Full review

Sprite Major 6, 2009

Price new: £11,548

This caravan is a: six berth with fixed bunks

With six bodies to fit in, you won’t find a full-width washroom with separate shower in the Sprite. Priorities lie elsewhere. This is also one to choose as a luxurious four-berth, since you won’t have to build bunks twice a day.
The Major 6 gives you the same central(ish) dinette, on the nearside this time, but where Bailey puts its washroom across the rear, the Sprite fixes bunks. The bottom bunk flips up to create a garage area for bikes and the like, accessed by an offside door. The washroom is also on the offside, just forward of the bunks. Although the washroom juts out into the cabin space, it’s far back and is opposite the dinette and so feels as spacious as the Bailey set-up.
It’s also the widest here and, coupled with the panoramic front window sucking in light, it achieves a more airy feel to the lounge than the triple-paned Bailey.
Know your caravans? Then the interior can be described as typically Swift. If you don’t, that means contemporary and lots of chrome (well, the pretend stuff anyway): handles, valances, fridge surrounds and bed ladders. Mock slate worktops continue the modern slant and hit the spot.
The lounge has more floor space and light than the other caravans tested here. At the other end, the lack of windows for the bunks and in the door make for a dim area.
The Sprite is the heaviest here, but excuses itself by being the widest and longest. The Bailey isn’t much smaller, houses more kit and yet remains significantly lighter with a MRO of 1079kg (Sprite’s MRO is 1176kg). Of course the Sprite is by no means heavy and isn’t a challenge to tow.
Unless you opt for the £299 Diamond Pack you’ll not get a stabiliser on your hitch head. What’s more, the spare wheel/carrier and radio/CD are a part of this package too, taking the total price a little closer to £12,000.

Caravan layout

Click here to download test: Which Caravan May 2009

Our verdict

It’s clear that to get the best value you have to break our £12k ceiling and buy that Diamond pack. Like the Bailey, the Sprite is attractive inside but not as appealing out. Price differential is minimal but kit level is quite different. Both hold their value when it comes to sale or trade-in time.

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