2022 Weinsberg CaraOne 400 LK caravan

It’s a slightly unusual caravan layout here, but not one that’s untypical throughout Europe.

Small package promising best things

Bunk beds across the back set this apart from its UK-made peers, although the Weinsberg Cara One 400 LK happily falls into line with a parallel settees lounge at the front, plus kitchen and washroom over the axle floorplan. A particularly large wardrobe is a slight, albeit welcome, anomaly.

It’s a small caravan overall, for sure, with a maximum weight of 1,200kg making it eminently tow-able by any number of vehicles. And yet, its 200kg-plus payload is superior to so many – as indeed are its storage opportunities.

Just as impressive is the kind of build quality we’ve come to expect from its native Germany (Weinsberg is actually the budget brand of leisure vehicle manufacturing giant, Knaus Tabbert; as well as Germany, it has a huge production plant in Hungary).

In this video we take a look inside the 2022 Weinsberg CaraOne 400 LK caravan:

The CaraOne 400 LK caravan is a four-berth as standard, or should we say a two-plus-two? Those bunks, complete with slatted bases and good quality one-piece mattresses, are 2.04m x 0.77m and 1.93m x 0.83m and are more likely to find favour with kids.

The transverse front double bed, meanwhile, is a 1.87m long and 1.40m wide at is greatest, tapering to 1.26m. A curtain allows some night-time privacy from other occupants.

The lounge has just the single front window (as well as one on each side) and it’s not particularly big. There’s not the usual sunroof overhead that so many other caravans, of all sizes, like to provide these days. What you do get instead of that, however, is a bank of high-level lockers – and they’re big!

Sure there are other compromises. Those settee squabs are a bit on the thin and unsupportive side and the backrests are deep but very upright – if you want a bit of luxury you’ll have to supply your own scatter cushions etc to complement the two-tone upholstery.

That’s a decent-sized table, though, that’s all the sturdier for having a rail at the front bulkhead to attach to, which also gives a bit of sideways adjustment.

Typical of so many budget continental caravan models, the settees have ply bases, while all windows have more traditional roller blinds and flyscreens. Storage in the nearside settee base is also accessible from the outside of the Weinsberg Cara One 400 LK, while over on the other side most of the space is taken up by a water heater and an on-board fresh water tank.

No doubt kids will clamour to sleep at the opposite end of this little tourer. There’s quite some gap between those bunks, but there’s a reason for that. The lower bed frame can be fixed in an upright position if you want to use the back end for storage – just as handy is a large hatch that means you also have external access.

The fixed ladder to the upper bunk is a clever piece of design work, too, because it also adds extra integrity to the whole beds structure.

The Weinsberg Cara One 400 LK caravan’s kitchen has a three-ring hob in a triangular design (beyond which is an upstander splash panel), along with a circular sink in matching stainless steel. There’s a fair bit of permanent worktop here, but an extension section only makes it as far as the options list.

Under the kitchen counter there’s a large drawer that’s inset with a cutlery tray. Beneath this a grill/oven, and under this is a floor locker that will accommodate smaller pans etc. The fridge is also here, a smaller, 98-litre Dometic model with removable freezer box. The mains socket directly over the sink is arguably not the most ideal location.

Directly across the corridor from the kitchen, an “old-style” Truma heater (don’t worry, it’s perfectly up to the job of heating a small space like this) sits under the wardrobe, which offers plenty of relatively uncluttered clothes hanging space. As standard, the heating is gas-only, but there’s an option to add mains power for some £348.

The washroom is neat, featuring a small corner basin with a tap that also operates as the shower, when it clips onto the ceiling. You’ll need to pull a curtain around for showering. Also in this “wee room” is a Dometic swivel-bowl toilet. Complementary features include an opaque window, drop-down clothes hanging rail and two lots of locker storage; the upper unit isn’t particularly deep, but it is shelved, with shampoo bottles etc in mind.

There’s a lot more to this compact caravan than initially meets the eye. Not quite enough? There’s also a triple bunks version, starting at £18,175. Better still, Weinsberg has already committed to keeping price rises to a minimum as we head into 2023 and you configure your own Weinsberg caravan on their website.

Verdict: An economic miracle? Compact dimensions and low weight get this ‘van rolling

Plus: Lightweight and easily managed, kids love bunk beds, great use of small space

Minus: Some inevitable compromises, basic feel

In-a-nutshell: Surprisingly good

There’s more information on the CaraOne UK range on the Weinsberg website. To find out more about insuring this or your current caravan visit our caravan insurance page.

Alternatives: Adria Action, , Elddis Xplore 304