Words: Val Chapman  

The Swift Elegance Grande 835 caravan

The Swift Group embraces the rising popularity of eight-foot-wide caravans with three ranges, taking in a wide spectrum of price and equipment level.

These start with the Sprite Grande, offering three models, all under £30,000. The Challenger Grande range has 10 models, from £32,995 to £36,695. And there’s the flagship Elegance Grande range of three twin-axle models, tailored for buyers seeking a high level of luxury.

All three Elegance Grande models have island beds. The 845 has its shower room at the rear and its transversely aligned bed forward of it. Both the 850 and this 835 have shower rooms amidships, with secluded bedrooms at the rear.

A key difference between the 850 and the 835 is that the 850 has L-shaped lounge seating. There’s another major difference. Whereas the 850’s bedhead is at the rear, the 835’s bed is aligned across the caravan. And in the 850 there’s no corridor at the foot of the bed.

In the 835, a hinged door divides the shower/toilet area from the bedroom, and there is floor space on three sides of the bed. Which to prefer? It’s a close call. This might help: the bedroom in the 835  has a more boutique apartment feel and there’s more floor space around the bed.

The spec

All three Elegance Grande models have identical price and specification – and almost identical MTPLM figures. Alde heating is a given at this price bracket. And these models have underfloor heating, too; that’s a new feature introduced for 2023.

On-board fresh water tanks (30-litre capacity), dimmable lighting, a cold water shower point outside (ideal for washing muddy boots and muddy dogs!)…

The list goes on, and includes an alarm and tracker system, Al-Ko Secure wheel locks and, as you’d expect, Al-Ko’s stability control system.

The décor

At this end of the market, the ways in which a caravan’s luxury status is created, in terms of fabrics and furnishings, is paramount in winning over buyers who are discerning and who are seeking something really special. Elegance models derive their visual appeal from a classic fawn and white décor scheme that screams out the word ‘quality’.

One significant element is the leather-effect upholstery. It’s a fabric called Ultraleather; it feels soft and is designed for durability. The backrests are stitched in an elegant diamond pattern and the look is very akin to domestic sofas.

Unusually, there are no curtains on the lounge side windows. Instead, the windows are bordered by panels, upholstered in a fabric that matches the curtains at the front windows, and two of the cushions; it’s a lovely light-reflecting relief pattern in cream.

The lounge

A nice feature is the phone charger pad built into the deep windowsill. In its centre, a small round cover lifts to reveal two USB ports.

When you pull out the snack table that hides under the windowsill, you have an area that’s 72cm  deep and 78cm wide, curving out to 1.18m wide; a lovely large surface for all manner of coffee and cake indulgences.

As a table for two to use for meals, though, it isn’t brilliant because there is only 26cm of width that borders the sofas, so you’d get the free-standing table out from its cabinet aft of the kitchen for every meal.

And there’s a surprise: an acrylic-doored drinks and glasses cabinet. Drinks cabinets disappeared from fashion years ago, but now, Swift has brought the concept back – after all, drinking didn’t go out of fashion!

It’s alongside the door, with recesses for three bottles and three glasses. It’s mirror backed, so actually looks twice its size, it’s illuminated from within – and seems to encapsulate the Elegance’s sophistication.

The kitchen

The kitchen is a superb environment that’s well designed for culinary creativity. With its extension hinged up into place, the L-shaped surface gives you a space 83cm deep and 77cm wide forward of the sink.

Hidden tilt catches open the cutlery drawer and cabinet beneath this area. The cabinet contains two drawers, 58cm deep and 29cm wide. Another cabinet is alongside, containing two drawers, this time 42cm deep and 24cm wide and the small drawer above gives you 29cm by 26cm of space.

That’s in addition to the cabinet designed for pans, under the oven, of course, and a top cabinet, 76cm wide, containing plate and mug racks.

The circular sink is recessed rimlessly into the work surface; very smart and neat. The pan rest is cast iron, and there is an extractor fan built into the cabinet above the hob; two more pointers to the Elegance’s high-end status.

Opposite, the fridge that can be opened from either the left or right-hand side has a 177-litre capacity and there are cabinets both above and below it. Overall, including a slim cabinet alongside the door, the 835’s kitchen storage capacity is excellent.

So far, so very impressed…

The washroom

We move on, now, to explore the preening zone. And, wow, what luxury! Another rimless washbasin is set into a lovely big surface, 1.25m long.

There are two slim wall cabinets and four shelves, plus two cabinets and three shelf areas under the surface. Floor space is fabulously large, at 1.1m at its deepest point (it tapers slightly), and 1.58m wide.

There’s a towel warmer, plus two double towel hooks. And there’s a surprise: a wardrobe alongside the shower.

The bedroom

Closer inspection reveals that there’s more to this wardrobe than initially meets the eye, for it has a second door, leading in from the bedroom. An 80cm hanging width and three shelf spaces ensure generous capacity.

The bedroom is a luxurious retreat, separated from the lounge by the two doors that border the shower/toilet area. The gloss white top locker and wardrobe doors look lovely, as does the handleless style of the cabinet doors.

Floor-to-ceiling curtains, plus voiles, lighting above the lockers and a backlit television panel on a white textured wall covering, all play their part in the styling of this ultra-boutique bedroom. The bed is 1.84m (fractionally over 6ft) long by 1.33m.

On the aft side of the television wall at the foot of the bed is a floor-to-ceiling cabinet containing four shelf spaces. And the rooflight is electrically operated from a switch beside the bed.