Full review

One of the smallest four-berths on the market, the Xplore 304 has an ingeniously-designed layout that packs in two dining areas and a shower room that’s more spacious than you might imagine in a caravan that’s only 3.8m in body length.

This amazing little caravan has an MTPLM figure of only 1,043kg.

The lounge seating is L-shaped; the base of a double bed draws out from under the settee that runs across the front of the caravan.

Top lockers run all of the way around the caravan; that factor, added to the under-seat storage, makes the stow-away capacity of this compact caravan impressive.

The two-person dining area in the offside rear corner transforms into bunks; the base of the top bunk folds down from the wall. Two wooden barriers hinge up from the base of the bunk to prevent the occupant from falling out.

The wardrobe is forward of the dining area, above the fridge, which is an ingenious space-saving arrangement.

The shower shares the compartment with the toilet and the washbasin. A rail runs across the ceiling for towel-drying; that’s in addition to two hooks.

Xplore models have the Whale blown air heating system and Whale’s eight-litre water heater. Cooking equipment is a combined oven-grill and a three-burner hob.

Since the launch of the Xplore range in 2008 these caravans have been identified by turquoise graphics. That tradition continues for 2020, with a bright combination of eye-catching graphics colours including yellows for hexagonal shapes, plus flashes of green and turquoise.

The same colour scheme appears inside, on the cushions and curtains, which are teamed with light fawn upholstery (with turquoise piping on the edges of the armrests) and pale woodwork. The whole look creates a bright, summer holiday image.

Xplores, like all of the caravans made by the Erwin Hymer Group in County Durham, are made using a fully bonded technique called SoLiD, which stands for Strong, Light and Dry. They also have a GRP underskin to provide a water resistant barrier.

Verdict

The Xplore 304 is an amazing caravan; diminutive and extremely light in weight, yet accommodating four people in an ingeniously designed layout. It’s ideal for a young family. Bright colours inside and out create the image of a sunny holiday; this impressive caravan surely embodies the essence of get-up-and-tow touring caravan appeal.