Full review

The Sprite Super Quattro DB is the lightest, lowest-priced touring caravan in the new wave of eight-feet-wide, twin-axle options

Once the preserve of super-spec tourers, the concept of twin-axle, eight-feet-wide caravans has now filtered down to what might traditionally be termed 'budget' territory.

Buccaneer set the trend some years ago.

Then last year the same manufacturer brought the eight-feet-wide tourer into its Elddis Avanté and Compass Casita range, for £10,000 less than the £32,699 (plus delivery £495) list price of a luxury Buccaneer Galera.

The Avanté 866 and Casita 866 cost £22,559 (plus £495 delivery). Then, of course, Lunar introduced super-sized caravans in the form of the 2018 Alaria, but in the same price bracket as Buccaneer.

Now, however, Swift has brought eight-feet-wide caravans to market for less than £20,000, in a move that confirms maximum-width caravans are not just here to stay, but here to stay in all levels of specification and price.

The two Sprite Super models are the FB, with a double bed, and this one, the DB with bunks. Both are six-berths. And both, it's fair to say, are copies of the layout that is such a success in Buccaneer, Avanté and Casita. Layouts do have fashions, and this one is definitely de rigeur right now.

This design's key component is its wide, sweeping dining area in the centre of the caravan.

For the two Sprite models, the optional Diamond Pack adds two AL-KO Secure wheel locks, a door flyscreen, a microwave, a radio, four scatter cushions, a hitch-head stabiliser and alloy wheels, all for an extra £595.

All Sprites also come with the option of a sunroof, which adds £365 to the price. Together these add £960 to the price of the Sprite Super models. Even when you factor in these additional costs, at £21,995 (plus the £545 delivery charge) the Sprite Super is the cheapest of the eight-feet-wide models on the market. It's also the lightest; the Avanté and Casita 866 models are almost 30kg heavier.

The Sprite's configuration creates six-berth capability in the form of two bunks, a double bed to make up in the dining area, and two singles or a double to build in the lounge. The shower room is on the offside, longitudinally aligned, with the shower at the rear.

Showering

At two metres long, the shower room is almost the same length as a shower room spanning the width of a standard-width caravan. It's a workable 85cm wide, tapering to 63cm in the area of the washbasin at the fore end of the little room.

The shower measures a respectable 61cm x 84cm. Towel hanging provision is limited to a double hook plus a loop; six occupants would need more hooks, but they're very easy to add.

A single two-shelf cabinet under the washbasin and a two-shelf wall unit isn't a lot of space for wash stuff for six people, though. And there's no carpet in the washroom. If we bought this model we'd buy a bath mat; simple!

Sleeping

The bunks are secluded by a part-wall to the rear of one of the two wardrobes. Each has a curtain, made from a heavy fabric, that matches the window curtains and cuts out a lot of light.

Transforming the dining area into a double bed is easy as base extensions draw out on each side. The central area is formed by lowering the table on its chunky monopod base. The remainder of the central section is hinged, under the seating area that runs under the window, though to hinge it into its bed mode you have to remove all of the upholstery sections.

When the 1.9m x 1.34m double bed is made there is a corridor of only 26cm along the caravan in front of the kitchen; it's OK, but you have to walk along here slowly!

A curtain tracks around this area and can be drawn to either end of the dining area during the day.

At the front, you have the option to make single beds that are 1.8m long, or a massive double bed extending to 2.25m x 1.8m.

Storage

This is where the Sprite Super DB scores over its similar-layout cousins; this model has two wardrobes. The rails are 50cm and 53cm long. Both wardrobes have gigantic shelf spaces beneath – everyone's shoes can disappear easily into these areas.

The storage area under the base bunk can be accessed from the outside, from a hinge-down interior locker or through the top. Even though the spare wheel lives in this locker, there's a lot of usable space.

Three top cabinets over the dining area and three more over the lounge, plus space under both the lounge and dining area, amount to a good volume of storage opportunity. The base lockers under the lounge have full-length hinge-down doors. To use the space under the dining area you need to remove the upholstery.

Dining

A caravan with three dining areas? Yes, really!

Even though the little 'dining room' alongside the bunks at the rear is only for tinies, two little caravanners get their own table area, complete with mains socket for recharging media stuff.

The central dining table measures 62cm x 72cm; four can sit around it. And four more can dine at the table in the lounge (it's conveniently stored in one of the wardrobes). So, dining capability for 10!

Lounging

With settees 1.8m long, and squashy bolster-style armrests to nestle into, comfort is a given.

We love lounges in max-width caravans. It's obvious that the large central dining area and the bunk-table-washroom layout at the back would not be possible in a standard-width caravan.

But in the lounge you also feel the benefit of space – and you get a wider chest of drawers at the front. When you extend the top to create a table, you have a surface 79cm wide and 72cm deep.

This boosts the dining options we outlined in the 'Dining' section. The lounge easily merits an A rating for its sheer size.

Kitchen

The kitchen, though, doesn't match the rest of the DB's enormity. The surface is only 95cm long, although this extends to a better 1.43m long with the hob top down. A hinged extension would have been useful, but this would restrict door area space. To get the best out of this kitchen use the table as well as the kitchen surface!

Lower kitchen storage is limited to a 38cm-wide cupboard with a 14cm-wide shelf along one side. The drainer hides away in its own slot inside the cupboard, which is ideal. Two top cabinets will swallow tableware, and the cutlery drawer above the cupboard has four good-sized compartments. But the restricted amount of lower storage leads us to award the DB's kitchen a mere C rating.

Cooking kit is a microwave, grill, oven and a three-burner hob.

Towing

Swift had arranged for us to borrow the DB from Preston Caravan Centre. The tow to Little Orchard Caravan Park gave us a 50mph stretch to play with, plus winding lanes to test nimbleness.

Even though the Sprite Super is almost eight metres long it handled well on the narrow, tight corners and we didn't notice the extra width at any point.

It's nice to know that ATC is an option (£349); even though twin-axle geometry creates reassuring stability, the belt-and-braces extra security of something electronic to correct the first signs of snaking has, in our view, got to be on the order form when you buy your Sprite Super.

Verdict

We love the max-width concept on the simply because it opens up new layout possibilities. And this layout is surely one of the best ways to accommodate six campers. We love the comparatively light weight of the DB, at 1711 kg, meaning you don't have to drive a beefy 4x4 to tow it.

We love the twin wardrobes. We think the showering arrangements are quite adequate. And when you factor in the central table, there's enough surface for easy meal preparation. Only the restricted amount of lower kitchen cabinet space is an issue.