One of a kind

Rob McCabe finds plenty to admire in a four-berth from Weinsberg

It’s perhaps not the first German caravan brand that springs to mind, but Weinsberg is no minnow – it’s simply the entry-level marque of the giant Knaus Tabbert Group. The company takes the UK market seriously enough to produce a pair of models designed to appeal to British buyers, most obviously in how the entrance door is on ‘our’ side. Here, I take an in-depth look at the CaraOne UK 390 QD, a lightweight fixed-bedder that costs a smidge over £20k and will tick a lot of caravanners’ boxes.

Build quality – 95%

German-made products generally have a reputation for high levels of build quality, and this compact offering is no different. 

There are clues to its robustness before you even go inside. Take the corner steadies, for example – they’re of the kind most often seen on two-tonne, twin-axle behemoths, and are the very definition of ‘over-engineered’. Open the huge gas locker door, and you’ll see that its inside is reinforced by a thick plastic moulding that gives it real heft. The standard-equipment spare wheel lives in here – and it’s an expensive alloy fitment, not the usual steel one.

Indoors, all the lockers (and there are a lot of them) feature proper, domestic-style catches that promise longevity, and there’s a pleasing chunkiness to the woodwork. Panel gaps are parade-ground precise, and the carpentry in general is admirable. You get a 10-year water-ingress warranty too.

Towing – 91%

Plenty of bonus points getting picked up here: elongated A-frame for improved stability on the move; heavy kitchen equipment clustered over or around the axle for optimum weight distribution; and a modest maximum weight limit, making it compatible with a wide choice of suitable towcars. The payload is generous, especially if the caravan is being used by two people, as I imagine will overwhelmingly be the case. The chassis is the familiar Al-Ko galvanised frame, equipped with shock absorbers and the same company’s hitch-head stabiliser.

Daytime – 86%

Customised for the UK it may well be, but this isn’t a layout you’ll find in any British-made caravan: the big, luxurious double bed is at the front, where we’d expect the lounge to be. The only seating is in the dinette at the offside rear; this probably isn’t the caravan for you if your usual routine when getting back after a hard day’s holidaying is to change into your fleecy onesie, pour a large glass of red and dive on to the sofa.

Having said that, the seating is actually pretty good. It’s easy to make yourself decently comfy, and a couple of strategically placed scatter cushions would make it feel more home-like still. The wider of the two seats will accommodate two adults if, say, you’re watching TV together. On the subject of telly, you’d need to factor in the cost of having an aerial and the relevant socketry fitted. The kitchen is just about the only place a set could sit – from here, you could swivel it around to watch from bed, too. The wardrobe is massive, so you could stow the TV in there when not in use. 

And on the subject of storage – wow. From the big bed locker (also accessible via an exterior hatch) to the seat lockers and the abundance of overhead lockers and shelving, the Weinsberg punches way above its modest dimensions when it comes to giving you places to put stuff.

The front window is smaller than we’re used to seeing on new tourers these days. Despite that, the QD feels pleasantly light and breezy inside, thanks in part to two sunroofs (one of which is more of a skylight, to be fair). The rear and side windows in the seating area are generously sized too.

The standard equipment roster includes two USB sockets, mains sockets where you need them, blinds and flyscreens on all the windows (including a full-length door flyscreen), loose-fit carpeting and an onboard fresh water tank. Heating is courtesy of a gas-only Truma space heater with blown-air outlets placed strategically – more than enough to make such a small space feel toasty.

Night-time – 93%

The big double bed features two memory foam single mattresses laid snugly side by side, so there’s very little disturbance caused to your bedmate if you move around in the night. It’s a wonderful place to be – supportive and roomy. The occupant nearer the window benefits from the usefully deep shelf on which they can stash overnight paraphernalia; the second occupant can just use the floor, or reach across to the kitchen worktop. Kudos to Weinsberg for including a nicely fitting curtain, weighted at both ends so it hangs properly when pulled across to close off the bed from the rest of the interior.

This curtain provides privacy for everyone if the rear bed is in use. This is easily configured by using the impressively chunky table to complete the base, then slotting in the seats’ cushions plus the supplied fill-in section. It’s billed as a double but, although there’s certainly plenty of shoulder room for two adults, the occupant lying on the left will need to have their legs at an angle because it narrows quite dramatically at the bottom. It makes a fabulously spacious single bed.

Kitchen – 82%

As much as I appreciate having the use of a caravan’s microwave and electric hotplate, such fittings are really not the be all and end all. The Weinsberg’s three gas burners and the UK-market-specific combined oven/grill still give you plenty of culinary options, and you could always keep a toaster squirrelled away to ensure you don’t go hungry if you ever have an unanticipated gas shortage.

It’s a smartly dressed little area, with its own colour scheme, nice lighting and lots of storage. Not much work surface for that toaster if you do bring one, mind…

Washroom – 90%

Storage options are bountiful in here too, thanks to an under-basin cupboard, a wall locker and a generous slab of shelving. The fold-flat metal hanging rail above the shower is another welcome practical touch, while the big opaque window and modest skylight make it a bright little room. The small mirror above the basin is the only one on board – a longer one on the inside of the washroom door would have been good to see.

A wraparound curtain protects the swivel loo if you relocate the sink’s mixer tap to the wall bracket to take a shower, but you’ll find space at a real premium – definitely a case of ‘better to use the site facilities’, but good to know it’s there if you need it.

Lighting – 92%

Budget-priced caravan or not, you still get a bit of bling, courtesy of the three big open shelves – two in the bedroom, one in the seating area – that are illuminated, and the warm glow they impart looks fab. Both of these areas boast a pair of adjustable reading lights, too – thumbs-up for that. 

And I’ll keep my thumbs in that position for the kitchen, pampered as it is by an underlocker strip and two flush-fitting lamps at ceiling level. Usefully, these are independently switchable. A ceiling light sits pretty much above the entrance door, perfect for flicking on while you take your shoes off at night. Another two flush-fitters are more than enough for the washroom.

Verdict – 90%

Could you make this layout work for you? If so, you’re on to a winner – well-built, easy to tow and easy to like. Especially at this price.