Full review

I TOOK the chance to check out the Compass Corona Club caravan as it’s now named and picked the 474/4 a fixed bed layout for examination.

So what has Explorer done? Well it has given the Corona a real touch of class; the exterior is somewhat smarter than before with new face-lifted GRP front and rear panels.

White side panels with trendy graphics and some rather smart aluminium lower side skirts complete the picture.

Still based on the BPW chassis the Corona now comes with hitch stabiliser and cool-looking alloy wheels. The Corona also has an in-built nose weight detector plus carrier and steel spare wheel. Compass has taken a couple of inches off the width (a wise move) to make storage and handling easier.

The Compass comes with a new awning light, a tad oddly positioned over the window (great believer of having it over the entrance door), though close enough to the door that it should be able to light the inside of a porch awning.

Step inside the Corona and it’s all change. The first thing you notice is the quality of the furniture finish - sure it’s traditional but it feels as though it has been built by a small team of craftsman.

The corner angled front roof lockers add dimension to the design by placing the mains lights at an angle over the dinette. They come complete with Sony speakers, beneath which of course comes standard CD/MP3/Radio.

The front dinette is comfortable and feels spacious. The upholstery is named Krypto and the classic design adds warmth to this area. This is the only option available, but that’s no hardship at all.

The side kitchen now comes with a microwave and a larger 113-litre LCD fridge by Thetford. The full Spinflo oven with separate grill disappointingly only comes with three gas burners. The sink/drainer is the norm at Compass, no plastic clip on drainer board.

The TV stand is situated above the kitchen, opposite the fixed rear bed, and it’s designed to hold a standard – and these days somewhat old-fashioned – television set; with flatscreen TVs becoming standard fare, this is a dated option and could be done away with.

Opposite the kitchen is the wardrobe which should prove useful for four people, while beneath is the Truma gas/electric heater.

The rear side fixed double has the special Explorer comfort mattress, which is a joy to sleep on.

The Corona doesn’t have to share its bedroom space with a washbasin so this allows more floor space plus a nifty laundry basket. The washroom comes with a shower and plastic tip-up washbasin - a bit of a throw back to the early 90s! Having said this you get an electric flush loo and it’s spacious enough for a corner side washroom. Okay the Corona Club 474 has some niggles, such as no clock as standard or exterior mains socket, but it does press all the right buttons.

Our verdict:

The Compass offers some good spec and excellent finish too. Furniture feels so much more up-market and the upholstery adds a feel of warmth and comfort.

Specification:

Price: £12,595
Berths: 4
MRO: 1161kg
Payload: 174kg
MTPLM: 1335kg
Internal length: 4.74m (15ft 7in)
Overall length: 6.48m (21ft 3in)
Overall width: 2.24m (7ft 4in)
Overall height: 2.73m (8ft 11in)
Headroom: 1.91m (6ft 3in)
Bed sizes: Front double 2.07m x 1.40m (6ft 10in x 4ft 7in). Fixed bed 1.83m x 1.37m (6ft 0in x 4ft 6in)

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•    A full version of this review appeared in the December 2007 issue of Which Caravan. To order a road test reprint contact Tina Beaumont on 01778 391187.

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