Full review

Words: Val Chapman  Photography: Richard Chapman

The Bailey Discovery D4-4L

Sitting firmly in the adventure caravanning market, Bailey’s trio of compact tourers are all comfortably under 1,300kg MTPLM – and also under £22,000.

There’s a little two-berth, plus two four-berths, of which the D4-4L is the newest in the range. And, while the D4-2 is most definitely a couples’ caravan, and the fixed bed D4-4, although a four-berth, also chiefly appeals to couples, the D4-4L is a caravan designed for a young family. 

That’s because it has bunk beds that convert from a dining area.

Its MPTLM is just 1,083kg. And, along with its siblings, its distinctive looks – with a rounded rear bodyline and deep, single front window – put it in an eye-catching class of its own.

The D4-4L has few competitors in the marketplace. Its nearest rival is the little four-berth Xplore 304, at £19,299 and 1,070kg MTPLM. 

And the Swift Basecamp 4, also with bunk beds to make from a dining area, has an MTPLM of 1,146kg, but costs £4,496 more than the Discovery D4-4L. 

That apart, in weight and price terms, there’s only the Sprite Alpine 4, at £22,995 and 1,284kg MTPLM – but that’s a fixed bed layout, so it finds its fans among couples rather than families.

We came to Leisure Sales, in Cheshire, to spend quality time in the D4-4L. It’s attracting a lot of attention here, having been given pride of place in the showroom. And it didn’t take us long to discover why this latest Discovery has very strong appeal.

The interior

The D4-4L’s modern styling is as chic on the inside, as it is cool on the outside, with a combination of grey, white and pale fawn hues creating a truly stunning environment that belies its modest price tag. 

Lighting style is a feature of the D4-4L. Illumination runs not only above the lockers but within the curved shelves on each side of the huge arch window.

Two shelves sit to the left of the kitchen, in the ideal position; for keys and phones as you step inside. And coat hooks, one on the door and two more on the outside of the wardrobe, adjacent to the door, are sensibly positioned.

More neat styling comes in the shape of all of the top lockers. The central portion of the doors extends to form the handles. Like everything about the Discovery’s interior design, it’s simple, stylish and modern.

The free-standing table for use in the lounge is cleverly accommodated at the aft end of the kitchen, in a cabinet that is integrated into the kitchen, yet will surprise you with its ingenuity; the table actually forms the end of the kitchen cabinetry.

The kitchen

There’s a surprising amount of kitchen workspace, given the compact dimensions of the caravan. The surface stretches 98cm to the right of the three-burner hob, and there is a 15cm by 47cm surface to the left of the hob; perfect for spoon rests for cooking utensils. 

The generously sized (36cm diameter) kitchen sink would make washing up easy. Kitchen storage is impressive, too. Beneath the combined oven/grill is a cabinet that is 46cm high and 46cm deep. 

Alongside the fridge is a cutlery drawer, 36cm wide. At first glance, though, you’d think the grey section of furniture below this drawer is a cabinet door. It is, in fact, the interior wall of the gas bottle locker which is placed amidships over the axle, in the interest of balance. 

The drawer, under-oven cabinet, and also the large upper kitchen cabinet, have concealed roll-top catches; very neat.

The storage

Storage is impressive for a caravan with a body length of little over 4m and a width of 2.2m. Two 84cm-wide lockers are above the offside dining area. Above the  lounge, there is an 89cm-wide locker on the nearside and a 49cm-wide locker on the offside. 

There is, of course, plenty of storage space under all four seating sections, all easily accessible from the tops. 

Perhaps the most impressive element of this tourer’s storage capability is the wardrobe, alongside the door. It’s 80cm wide and contains, alongside the rail, four large shelves. 

All of these are curved in line with the rear body shape. And there’s more. Beneath it is a cabinet, perfectly placed to put footwear in as you step inside; it’s more spacious than the size of its door would indicate.

The washroom

The combined toilet/shower room is deceptively large. Like the shoe cabinet, the door gives little clue to the size within; the compartment is 1.22m long and 91cm wide. A curtain tracks around the toilet area.

The shower tray covers the entire of the rest of the compartment, giving you a good-sized area in which to use the shower.