Full review

Weinsberg is a brand that sounds so German that it could come from nowhere else. And its latest model, this CaraCompact, is a typically Teutonic breed – slimmer-than-the-norm low-profile bodywork (2.20m instead of 2.30m for the rest of the range) encloses a layout (just the one choice) with high-set single beds over a generous garage.

It’s a design that works well for couples who want to carry a lot of gear and get off the beaten track, but it’s just one of eight low-profiles (plus two overcab coachbuilts and five high-top van conversions) in the Weinsberg range. (For another view of Weinsberg see the French bed CaraLoft 650 MFH tested in January’s MMM).

The new Fiat captain’s chairs (very comfy) are fitted, and they swivel to face a half-dinette with firm seating, automotive-style head restraints and a wall-mounted table with extension leaf. The boiler resides under the seat, so it is not stealing more useful stowage space elsewhere.

Adjacent to the small but practical lounge is a galley that impresses with its storage (including a truly massive soft-close drawer for cutlery and crockery), but does without any form of oven or grill. Cooking is restricted to just a three-burner hob, but there’s a worktop flap to give the chef more room to prepare. At the other end of the unit you’ll find the latest in fridge fashions – a tall, slim unit with 148-litre capacity. But what’s this, a button to press to light the gas? As in a Bailey that’s an economy fitting we’d rather not see.

Opposite, the washroom is anything but downmarket, with its Dometic ceramic loo, separate shower and neat sliding washbasin. The latter makes good use of space by shifting into the shower area when you need to sit on the throne and it moves with that hewn-from-solid feel that’s rarely found outside a German ’van. Lipped shelves in the vanity unit and twin, diagonal shower drains are more examples of practicality here.

Take care, too, not to bash your bonce on the cupboards over your pillows, though the storage here and in the stylish open lockers at the sides is welcome. There are reading lights here (missing in the lounge), as well as a backlit headboard, one opening window (on the offside) and a small roof vent.

This is an abridged version of the full review that appeared in the January edition of Which Motorhome.

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