Swift Challenger 590

A six-berth tourer at less than £30,000 – and with a heating system that provides continuous showers. Family caravanning perfection? Certainly pretty close to it

Budget. MTPLM. Number of beds. Those being the three principal factors that buyers consider right at the start of their search of the caravan that’s perfect for them, we set ourselves a budget of around £30,000, a maximum MTPLM of 1,800kg – and beds for six. 

Caravans that match all three of those criteria are few. In the Elddis Whirlwind range there’s the 840 at 1,748kg and £30,749 and the 868 at the same price and three kilos lighter. There’s one in Adria’s Altea range, the Avon, at £29,080, with an MTPLM of 1,800kg. And there’s this one, the Swift Challenger 590. It’s £29,995 and weighs in with the lowest MTPLM, at 1,622kg. One to take a close look at, then. We went to the Cheshire retailer, Leisure Sales, to find out more. 

Shower and heating

It’s not just the proven layout, with a true family room at the rear, that makes the 590 an excellent choice for a family. It’s something much newer than that. Challenger is the first British caravan range to get Truma’s new CombiNeo heating system that delivers continuous hot water for shower after shower after shower. No need to allow for warm-up times. You just step in, turn on the water – and enjoy as much shower time as you wish. And that, for a large family, is super-important. So, the 590 is ahead of its competition not only in terms of its MTPLM but in terms of family showering efficiency.

The family room

In layout terms, the 590 is a star performer, with a well-separated rear room that provides two bunks and two more to create from the dining area opposite. That’s night time perfection. 

Its daytime efficiency is just as good. The table is wedge-shaped, meaning that three can sit here easily; perhaps four, depending on age and therefore size. So the kids can dine separately if that’s the family preference. And, more important, the kids have their own play space. There’s television provision here; a cabinet containing power and aerial points (and a hole through which to feed the cables to them) plus enough space and more for iPads, X-Boxes and any other entertainment necessities. Yes, you need two televisions – unless, of course, downloading to tablets is your entertainment route of choice – but buying an extra TV to keep the little caravanners’ never-ending appetite for cartoons satisfied is surely a good investment in the interests of family holiday harmony.

Storage and kitchen

Importantly, storage provision in the family room excels. There are three large overhead lockers. Both seats have good storage space beneath them – and it’s easy to get at. And under the lower bunk is a vast amount of storage space. When toys need to be tidied away, there are plenty of places to stow them – and there’s ample space for the kids’ clothes, too.

The first point to notice about the kitchen, in terms of family efficiency, is the size of the fridge. It’s 142 litres with a 15-litre freezer. That’s larger than that in any comparable caravan. The second point to assess is the amount of work surface. Making meals for six in a caravan is always going to be a challenge. With a work surface length of just 66cm and the generously sized sink (38cm in diameter) taking up much of it, some careful planning and organisation is going to be necessary. There is an extension (34cm by 36cm) and, although it hinges up in the doorway, there is enough space to walk around it easily. Best policy would be to use the freestanding table as the place to put food on plates.

And the third kitchen aspect to consider? That’s the amount of storage space. And here, the 590 is sure to attract praise. The double-doored cabinet is 66cm wide and contains a shelf. The drawer of the same width above it provides a four-recess cutlery tray plus plenty of space alongside it for utensils. There’s the usual locker ideal for pans under the oven. And, alongside the microwave is a cabinet that’s 64cm wide and contains racks for mugs and plates. Plus, below the fridge, is a good-sized locker (41cm wide and 33cm deep). So, overall, this kitchen would be well efficient – except in terms of surface space. Compromise, though, is a keynote of caravan choice – and the Challenger 590 excels in so many ways, so get out the table when meal prep is taking place and the lack of kitchen surface space is cured in an instant. 

Style and comfort

Light grey, dark grey and pale cream are a smart combination of hues that combine to give 2026 Challengers a chic look that is sure to please. Pale grey padded panels with a light-reflecting swirl design alongside the windows side and rear windows, and ultra-pale cream-grey for the upholstery really looks stunning in its simplicity. If we bought a 590, even though, the fabric is Aquaclean, we’d invest in a set of throws to protect the upholstery from the inevitable risk of marks generated by normal family use – no matter how careful you are.

The cushion fabrics play a significant part in creating the superbly simple, almost stark, lounge look. Two are very dark grey, and the fabric has a tactile quality. The other two combine palest fawn with white and grey, in a weave pattern; simple and nice. 

The lounge, of course, transforms into a double bed. In the vast majority of caravans, which have a fixed double bed, the lounge would rarely become a bedroom – but in the 590 it will be used every night. So its ease of make-up is crucial. Slats linked by webbing roll out easily from under the front chest of drawers to form the centre of the bed base. When you turn the seat bases over, so that the knee rolls are on the outside, the mattress becomes flat. The backrests then form the centre of the “mattress”. Simple!

This being a caravan where the lounge has bedroom status, the size of the overhead lockers is important, too, as this is where parents’ fold-up clothes will go. There are four 47cm-wide lockers and two smaller ones. And the wardrobe is close to this “bedroom”; it’s on the forward end of the shower compartment. Its rail gives you 50cm of hanging width and there are two large shelf spaces below, perfect for footwear. The table stows away here in the wardrobe, so is perfectly positioned for the lounge. 

Final equipment specs

Challenger kit includes an alarm system with tilt sensor, a 120W solar panel, a barbecue point, a phone charging pad set into the windowsill, and the ATC stability control system.

Family caravans with rear dining areas were once numerous. This is one of a very few left – and it’s a cracking caravan, with beds for six, a 1,622kg MTPLM – and a price that puts it in the affordability bracket. The new continuous-shower, CombiNeo, system is a great dollop of super-sweet icing on a very tasty cake.