Full review

A caravan for couples, with a spacious rear bedroom, the eight-feet-wide Compass Casita 860 is also a very capable four-berth, with central washing facilities easily accessed from the front and rear areas of the caravan.

Big bedroom

The keynote of the Casita 860 is its exceptionally spacious rear bedroom, with a corner dressing table, wardrobes flanking the bed and two windows, one on the offside and one at the rear.

In common with almost all island beds, the one in the 860 retracts, to increase floor space by 40cm during the day. But there is so much space in the 860's bedroom it's unlikely buyers will bother to use the mechanism that retracts it.

That's one advantage of the extra 19cm of width compared with standard-width models in the Casita range.

Spacious washroom

It's not just in the bedroom that the luxury of space is very apparent. If you're looking for one of the largest washing-showering 'rooms' in a caravan, you've found it in the Casita 860.

Think of it as an en-suite to the bedroom – or as a family bathroom; people sleeping in the front can get to the 'preening room' without walking through the bedroom. So, the 860 is a caravan which appeals mainly to couples but also has family-capability.

A sliding door separates the washing function from the bedroom and, on the fore end, a hinged door can be used to seal off the toilet-washbasin room or to close across the corridor, creating a caravan of two places.

Kitchen

Forward of this door, the kitchen spans the width of the caravan, with the tower-style fridge-freezer and microwave on the nearside and the main kitchen area opposite. A hinged extension augments kitchen surface space, as does the cover for the large, circular sink, which matches and sits slightly above the kitchen worktop.

A large cabinet and a suite of drawers offer plenty of lower storage space here, and there's a small cabinet opposite, beside the fridge.

Included and options

Casitas have the Whale blown air heating system, plus the Whale Expanse underslung water heater. Standard equipment includes AL-KO's ATC stability control system which detects the first sign of a snaking motion and then corrects it by automatic application of the caravan's brakes. It's so smooth that the driver is rarely aware of when it activates.

Additional equipment available includes a 100w solar panel, at £535. One to go for if you plan to use your Casita off-grid.

You can go for an alarm system with PIFR and corner steady sensor at £310; an Omnivent multispeed extractor fan roof light instead of the mini Heki roof light over the kitchen, for £225, and other upholstery to turn the lounge into U-shaped seating, at £259.

Also on the optional extras list are two AL-KO Secure wheel locks and a jack to enable you to fit the second lock; that package costs £605. Verdict The Compass Casita 860 has a luxurious bedroom which is entirely separate from the rest of the caravan, divided from the day area by the shower room. This is a luxurious layout both for couples and families – and it's a big caravan for a modest price.

Verdict

The Compass Casita 860 has a luxurious bedroom which is entirely separate from the rest of the caravan, divided from the day area by the shower room. This is a luxurious layout both for couples and families – and it's a big caravan for a modest price.