2026 Elddis Whirlwind 520 caravan review

Welcome, back Whirlwind. Elddis has given a good shake-up to its caravan portfolio for the 2026 season, including six models under the name it first used when it began life as a touring caravan producer some 60 years ago. The good news is the Whirlwind budget-conscious ethos has been retained. And then some.

The Elddis Whirlwind 520 caravan here is the baby of the new line-up, a sub-7m long two-berth with a classic front twin settee/rear full-width washroom floorplan that will easily fit the bill for couples who want a genuine lightweight tourer that’s as easy-going as possible when it comes to moving around.

In this video, we take a walkaround the all-new Elddis Whirlwind 520 caravan:

Maximum weight of the 2026 Elddis Whirlwind 520 caravan is just 1,355kg, although this can be taken up to 1,500kg if you want more payload.

You’ll probably recognise the Elddis exterior appearance that the Whirlwind shares with its Affinity and Avante Apex (also new for 2026) stablemates – all-white bodywork with graphics kept to a minimum, grab handles with a chrome finish, a noticeable curve to the three-window front end (complemented by a fixed sunroof over the lounge and opening Heki rooflight over the lounge), bike rack fixing points at the back, step-on hitch cover, black alloy wheels etc.

Note, also, the nearside is free of any clutter – which often proves a boon if you want to use a caravan awning. And, like its more expensive stablemates, the GRP bodywork extends to a protective skin to the underfloor area.

Access to the Whirlwind 520 is via a windowed stable door with waste bin, to an interior that reflects the current trend of shades of grey, with uplifts from the patterned scatter cushion on each settee.

The kitchen sits along the offside and includes a full Thetford cooker with three gas rings, an electric hotplate, oven and grill on the right and a circular sink in matching black, with chrome lever-operated mixer tap, to its left.

There’s a mix of permanent and a pop-up extension to the worktop. Like the other windows, the one for the kitchen gets a roller blind and flyscreen (those in the rest of the living quarters also get curtains).

To the right of the kitchen unit there’s a Dometic series 10 fridge with freezer compartment – total capacity is 98-litres, and it’s set off floor level for easier access.

Opposite the kitchen, there’s a low-level sideboard unit, complemented by high-level lockers and a neatly housed microwave oven.

The Whirlwind 520 caravan lounge area benefits from generous-sized side windows as well as a fixed sunroof and large rooflight.

There’s a free-standing table as well as a chest of drawers with an extending tabletop.

Typical for a caravan floorplan like this, you can choose between single beds or a double. The former are a good length (1.84m) but, at 0.72m wide, a little on the narrow side. So you might feel more comfortable making the extra adjustments necessary to complete the positively capacious 2.08m x 1.44m transverse double.

That still leaves easy enough access to the rest of the living quarters, all the way through to the full-width washroom, accessed via a solid door, where there’s plenty of space for the separate shower cubicle complete with Ecocamel Orbit showerhead on the nearside and swivel-bowl toilet plus countertop handbasin on a locker unit offside, also leaving a decent amount of dressing space. Omitting a window here is one of the few signs of keeping costs down.

The Elddis Whirlwind 520 caravan certainly scores well for the rest of its specification. Whale’s dual-fuel CompleteHeat system provides ducted warm air throughout, while the same company’s Expanse supplies the hot water.

You also get a Pioneer stereo system with remote control app and iPhone/Android compatibility, Teleco Teleplus X2/39U directional TV aerial, and carpet sections over vinyl flooring.

Lightweight, great value, frill-free, practical… these are among the things Elddis does best. It’s certainly a storming return for Whirlwind.

Want a bit more? Factory-fitted options are deliberately limited, but your supplying dealer will be able to cater for the likes of a mover, etc. Elddis’s optional Evolve package, however, represents great value with its collection of Omnivent, solar panel, Wi-Fi, external gas point, exterior shower, Al-Ko wheel lock, alarm, and more, with the latter two items giving you the chance to claw back some discount on your caravan insurance with Caravan Guard.

To find out more about insuring an Elddis Whirlwind 520 or your current caravan visit our caravan insurance page.

Verdict: Keen pricing keeps this latest Whirlwind in contention

Plus: Classic two-berth end washroom formula with commendably low price

Minus: Shorn of payload and security fittings in standard trim

In-a-nutshell: Whirlwind storms back

Alternatives: Bailey Phoenix Black 420, Coachman Acadia 460, Swift Sprite Alpine 2