Knaus Sky TI 700 MX

Knaus Sky TI 700 MX 2012

Knaus motorhomes are back in the UK – and the Sky is their more affordable model range...

Knaus are back in the UK after a rocky ride financially in their homeland a few years ago. And sitting on Lowdhams’ forecourt is the proof that they are back to form and ready to take on the competition.

Two ranges of low-profile motorhomes are on offer as part of the marque’s relaunch – the Sky TI and Sun TI (a familiar name with more than a few welcome extras). But despite the Sky TI being the more affordable, it’s far from ‘budget’ in looks, equipment level, or price.

The Sky TI 700 MX tested here, complete with island bed, large front lounge and well-equipped kitchen, is on loan from the German factory and is consequently lefthand- drive – although right-hand-drive is obviously a given for UK-bound models. Other anomalies, for the same reason, include the external colour scheme – all British-market Sky TIs will have a slate coloured cab, which will lift the appearance of the white coachbuilt body no end – although the blue and grey stripes and the traditional Knaus bird-shaped logo already look good.

Click to view the full Knaus Sky Ti Motorhome range available from Lowdhams.

Contrary to the brochure stating that the Fiat Chassis Pack, Sky TI pack and Styling Packs will all be optional extras, all UK Skys will include these as standard. This means you won’t have to pay extra for a myriad of items such as cab airconditioning, cruise control, flyscreen on the habitation door, and heated waste water tanks. Lastly, the fridge in this model is the optional 190-litre model (which features a separate freezer compartment). Unless you tick the option box for this larger fridge you’ll get a 100-litre model with an oven above – something that many of us will prefer in any case.

Knaus ’vans have always been superb in their interior design schemes, and this Sky TI is no exception. Knaus have also managed a completely up-to-date look but in a totally different way. The colour scheme is very brown and cream – as is the current vogue throughout Europe – but the grained furniture is curvy, the parquetstyle flooring bold, and the glossy worktops are striking. This is a motorhome that won’t age quickly, yet it looks stunning.

All this is helped by the amount of natural light that infiltrates. Not only is there a huge skylight (an opening one with a large flyscreen and blind) over the cab, but there’s a large Dometic rooflight behind and a third smaller rooflight over the lounge. Unlike the posher Sun TI, there’s no window behind the pop-up flatscreen TV cupboard (on the offside), and you don’t get a window in the door – although there’s no real need for either here.

The lounge’s permanent table moves in all directions to aid access to the seating – consisting of the swivelled cab seats, a half-dinette (that offers two three-point seatbelts) and a single inward-facing seat on the offside. The table extends too, so that you can comfortably seat five for dinner. And there’s lots of room to cater for all as well, because – unlike many of the Sky TI’s competitor’s – there’s plenty of worktop space (thanks to a new design of gas hob with triple burners in a line). This leaves room in front of the stove to chop and prepare. To your right is a very deep chromed sink (but no drainer) and there’s acres of storage space – particularly within the pull-out wire shelves in the rounded cupboard below the sink.

But this layout is all about the bedroom. Often there’s little room to move around the mattress, but here the head-end tilts during the day – firstly to be ultra-comfortable if reading here, but also to create extra space around the foot end to manoeuvre. It also aids access to the divided tambour door cupboard below the mattress which, together with a large vehicle-wide semigarage area behind, provides enough space for all your equipment. The single external hatch leading to this compartment isn’t tall enough for bicycles, but it does have restraining points and is tall enough for folding bikes and other sports equipment.

Back inside and another innovative aspect is the separate toilet and shower compartments, with the former having an extending wall that provides extra kneeroom when sitting on the throne. The washroom door on the UK offside opens to attach to the edge of the (nearside) shower compartment to completely cut off the rear of the vehicle, making the bedroom into a giant changing room.

Knaus have built some slightly too controversial designs in the past, but the new Sky TI will appeal to a wider motorhoming audience – and not only for its looks. It is a class leader at every level, from its comfortable lounge to its well-equipped kitchen and superb washroom and bedroom.

Click to view the full Knaus Sky Ti Motorhome range available from Lowdhams.

To read the full motorhome review in PDF format exactly as it appeared in the December 2011 issue of Which Motorhome, click here.


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It’s a welcome return to the UK for Knaus and their Sky Ti 700MX, which features an island bed and an impressive lounge, is a real class-leader.