CAPSULE MINI R 4

Eye-catching and lightweight, this smart monocoque should appeal to couples and solo caravanners

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Price £16,995 Berths 2 MTPLM 750kg

WE WERE SO intrigued by the Capsule Mini caravan when we first had a look at it back in issue 480, we felt we really ought to take it out for a more thorough test.

The van, made in Turkey and currently being sold in this country by the Leeds Caravan Centre, certainly makes a pretty captivating prospect.

It's quite a while since you have been able to buy a more or less conventionally sized caravan for less than £17,000 brand-new. This one has the added advantage of being monocoque, too, which usually pushes the price sky-high, but doesn't do so here.

Better still, go for the 'R' spec level - that's 'R' for 'retro' - and you'll end up with a look that is quite a remove from what people might expect when they think about caravans, especially budget vans.

There are jolly colours on the outside, and a stylish interior that wouldn't look out of place in a design magazine.

But how would it fare on the open road? To answer that question, we took the Capsule Mini away to spend a couple of days on the east coast of Yorkshire last autumn. Here's what we discovered.

Design

There's no denying that the Capsule Mini stands out, not just at the caravan park but on the road, too. We really like its retro look, right down to the one-piece wheel hubs with the white lining and the rather basic lettering along the side. The slash of either bright orange or olive green is a refreshing sight in the current caravan market, where rather less exciting greys and browns have become all too common.