout tourers across a wide range of categories. In the process, we judge the latest releases on the market to pick out the best caravans, taking into account factors such as the practicalities of the layout and the value for money provided.
In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about the best caravan brands out there – whether you’re looking for a classic Swift caravan, an American Airstream or a smart Bailey caravan we’ve got you covered.
What is the best caravan make?
Coachman was named the best overall manufacturer at the Owner Satisfaction Awards 2024, an accolade it has now won for two years in a row.
The most recent results saw the Hull-based brand achieve a total score of 81.4% (based on 4,660 completed surveys from caravanners) to secure the title, following Coachman’s impressive performance on both the new and used tourer scene. 84.2% secured a gold award in Best Manufacturer: Pre-owned Caravans, while a silver award was received in the Best Manufacturer: New Caravans category thanks to a score of 79.8%.
Makes of caravan
Adria
Airstream
Bailey
Buccaneer
Camperlands
Coachman
Elddis
Eriba
Freedom
Go-Pod
Hobby
Knaus
La Mancelle
Lunar
Mink
Swift
Xplore
Weinsberg
The best caravan manufacturers are:
Adria
Address: Drury Drive, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 1WH 01787 888980 www.adria.co.uk
The UK is Adria’s key market for the caravans it produces. The Slovenian company must be doing something right because it has a larger footprint in this country than any other continental manufacturer.
The caravan brand shows off its credentials with its performance in the Practical Caravan Awards over the past three years. It’s won the best four berth caravan category twice – in 2022, through the Adria Adora Tiber, while the updated Adria Altea Dart took the crown at the 2023 Awards.
For the 2024 season, Adria released the new Action 391PT, a model with a double bed that can be made up in the lounge and a drop-down double bed above. This, in turn, was shortlisted twice at the Practical Caravan Awards 2024 too.
Taking the brand’s showing at our Awards into account, Adria’s display at the 2024 Owner Satisfaction Awards doesn’t come as a surprise. It won the Best Manufacturer: New Caravans category with an impressive score of 83.1%, as well as coming third in the Best Manufacturer: Used Caravans category, with a score of 81.6%.
As this guide shows, there are a variety of caravan manufacturers out there, so the Slovenian brand deserves recognition for winning two gold awards at last year’s Owner Satisfaction Awards too. This was thanks to an impressive score of 86.1%, which was enough to top the Best Pre-Owned Caravan Manufacturer category, as well as a third-place finish in the Best New Caravan Manufacturer category, with a total of 83%.
Airstream
Address: Lowdham Road, Gunthorpe, Nottingham NG14 7GS 0115 966 3838 www.lowdhams.com
These famous American caravans with their distinctive silver exteriors have been through quite a few changes in distribution in the UK in recent years, after Adventure Leisure Vehicles stopped importing them. They are now exclusively sold through Lowdhams.
Bailey
Address: South Liberty Lane, Bristol BS3 2SS 0117 966 5967 www.baileyofbristol.co.uk
Bailey is one of Britain’s biggest caravan manufacturers, with its Unicorn range in particular proving very popular. In recent years, the brand has been improving its models with even larger front windows, as well as adding more 8ft-wide caravans.
Currently offering five ranges, Bailey prides itself on its innovation, with an example being the 2009 introduction of its Alu-Tech construction system, where strong and rigid aluminium frames are used to create robust tourers.
Bailey has celebrated its 75th anniversary by launching two ranges. This includes the new six-model Phoenix GT75 range – five of the tourers stick to the same caravan layouts seen in the Phoenix+, with the new addition being the six-berth Bailey Phoenix GT75 762.
This range proved popular with our judges at the Practical Caravan Awards 2024 – the GT75 762 picked up our best family caravan category, while the GT75 420 was selected as the standout 2 berth caravan. The new season has also seen Bailey replace the radio in its models with a SONOS Bluetooth speaker.
The Pegasus Grande GT75 range was released to mark the 75th anniversary too – this is an updated version of the Pegasus Grande.
The manufacturer’s success in our Awards has been a recurring theme in recent years – Bailey was shortlisted for 11 categories at the Practical Caravan Awards 2022, as well as winning one through the Bailey Pegasus Grande SE Ancona. The Bailey Alicanto Grande Evora had a dominating display at the Practical Caravan Awards 2023 too, winning a category and being shortlisted for a further three.
It’s subsequently not surprising that the caravan make has done well at the Owner Satisfaction Awards. This year, Bailey won a gold award for the Best Manufacturer: Pre-owned Caravans category, with a score of 80%. A silver award was also received in the Best Manufacturer: New Caravans category, thanks to a total of 72.4%.
The Owner Satisfaction Awards 2023 proved successful too, with a gold award received thanks to a score of 81.1% in the best pre-owned caravan manufacturer category, as well as a silver award in the best new caravan manufacturer category, thanks to a total of 75.1%. There was also a silver medal in the best overall manufacturer (new and pre-owned) category, where Bailey achieved 78.1%.
Buccaneer
Address: Delves Lane, Consett, County Durham 0371 964 2113 buccaneer-rv.co.uk
Originally founded in 1969, Buccaneer is a brand that has become synonymous with luxury. After being purchased by Elddis in 1998, it moved to the Consett, County Durham plant, before subsequently becoming a member of the Erwin Hymer Group in 2017. Caravans are currently produced across five ranges, the Aruba, the Barracuda, the Bermuda, the Commodore and the Cruiser – all are 8ft-wide.
The Bermuda was a winner at the Practical Caravan Awards 2022, where we were impressed by how its high level of kit made it seem like excellent value for money, despite its price tag – an indication of why this is one of the most luxurious caravan brands.
Another model that impressed us when we reviewed it was the Buccaneer Commodore, a four-berth twin-axle that would be ideal for a seasonal pitch.
Camperlands
Address: Leestone Rd, Sharston Industrial Area, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 4RN www.camperlands.co.uk
It was only recently that Camperlands entered the world of caravan manufacturing – it was previously a name more associated with camping accessories and awnings. However, it has now added tiny tourers to its repertoire. Its first foreway was the Campmaster, subsequently renamed the Lightweight following the addition of the King.
Now, the brand has added the Campmaster Duo too, a budget tourer but one with decent storage and road clearance that made our shortlist three times at the Practical Caravan Awards 2024.
Coachman
Address: Amsterdam Road, Sutton Fields Industrial Estate, Hull HU7 0XF www.coachman.co.uk
After launching in 1986 with four layouts, Coachman was the only UK caravan manufacturer to focus solely on tourers until 2022, when the brand moved into the motorhome sphere following a takeover from Swedish motorhome brand Kabe. It is the only UK brand to include Alde wet heating systems in all of its models.
In 2023, Coachman slimmed its five ranges down to 20 models, with the Acadia line-up particularly reduced. This has continued into the 2024 season – while the Lusso and Acadia ranges are staying as they did in 2023, the VIP range has been reduced from six to five models, as the 540 has been dropped.
The Laser range is also now reduced from four to three models – replacing the 620 is the Coachman Laser Xtra 665, a van that picked up the best caravan for couples category at the recent Practical Caravan Awards 2024. Another new layout, the Coachman Laser Xcel 850, also saw the brand awarded the best luxury caravan category.
Coachman’s credentials are further enhanced by winning two categories at each of the 2022 and 2023 Practical Caravan Awards, with winners including the VIP 540 Xtra in 2022 and the Coachman Laser Xcel 855 in 2023.
The brand’s prestige can be seen by Coachman claiming the title of best overall manufacturer at the Owner Satisfaction Awards for two years in a row now, most recently at the 2024 Awards, where it scored 81.4%, the only make to achieve a gold award in the category this year.
Coachman also secured a gold award in the Best Manufacturer: New Caravans category thanks to a score of 84.2%, as well as a silver award in the Best Manufacturer: Pre-Owned Caravans category where the brand achieved 79.8%.
This follows on from last year’s success, where Coachman won the best overall manufacturer (new and pre-owned), thanks to an excellent total score of 83.1%. Coachman also achieved a gold medal in the best new caravan manufacturer category, with 82.4%, and the best pre-owned caravan manufacturer, with 84.7%.
Elddis
Address: Delves Lane, Consett, County Durham 0371 964 2113, www.elddis.co.uk
Dating back to 1964, Elddis is another caravan brand that, like Buccaneer and Xplore, comes under the Erwin Hymer Group UK umbrella, following its takeover in 2017.
The manufacturer, which will be celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2024, produces three ranges, the Affinity, Avante, and the Crusader – the former, which launched in 2013, has proved to be a particular favourite among caravanners, as seen by Elddis Affinity 550, which for the new season, has remained fairly unchanged. Models are made in County Durham.
The brand regularly features in the Practical Caravan Awards, appearing on the shortlist seven times in the 2022 event and once in the 2023 Awards.
Another name that is associated with Erwin Hymer UK is Compass – however, the budget brand was dropped for the 2024 season. Instead, the majority of dealers who previously sold Compass models now have Xplore tourers on their forecourts, with others having Elddis models instead.
The caravan make achieved two silver awards at the Owner Satisfaction Awards in both 2023 and 2024. At the 2023 Awards, this was courtesy of scores of 74.7% and 77.8% in the Best New Caravan Manufacturer and Best Pre-owned Caravan Manufacturer categories respectively, while 2024 saw 77.8% and 76.7% for the Best Manufacturer: New Caravans and Best Manufacturer: Pre-owned Caravans categories respectively.
At the 2023 Owner Satisfaction Awards, Elddis was also one of only four brands to achieve the necessary sample size required to be eligible to appear on our Best Overall Manufacturer (New and Pre-Owned) list, where a total score of 76.1% was achieved. The standard for this can be seen by only one make, Coachman, managing to achieve this in 2024.
Eriba
Address: Holzstrasse 19, D-88339 Bad Waldsee, Germany www.eriba.com/en
Famous for its miniature caravans with pop-up roofs, Eriba, which is Hymer’s caravan brand, produces very luxurious (and heavy) conventional tourers, such as the Eriba Touring 820, a model we shortlisted at the Practical Caravan Awards 2023.
For the 2024 season, Eriba has introduced two new layouts, the Touring 642 and the Touring 630, which come with fixed single beds and a rear transverse bed respectively. Also new for the season is the introduction of three new special edition models, the Eriba Touring 530 which comes in “Nugget Gold”, “Tango Red” and “Harbour Blue”.
The brand is well-regarded, as seen by the score of 85.6% that Eriba achieved as it took the top spot in the Best Manufacturer: Pre-owned Caravans category at the Owner Satisfaction Awards 2024. Another gold award was won at the Owner Satisfaction Awards 2023 last year, this time with a score of 85.3% in the best new caravan manufacturer category.
Freedom
Address: Main Road, Little Haywood, Stafford. Staffordshire ST18 0TR 01889 883088 www.freedomcaravans.com
A niche operation, Freedom has been selling ultra-lightweight and budget Polish-built caravans in the UK since 1984. One of its best-selling models since then has been the Freedom Jetstream Twin Sport, a tiny tourer that we shortlisted three times at the Practical Caravan Awards 2022.
A tourer from another of the brand’s ranges, the Freedom Carpento 410, was shortlisted twice at the Practical Caravan Awards 2023 too, thanks to its retro style and lightweight build.
Go-Pod
Address: Red Lion Caravans Ltd., Southport, Lancashire PR8 5LF, 01704 889973 www.go-pods.co.uk
Go-Pod is a manufacturer known for its micro tourers, coming with a one-piece monocoque design that helps prevent water ingress from taking hold – they are also so lightweight that many people can move them by hand too. The brand has been a regular on our shortlists for the Practical Caravan Awards in recent years, appearing five times since the Practical Caravan Awards 2022.
Hobby
Address: Bradshaw Ln, Greenhalgh, Preston PR4 3HQ, 01772 737273 www.hobby-caravans.co.uk
German company Hobby specialises in innovative and eye-catching tourers. These include the Scandinavian-inspired Maxia, the more conventional Excellent, and the Beachy range, the latter of which is a cross between a caravan and a campervan.
Despite launching a couple of years ago on the Continent, the range initially failed to pass UK fire standards, but the issue has now been resolved following the addition of fire-retardant upholstery. The caravan brand debuted two Beachy caravans at the recent October NEC Show, including the Hobby Beachy 360.
Knaus
Address: Helmut-Knaus-Strasse 1, D-94118, Jandelsbrunn, Geremany 00 49 08583 211 www.knaus.com/en-uk
German brand Knaus has been gaining some publicity with highly innovative caravans like the Sport & Fun and the Travelino. Then there’s the ‘self healing’ Azur 500EU – if it gets scratched by a passing tree, it should repair itself as long as it’s left out in the sun, with grinding and polishing for more serious scratches. As a result, it’s not surprising that Knaus has seen its vans win our best caravan for innovation award for two years in a row now.
The 2024 season has seen the brand launch its Yaseo caravan, an all-electric space-saving model which can be towed by lighter vehicles thanks to its reduced size. This has seen the incorporation of the FoldXpand seen in the maker’s motorhomes to give the Yaseo 500 DK a larger front without increasing its length.
Knaus had a very successful display at the Owner Satisfaction Awards 2023 too – at last year’s event, the brand took the top spot in the best new caravan manufacturer category, thanks to a score of 89.6%.
La Mancelle
Address: La Mancelle Caravans, 45 Boulevard Pierre Lefaucheux, 72025 Le Mans, Marquis Leisure
La Mancelle was launched in 1960 in the city of Le Mans by André Devaux and was bought out by Trigano Group in 2000. Now, with 63 years behind it, the manufacturer prides itself on solid, refined and beautifully built tourers, all fitted with quality materials.
The brand only arrived in the UK this year, at Trigano-owned Marquis Leisure, with the dealer initially importing four single-axles – two from the Liberty range and two from the mid-level Fantaisy range.
The make proved popular with our expert judging panel, winning a category in its debut appearance at the Practical Caravan Awards, taking home the title of best small caravan for the 2024 season thanks to the La Mancelle Fantaisy 360 CL, as well as having two other models shortlisted.
Lunar
Address: N/A
This caravan manufacturer ceased to operate in 2019, but following 50 years of trading, it has built up a loyal fanbase. It produced around 3,000 tourers a year, and its popularity continues nowadays on the pre-owned tourer scene, as seen by the Gold Award it won for the Best Manufacturer: Pre-owned Caravans category at last year’s Owner Satisfaction Awards with a score of 80.2% achieved.
The feat was repeated this year too, where another Gold Award was achieved in the same category, following a score of 80.4%.
Mink
Address: www.minkcampers.co.uk
The brand that originates in Iceland and makes its vans in Latvia specialises in teardrops that are certain to turn heads on the road.
There are currently three ranges – the Mink S, the brand’s first tourer, the Mink X (the new name for the Mink Highlander), and at the recent NEC Show, it launched the all-electric Mink-E, an innovative van with an MTPLM of 550kg that has been designed specifically for electric vehicles.
Swift
Address: Dunswell Road, Cottingham, East Yorkshire HU16 4JX 01482 875740 www.swiftgroup.co.uk
Over the years, the mighty Swift Group has acquired a range of other brands, including Eccles and Sprite which remains a highly popular budget make within the extensive Swift stable. The brand makes caravans, motorhomes, campervans and holiday homes and has founder Ken Smith’s son, Peter, as chairman.
The manufacturer ran a TV ad campaign in 2023, the first time since the early 1970s that someone in the sector has invested in one.
Swift produces eight ranges in total, including the Sprite, Sprite Compact, Sprite Grande, Challenger Grande SE and Elegance Grande.
Another range is the Swift Challenger Exclusive 580, which won the title of best four-berth caravan at the Practical Caravan Awards 2024, in the process breaking Adria’s two year winning streak in the category. The brand won another category and also had tourers shortlisted in a further four categories.
Look out too for the Basecamp. This is aimed at active outdoor types and includes the Swift Basecamp 3 and, briefly, the Basecamp 6.
The caravan manufacturer also launched the prototype Basecamp Evo at the recent October NEC Show – the prototype concept model is based on the Basecamp 2 and includes a rain-to-flush toilet, 920W of solar panel and uses 1,750 recycled plastic bottles to insulate it.
Another range is the Challenger SE, with the Swift Challenger 480 SE winning a category at the Practical Caravan Awards 2023 – in fact, Swift won three categories last year, as well as being shortlisted eight times. There were three wins at the Practical Caravan Awards 2022 too, as well as a further seven shortlisted appearances.
After such impressive performances at the Practical Caravan Awards, it’s unsurprising that Swift had a strong display at last year’s Owner Satisfaction Awards 2023. This included a silver award in the best new caravan manufacturer category, with a score of 75.7%, and a gold award in the best pre-owned caravan manufacturer category, achieved thanks to its score of 80.9%.
At this year’s Owner Satisfaction Awards 2024, a gold award was again won in the Best Manufacturer: Pre-owned Caravans category with a total of 80.3%, with a silver also awarded thanks to its score of 76.6% in the Best New Caravan Manufacturer category.
Vagabond
Address: www.vagabondcaravans.co.uk
A South African make that was founded in 2009 in Durban, the caravan brand exported vans to countries such as Australia before the Vagabond Rogue arrived in the UK at the start of year, where it featured at the Caravan, Motorhome and Holiday Show in Manchester. It impressed us enough to make the shortlist three times at the Practical Caravan Awards 2024.
Xplore
Address: Delves Lane, Consett, County Durham 0371 964 2113 xplore-rv.co.uk
The last of Erwin Hymer UK’s three brands, Xplore is a budget-friendly make of caravan that offers great value for money. This is seen by its achievements at the Practical Caravan Awards in recent years, where it has won two of our budget categories since 2022.
One model which particularly impressed us was the Xplore 304, the winner of the best caravan under £20,000 category at the Practical Caravan Awards 2024.
For the new season, Xplore’s tourers have refreshed exterior graphics and interior upholstery.
Weinsberg
Address: Helmut-Knaus-Strasse 1, D-94118, Jandelsbrunn, Geremany 00 49 08583 211 www.weinsberg.com
Weinsberg is Knaus’s budget brand, providing a stronger focus on family layouts and family-friendly interiors. It’s proved a successful combination, with Weinsberg winning two categories since the Practical Caravan Awards 2022, including through the Weinsberg CaraOne 400 LK last year. For the 2024 season, Weinsberg has remained unchanged.
Where can I see the best caravan manufacturers?
There are UK shows you can visit where you can see a wide variety of caravans from many of the manufacturers covered here, and all in one place. The two biggest happen at Birmingham’s NEC, with the larger show in October when the season’s new models are launched, and a smaller one earlier in the year, which will be taking place between 13th-18th February in 2024.
A show is also held at Glasgow’s SECC at around the same time for those north of the border – in 2024, it will be held between 1st-4th February. There is also a smaller show at EventCity in Manchester in January, which will be running from 11th-14th.
- Looking for a new towing vehicle too? Take a look at our best tow car guide, where we share our top picks on the market
Read more about the best caravan manufacturers in our caravan reviews section, where we provide impartial reviews of the latest releases.
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Whether you’re looking for a classic Swift caravan, an American Airstream or a smart Bailey caravan we’ve got you covered
