The end-washroom 520 has been a feature of Elddis’s middle-ranking Affinity range for some time. But for this season, Erwin Hymer UK has taken advantage of a complete refresh of the Avanté range to introduce the layout here as well – the only new model in this year’s line-up EHG UK, a brand which is among the best makes of caravan. I stepped inside the new-look Elddis Avanté 520 at the brand’s season launch event.

Pitch and set-up

The biggest changes in the Avanté are on the outside, with a new profile that’s reminiscent of the Buccaneer redesign.

The front is curvier, while the smoother back panel has lower light clusters spread across the van. On closer inspection, I noticed more subtle changes, too.

The gas locker door is once again the same colour as its surround. It rises on gas struts and has a more sophisticated hinge. The front windows are flush fitted, and you get chrome grab handles and features on the rear light clusters. There are black alloy wheels under newly designed skirts, and the back panel is ready for an ebike rack.

Lounge in the Elddis Avanté 520

A comfortable lounge is always likely to be a consideration for buyers, regardless of the type of caravan. The door now has a window, but keeps the grey plastic latch that makes it harder to pull in from the outside in a wind.

Avantés have often had a pale interior, and this continues with the new look. Erwin Hymer says this is to give customers more opportunity to dress the interior as they wish. That seems entirely sensible, although I like the ‘patchwork’ scatter cushions it has chosen for this season.

The nearside settee is marginally longer than the other. A spacious lounge can be an important factor when choosing the best caravans, and in the case of the Avanté 520, you could easily seat four, possibly five, people in the lounge, even with the kitchen extension in operation.

The parallel lounges
Seating makes up two single beds or a generous double

Daylight floods in through the windows, the sunroof and a Heki. At night, you get four individually switched spotlights and plenty of ambient light.

A shelf that springs out from the top of the central chest makes an ideal spot for snacks and drinks. For a larger repast, the foldaway table, easily big enough for four, can be fished out from its resting place in the wardrobe in the end washroom.

The only mains sockets in the living area are above the long sideboard opposite the kitchen. This has plenty of room and the right sockets for enjoying watching the best TV for a caravan too. There are USBs by the radio in the overhead locker.

Kitchen in the Elddis Avanté 520

The large black sink is perhaps the only dark feature in the interior – along with the dual-fuel four-burner hob and separate oven and grill that stands to the right.

To the left of the sink is plenty of work surface, even without the extension flap, ideal for keen chefs who are thinking of buying a caravan with plenty of space for cooking. Two sockets are usefully placed under the light switch, for a kettle and a toaster. The whole area is lit by a large window, a striplight under the overhead lockers and two LEDs in front of them.

The kitchen with the worktop extended
Well-planned kitchen provides plenty of worktop, as well as an extension flap

The 98-litre fridge just to the right is two-way opening. For extra workspace, you can make use of the sideboard behind you. The microwave is next to the locker above it, but I was surprised to find it was not a flatbed.

Washroom in the Elddis Avanté 520

The washroom is the largest Elddis has ever designed. It looks big, offering plenty of dressing space and lit by a large rooflight with a clothes rail.

The end washroom
Superb end washroom provides excellent floor space and cupboard storage

The deep salad-bowl-style basin is in front of a well-lit mirror, and by the circular toilet is a long towel rail. The shower cubicle is large and well lit, but it only has one drain hole and there is no vent in the shower itself.

Sleeping in the Elddis Avanté 520

An important trait when choosing the best 2 berth caravan will be the ease and convenience provided by the sleeping setup. If you are both under six feet tall, the two settees make perfectly good singles on their own. But if you are taller, it’s easy to make up a huge double bed with slats that you pull out from the chest. You might need to turn over the cushions to reduce the impact of the large kneeroll, however.

Storage in the Elddis Avanté 520

There’s no external access to the nearside underseat area, but there are large internal flaps to both underseat areas. The nearside area is clear, and although the offside holds a lot of ducting, it still has some room. There are three overhead lockers on the nearside in the lounge, and two on the offside, with lots of shelving up front.

The sideboard has a double cupboard, but the lower half is largely taken up with the wheel arch. There is one locker next to the microwave. The kitchen has a column of three large drawers, by a cupboard with a shelf, and a pan locker under the oven. There is a small locker above the fridge.

The washroom impresses for storage as much as it does for space. The wardrobe is spacious, even with the table stored there, and has two large drawers at the bottom. There are shelved cupboards under the handbasin and above the toilet.

Just make sure you’re aware of the relevant caravan weights to ensure you have a safe and legal experience when towing.

Alternatives to consider

The Coachman Acadia 460 is a comfortable and well-appointed two-berth tourer, providing caravanners with a spacious lounge and a wide dressing room at the rear. Alternatively, for those with deeper pockets, there’s the eye-catching Eriba Touring 530 – it provides an excellent payload of 223kg and has lots of storage.

Technical spec of the Elddis Avanté 520

  • Price: £26,299
  • Berths: 2
  • MiRO: 1214kg
  • Payload: 126kg
  • MTPLM: 1340kg
  •  Interior length: 5.00m
  • Shipping length: 6.70m
  • Overall width: 2.23m
  • Website: elddis.co.uk

Spec list includes

  • Al-Ko galvanised chassis
  • AKS 3004 stabiliser
  • ATC
  • Underslung spare wheel
  • Black alloys
  • CompleteHeat Whale heating
  • Thetford dual-fuel four-burner hob with separate oven and grill
  • 98-litre Dometic Series 10 two-way opening fridge
  • 800W microwave
  • Eco Camel Orbit shower head
  • Teleco Teleplus aerial
  • CO and smoke alarm

Are you also after a towing vehicle to pull your tourer? Then take a look at our guide to buying a new or user car to help you decide whether pre-owned will be the way to go.

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