Elddis Xplore 495
Key Features
Full Review
Elddis Xplore 495, 2009
Price new: £11,295
This caravan is a: five berth with twin lounge
Main copy hereThe Xplore splits the four-berth Bailey and six-berth Sprite by offering five berths. It’s shorter than the other two so offers neither fixed bunks nor the separate shower advantages of the others.
But if you intend to spend significant time aboard and with a full quota of five this is the layout to go for. That’s because the 495 offers twin lounges. Measuring the bit you can actually sit on in the front lounge reveals the rear lounge is only marginally shorter. Central washroom and wardrobe loom out from the offside whilst the kitchen does the same from the other, creating a central thoroughfare amplifying the feeling of two separate lounges.
Twin lounges can often make the caravan feel partitioned and smaller than it actually is. So comfort-wise, the Xplore’s a loser? No. Whilst the 495 can’t shake a stick at the central space and open feel of the others, it has somehow made the most of this central area. Are the wardrobe and washroom thinner? The tape measure says not.
Like the others styling is restrained and instantly forgettable on its own. That’s not a dig, as at this money it too remains a perfect base for personal makeovers. Scatter cushions, anyone?
Like the Sprite, for added safety you’ll want to add a stabiliser to the total cost of this Xplore. That aside a good tow appears assured with sensible weighting starting at 1088kg MRO and 1300kg MPTLM. And remember you don’t have to use all that payload and, if you have the means to pull it, you can ask for it to be plated even higher. At 2.20m wide you’ll see more clear air in your mirrors than the other two, and the easy-on handbrake on the BPW A-frame makes the others’ ratchets feel like old farm trailers.
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| At £11,295 the Xplore is cheaper than the Bailey and the Sprite. That’s why it’s as basic as it is. The Xplore could easily match the others toy for toy, but what’s the point? You buy the Xplore knowing that the low list price reflects spec, and that’s just fine. Whether the layout wins out over more practical designs depends on your demands. |
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