Knaus Yaseo 340 PX Caravan Review

An all-electric caravan with a drop-down bed, an induction hotplate, a light weight and a surprising amount of storage capacity.

This is a caravan like no other, with an angular boxy shape and many surprises inside. It has a kitchen at the front but that's far from the only surprise. Taking full advantage of the boxy shape, this is the only caravan on the British market to have a drop-down bed. And it's all-electric.

Electric heating systems

The heating system is the Dometic FreshWell 3000 heating and air-conditioning unit. Hot water comes from the Truma Therme unit.

Innovative drop-down bed

With the bed in its upright daytime position, this area is a dining lounge. The table secures to the bed base. It has a single hinged leg. When you release the strap that holds it to the bed base, it hinges down to sit between the two sofas.

The mattress is luxuriously deep and feels as if it will be comfortable. The bed size is a generous 2m by 1.56m.

And the bed can be raised to its daytime position complete with duvets and pillows.

The underside of the bed is attractively clad in strips of natural wood on a black background. It looks rather like acoustic wall boarding in style.

Storage and lighting

A mini wardrobe is disguised on one side of the bed; only the neatest of catches give you a clue to its presence. Two large top lockers are on one side of the lounge/dining zone and on the other are two recessed shelves with stylish slanted apertures bordered by black frames. Fine quality voiles and panels, that's two voiles and two panels in a more obscure fabric, all have a geometric pattern. Their stiffened fabric, plus weights in the hems, ensure that they hang perfectly straight.

Sofas are very domestic in design, simply four base cushions and four bolster-style backrests upholstered in a cream weave fabric. Two exceptionally bright spotlights are on flexible stalks, one on each side of the caravan. Strip lights are set under the lockers and, on the side where there are shelves, a strip of light runs under the edge of the shelf unit. There's also a strip of light running across the lounge area. In the kitchen, task lighting arrives in the form of a bright rectangular light set into the base of the top locker and there's a row of individual lights running under the edge of the kitchen surface.

Modern induction kitchen

Because this is an all-electric caravan, it has a two-zone induction hotplate. There's surface space between it and the deep rectangular sink and more surface behind and to the front of both. The fridge is a Dometic 92-litre model, alongside which are two drawers and a drop-down-front cabinet. The top cabinet is divided into three areas and is surprisingly capacious.

Spacious washroom design

Capacious is also the word for the shower/toilet room. There's much more space in here than you'd imagine, given the compact dimensions of the Yaseo. There's a Dometic toilet with a ceramic bowl lining and a shallow but long rectangular basin. The tap doubles as the shower rose; the faucet extends to fit into a clip in the ceiling. There are two mirrors (one fronting a cabinet), two upper shelves and an ingenious but super-simple arrangement of eight recesses alongside the washbasin, clearly designed for shampoo-type paraphernalia. Lighting is concealed above and beneath the mirrors and upper cabinet. There's a double-doored lower cabinet, too, and a door cabinet is above the drop-down toilet. The more we examined the washroom the more we were amazed at its storage capacity. 

Two bright spotlights are set into the ceiling here and the more time we spent in the Yaseo the more lighting we noticed and also the more storage space we discovered. We'd almost missed a strip of lighting that runs all of the way around the edge of the ceiling (except the areas occupied by the toilet/shower room and the surprisingly large wardrobe alongside it). Under the wardrobe is a drawer and a drop-down-doored cabinet that houses the Truma Therme water heater and there is usable space around the water heater.

So, first rate in terms of the washroom, awesome drop-down bed, lots of lighting and a general feel and look of both style and quality.

Optional equipment extras

Our review Yaseo was equipped with extras that add £1,155 to the price. These include the shower, extra lighting, a television bracket and a rooflight with an insect screen.

The Knaus Yaseo is an all-electric, boxy caravan featuring a unique drop-down bed, a spacious washroom, and high-quality, modern finishes, including an induction hob and comprehensive lighting. It offers significant, hidden storage solutions throughout the living area, kitchen and washroom.