First look: Compass Camino 674
Still providing all of the features you would expect in a caravan at this end of the market, the new-season Camino offers space and style for four, says Peter Baber
The luxurious new-season Camino offers style and space for a family of four
THE COMPASS CAMINO 674, like its Elddis Supercyclone twin, had a bit of a rejig last season and emerged as a twin-axle with fixed single beds in the back and a central washroom spread across the middle. With much of the attention in Erwin Hymer UK’S 2019 models focused on the upmarket Buccaneer range, we thought it might be timely to see how this example of luxury from the Compass range has settled in.
Pitch and set-up
The Camino range is instantly recognisable by its Azure Blue side panels. For 2019, Camino has been given a new ABS rear panel too – a fairly plain affair with a high-level brake light, an indented upper section, two horizontal chrome grab handles and two vertical light clusters. The wheel spats have also been improved in shape. This caravan still has most of the features you’d expect at this end of the market. It is fitted with an Al-ko AKS 3004 hitch stabiliser, and the ATC anti-snaking system, for added reassurance while towing. Heavy-duty corner steadies at all four corners add a sense of reassurance when you arrive. There is plenty of accessible room for large items you might want to unpack first, with a gas bottle locker up front, and two external access locker doors. An external gas fitting should make setting up the barbecue an easy job, too. Really, the only thing that is missing here is an external shower.
Lounge
The 674 is a four-berth, but you could easily seat more than four people in the front lounge to the left of the door as you walk in. Seating space is even marginally extended this year, thanks to backrests that curve around the front corners, although the front chest is large, so possibly only small people will be able to take advantage of this extra space. The lounge looks very smart and sophisticated, mainly thanks to the Miramar upholstery in shades of light brown with turquoise scatter cushions. This whole area is well lit, with a Skyscape sunroof in the front and a Stargazer rooflight that extends down most of the lounge. At night-time, four spotlights (all LEDS this season) and ambient lighting add a touch of intimacy, as no doubt will the Alde wet central heating. All electrical connections are hidden away in the front corners, where there is just about enough space to house whatever you connect to them. You’ll find a mains socket and a 12V and TV socket in the nearside front corner, and a second mains socket with a pair of USB sockets in the offside corner. Up front, there are also two speakers that connect to the radio tuner with USB and MP3 functionality – this comes as standard and is hidden in one of the four larger overhead lockers. The caravan also comes with an Alde load monitor, so you shouldn’t have to worry about overloading the system. The front chest incorporates a pull-out shelf that is all you will need for light snacks, but for a full meal, the table has plenty of space for four.
Kitchen
The kitchen provides a generous amount of workspace, with a pull-out extension, and two mains sockets. It’s well lit, too. Since last season, all Caminos have a rectangular domestic-size stainless steel sink. The large cupboard beneath could do with an extra shelf. You do at least get a column of four relatively big drawers as well. There is the new Thetford K1520 cooker with separate oven and grill, and a fan to keep the controls from overheating. As ever, the designers have differentiated the overhead cupboards from the lockers in the lounge, so they come with white doors and push-pull knobs. One has a crockery/mug rack. Across the way is a 155-litre Dometic fridge with a removable freezer. Above is the microwave, and it’s a new brand – Russell Hobbs seems to have cornered much of the UK caravan market this season, into the space vacated by Daewoo.
The Compass Camino had a bit of a rejig last season, to emerge as a twin-axle
Beds
The two fixed single beds at the rear are perfectly comfortable for anyone up to about 6ft 2in. They come with padded headboards and individually switched reading lights (again, all LEDS). There are two more USB sockets, as well as a switch for the overhead lighting on the side of one bed. Thanks to split backrests, the settees in the front make up into a long, slightly narrow, double across the van. Unusually for this price range, this involves pull-out slats, rather than platforms under the settees themselves.
Washroom
The shower cubicle on the nearside is partly taken up with the wheel arch, but the shower includes an Ecocamel shower head and a soap dish, and new this season is a clothes rail. The handbasin on the other side is adequately sized and lit, with a large lit mirror in front. There is also plenty of storage space, with two cupboards and a set of shelves. A toilet roll holder and some useful clothes hooks complete the picture here.
Storage
It might be oddly placed, but the wardrobe is plenty big enough for four. And with seven lockers in the rear bedroom, there is more than enough clothes storage space for the adults. Those at the front aren’t too badly off, either, as there are four large overhead lockers here, and four drawers in the front chest. Then there are the areas under the seats and beds. Both areas on the nearside are clear, and can also be accessed internally. The area under the rear offside bed is relatively clear, although it does house a 40-litre water tank.